Overview
Between 2021 and 2023, TLTL partnered with Instituto Singularidades to establish LabSing—the first maker laboratory in Brazil aligned with the FabLearn Network—and implement the Constructionist Learning Program: Integrating Science and Technology in Schools (PAC). The project received financial support from the Lemann Foundation, Imaginable Futures, and Fundação Telefônica Vivo. LabSing opened in August 2022, and the project was carried out in partnership with the São Paulo Municipal Department of Education (SME/SP).
With a total workload of 120 hours, including in-person sessions, synchronous online meetings, and asynchronous study, PAC trained all 31 science and technology teacher trainers from São Paulo’s 13 Regional Education Directorates (DREs), all of whom received certification upon completing the program. As a result, five new professional development courses for teachers across the municipal school system were designed, three of which were delivered in November 2023 across eight DREs. The program also established a Community of Practice that is now managed by SME/SP. LabSing, in turn, became a leading center for teacher professional development. During its first year, it received more than 2,000 visits from undergraduate and graduate students, was incorporated into 11 courses, and engaged more than 760 participants in events and professional development activities.
PAC’s final evaluation was highly positive: 90% of teacher trainers strongly agreed that the program had deepened their understanding of constructionism, while 95% valued the exchange of experiences among DREs. The associated research generated two academic papers—one accepted for presentation at an International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS) conference—and a project report published in Revista Invenções Pedagógicas. The final findings highlighted flexible schedules, alignment among partner institutions, and collaborative planning among trainers from different subject areas as key factors for success. TLTL and Instituto Singularidades intend to apply these lessons in future partnerships with education departments across Brazil.
