About Myself
My name is Chase Carroll and I worked as a learning technologist intern for Miami EdTech this summer. I am a 17-year-old rising senior interested in studying engineering at university. I discovered Miami EdTech through my guidance counselor and college advisor, Megan Fitzpatrick. I expressed interest in an internship related to STEM and she referred me to Miami EdTech, a perfect match for what I was looking for. I was excited to join as an intern because I could not wait to navigate my way through the complex STEM field, learning what I liked and disliked to better carve out a path for my future.
My Roles and Responsibilities at Miami EdTech
As a Learning Technologist intern at Miami EdTech, I worked on various projects that helped to piece together the whole operation. Some of my main responsibilities included working with one of Miami EdTech’s partners, STEM Fuse, publishing blog posts and web pages on WordPress, and helping lead the other interns, specifically with their work with Infento Kits. I had an exciting role in that I got to work on many unique projects and tasks. Tate, my supervisor, gave me direction and instruction on how to carry out a certain task, and I dove into it, learning with the guidance of her and others in the office.
Racing into the Future with a Semi-autonomous Electric Vehicle
In this project, I and the team of people I worked with were tasked with making an Infento EV semi-autonomous. We aimed to implement software from Arduino’s platform to create a vehicle with assisted driving through distance sensors and buzzers. My main role in the project was related to the physical components of the Arduino Uno. I was tasked with assembling the Arduino circuit boards, ultrasonic distance sensors, and buzzers and attaching them to the Infento EV. Many successes came with this project, however, the biggest success was being able to present the working model to a room full of people and showcase the hard work we put in to make the EV functional and semi-autonomous.
Articulate Troubleshooting with STEM Fuse and SNAP Circuits
In this project, I was tasked with testing the courses for both companies, finding any issues or errors, determining viable solutions for these problems, and then testing the solution by working through the course. STEM Fuse and SNAP Circuits are platforms where people can learn and attain basic and intricate skills in the world of technology. Because of their importance and work in growing the STEM field, it felt very fulfilling to be able to ensure that people all around the world could effectively learn and grow in their knowledge through these courses. My most memorable moments and favorite milestones for my work with both companies came while testing the solutions I created. For STEM Fuse, I got to create a working game using code that the course explained, and I got to build a functioning rover with LED lights by following the SNAP Rover course.
Skills and Insights from My Summer Internship
Throughout the course of my internship, I learned more than I could have imagined I would in just 7 weeks of the summer. I learned many different forms of skills needed for my future including soft skills, technical skills, and industry-specific skills. By being a part of the team in the office and my interactions with others, I learned how to use professional tools such as Slack, Trello, and HubSpot as well as the importance of communication skills and team bonding through the culture instilled at Miami EdTech. I was able to further my knowledge of some of the basics of AI by obtaining certification via the Google AI Essentials Course, and I obtained skills in web development through the use of WordPress to create blog posts and web pages for the Miami EdTech website. I gained leadership skills and experience by being the lead intern of a team of 11 other interns here at the office. Through my work on projects related to Infento Kits, Arduino, TinkerCad, and Riders Robotics, I learned skills such as working with computer-aided design (CAD) and programming. Lastly, I learned the skill of quality assurance through my previously mentioned work with STEM Fuse and SNAP Circuits. Overall, I learned many unique and important skills that will leave me better off when entering the workforce in the future.
Navigating Obstacles and Embracing Solutions
With every learning experience comes challenges, and my internship was no exception. Although I had many successes and did not have many challenges, there were a few roadblocks that I ran into and had to figure out how to navigate past. One challenge I experienced was figuring out how to work with WordPress to develop blog posts and web pages. I was not familiar with certain skills I needed to achieve what was asked of me, so to learn these skills I used the resources around me and asked more knowledgeable people. I sought help from Miami EdTech’s UX/UI Apprentice Maria Jose who was extremely helpful and patient. She guided me through my hurdles and eventually I was able to successfully work with WordPress on my own. Another challenge I faced was during my work with the Infento Electric Vehicle (EV) and Arduino with Miami EdTechs’s AI Apprentice, Norbert, and fellow intern, Alexa. There were many minor issues we ran into while working on this project with many moving parts and pieces. To get past these challenges the team leaned on each other’s expertise in certain areas. We all were able to troubleshoot the issues and with close attention to detail and hard work, we were able to move past these blocks. Throughout my internship, I welcomed a challenge as I knew that I had people to lean on for help as well as the reality that I would be able to learn from them.
Aspirations Past my Internship
This internship experience has solidified my desire to enter a career in the STEM field, specifically engineering. Through exposure to engineering fundamentals through Infento, Riders.ai, Arduino, and TinkerCad, I have found that I enjoy what I have pursued throughout my high school career. I am looking forward to attending a prestigious university, learning more, and being able to work on long, challenging projects that require critical thinking and problem-solving. I came into this internship with a hope to navigate my desires for the future and I am now leaving with that hope fulfilled.
Deep Gratitude to Miami EdTech and My Mentor, Tate
I am grateful to Miami EdTech for allowing me to get a glimpse into the workforce and STEM field through hands-on experience. At Miami EdTech, the people around me made me feel comfortable. I was trusted with tasks and was treated as an equal by many people with a lot more knowledge and experience than me. They allowed me to grow not only through their patient guidance but also by allowing me to make mistakes and learn from them. I especially want to thank my supervisor and the person who was there for me every step of the way, Tate. She took me in as her intern and always was available for me if I had any questions or concerns. She was patient and entrusted me with tasks that I was able to learn from. She kept me on track and held me responsible for my work and actions by teaching me about the workforce and how it runs. Tate ensured my internship experience was the best it could be and for that, I am extremely thankful.
Reflecting on a Transformative Internship Experience
Overall, my internship experience was great. I learned so many useful skills for my future, and I was able to make connections and relationships with those established in the field I hope to enter in my future career path. I would encourage an internship to anyone who wants hands-on experience in the field they are interested in pursuing or learning more about. For me, this was the STEM field, however, there are internships for nearly every field and career path. The Miami EdTech team will always be like a family to me, and I will never forget this amazing seven-week internship.
To learn more about Miami EdTech, the innovative work they do in the edtech world, some of which I helped with, and their impact on the communities they serve, contact us at info@miamiedtech.com
