As students across Northern Ireland return to school in the coming weeks after the summer break, teachers and schools are being encouraged to register for the free Microsoft Dream Space STEM experience at W5 LIFE in Belfast.
The immersive Microsoft Dream Space experience has been designed by Microsoft in collaboration with educators to help young people pursue their interest in STEM and shift their perceptions about the role technology can play in their future career choices.
Students are encouraged and challenged to think creatively in areas such as computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), Mixed Reality, and robotics.
In late 2022, Microsoft announced its commitment to invest further in the expansion of Microsoft Dream Space and set out on a mission to engage the close to 1 million students enrolled in primary and secondary schools across the island of Ireland.
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With this ambition in mind, Microsoft teamed up with The Odyssey Trust to open a physical Microsoft Dream Space hub at W5 LIFE, the state-of-the-art learning centre in the heart of Belfast. With a £1 million investment, the innovation and education hub was opened in August 2022 to support the learning and skills pipeline in Northern Ireland, creating and nurturing future talent for STEM and technology sectors.
Microsoft has also announced today that it is accepting registrations for the Dream Space Ambassador Programme for the new school year. It is open to students in Primary 6/7 and 4th/5th year who have a passion for learning and a desire to support, train and mentor their peers in STEM education.
As part of this programme, Dream Space Ambassadors become Dream Space specialists, offering assistance to fellow students and educators in the form of demos, training, leading small groups, or one-on-one sessions.
Beyond its physical Dream Space hub in Belfast and Dublin and its Dream Space Ambassador Programme, Microsoft has also launched new initiatives including Dream Space Live programme, as well as a Minecraft teacher academy. To further support educators and students, Dream Space Academy has expanded to primary and post-primary levels, offering a comprehensive range of online resources.
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Microsoft is encouraging teachers and their pupils to check out Microsoft Dream Space at W5 LIFE and avail of the free resources and experiences on offer for the new academic year. To register, visit: w5online.co.uk/w5-life/life-programmes/dream-space.
To register a student for the Microsoft Dream Space Ambassador Programme and provide them with a valuable opportunity to develop their leadership and digital skills, visit: microsoft.com/en-ie/dreamspaceambassador/.
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