About the Lab<\/h2><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>From winter 2020 to summer 2023, in partnership with All In Research and Innovation<\/a>, the Pond-Deshpande Centre NouLAB facilitated the Atlantic Canada Early Childhood Education. This Lab was funded by Future Skills Centre<\/a> and brought together diverse stakeholders, including educators, operators, policymakers, colleges, and professional associations, to collaborate and co-create innovative ideas to support the Early Childhood Education Lab (ECE) workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe challenges explored in this lab are not unique to Atlantic Canada; the need to better support the Early Childhood Education sector is an area of international concern. Many scholars and think tanks have been working on these issues for over 30 years, and many of the recommendations made 30 years ago still stand. As such, this lab has further demonstrated the potential of social innovation lab processes for creating the space and conditions to apply systems thinking, co-design, and applied experimentation to long-standing problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-27-at-11.07.27-AM.png\")
<\/span><\/a><\/li>![](\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Double-Diamond-EN.png\")
<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>ECE Lab learnings<\/h3><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>To tackle the complex challenges facing the <\/span>early childhood education<\/span> (ECE)<\/span> sector, the <\/span>Pond-Deshpande Centre in partnership with the All <\/span>In<\/span> Agency<\/span> convened<\/span> teams of operators, educators, government representatives, and training institutions involved in the education and care of youn<\/span>g children.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ECE-TOC.png\" "\\"ECE")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>The first round of the ECE lab (2020-2021) was focused <\/span>on understanding the nature and causes of ECE attrition, leading multi-stakeholder provincial teams through co-design sprints to explore how active ECEs might<\/span> upskill while working. Teams from PEI, NB, and NL created and tested several prototypes, including:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- NB's Anglophone Team:<\/span><\/i><\/b> Developed a Study Leave Support Program, which provided paid study leave that resulted in improved marks, increased presence at work while studying, and enhanced self-efficacy and interest in further education.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- NB's Francophone Team<\/span><\/i><\/b>:<\/span> Prototyped an Experiential PLAR Scenario Visualization to address last-minute recruitment challenges. This prototype facilitated constructive conversations between key stakeholders regarding the College's current recognition of prior learning pilot.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- PEI's Team<\/span><\/i><\/b>: <\/span>Created a Centre-Mentor Program that combined mentorship training with peer recognition, positively impacting ECEs' aspirations to advance their careers and increasing leadership interest among ECEs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- NL's Team:<\/span><\/i><\/b> Developed Visualizing and Supporting the Educational Pathway, which included online workshops, self-assessments, and a visual representation of the educational pathway in NL. This aimed to foster supportive relationships between administrators and staff as they progressed in their educational and professional journeys.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Each prototype team's report is included below. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
From winter 2020 to summer 2023, in partnership with All In Research and Innovation<\/a>, the Pond-Deshpande Centre NouLAB facilitated the Atlantic Canada Early Childhood Education. This Lab was funded by Future Skills Centre<\/a> and brought together diverse stakeholders, including educators, operators, policymakers, colleges, and professional associations, to collaborate and co-create innovative ideas to support the Early Childhood Education Lab (ECE) workforce.<\/p>\n The challenges explored in this lab are not unique to Atlantic Canada; the need to better support the Early Childhood Education sector is an area of international concern. Many scholars and think tanks have been working on these issues for over 30 years, and many of the recommendations made 30 years ago still stand. As such, this lab has further demonstrated the potential of social innovation lab processes for creating the space and conditions to apply systems thinking, co-design, and applied experimentation to long-standing problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> To tackle the complex challenges facing the <\/span>early childhood education<\/span> (ECE)<\/span> sector, the <\/span>Pond-Deshpande Centre in partnership with the All <\/span>In<\/span> Agency<\/span> convened<\/span> teams of operators, educators, government representatives, and training institutions involved in the education and care of youn<\/span>g children.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The first round of the ECE lab (2020-2021) was focused <\/span>on understanding the nature and causes of ECE attrition, leading multi-stakeholder provincial teams through co-design sprints to explore how active ECEs might<\/span> upskill while working. Teams from PEI, NB, and NL created and tested several prototypes, including:<\/span><\/p>\n Each prototype team's report is included below. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/li><\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>ECE Lab learnings<\/h3><\/span>
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