Starting in Spring 2025, we are excited to offer a series of professional development workshops for educators, organized by HANDS on TECHNOLOGY e.V. in collaboration with VDI-Garage in Leipzig. Thanks to funding from the TÜV Süd Foundation, these workshops are free of charge. They are primarily aimed at newcomers who want to familiarize themselves with the FIRST LEGO League program and its materials and learn how to integrate it into their teaching. With VDI-Garage’s AZAV certification, the high quality of these workshops is guaranteed.

Under the Tech4Kids initiative, we are offering three workshops on FIRST LEGO League Discover for preschool educators, focusing on early childhood STEM education. Participants will get to know the required materials of the educational program and engage in hands-on activities to explore how to promote STEM fundamentals through playful learning. They will also deepen their knowledge through practical applications and develop concepts for day-to-day preschool activities, including tips for involving parents.

For elementary school teachers, our Tech2Teach program includes three workshops on FIRST LEGO League Explore. Participants will discover the seasonal materials and learn about the diverse uses of the robotics sets. These workshops focus on didactic implementation while enhancing project management skills to successfully plan and deliver STEM initiatives.

The Tech4Vision program is tailored for teachers and educators in secondary schools who are interested in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge. Participants will gain an overview of the various stages of the competition and learn how to use the robotics set effectively. Additional workshops will cover working on a research project, developing team management skills, and deepening knowledge in robot design and programming.

As many of you are already familiar with the FIRST LEGO League, we kindly ask you to share this information with colleagues and other interested parties who would like to learn more about the program. All workshops are free – a fantastic opportunity to engage and train new educators for the program! For more information and registration, visit: https://vdi-garage.de/angebote/fortbildung-fuer-eltern-paedagoginnen-und-betreuerinnen.