by 0xc24789c6f165329290ddd3fbeac3b6842a294003 (TheCryptoTrader)
Should the following $12,100 grant in the Documentation category be approved?
Abstract
I am submitting this grant proposal to fund a student co-op work term, with the aim of creating an open-source electronics sandbox scene. By collaborating with students and academic institutions through their co-op programs, we can produce educational content at a lower cost while also introducing and training more creators for our platform. Additionally, this project will provide valuable insights into the entry-point developer experience, which will help us improve our platform and attract more users in the long run.
Grant size
12,100 USD in DAI
Project duration
4 months
Beneficiary address
0xC24789C6f165329290Ddd3fBEac3b6842a294003
Email address
Description
The proposed project is a 3-month co-op position for a CompSci student to develop a Decentraland scene that educates users on electronic components. Proposals like this could prove invaluable by utilising inexpensive hires, training future creators, and adding to the amount of educational content available on Decentraland. If we can manage to utilise co-ops successfully we could quickly populate Decentraland with a myriad of educational experiences and open-source development examples.
I have already conducted research on the requirements for submitting a job posting, my business is registered on the required educator websites, and the job posting is ready to be submitted. Here’s a quick breakdown of the fundamental requirements for a co-op position:
- The position must offer at least 420 hours worth of work.
- The work done by the student must reflect at least 40% of their targeted field. This means that the work must be relevant, such as software development or systems design for a computer science student.
- Most work terms also provide compensation between $18 to $25 an hour in order to attract students to their posting.
- Job postings are nearly always submitted by a business (not an individual).
In addition to the above requirements, students are expected to document their progress and experience through journaling, attend regular meetings with their work supervisor and campus faculty, and provide a summary of their experience and what they learned during the work term.
With these requirements in mind, I’ve designed this grant to facilitate the management of a project geared towards a single computer science student. The project will take place over a 3-month period from June to August, with the student receiving compensation of $20/h. The student will be developing a Decentraland scene meant to educate users on electronic components, adding to the amount of educational content available on the platform.
The scene would be composed of two parts:
- A sandbox simulation where users can play with a breadboard and add or remove electronic components such as LEDs, capacitors, switches, and logic gates.
- A guided educational experience that walks through each component and how it works with an example orientation of how to make use of that component.
I was also considering the possibility of a puzzle generator that produces layouts that need to be solved with the components provided. For example, users could be challenged to turn on the green LED while keeping the red LED off. However, this feature may be relegated to a stretch goal to be targeted if the student shows a good aptitude for development.
Overall, this project has the potential to be a valuable learning experience for the student and could help them stand out in the competitive job market. Additionally, it could contribute to the development of educational content on the Decentraland platform and help bring new users into the world of blockchain technology.
Roadmap and milestones
Stage 0 - Viability:
To ensure the success of our co-op project, I have reached out to nearby universities and colleges to gather information about their co-op programs and how to design a mutually beneficial project for both the student and the employer.
Stage 1 - Job Posting & Recruitment (May to June):
I plan to post the job advertisement in May to recruit a suitable co-op student for the project. Based on the co-op program requirements, the position offers a minimum of 420 hours of work and competitive compensation at $20 (CAD) per hour. As many students struggle to secure co-op positions through job postings (there are usually far more students than postings), I expect to receive a good number of responses to the job posting.
Stage 2 - Project Execution (June to August):
During this time the hired student will be trained and set to course developing the electronics sandbox. To ensure the quality of the code created, there will be regular code-reviews. Interviews/check-ins are also conducted with the institution.
STAGE 3 - Wrap-Up and Exit Interview (August)
Upon the completion of the work term an exit interview will be conducted to discuss their experiences while developing the Decentraland scene and a 3 to 5-minute video will be produced outlining how to use the sandbox. These deliverables will help us evaluate the success of the project and gather insights into the student’s experience when developing for Decentraland.
Unless those are just arbitrary examples haha. I’m trying to wrap my head around it. Will these job boards be created by you or open to the community to vote on etc?
, I just know how I was in college haha.
. I do agree with you that it doesn’t mean we should automatically shut it down because of that but rather engage in conversations so we can all understand. Appreciate you looking for ways to attract more builders to the platform! We need them! 
