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Frequently Asked Questions
For technical support inquires and FAQs, please visit our Knowledge Base.
General FAQs
Who is Forward Education?
Forward Education is a spinoff from Canadian EdTech company, InkSmith. Our mission is to empower the next generation with purpose-driven STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) with a focus on helping students understand and solve problems related to climate change.
What does Forward Education do?
Forward Education’s core solution centers around the Climate Action Kit, where students will learn how to code and build projects in the context of climate change issues related to the United Nations’ Sustainability Goals. The Climate Action Kit in combination with Forward Education’s online learning platform, can be used across different grades, subjects, and skill levels to make it easier for school districts to improve their STEM education.
Is InkSmith associated with Forward Education
Forward Education is a spin-off of Canadian EdTech company InkSmith. After 7+ years in the education technology industry, the team at InkSmith culminated their expertise to found Forward Education.
Where is Forward Education located?
Forward Education is head quartered in Ontario, Canada and serves customers throughout North America and around the world.
Product FAQs
Do I need a micro:bit to use the Climate Action Kits?
Yes! The micro:bit acts as the brain of all the robotic projects created with the Climate Action Kit. At least one micro:bit is required per kit. Climate Action Kits can be purchased with or without micro:bits.
Please note, a version 2 micro:bit is required.
How many students can use one Climate Action Kit?
The Climate Action Kit can be used individually, or within groups of 3 to 4 students.
What grades can the Climate Action Kit be used with?
The Climate Action Kit is designed to be used with students in grades 3 to 12. The online learning platform contains a variety of projects and lessons designed for each grade.
What subjects can the Climate Action Kit be used in?
The Climate Action Kit is specifically designed to be incorporated into Science and Math curriculum.
What does the Climate Action Kit come with?
The Climate Action Kit comes with all of the robotic hardware including sensors, motors, and building blocks to complete a variety of coding projects.
The kit also includes access to our online learning portal where educators and students can access step-by-step building & coding tutorials.
Platform FAQs
Are student logins required to use the kit?
No! We have designed the Climate Action Kit and supporting software to be free of student logins. All supporting content is browser-based and can be access without a login for students.
Educators will need to use an account login to access lesson content and generate shareable links for their students.
What program is used to complete the coding activities?
All Climate Action Kit projects use the micro:bit and Microsoft’s Makecode coding platform to complete the robotic projects.
Makecode is a free, browser-based platform perfect for use in education.
Curriculum FAQs
What standards is the kit aligned to?
All of the Climate Action Kit projects are aligned to NGSS, Common Core, CSTA and several other Canadian provincial standards.
You can preview each project and its curriculum connections by visiting the lesson catalogue here.
Shipping & Order FAQs
Where do you ship?
Order Processing Times
Orders are typically processed within 1-2 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) after your order has been placed. You will receive a confirmation email once your order has shipped.
Pre-Ordered Items
Please note that if an item is designated as a 'Pre-Order' at the time of purchase, the order will not be fulfilled until the product is available. Please refer to the original pre-order timeline indicated on the product listing for approximate order processing time.
Please also be aware that if an order contains both pre-ordered and in-stock items, the entire order will not be fulfilled until all the products are available. If this is an issue, please contact our team.
Shipping Options & Rates
For United States orders, shipping will be automatically calculated at checkout based on your destination.
Estimated Delivery Times
- Standard Shipping: 3-7 business days
Please note that delivery timelines may be impacted by carrier delays, holidays, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Canadian Orders
For customers in Canada, please purchase through our Canadian partner InkSmith.
International Orders
We have partnered with select resellers and partners to serve customers in South America, Australia, and Asia. To view a list of these authorized partners, please visit this page.
For orders in Europe and beyond, please contact our sales team at: sales@forwardedu.com.
Order Tracking
Once your order has shipped, you will receive a shipping confirmation email containing tracking information. Track your package using the provided link or by visiting the carrier’s website.
Undeliverable Packages
If a package is returned to us due to an incorrect address or other delivery issues, you will be notified and may need to confirm your shipping details for a re-delivery. Additional shipping fees may apply for reshipments.
Contact Us
For any questions or concerns regarding your order or shipping, please reach out to our customer support team at sales@forwardedu.com.
What shipping methods do you use?
We use a variety of shipping methods, from local carriers to national distributors. The method will depend on your location, cost, and any agreed upon contracts.
How much does shipping cost?
Shipping costs are calculated based on the recipient address. To calculate the shipping cost for your online order, please continue to checkout and enter in your shipping address.
For purchase orders, please contact sales@forwardedu.com for a shipping estimate.
Did my order ship?
If you purchased from our eCommerce site, a tracking number should be provided in an email with 24-48 hours of your product having been shipped.
What do I do if there is an issue with my order?
If there is an issue with your order, please submit a customer support ticket here.