As teacher education has been, and always will be, a hands-on profession, rich in collaborative experiences for teacher candidates, the School of Education must continually find ways to provide students with more and varied learning opportunities. In recent years, the program has implemented a gaming lab, student lounge, study space, tipi, and now a Makerspace Lab. The lab is outfitted with Raspberry Pi microcomputers, Microbit controllers, breadboards, robotics, Lego, coding resources, a 3D printer, Smartboard, and wall-to-wall white boards for brainstorming ideas.

“This space provides an opportunity for teacher candidates to experiment, design, and build as they engage in STEM activities”, says demonstrator Tim Foster, who took on the task of developing the space. “As the curriculum expectations for science and technology are changing, this space will provide future teachers with an opportunity to collaborate with other teacher candidates and focus on tools that allow for digital prototyping and fabrication, coding, mathematics, robotics, and 3D printing. This space will no doubt grow and adapt to the needs of learners.”

Addressing the need

As the lab allows teacher candidates to explore key concepts such as coding and robotics, it also serves as a safe space for those not yet comfortable with technology to make mistakes while finding the best path forward in its implementation.  

“Whether it be through tech-based workshops or educational technology certificate programs for our teacher candidates, we recognize the growing need for spaces such as the Makerspace Lab, to allow our students the time and space to transform their pedagogy and practice,” says Claire Mooney, dean of Education at Trent. “K-12 students are bringing a wealth of knowledge to the classroom when it comes to how they engage with devices and the online world, and it is our job to ensure that our teacher candidates are finding ways to best support them in their learning, while also leveraging tools that are often seen as tools of leisure, but rather highly educational.”

Honouring instrumental impact

Though the Makerspace Lab marks a new beginning in many ways, it also celebrates the instrumental impact Tim Foster has had on the School of Education for nearly 20 years, as he sets to retire this summer. Tim has shared his passion and knowledge for technology by supporting faculty, staff and students with consistent support, access to new technologies, and the demonstration of embedding tools into pedagogy and practice.

“On behalf of all of us in the School of Education, I would like to extend my gratitude to Tim for his contribution and friendship over all these years – he will be dearly missed,” shares Claire Mooney.