Empowering Educators and Enriching Minds: November 2023 Highlights

At Learnit, we are thrilled to share the exciting developments that marked our journey with the delivery of the FIRST© LEGO© League MASTERPIECE℠ season in Ireland in November 2023 in partnership with the IET. This month has been a whirlwind of activities, partnerships, and initiatives aimed at fostering education and innovation in STEM fields. Here's a glimpse into the impactful work we've undertaken:

Growing Registrations for FIRST LEGO League Challenge: Registrations for the FIRST LEGO League Challenge MASTERPIECE season have been overwhelming, with registrations soaring. It's heartening to see a growing interest in hands-on learning experiences that challenge and inspire young minds.  We look forward to meeting these teams at the regional tournaments in late January and mid-February.  Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at fll@learnit.ie for extra support if needed.

Pre-Programme Feedback Surveys: Thanks to all our teachers and mentors who have already shared their pre-programme feedback. Your feedback will give us valuable insights that will guide future initiatives and enhance the overall learning experience for participants.

Empowering Galway Teachers in partnership with Medtronic: Learnit proudly joined forces with Medtronic to provide an Introduction to SPIKE Prime and FIRST LEGO League Challenge programme training for teachers in Galway.  This partnership is a testament to our commitment to equipping educators with the skills and knowledge needed to inspire the next generation of innovators.

Workshops for Teachers and Youth Workers: We also ran a series of workshops hosted in the DCU LEIS to provide teachers and youth workers with a unique opportunity to learn more about the SPIKE Essential and SPIKE Prime equipment used in the delivery of the FIRST LEGO League programme. Supporting teachers and mentors is our way of giving back to the community that plays a crucial role in shaping young minds.  We were especially delighted to welcome alumni of the STEM Teacher Internship Programme and look forward to supporting their students to take part in the Challenge programme.

Volunteer Activation with DCU Faculty of Engineering and Computing: We are excited to announce an expanding collaboration with the DCU Faculty of Engineering and Computing and welcome the interest from their Faculty and students to support the growth of FIRST LEGO League Challenge in Ireland. This engagement underscores the importance of higher education’s involvement in shaping the educational landscape and creating a positive impact on the next generation of engineering and computing students.

Expanding Partnership with Foroige: We are also exploring ways to support Foroige to expand their engagement with FIRST LEGO League Explore and Challenge. We are delighted that we will have over 12 Challenge teams competing in a MASTERPIECE season blitz next April.

STEAM Meath Programme: The STEAM Meath programme is gaining momentum as we prepare for another round of workshops with the schools in December and January.  In collaboration with Navan Education Centre, we organised in-depth, hands-on workshops for teachers, focusing on working with the SPIKE Essential robotics kits and providing hands-on experiences for effective learning.  We are also looking forward to connecting the Meta volunteers with their schools to support them on their FIRST LEGO League journey!

Irish Girl Guides: We were very excited to support the Irish Girl Guides at their first programme day with Janssen Sciences in Cork.  We are already looking forward to our follow up day in mid January and we appreciate all that the Janssen team are doing t suppor the Girl Guides to foster a love for science and technology among young girls and encourage them to pursue STEM fields.

LOETB STEAM Programme Launch: Learnit were proud to participate in the launch of the LOETB STEAM Programme, which showcased a range of STEAM programme for schools to engage with including the FIRST LEGO League Challenge programme. Well done to all the event organisers for a great day.  

Weave Project: We are delighted to see the WEAVE Project continuing in partnership with Tralee Education Centre. Delivering Weave Project training workshop reinforced our dedication to staying at the forefront of educational practices and methodologies.

November 2023 has been a month of collaboration, learning, and growth for Learnit. As we reflect on these accomplishments, we look forward to continuing our mission of inspiring and empowering the next generation of innovators through transformative educational experiences. We want to say a special thanks to the team at Science Foundation Ireland for their continued support of the FIRST LEGO League programme in Ireland, without which it would not be possible to ensure that so many young people around the country get to experience this exciting STEM Challenge. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on the exciting journey ahead!