Quinn Gardener (Eng Sci BSc Hons | D and T PGCE) has been producing and supplying schools, teachers and learners with electronics teaching resources since 2000. After graduating from Warwick University with an electronics degree in Engineering Science, he spent ten years in industry as a design engineer. In 1992 he obtained his PGCE D and T qualification at Middlesex University and entered the teaching profession with a passion for electronics. For fifteen years he worked in various Essex secondary schools as a classroom teacher and as head of sixth form electronics in a Technology College.
In this time he was able to discover, first hand, the difficulties and practical problems facing the teaching of Design and Technology electronics. He found the carousel system of timetabling led to many projects being highly focused and teacher led, rather than process driven and providing opportunities for creativity. These activities were often based around off-the-shelf, bought-in kits which led to learner outcomes being highly prescribed and highly predictable. With a bursary from the Design and Technology Association in the early 2000’s Quinn established QuickLink Systems and soon began developing software teaching resources for schools which aimed at encouraging more open-ended or creative working. Around this time he collaborated with QuickRoute Systems in developing pcb design software using a systems, rather than component based approach. This was seen crucial if younger learners were to be able to manage and engage with more creative hands-on electronics in the classroom. Fast forward twenty years and this is the method which is widely adopted and recognised as the preferred way to deliver electronics to younger learners in secondary schools. Quinn invented and patented a wire-free electronics linking system which he incorporated into systems teaching hardware. By the mid 2000’s he became an official government CurriculumOnLine producer and retail supplier in the UK. Quinn regularly exhibited at the NEC D and T exhibition when it was an annual event and has run a variety of training sessions for teachers.
Quinn continues to work towards engaging more young people into this vital area of STEM – so they can experience the excitement and fun of working creatively with electronics.
His other professional work has included designing and building temporary and permanent sound installations, setting up a designing & making furniture workshop, designing and constructing theatre sets and lecturing at university level on various Performing Arts technical theatre courses.
With special thanks to:
Tess Gardener (BA Hons. Fine Art – Falmouth) for designing Professor Trax (and various guises) | advising on software layout | support with the prototyping of pcb hardware.
Stuart Gardener (BA Hons. Sound Engineering – Rose Bruford) for support at exhibitions | technical programming support | advising on software layout and support with the prototyping/evaluation of OnTrack’s hardware.
Stella Payne (MA Contemporary Theatre Practice) for her educational input and pedagogical support throughout the development of QuickLink Systems and TRACKS.
Brian Beech for his business support and generous time and energy, spent over many years, in supporting the development and sales of QuickLink123 and Project Tools Out-of-the-Box.