Microsoft Bulgaria, in collaboration with Telelink Business Services, launched Dream Space learning hub, providing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education accessible for free to all Bulgarian students and teachers.
Microsoft Bulgaria, in collaboration with Telelink Business Services, launched Dream Space – a STEAM learning hub offering immersive, research-based experiences to all Bulgarian students and teachers for free. The plan for this first school season is to reach 10.000 students and 600 teachers. Microsoft additionally plans to invest 1 million BGN within the next five years to upgrade Dream Space’s STEAM laboratories and material base to fulfill students’ and teachers’ needs for resources and good practices.
Dream Space brings learning experiences for students, teachers, and communities to enhance their STEAM skills and computational thinking alongside crucial social-emotional skills such as empathy, creativity, ethical decision making and collaboration. Dream Space empowers everyone to see the power of digital technology and STEAM in exciting new ways and the crucial role that these areas have now and into the future. The education will be free, with teachers required just to pre-register to reserve a spot for themselves and their students.
“In Bulgaria, we have more than 565.000 students in almost 2.000 primary and secondary schools who study science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths through STEAM teaching and build their STEAM skills. Our kids are creators of our future, so it is our responsibility to teach them how to develop skills and competencies to develop future job skills,” commented Yanka Takeva, the chair of the Teachers’ Union Bulgaria. Dream Space lifts the learning process to the next level, offering practical tasks, like coding, and the latest technologies as tools to solve them.
The creative curriculum design has the power to spark curiosity, ignite imagination and drive inquiry about the inter-relatedness of things. “For us at Telelink Business Services, children are the cornerstone of our future, so we are committed to their learning and growth through innovative education. We are happy to collaborate with Microsoft Bulgaria to bring equal opportunity for all and we support the country’s educational system,“ stated Ivo Rusev, Chief Commercial Officer at Telelink Business Services.
The concept of the Dream Space learning journey is research based, combined with Microsoft’s global experience in the tech area. “Dream Space shows Microsoft’s commitment to Bulgarian society, which we have been a part more than 20 years. This is one step further – a STEAM learning hub where every teacher and student can experience science and technology in a unique way. The essential part of this educational journey will be innovative, fascinating, and fun technologies such as virtual reality, Sphero Edu robots, Arduino, and Minecraft: Education Edition.” shared Albena Spasova, Microsoft Education Lead, CEE Multi-Country.
The formal opening of the Dream Space premises was accompanied by Boris Gerasimov, Head of ICT at Ministry of Education, Hannah Kamenetsky, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria, Michelle Simmons, General Manager for Microsoft CEE Multi-Country, and Kalin Dimtchev, Country Manager of Microsoft Bulgaria, while Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth at European Commission, expressed strong support for the opening of the educational center that will upgrade STEAM skills of Bulgarian students.
Dream Space activities will include workshops and field trips, teachers’ training with national accreditation and Dream Space TV (fun videos with interviews and demonstrations).
The idea for the project was born from Microsoft’s belief that children create the future and that quality education is fundamental for the economic growth of any country. Therefore, it is crucial that students are supported with all the modern tools, necessary resources and learning opportunities to help them to develop the necessary skills and competencies, as well as prepare for their future.
To find out may find more details and reserve a spot to visit Dream Space: https://www.microsoft.com/bg-bg/dreamspace-in-bulgaria
