As educational technology advances, there are an increasing number of educational tools that are useful to help make learning interactive for students in the classroom. This tool has a significant number of uses that can turn any lesson into an interactive experience for students in any subject.

Flipgrid is a web-based program, which can be accessed in a wide array of settings, for in-person, hybrid, or remote learning, and can be accessed on any device that the student has access to. The program is easy to use for all teachers, simply create a free account with a google or Microsoft account, and connect to your students with a simple code or link.

The Functions of Flipgrid

            This very diverse tool is focused primarily on the use of videos that make student interaction with the content more engaging. The teacher is also able to create groups for classes where students join through a code. This allows the teacher to better view student progress as students complete assignments in this online program.

            Students can view a video and then respond to a question in the program about the lesson or the topic that the video was about. As the lesson or activity proceeds, this allows additional processing time and a safe space for students who may not be as keen on interacting in the live classroom. As a result of the pandemic, there is an increased rate of students with anxiety, and using a platform such as Flipgrid that allows students to develop and engage with the content in a way that reduces the number of stressors that those students may feel in the traditional classroom setting.

            The ability for students to add emojis, text, and stickers adds another level of engagement for students as they let their creativity show in the responses they share in a way that they are most comfortable with. These are tools that are used in social settings through social media, bringing their personal lives with the things that they are learning in the classroom. Students are also able to record and edit their video submissions so that they can submit their responses when they are ready, which can be important when it comes to students who are traditionally anxious in the classroom when it comes to sharing in public.

Opening the World with Flipgrid

            One thing that has become abundantly clear in education over the last five years is that there needs to be further accessibility and flexibility in schools to ensure that teachers are reaching all of the students in their classes. A significant number of features can further help students, including an expansion of accessibility features such as closed captioning for viewing videos or the development of full transcripts for the videos that students are watching.

            There is also a feature that allows a teacher to put the class in Guest Mode, where a guest speaker can be invited to speak with the students through the program. By having visitors join the class through the use of the Flipgrid program, students in a variety of educational settings can get a more in-depth look at the concepts being taught in that lesson or unit. This also expands the possibilities of what visitors can be invited into the classroom without extensive travel or going over budget.

When students are absent from school, this can also be a great way to help them catch them up with the material that they missed during their absence. There can also be a student job in the classroom that involves a student creating a video about the assignments that were missed in that day’s lesson. Along with helping students who were absent know what was missed, it also promotes leadership and accountability among the other students in the classroom.

Using Flipgrid in the ELA Classroom

            In the ELA classroom, Flipgrid can be an extremely useful tool in further developing critical thinking and analysis skills. Rather than standard reading response questions, using the tools that Flipgrid has to offer, student interaction with the material and their classmates is invaluable to making deeper connections to the material.

            There are new features with a new AR feature in Flipgrid that allows students to share book reviews with the other students in the class about books that they have read. This can be a great project for students to dig deeper into a novel study, or even to recommend books to other students.

Using Flipgrid in the Science Classroom

            Using Guest Mode in Flipgrid, inviting industry experts in the sciences can be a great way for students to get a deeper look into specialties as they connect to the topics being taught in the classroom. Through the use of videos, these scientists can show processes for experiments.  Students could also create a project with a focus on the scientific process or host a virtual science fair in which they post videos about their projects in a virtual environment.

Using Flipgrid in the Math Classroom

            A great way for students to understand the topics they are learning in math class is to have those students explain the process they took to solve a problem. Through the use of the annotations feature, students can show their work in a video with an annotation over the video explaining their process. This allows students to not only complete the steps but gain a deeper understanding of the processes that are associated with solving that type of problem.

Using Flipgrid in the History Classroom

            In the history classroom, along with some of the same functions associated with the ELA classroom for processing material that they read, students are able to also complete long-term projects by walking through a specific event or time period in history in the form of a video. Through feedback and video responses to projects, all students in the class can interact with a specific part of history.

            In each subject, there are unique ways that Flipgrid can aid in interactivity and accessibility with the material, and promote collaboration among peers. Through a free account, this tool is a great way to engage all learners in any classroom or educational setting.

Created: February 15, 2024

If you ever wanted your students to speak up more, or if you have ever felt like a few students dominated all classroom discussions, then Parlay might change your classroom for the better. Parlay is an online class discussion tool that assists teachers to create classroom discussions. Classrooms that have used Parlay have reported an 85% increase in participation. This post will go through everything you need to know about Parlay, from why it is beneficial for the classroom, to an overview of the steps you need to follow to start the discussions. 

What’s the big deal with discussion forums in the classroom anyway? When you bring discussions into the classroom, you will more than double a student’s achievement, and teach the students about analytical reasoning and communication. But there is one thing to point out, these benefits are limited to the students who actively participate. A discussion forum in the classroom provides a unique way for every student to participate in discussing a particular topic.

Parlay is a discussion forum for the classroom that provides all the advantages that a traditional discussion can have for the classroom. Parlay has reported that students feel more comfortable participating, and communicating, as well as feeling more respected by their peers. These improvements were all seen in a short period of time (less than 3 months), and with only 8 RoundTable discussions for the classrooms.

Apart from just being a discussion forum for your classroom, Parlay can act like a new classroom management software that gives you ample data on each and every one of your students. This can help you understand what is holding specific students back, and how interactive they are with others.

To understand how Parlay can help you manage your classroom, you need to know how it functions. Let’s go over how Parlay is used in the classroom. 

Firstly, you as the teacher will create or select a discussion prompt. This prompt does not need to be a text, it can be any image, audio, or video. It should ideally be able to get your students bubbling with discussion points. If you cannot think of any good points to discuss in the classroom, you can check out the Parlay Universe.

The Parlay Universe is a library of discussion prompts created by users online. There might just be a discussion prompt that you want to use in your classroom when you are in a pinch.

You will then send the prompt to the students through a link or through Google Classroom. The students will then receive the prompt and respond after thinking about it. This response can be in two different ways, a written response (written RoundTable), or a verbal response (verbal RoundTable). As a side note, the discussions done in the classroom using Parlay are called RoundTable.

Let’s go through the written RoundTable first. The written response has an optional secret identity that allows the students to be anonymous when submitting their views. After they submit their response, they will be able to see each other’s submissions.

The students will then be able to agree or disagree with the views of their peers. They will be guided to respond respectfully to their friends with the help of guided feedback questions.

If you as a teacher chose the verbal RoundTable, the students will get a few minutes to read and take notes on what to speak after you send them the discussion prompt. When the discussion starts, there will be one speaker and students can “Tap In” when they want to participate. When tapping in they can choose to provide a new idea, challenge, build on, or question.

You as a teacher in the verbal RoundTable can take notes, run polls, assess participation, and “nudge” quiet students. You also have the authority to assign “Speakers”, or you can delegate this authority to a student moderator.

Once you have finished conducting the written RoundTable or the verbal RoundTable, you will be provided with the statistics of the classroom. Everything from time spent, and participation summary in verbal RoundTables, to statistics in responses, and average comment length in written RoundTables will be made available to you.

You as a teacher will also get a summary of every student’s response, and you will be able to provide feedback and assess the students based on a default or a custom evaluation criterion.

You will also be able to track the progress of each student throughout the year, and the skills they demonstrate in each RoundTable. You can track the engagement of a particular student, and view all of their past assessments/feedback.

Parlay will make your life that much simpler when managing your classroom. Now if you cannot wait to start utilizing Parlay in your classroom, you have to know about their pricing structure. We recommend you first try out Parlay using their free “Teacher Trial” plan. This plan allows you to have 12 free RoundTables per year and access the Parlay Universe. After you have decided that Parlay is for you, then you can move on to the “Premium License” subscription tier, or a “Site License”.

In conclusion, Parlay is a discussion forum for your classroom. It provides a new way for every student to contribute to a meaningful discussion in the classroom. Studies have shown that discussion in the classroom can help students perform better in the long run. Parlay can also be used as a classroom management tool where the progress of every student is tracked throughout the year. To use Parlay, you have to create a discussion prompt (alternatively, you can pick a premade discussion prompt from the Parlay Universe). Then the students can discuss either verbally or by writing down their points. Then the students can respond to their peers which creates a healthy debate environment in the classroom. Finally, you as a teacher will get access to all the data collected throughout the discussion in the classroom. You can use the data in many meaningful ways, and it will also give you an insight into the minds of your students.  

Created: February 15, 2024

Can students reach their full potential and thrive in their studies if they struggle with maintaining their well-being?

Research has shown time and time again that student well-being is linked with academic success. While well-being can refer to cognitive, psychological, physical, and social wellness, a disruption in one aspect is likely to lead to some emotional distress.

So, how can we help students lead healthy lives to maximize their academic potential?

Some research and academic institutions develop technologies and programs to help students and employees improve their mental and physical fitness. One example is the BioDash program designed by the Centre for Wellbeing Science at the University of Melbourne to help improve focus, reduce anxiety, and optimize performance.

With anxiety and depression rates going up during and after the pandemic, we should start shifting how we approach overall wellbeing in our communities. And that includes our students.

As we move into the post-pandemic era, engaging students in conversations about mental health can create safe stigma-free spaces where discussions on wellbeing are normalized. While students may be reluctant to open up about their struggles, starting a meaningful conversation may make things easier.

As educators, we may still need guidance and lack resources in bringing well-being into our teaching practices. However, we can integrate small steps into our teaching to become aware of students’ struggles and guide them to additional resources.

You can remind students of the benefits of daily practices in improving mental and emotional health, inform them about counseling services available to them, and invite wellbeing-focused apps into your classes.

Here are excellent ways to use technology in support of students’ well-being.

Identifying Student’s Wellbeing Needs

Identifying students who may be going through mental or emotional struggles can often be the most challenging part of the process. To address this, you may opt-in for using wellness questionnaires and daily check-ins.

Some students may find it challenging to communicate about their well-being. You may choose to start with anonymous surveys. In addition, open-ended questions like the ones offered here will help you kick-start the conversation on a gentle note and delve into areas that may resonate more with your students.

You may choose to collect this information through Google surveys or PollEverywhere. After identifying overall themes and issues, you can address them in class and invite students to your office hours if they’d like to continue the conversation. In addition, sharing about our struggles as individuals and as a community will assist us in destigmatizing these topics and normalizing discussions around mental health.

Positive Education Tools

Tools and practices of Positive Education will significantly facilitate the incorporation of well-being practices in your teaching.

This may look like starting the class with a 5-minute breathing technique, a meditation, or a quick check-in. To easily incorporate positive education into your teaching, you can turn to apps specifically designed for gratitude practice, affirmations, and positive self-talk.

Another great way of boosting positive attitudes and empowering students is to help them discover their core strengths through the Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment. By identifying their core strengths through the Gallup test students can gain clarity on their career and academics, discover ways to maximize their potential and develop a positive self-image.

Mindfulness and Mental Health Apps

Incorporating mindfulness in your class activities by using apps such as Calm can be an excellent way of inviting mental health and self-care into the classroom. You may introduce this by linking the benefits of meditation and breathwork to your class content or by simply allocating 5-minutes for check-ins and mindfulness practice at the beginning of class. The Calm app, for instance, suggests doing 30 days of mindfulness with your class.

One of the best things about Calm is that it is free for schools. Over 250,000 teachers bring meditation to their classrooms to help students improve their emotional well-being or focus. Calm provides educators with age-specific tools, meditations, breathing exercises, music, and other resources. In addition, you can use their self-care guide for educators to support yourself and avoid burnout throughout the day.

Alternatively, anxiety management apps such as SAM (Self-help App for the Mind) can also be ideal for students who may need immediate help addressing their anxiety symptoms. 

Peer Support

Peer support and community building can also benefit students’ ability to address their mental health struggles. Students need to realize that they are not alone and that different forms of support are available to them. TalkLife is an online platform where people share their mental health journey by talking about daily struggles, receiving support, and advising their peers. TalkLife is also available as a mobile app.

Time Management Apps

Deadlines, time pressure, class assignments, and other factors may heighten students’ anxiety levels and affect their ability to keep up with classwork.

Schedule management apps may take some of this stress away as students get assistance in managing their busy schedules.

My Homework Student Planner helps students stay organized and manage their class assignments. It syncs across devices allowing students to access their classes and assignments anytime, anywhere. Students have the option of a free basic plan or a yearly premium plan for only $4.99.

Remember the milk is another time management tool that allows students and busy professionals to prioritize tasks according to various factors such as due dates or importance.

Tools such as Focus Booster help students better manage and track their time and stay on task eliminating possible distractions. Focus Booster utilizes the Pomodoro technique which allows breaking the task into 25-minute work chunks, each separated by 5-minute breaks.

Conclusion

While technology and mobile apps are often associated with causes of stress and mental health struggles, some tools can help us counter these effects.

Finally, while it is part of our responsibility as educators to inform our students about mental health resources and help them cultivate self-help practices, it is important to note that technology apps cannot replace professional help. Make sure to refer your students to professional help, campus counseling, or online therapy services such as BetterHelp which offers student pricing options.

Created: April 16, 2024

In a world that had been dominated by technology, it is only natural that these tools are used throughout the classroom to promote technical ability in students all while increasing engagement. It is no secret that the influx of new technology has been overwhelming, causing attention issues and limiting engagement with traditional classroom teaching methods.

Gamification is a key buzzword in both education and corporations as people work to ensure that they are getting the most out of every interaction with the audiences in front of them. This became particularly important when virtual training, classes, and distance learning took the world by storm.

Kahoot is an online platform that can be used in a variety of settings, one of the most popular being the K-12 education classroom. Some teachers use the tools outlined in Kahoot to practice skills, prepare for, and take assessments, or even as a tool to help wrangle students who cannot seem to get out the wiggles.

What is Kahoot?

With the uncertainty and flexibility that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sudden and significant shift in the methods of teaching and interaction that was able to happen between a teacher and their students. The introduction of games such as Kahoot allowed for peer interaction even when people were nowhere near one another.

With a simple design, anyone at any age level can participate in Kahoot games, as long as they have access to a device such as a phone, tablet, or laptop. When in a game, the player selects the color that corresponds to the correct answer, with both speed and accuracy being key to earning the maximum number of points. With speed and accuracy being a primary focus of these games, students can maintain their attention on the task at hand with a fast-paced and competitive activity that has them striving to beat their peers, all while learning in the process.

Through Kahoot on the device of the learner’s choice, they simply input a game pin which enters that learner into the fame. It is through the easy-to-use user experience, both in developing the games and joining as a learner that makes this program so appealing for use within the classroom. Each of the games can be played either individually, or learners can be put in teams, further fostering collaboration and discussion of the topics that are being presented in the gameplay.

How Can I use Kahoot?

Having an account for Kahoot is completely free, but there are paid options for those who want to get the most out of their accounts including reporting on the games that are being played and additional questions that are valuable in a wide variety of settings.

If one has a teacher account for Kahoot, several additional features may be beneficial but are not required for basic use of the program. Among these features includes additional reporting, different game modes, additional formatting, and question types, and the creation of interactive lessons.

When developing a game, there are different types of questions that can be included: multiple-choice, multiple select, true or false, puzzles, sliders, polls, etc., with some of these options being specific to those premium account holders. Each of these specific question types lends its own specific value to presenting the information to the learners.

You can also add images and videos to questions to promote engagement with more materials or even develop lessons introducing new concepts. With all of the options available to creators of Kahoot materials, there is no limit to the impact that these games can have when passing information to the participants of their gameplay.

The Benefits of Kahoot

There are a large number of corporations that also use Kahoot as a platform for onboarding, competitions, and engagement among peers. Using Kahoot in the classroom, not only is it promoting learning in that general setting, but it is also providing access to another tool that may be beneficial in their professional careers. As teachers work with students, getting the information to students as well as providing valuable skills that will be beneficial in their academic and professional careers.

Kahoot games are generally multiple-choice questions that can be made into interactive games of the creator’s choice. There are also several ways these games can be created and utilized to maximize their effectiveness with a particular audience.

Through the use of gamification tools in the classroom, students can test their knowledge in a fun and engaging way, along with reiterating important concepts, and the repetition of these games helps the learners to retain the information in a more effective way. The additional interaction among peers opens up discussion about the information, which, in the long run, has positive effects on the retention of that information.

Kahoot as an Assessment Tool

Kahoot being used in the classroom can provide a unique method of assessing student understanding of the material, in which the teacher is able to observe the student’s interaction with the material in a freer environment that does not bring the same levels of anxiety that can be developed through traditional testing. While participating in a Kahoot game, learners are more open with their initial reactions to the materials,  combined with the competitiveness that pushes students to grow in their understanding of the material.

While there is reporting available to the instructor based on the games that have been played, the reporting for individual student data limits seeing student growth with the material that they are interacting with in the Kahoot game. Kahoot does bring forward a level of competitiveness, which can in turn cause students to team up to share their answers or mess with the responses of other students to ensure that they win the game.

If you want to use Kahoot for assessment in the classroom, it is important to set expectations and rules in advance for learners to ensure that you are getting a true perspective of where these learners are with that material.

Created: February 15, 2024

Creativity continues to be a sought-after skill in high school graduates. Post-secondary educators and employers recognize the need for this next generation to be content creators who can design original, eye-catching art and text to represent the brand, company, or institution. Truly, creating is no longer just for the art major; it’s beneficial for all students to have experience in creating digital art as part of their repertoire. When students have digital art in their portfolio, it showcases them as versatile and flexible.

Although some teachers may view digital art as intimidating, it’s important to consider how this art form can break down the barriers for those students who don’t see themselves as artists capable of working with a traditional medium. Digital drawing tools today are intuitive, easy to use, and may be more approachable to digital natives than a medium like canvas and charcoal. Additionally, with so many apps to choose from (check out this list of student-friendly 12 digital art apps), teachers can select apps that meet the appropriate ability and skill level of the class.

Educators seeking to blend digital art into their curriculum should gain some familiarity with digital art tools as a starting point. With a litany of graphic and digital artists now sharing their tips of the trade, take advantage of the various beginners guides such as “Teach Yourself Digital Art” and this “Must Have Starter Kit”.

Most graphic artists offer a spectrum of equipment to choose from, offering something for each budget. Pen tablets are the preferred method for professional digital artists, but many of the web-based software programs work adequately with laptops, Chromebooks, and a classroom set of mice. For those teachers with an ample budget to purchase drawing tablets, this Essential Picks site reviews various options of individual and bundle options.

Collaborating with the district’s art department may also be beneficial in maximizing the budget. Many schools have graphic design labs where teachers could take classes for the day or week while working on a project. With a little schedule coordination, it’s possible to tap into resources that are already available within the school.

Here are some of the other benefits in allowing students to create digital art within any subject area:

1. It allows for a novel type of expression.

Digital art serves as an excellent alternative to a traditional assessment that allows students to express their personality and original ideas. The medium is generally novel for students, which inherently boosts engagement.

1. It raises awareness of aesthetics and principles of design.

Using models and examples of digital art, teachers can create lessons on design principles such as balance, proportion, and contrast. Visual communication is highly important in our world today, so any opportunity to grow students in this regard is a win.

1. Digital art allows students to recap or tell a story in a new way.

Many digital art platforms now offer comic development. Students could retell a chapter from a book with a comic or create a “sketchnote style” poster recapping a difficult concept. While it might take more instruction and time, the benefits in having students create an original piece of art are worth it.

1. Students can demonstrate a deep level of understanding by creating digital art.

Composing art requires a great deal of processing, thought, and intention. Rather than simply recalling information like a traditional quiz, these digital art tools allow students to show their understanding and how they made their own meaning.

1. Digital art is easily shareable.

Teachers can create community and invite students to see new perspectives by having classes share their digital products with each other. With LMS’s like Google Classroom and Edmodo, students can easily post their work for others to comment and view.

1. These projects can expose students to careers like graphic design and animation.

Teachers may choose to use digital art tools in their classroom as a way to expose students to a colossal creative career path. The Inside Pixar series on Disney Plus may serve as a great accompaniment here, as it zooms in on the creative minds behind many students’ favorite movies. Pixar and other animation studios are arguably the pinnacle of any digital artists’ career, but the jobs in the industry are growing rapidly all across the country and world.

1. Digital art develops students’ attention to detail, patience, and grit.

Using more advanced digital drawing tools like in the Adobe suite requires robust self-directed learning. Students can learn how to seek out resources on their own from YouTube channels or other educational sites in order to learn and master a new effect. Moreover, many digital art software programs ask students to work in pixels, a unit that requires students to focus on every single detail of their piece. All of this instills those necessary soft skills for students to develop to transfer into new challenges and career endeavors.

1. Digital art products serve as artifacts for class reflection and discussion.

Teachers can ask students to create digital art at various points in the school year as a way to capture learning and understanding. The class can then use these as artifacts to reflect on their growth and shifts in understanding. Often, art communicates more viscerally than simply text. Students may find it enjoyable to look back on their work and see how far they’ve come. When digital art is printed and displayed in the classroom, it can also create a sense of pride for many students.

Overall, incorporating digital art into the classroom fosters the creative mind while offering a novel and fun opportunity for students to express themselves. Teachers, too, will find enjoyment in using digital art as a formative or summative assessment, as it puts the mundane grading aside, instead inviting unique products to grade. Whether it be a comic strip, a persuasive poster, an illustration of a new character, or an abstract painting capturing the mood of a time in history, the possibilities are endless for teachers to incorporate this medium into their curriculum.

Created: February 15, 2024

In this era, we can all agree that technology is a key player in the success of every industry, and the education sector is no exception. From software tools to hardware tools, technology is playing a critical role in how teachers and students collaborate, access educational resources, communicate, and improve the overall academic processes.

Technology devices like the Microsoft Surface have been specifically designed to provide teachers and students with the resources needed to bring learning to life in the classroom. The use of Microsoft Surface in the classroom ensures that students have access not just to classroom learning materials, but also to other supportive tools like Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365.

Here are ways in which using Microsoft Surface in the classroom can improve the learning experiences for teachers and students.

Improves Blended Learning

Blended learning is fast gaining traction in many learning institutions across the country and the world at large. It combines technology with traditional teacher-to-student learning.

This could be done in a face-to-face mode such that as the teacher is teaching, more instructions could be given on the Microsoft Surface devices in the classroom for students to follow. It could also be done at the end of the lesson where students get to either work on an assignment or access the further course material for that lesson from the devices either stationed in the classroom or in a computer lab.

This is not just beneficial to the students alone, but to the teachers as well. With the use of tools like Microsoft Teams that come pre-installed on the Microsoft Surface devices, teachers are able to get insights into how the students are interacting with the course material and performing to see if learning goals are being met.

Incorporating them either before, during, or after class time makes learning more engaging as the students switch into the different learning modes hence doing away with the monotonous learning environment.

Microsoft Surface Digital Pen for taking of notes

The traditional use of pen and paper to take notes and whiteboards or chalkboards can be enhanced with the digital pen tool that comes with Microsoft Surface.

Digital pens are an amazing technological invention that cuts back on the tedious process of having to write down your notes on paper, then typing them up on your device.

Microsoft's Surface digital Pen replicates the responsiveness of an ordinary pen so you can write seamlessly without worrying about lagging.

With the digital pen, a teacher is able to write text or draw shapes and diagrams while playing around with the different colors and thicknesses for the students to see. Students on the other hand can take notes directly into the surface device when the teacher is teaching or after.

And the beauty about using a digital pen is that it can transmit and save notes in the cloud and be accessed anywhere even on your phone because of its wireless capability.

With the Microsoft surface digital pen, you can say bye to borrowing markers and running out of ink.

Instructional Visuals and assistive technologies for students with disabilities

Students, just like any other human beings respond more to visuals than words. That is why a Facebook post or a tweet accompanied by an image or video is likely to gain more engagement than mere text.

Teachers can use the Microsoft surface in the classroom to showcase instructional visuals like videos, photographs, infographics, and visualizations like graphs and charts.

For example, for a music lesson, teachers can teach music with surface by providing visual and practical representations of the music theory concepts.

Apart from the general tools that provide instructional visuals for learners, students with physical and learning disabilities can hugely benefit from the assistive technologies on the Microsoft surface.

Screen readers and software applications like braille writers and switches can be installed on the devices to help students and teachers with physical disabilities to communicate and work on tasks so that they don’t fall behind on their deliverables.

Better Classroom Collaboration and Management

The Microsoft Surface education range comes with pre-installed apps like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams that offer a collaborative space for knowledge sharing and communication between teachers, administrators, and students.

Virtual lessons can take place seamlessly via Microsoft teams. This could be done remotely or a teacher might invite another instructor from another institution to virtually deliver a lesson. In fact, teachers and students will find the free Microsoft Teams for education ideal for things like video chat, document sharing, and collaborative editing of documents.

As a teacher, you can segment your classes or lessons into different groups and be able to share notes, assignments, and chat with each other within the groups.

With built-in features like Miracast, a teacher is able to share whatever material they are teaching in real-time and from anywhere in the classroom, without the usual constraints of being in one particular place.

It is also easier to access past classroom resources as they are saved on the cloud completely removing the hustle of going through file cabinets looking for teaching notes you kept a year ago.

Conclusion

Using technology in education is just as effective as what educators do with it and how it is used to best support their students’ needs.

There are many ways students and teachers can use Microsoft surface in the classroom to enhance learning in a fun and interactive way. From collaborating with students and colleagues, capturing students’ progress and taking advantage of inbuilt Microsoft tools, Microsoft surface is the magical device that promises to meet educational needs in this digital era.

Having tools like Microsoft surface makes it easier for students and teachers access learning resources and present information in a better and visually appealing manner.

Whether you are an educator, teacher, student, or school’s IT administrator and you are thinking of deploying the Microsoft surface to your school or classroom, you can reach out to an expert from Microsoft to help you understand the different range of devices available for schools and help you select the best device for you and your students.

Created: February 15, 2024

If you have ever wanted to take your students back in time to show them that history is as interesting as you tell them, then you need to learn more about using Virtual Reality (VR) technology in the classroom. This post will take you through everything you need to know before you start buying VR supplies. We will start with the differences between Augmented Reality (AR) and VR, the benefits of VR, and how it can help your students learn more.

A general rule in learning is that students remember 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, and 50% of what they both see and hear. They remember 80% of the things they experience personally. To take advantage of this level of remembrance, you need to utilize VR and AR technology because it is one of the only ways to give the students a personal experience in the classroom.

What is the difference between AR and VR anyway? They are two new technologies shaking up the world of education. AR is software that projects a layer on the surroundings of the user. The software can project parts of the surroundings, project an object, and much more but the projection only appears on the screen. On the other hand, VR is a wholly digital environment surrounding the user. The user can see and interact with the new surroundings. In short, VR feels much more real than AR, and it is the perfect immersive experience that students need.

VR provides a level of immersion that is second to none. Students can immerse themselves completely in the subject of their surroundings. The types of surroundings are only limited by the imagination of the one creating them. There is nothing more immersive than going back in time.

If you are a history teacher who is getting tired of telling everyone how amazing history is, then you should just show it to them! A full VR experience in history is one of the only ways to bring your subject to life. You and your students will go back in time to visit ancient cities, buildings, battles, and much more. If you cannot get your students excited about history after this, then nothing can. You can also take them back in time to show them how good they have it by being born in this time.

VR provides a very innovative way to step into the shoes of people experiencing a hard time. These can be hard times in the past or hard times that people are experiencing in other parts of the world. Taking students on a trip to the difficult spots in the world will make sure that they understand the difficulties of life and develop empathy.

If you are a career counselor and you want to help students pick the perfect career for them, then you need to get a VR kit for them to experience different careers. Experiencing careers first-hand might give the students a better understanding of their likes, and dislikes.

There are an estimated 6.1 million kids affected by ADHD. VR learning can help students with ADHD to pay more attention to the learning material. In the VR space, there are no distractions, so they are more likely to pay attention to the education material surrounding them.

If you cannot stop yourself from giving VR a shot in your classroom, you can visit this website. The website has VR resources for a variety of subjects for students. You can book a demo and check it out yourself.

Although VR technology has so many benefits, there are some things you need to look out for. Let’s go through some of them.

When you start using VR in the classroom, you need a lot of space. VR is a “physically involved” technology where the students need to move around or at the very least move their arms around. You will need a lot of space before you start implementing VR in the classroom. You also need to make sure that you do not misuse VR in the classroom.

You should not overuse VR technology in the classroom because VR can create fake memories in children. There are published papers that show this. Fake memories include children remembering visiting places and doing things that they have never visited or done before. This means that it is up to the teacher to not overuse VR technology in the classroom.

Technology will never replace human interaction so do not think that a VR experience will be a substitute for a teacher. Students will require teachers and friends to learn more in the classroom.

VR technology is very exciting, and students would just want to have fun with them. To limit your students from going off-topic every 10 seconds, you need a solid plan for VR learning. You need to be able to guide your students along in the virtual world so that they make the most out of the VR experience and learn everything.  

In conclusion, Virtual Reality technology is the next big step in education. VR has so many advantages for the classroom that it would be criminal not to use it in the classroom. VR gives students a first-hand experience in many subjects, and we know that students remember 80% of the experiences they have. You can use VR to take your student on a journey through time, through the human body, to different parts of the world, and through space. You can also show your students how people in different parts of the world live. If you have students diagnosed with ADHD, a VR headset will help them focus on what is being taught. Although VR is a very interesting technology, be sure to have enough space for it in the classroom and not overuse the technology in the classroom. There have been instances of children having fake memories after being in the virtual world too long. A virtual world will never replace a teacher in education, so it is not the solution to everything.

Created: February 15, 2024

Incorporating surveys into the classroom could bring valuable feedback, especially about the way you teach. Understand that your students can give valuable insight as well. Since they experience your teaching firsthand, they can provide the most honest and valuable feedback compared to anyone else.

It can be instrumental in improving your teaching style. Moreover, it can foster a healthier and friendlier relationship between you and your students. Here’s how you can make that possible through surveys.

Why Incorporate Surveys Into the Classroom?

Instead of asking questions about your teaching quality individually, you can hand out surveys with qualitative questions. Besides, your students will feel free to state their opinions and offer feedback to sound more honest when no one is watching or listening directly to their answers.

By making it clear that there is no pressure on them, they can share their opinion honestly. And we intend to help you receive said feedback. Keep reading to check out a few tips on incorporating surveys into the classroom.

Benefits of Incorporating Surveys Into the Classroom

Incorporating surveys into the classroom offers many benefits. It brings a lot of engagement for students as they assess their learning experience, course content, etc.

Furthermore, it strengthens their real-time ability to think in real-time by encouraging them to use their knowledge, skills, and ideas. Here are a few more benefits for students that come with surveys in the classroom:

• Your students can potentially unlock new cognitive thinking skills and improve their problem-solving abilities
• It becomes easier for students to voice their opinions and ideas, especially if they have a shy nature and are reluctant to participate actively
• It can promote confidence in your students since they will feel authoritative in providing honest feedback/answers to survey questions
• You can easily assess your students’ knowledge, ability to understand tasks, and their thinking processes
• You can create effective tactics to reach out to all your students based on the issues they’re facing

6 Tips to Incorporate Surveys into Your Classroom

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation conducted three-year research and concluded that collecting student feedback through surveys led to a better teaching environment. Check out the tips below to incorporate surveys into the classroom effectively:

1. Consider Your Students’ Age and Abilities

Are your students old enough to understand what a survey is? Are they capable of solving it on their own? If yes, you can proceed with getting information from them. However, if your students are too young, you can have a one-on-one chat with them to see what your students have to share.

2. Choose the Right Method for a Survey

People usually think about surveying with a traditional pen and paper. While paper surveys are more traditional, there are more environmentally friendly ways to get answers from students, such as opting for digital surveys. However, that will require you to familiarize your students with technology and how to fill out/submit digital surveys if they don’t know how to already.

3. Discuss with Fellow Teachers

It would help if you shared your surveying ideas with other teachers, preferably those who teach your students. You can coordinate a smooth series of surveys and avoid overburdening your students with many surveys at once. You can also develop a surveying schedule by discussing students' needs and responses with other teachers.

4. Create Proper Survey Structure

When you share ideas with other teachers at your institute about incorporating surveys into the classroom, the process can become much easier. However, you must first know how to differentiate between non-effective and useful ideas

.

You can design the survey better by working with other teachers or even using the data from a "pilot" student survey. It will lead to even more valuable feedback.

5. Ask the Right Questions

Don’t overlook the importance of asking the right questions. Even if you don’t have any experience creating online surveys for students or anyone else, consider learning about it a little first. It’s necessary to include the right questions in your surveys to receive useful feedback on which you can improve the learning experience and teaching environment for students.

6. Collect Surveys and Use Proper Assessing Metrics

If your students are young or if they’re filling out “student surveys” for the first time, you might need to wait sometime before you start receiving their valuable feedback. You have to use the right metrics and evaluating tools/techniques to get useful ideas and opinions out of student surveys.

Lastly, once you have incorporated surveys into the classroom, make sure you stick to a convenient schedule to avoid overburdening your students.

The Outlook of Incorporating Surveys Into the Classroom

Expecting and encouraging feedback from your students on various topics can lead to an inclusive classroom environment. They add surveys, whether paper surveys or digital surveys, which can improve understanding and help you build strong relationships with your students. By filling out surveys, students will play a more active role in improving their classes.

They can use new cognitive thinking abilities to experience improved learning capacities and methods. Also, including surveys in the classroom will help you take a quick peek into your students' understanding and knowledge.

Students’ participation in these discussions is just as important as teachers’. So, make sure you work towards an inclusive and friendly environment to create better learning opportunities.

The Takeaway

You can help your students understand you and their classmates better through surveys. Digital surveys will familiarize your students with technology-assisted polling and discussions. In simple words, surveys can improve the learning process as students get to voice their opinions and share fresh ideas.

That can drive more confidence in them, leading to a profound learning experience. Make sure you use the abovementioned tips to successfully incorporate surveys into the classroom. Plus, keep evaluating the responses to notice any changes or improvements in students’ experience.

Reference Links:

https://oedb.org/ilibrarian/polling-classroom-4-free-polling-tools-keep-students-engaged/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6sT_eY2ubE

https://avidopenaccess.org/resource/survey-with-polls/

https://instructionalmoves.gse.harvard.edu/conducting-class-polling-check-understanding-and-stimulate-peer-discussion

Created: February 15, 2024

Even before the pandemic forced students to the screen for educational instruction, both parents and teachers began questioning the right amount of screen time for their children. The concerns for too much screen time circulating among parent and teacher bodies mainly point back to both physical and mental health. A 2020 Pew Research report, “Parenting in the Age of Screens” confirms the alarm stating, “Fully 71% of parents of a child under the age of 12 say they are at least somewhat concerned their child might ever spend too much time in front of screens, including 31% who are very concerned about this.”

Undoubtedly, the pandemic catapulted students into a screen-time-saturated world, further amplifying the worry around too much screen time. Screens became the gateway for socialization, activities, and, of course, education.

Educators began harnessing technology in new and unfamiliar ways to engage students on the screen. From becoming fluent in screencasting, to designing engaging asynchronous formative assessments, teachers began using technology as a powerful tool for instruction. Additionally, the pandemic improved the bridge to student access in many districts who may have struggled before. Most schools moved to 1:1 models making access to devices ubiquitous.

As in-person learning resumed over the 21-22 school year, educators once again transitioned, this time back into more traditional instructional modes. Though, remnants of a fully online learning environment still linger. Those students who became used to the comfort of more independent, asynchronous learning now have to shift into more social, experiential learning modes.

Many students also became accustomed to spending a majority of their day scrolling through their smartphones, constantly connected to their social networks and social media platforms. Many teachers ask students to follow a phone-free policy in their classrooms, which is certainly an adjustment for many secondary students in particular.

All of this points to a need for educators to acknowledge the complexities of screen time and the implications of using technology in the classroom. While on one hand, there are enormous benefits in using educational technology, children surely need time away from their screens to process and acquire information. Stepping away from screens also allows students to practice presence and mindfulness, a much-needed respite in this day in age.

Both parents and educators are best to take a balanced approach when allowing or encouraging screen time. It’s not practical or beneficial to eliminate smartphone or device use at an extreme level since that is not the world that students are entering. In fact, young people need more knowledge and awareness than ever on how and when to use technology to either enhance or streamline some aspect of work or leisure.

Conversely, hours upon hours of smartphone use or a large percentage of classroom time spent on devices could lead to negative health effects. More and more research studies point to the fact that the digital stimuli can correlate with conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, or insomnia. A 2018 Environmental Research study goes as far to suggest that physical health effects can include obesity and high blood pressure. The report emphasizes that this “Current young generation experiences electronic media as a central part of their lives.”

While parents may enforce certain limitations at home (i.e. “no-phone dinners”), educators might feel challenged in limiting device use at school because of the student engagement factor. Many students are simply more engaged when technology is embedded into lessons, and educators may feel pressure to incorporate technology within every lesson as a result.

Often, though, upon closer examination, students might actually be engaged from what the technology provides, such as competition or social learning. For instance, teachers may use a Kahoot for a formative assessment, and the competitive gaming aspect draws students in. Or, students may share drafts of an essay on Googledocs in small groups, and the social sharing ups the level of investment in editing. In these cases, the screen time is of great value. In other situations where the same level of engagement can be achieved with paper and pencil, it’s best to give students a break from the screen.

Here are a few ideas of balanced approaches to blending technology use and more traditional instructional tools, which will allow students a break from the screen while still gaining the benefits of technology:

1. Students read and transact with a physical copy of an article. Then, they post “one important line” on a class Padlet, which the teacher has projected.
2. Students read an article posted on Google Classroom. Around the room, the teacher has posters for each section of the article. Students walk around and write down a response to each paragraph. This approach also honors the need for students to get out of their desks and move.
3. The teacher designs a station rotation model where students are on a device for only 2 of the 6 stations.
4. Try a flipped approach. After recording a mini-screencast lesson, the teacher posts the video to Google Classroom for students to watch for homework. The next day, students sit in small groups to work through problems together related to the concept on the screencast.
5. Students look through their phone for 5 minutes and find a picture that brings them joy. Then, they write 5-10 lines in their notebook about the experience.

Teachers may also choose to incorporate metacognition and reflection into the closure components of their lessons which ask students to think about how screens and technology impacted their learning. By asking students to think about how they acquired, retained, processed, or applied new knowledge, they’ll begin to notice how screens can both help or hinder their learning.

Through the design of their lessons and units, teachers can model moderation of screen time for their students. This takes purposeful planning and often a backwards design approach. By asking students to use technology only when it truly serves to enhance the learning, teachers will build healthier habits that are undoubtedly necessary for children to thrive in this technology-rich world.

Created: February 15, 2024

In recent years, the use of educational technology in physical education (PE) has been widely promoted across all levels of academic institutions with research budgets also being driven into the intersection between PE and tech, tellingly with the establishment and publication of the National Education Technology Standards for teachers. With the increase in attention around the use of tech in PE, there emerges a phenomenal opportunity for educators and students to reap the benefits of innovation in an environment that is yet to be maximized. It should be noted that the desire to use technology is not necessarily a new one; the use of pedometers and heart rate monitors has occurred for many years, but the introduction of technology described as ‘smart’ is where the headroom for innovation in PE truly lies. But with any emerging technology, there is initial uncertainty as to whether the tech provides a gateway to the future of its teaching, or whether it is a passing fad that is not delivering on its promise (think 3-D glasses). On top of the risk for educators in investing and adopting a technology with a short lifetime relevance, there is also the uncertainty that the benefits of using the technology deliver a significant return-on-investment. There is also emerging concern that tech in PE has the potential to have a detrimental effect on educational outcomes, with the tech reducing social contact, and becoming a poor replacement for effective teaching. Having these issues in mind - what sort of applications of tech in PE has the best chance of being fully and productively utilized, and what guardrails should educators put in place to ensure that tech is used as a useful facilitation tool and not a replacement?

Personalized Progress Tracking

Personalized learning, tailored for each student, has been shown to radically improve student achievement and engagement. Where we have seen personalized learning utilized in other academic disciplines for interactive and dynamic teaching plans, there remains an opportunity in PE to reap similar benefits. With wearable tech and tracking technology, there is a chance to gather granular physical data from each student that simply wasn’t possible before. This could range from monitoring heart rate, lap times, personalized technical analysis (throwing/pitching motion in baseball, athletics-based jumping techniques), heatmap and tactical movement for team sports - the examples are almost unlimited. The most important thing to bear in mind however is that to ensure that these data are being used for the most student benefit, it is their application to personalize and measure week-on-week, or period-on-period improvement on a student-by-student basis. Data is only useful if it is used and monitored - if that is kept in mind, then the benefits of period-on-period tracking will be clear to see in student achievement.

Facilitation, Not Domination

A common critique of the use of tech in PE is despite their capacity for additional data, and access to resources, there is a tendency for them to dominate lessons, relying too heavily on tech resources away from valuable student-teacher instruction. There is also some concern that the benefits seen in participation and motivation of students following the application of tech in PE maybe something of a honeymoon period; increasing short-term benefits through the novelty of technology, but may slowly decline as the novelty dissipates. There are implications here that if students are motivated by the use of technology alone, this would do little benefit to their intrinsic motivation for PE. Much in the same way as using a dessert to bribe a child to eat their greens, if intrinsic motivation isn’t being impacted for the desired behavior, the outcomes are not sustainable. So how can tech be used to maximize benefits whilst mitigating these issues? Quite simply, through tech-as-facilitator, not as a dominator. For example, over-relying on tech resources for lesson planning might be less beneficial than introducing video-resources for key technical elements. Alternatively, reviewing students’ technique following a sports activity and leading a personalized improvement session is likely to be more helpful than a self-serve technical suite of lessons. None of this is rocket science; the core idea to remember is that tech in PE should serve to facilitate lessons and drive added return on investment; not be a replacement for valuable instruction.

Extending the Learning Via Apps

Another core benefit of technology, specifically smart-device applications is the opportunity for students to continue their learning and development after the class has ended. Although lessons may provide students with homework, an app may facilitate the completion of this homework and be far more efficient (and reliable) at collecting the accompanying data. For example, a fitness tracker app would allow direct continuation of the students’ performance and progress from the class directly into post-class work, whilst centralizing all of the key performance data. This crucially provides an opportunity for students not just to track their progress, but to extend their learning beyond what the class-based lesson was capable of. For example, a student who has their interest piqued by a PE activity can continue to explore their interest independently through an array of available apps, whilst maintaining their connection to the original class. This provides an invaluable opportunity to enable those highly enthusiastic about a physical activity to drive their interest further, rather than leaving it at the classroom.

So there you have it. It is absolutely crucial understand how to maximise the benefit of tech in physical education - without forward planning with the key concept of facilitation in mind, it is easy to become a slave to the tech itself. However, with a facilitation and data focused application of innovation in PE, it is easy to make sure that these advances are not only here to stay and a worthwhile investment, but actually drive measurable impact on student outcomes.

Created: February 15, 2024

In today's fast-paced business world, the dynamics of meetings have evolved significantly. Gone are the days of bland, uninspiring conference rooms where creativity goes to die. Modern organizations understand the importance of fostering creativity, collaboration, and productivity through well-designed meeting spaces. Whether it's a brainstorming session, a client presentation, or a team meeting, the environment in which these interactions take place can have a profound impact on outcomes. With that in mind, let's explore some innovative and modern designs that are transforming meeting spaces into hubs of inspiration and productivity.

Flexible Furniture Arrangements

Traditional boardroom setups with fixed tables and chairs are becoming obsolete. Modern meeting spaces embrace flexibility, allowing furniture arrangements to be easily reconfigured based on the purpose of the meeting. Mobile tables, modular seating, and adjustable desks enable teams to adapt the space to suit different collaboration styles and group sizes.

Technology Integration

Seamless integration of technology is crucial in modern meeting spaces. From interactive whiteboards and video conferencing systems to wireless screen-sharing capabilities, technology should enhance collaboration rather than hinder it. Incorporating smart devices can streamline workflows and foster more efficient communication among team members.

Biophilic Design Elements

Incorporating elements of nature into meeting spaces can have a positive impact on creativity, mood, and overall well-being. Biophilic design principles such as natural light, living green walls, and natural materials like wood and stone help create a calm and rejuvenating atmosphere that can help with productive discussions and idea generation.

Acoustic Solutions

Poor acoustics can be a major distraction in meeting spaces, leading to reduced focus and productivity. Modern designs prioritize acoustic solutions such as sound-absorbing panels, acoustic ceiling treatments, and noise-canceling technology to minimize distractions and ensure clear communication during meetings.

Inspiring Aesthetics

Aesthetics play a significant role in setting the tone and mood of a meeting space. Thoughtfully curated artwork, vibrant colors, and stylish furniture can stimulate creativity and inspire innovative thinking. Incorporating elements of the company's brand identity into the design can also reinforce a sense of identity and belonging among team members.

Wellness Features

Considering the amount of time people spend in meeting rooms, it's essential to prioritize their comfort and well-being. Ergonomic furniture, adjustable lighting, and temperature control systems contribute to a more comfortable and productive meeting environment. Additionally, providing amenities such as healthy snacks, hydration stations, and standing desks promotes overall wellness and keeps participants engaged and focused.

Collaboration Zones

In addition to traditional meeting rooms, modern workplaces often feature informal collaboration zones where spontaneous discussions and brainstorming sessions can take place. These areas are equipped with comfortable seating, writable surfaces, and access to technology, encouraging impromptu interactions and idea sharing among team members.

Sustainable Design Practices

Sustainable design is no longer just a trend but a necessity in today's environmentally conscious world. From energy-efficient lighting fixtures and recycled materials to eco-friendly furniture and green building certifications, incorporating sustainable practices into meeting space design demonstrates a commitment to both the planet and the well-being of future generations.

In conclusion, modern meeting space design goes beyond mere functionality to prioritize creativity, collaboration, and well-being. By embracing flexibility, technology, biophilic elements, and sustainable practices, organizations can create inspiring environments that foster innovation and drive business success. Whether it's a high-tech conference room or a cozy collaboration nook, investing in the design of meeting spaces is an investment in the future of work.

Created: March 26, 2024

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence into various industries has become more than just a trend; it's a necessity for staying competitive and innovative. Among the areas where AI is making significant strides is the creative process. Traditionally, creativity has been viewed as a uniquely human trait, but with advancements in AI technology, we're witnessing a paradigm shift where machines are becoming valuable collaborators in the creative journey.

From generating ideas to streamlining workflows, AI is revolutionizing the way creative professionals work. Let's explore some key ways in which AI is being integrated into the creative process and how it's reshaping the future of design.

Idea Generation

One of the most exciting applications of AI in the creative process is its ability to assist with idea generation. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and generate novel concepts based on predefined criteria. For example, in graphic design, AI-powered tools can suggest color palettes, typography, and layout options, helping designers overcome creative blocks and explore new directions.

Content Creation

AI is increasingly being used to automate repetitive tasks in content creation. Natural Language Processing algorithms can generate written content that mimics human style and tone, while Generative Adversarial Networks can create realistic images and videos. These AI-generated assets serve as valuable starting points for creatives, allowing them to focus on higher-level tasks like refining and personalizing the content.

Personalization

Personalization has become a cornerstone of modern design, as brands strive to deliver tailored experiences to their audiences. AI algorithms analyze user data, behavior, and preferences to deliver personalized recommendations and content. Whether it's customizing product recommendations on an e-commerce website or delivering targeted advertising campaigns, AI enables designers to create more relevant and engaging experiences for users.

Workflow Optimization

AI-powered tools can streamline the design workflow by automating mundane tasks and providing intelligent insights. For example, project management platforms equipped with AI capabilities can analyze project timelines and allocate resources efficiently. Additionally, AI-driven analytics tools can track the performance of design assets across different channels, allowing designers to make data-driven decisions and optimize their designs for better results.

Collaboration and Feedback

AI facilitates collaboration among team members and provides valuable feedback throughout the design process. Virtual assistants and chatbots can assist designers by answering questions, providing suggestions, and organizing project files. AI-powered feedback tools can analyze design prototypes and provide actionable insights for improvement, helping designers iterate quickly and produce better outcomes.

While the integration of AI into the creative process offers numerous benefits, it also raises important considerations regarding ethics, bias, and the future of work. Designers must be mindful of the potential implications of relying too heavily on AI and ensure that human creativity remains at the forefront of the design process.

In conclusion, the integration of AI into the creative process represents a significant opportunity for designers to enhance their productivity, creativity, and impact. By embracing AI-powered tools and methodologies, designers can unlock new possibilities, streamline their workflows, and deliver more personalized and engaging experiences for their audiences. As we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI, the future of design promises to be both exciting and transformative.

Created: March 26, 2024

Keeping track of all classroom projects and all students' progress isn't an easy task. You'll agree with us if you're an aspiring teacher or already an educator. Staying updated with teaching methods is just as important as regularly showing up in the classroom. For that, online tools and software applications are becoming quite popular.

One such software is Trello, a project management tool. And as you can guess, it helps teachers introduce project-based learning to students. It also improves communication, participation, and time management from the students' end. Plus, if you ever teach from home or conduct online classes, Trello's the perfect tool.

A Quick Overview of Trello

To start off, Trello is a project management software application equipped with an array of features that make it suitable for classrooms and workplaces. It’s also free and works quite efficiently as a collaboration tool for multiple projects.

It helps educators create, customize, and visualize a project in teams. Teachers can use boards, listings, and card systems to organize a project seamlessly. It follows a central storage structure which means that all the information is in one place and easily accessible by all credentialed users (i.e., students and teachers).

The main interface is like a fridge door with sticky notes, i.e., boards. Every board highlights a different project; you can create as many as you require. Also, you can attach cards, checklists, labels, pictures, and comments to every board. It’s extremely easy to create a project using Trello:

1. Run the Trello software
2. Click on "add a board."
3. Start including elements like card system and listings
4. Include features and attachments
5. Collaborate and use other app integrations
6. Construct a workflow
7. Attach a project due date/deadline
8. Mark the main objectives
9. Use smooth editing features
10. Include to-do/task lists, and you're done!

• Benefits of Trello and Appealing Features for Classrooms

You can check out countless online resources about how using technology could improve the in-learning experience for students as well as teachers. A 2017 research paper from the University of New England states that using technology can benefit students.

It suggests that students could experience an increase in creativity, motivation, and performance (i.e., productivity). So, let’s find out some more reasons why you should be using Trello as your teaching companion!

• Easy-to-Navigate Database

This project management software application stores all the data in a systematic and easy-to-reach manner. You can store discussions, classroom data, and project information very easily using this interface. Trello also has a backup feature to help you retrieve data in case of system failure or security breach. You can use a wide variety of filters and labels to search and locate files in the database.

• Optimal Security Protocols

The whole platform comprises advanced security protocols to keep you safe from viruses and threats. Due to prolonged internet connectivity, it's possible to encounter viruses and infected files. However, Trello's security protocols and safety checks are reliable.

It uses bank-level encryption to keep the entire database safe, even when you're not using it. Furthermore, it offers admin controls through which you can set user permissions and board access requirements for safer use.

• Seamless Editing Features

A great perk of using Trello includes editing features. Once you’ve created a project, you can customize the digital content using the simple drag-and-drop tools. The software sends automatic notifications to inform you about project progress. It also sends completion alerts on your phone. Trello has specific customization tools for teachers, ensuring fast-paced editing.

• Systematic Card and Board System

The unique board and card system helps you create a flawless workflow. On top of that, timely notifications, customization options, and countless other features mean that you can monitor the progress. You can change the visual formats from bar charts to pie charts using Trello.

In addition, it’s quite difficult for teachers and students to get confused while using Trello. Thanks to the systematic board and card organization, anyone can pick particular projects and view the performance lists inside.

• Mobile Optimized User-Interface

Teaching doesn’t have to be confined to a desk! Trello helps all teachers and educators get project management done faster through a mobile-friendly user interface. If you've created a Trello account and optimized the application to your preference, you can access it from any device with an internet connection. You can use Trello on iOS, Android, and Windows.

The company behind this amazing project management tool has worked with countless other developers. And due to that, you will notice a lot of safe third-party extensions on the Trello platform, along with several plug-ins.

A Few Tips to Get Trello Into Your Classroom

Here’s a quick overview of how you can incorporate Trello into your teaching activities. Whether you teach students at the elementary school or high school level, Trello works in all cases. It’s worth mentioning that if you’re part of a corporate workforce, you can use it to guide and manage teams as well! So, here’s how you can use it in classrooms:

• Higher Education

You can use the card and board system to create research paper titles and assign projects to your students. You can also share editing and viewing rights with your peers to have your students’ work go through several checks.

• Grades 9-12 (High School)

You can have a training session with your students to familiarize them with using Trello. After that, you can guide your students to create a list of topics and concepts that they will study in the current year. The content could be as per the current year’s curriculum. For example, under the "Algebra Course," your students can include concepts like "Scientific Notations" and "Understanding Linear Inequalities."

• Grades 6-8 (Middle School)

After a short training session, you can guide your students and divide them into teams to complete projects. You can also surprise them with quizzes, MCQs, and other fun activities. The digital interface and colorful features will surely make it more engaging for middle-school students.

The Bottom Line

The board customization, listings, and education templates are some of Trello's major pros. It also features a lot of extensions and add-ons in the form of calendars, content creation, and integration with other tools. In a nutshell, it’s the perfect tool for in-class and online teaching. And Trello’s convenience and simplicity make it one of the best project management tools on the market.

Reference Links:

https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/articles/5-solutions-to-classroom-organisation-lesson-planning-using-trello-2/

https://www.natcom.org/sites/default/files/pages/eTools_Trello_July_2018.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGVnI7hdo2E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geRKHFzTxNY

Created: February 15, 2024

Let’s be honest. Homeschooling can be quite a challenge.

Whether you are considering switching to homeschooling or looking for ways to change up your resources to help your kids learn better, keep reading. You are about to discover tools to make this process easier and much more enjoyable.

The decision to homeschool your kids comes with a unique set of commitments and limitations. As a parent-teacher, you may discover numerous benefits in taking responsibility for your children’s education and enjoy spending more time with them. At the same time, however, you may find it quite challenging to tend to your children’s educational and social needs while also rocking parenthood or career.

The good news is that the internet is full of educational resources and tools to help address all your homeschooling needs. While educational technologies for homeschooling have been around long before the pandemic, the demand for digital technologies has increased dramatically over the last couple of years. As a result, parents and teachers now have even a wider choice of digital and online tools for homeschooling.

But where do you start? How do you integrate these tools? How can you bring more structure to your kids’ learning and help them thrive? How can you assess and monitor their progress?

With the plethora of EdTech tools and information, it may seem challenging to find quick and easy answers to these questions. To make things less overwhelming, we have picked some of the most popular resources to consider using in your homeschooling journey.

Help your kids develop a reading habit.

Want your kids to become avid readers, enrich their vocabulary or improve their concentration? Consider integrating eBooks into your curriculum.

There are countless benefits in reading to your children or helping them develop a reading habit. Whether you are reading to your kids, engaging them in a book club, or creating reading assignments, Project Gutenberg eBooks can be your go-to online library. As a non–profit organization, the project provides free access to more than 60,000 titles. You do not need any special apps to read the books and can simply use your browser or download the files for kindle or other e-readers.

Bring in visuals and video lessons.

Kids learn better with visuals. And even better when there’s an element of play involved. No secrets here.

If you are trying to add more fun, visuals, and video to their learning, consider signing up for BrainPop.

BrainPop is an educational platform with video-based resources that makes learning fun through games, animated videos, and reflective assignments to foster curiosity and love for learning. The platform offers engaging content with over 1,100+ topics across K-8 subjects ranging from sciences to arts and engineering. Available for use in the app and the browser, BrainPop assists thousands of teachers and homeschooling parents. With BrainPop Homeschool, you can create lesson plans, monitor your child’s performance to create individualized lessons, and access hundreds of tips and resources for instruction and assessment.

Get free content created by experts.

Khan Academy is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide "a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.”

Their content ranges from math, science, and computing to economics, history, art history, and more, including K-14 and test preparation (SAT, LSAT) content. As a parent-teacher, you can access free tools to track and assess performance and deliver individualized instruction.

Need educational content in a language other than English? No worries. Khan Academy content has been translated into multiple languages from Greek and Spanish to Norwegian and Vietnamese.

Liven things up with online classes.

While the idea of homeschooling is to educate your kids in the comfort of your home, it does not mean you cannot bring outside elements into their learning. Live online classes are an excellent way of helping kids improve their social and communicative skills.

If you want to recreate classroom experiences and help your kids socialize while learning with others, Outschool may be the tool for you. The platform offers live online classes suitable for children as young as three.

Create opportunities for socialization.

Socialization difficulties might be one of the disadvantages of homeschooling. This is where a tool such as Primer can come in.

Primer helps create a classroom-like atmosphere and foster social interactions between kids. By joining one or more Primer clubs, kids engage with each other through their love and passion for specific subjects. Primer allows your child to be in their first club for free and pay $10/month to join more. On Primer, children engage in team-based assignments, learn together, and make new friends.

Focus on sparking curiosity

If you’re looking for a free and fun resource to foster your children’s curiosity in creative ways, Wonderopolis may just be the tool for you. It is an award-winning interactive learning website that engages kids with one question every day. As a creative learning space, Wonderopolis allows kids to wonder, ask questions, and tap into real-world learning.

Created by the National Center for Families Learning, Wonderopolis provides resources for Grades K-12, is available for free to parents and teachers, and can become a fun, inspiring resource to incorporate into your lesson plans.

Make science fascinating yet easy.

How can you engage your high schoolers with science content in easy creative ways?

The Fascinating Education may be the answer. It is a science-focused knowledge platform designed to make science easy for high schoolers. By utilizing their background and knowledge in neuroscience regarding “how we learn, how we focus our attention, how we retrieve information, and how emotion and motivation affect learning” Dr. Margulies creates questions and road maps to guide the students’ learning by engaging the “right hemisphere” of the brain.

Conclusion 

Now that you have unlocked so many tools to add to your teacher’s arsenal, you can explore them further to make your lessons conducive to learning while saving yourself some time and engaging your kids in fun ways.

Which tools will you be using and how? We’d love to know!

Created: February 15, 2024

In the past few years, remote work has emerged as more than just a temporary solution; it has become a transformative force reshaping the way we work, communicate, and collaborate. As we continue to navigate this new era, the integration of artificial intelligence into remote work processes promises to further enhance productivity and foster seamless collaboration across distances.

The Shift to Remote Work

Remote work was once viewed with skepticism by many organizations, perceived as a privilege rather than a practical alternative to traditional office-based employment. However, the pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work models out of necessity, prompting businesses worldwide to rethink their approach to work.

What was initially an emergency response has evolved into a long-term strategy for many companies, driven by the recognition of its benefits. Employees enjoy greater flexibility, reduced commuting stress, and improved work-life balance, while employers benefit from access to a wider talent pool, reduced overhead costs, and increased employee satisfaction and retention.

The Role of AI in Remote Work: Enhancing Productivity

Artificial intelligence, with its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, automate repetitive tasks, and provide valuable insights, has emerged as a game-changer in the realm of remote work. By utilizing AI-powered tools and platforms, organizations can reach new levels of efficiency and productivity, regardless of geographical barriers.

Automating Mundane Tasks

One of the most significant advantages of AI in remote work lies in its capacity to automate mundane and time-consuming tasks. Whether it's scheduling meetings, organizing emails, or generating reports, AI-driven solutions can handle these routine activities, allowing employees to focus on more strategic and creative endeavors.

Personalized Insights and Recommendations

AI-powered analytics tools can analyze user behavior, preferences, and performance metrics to provide personalized insights and recommendations. This capability enables remote workers to make data-driven decisions, optimize their workflows, and enhance their overall productivity.

The Future of Collaboration: Breaking Down Barriers

Effective collaboration lies at the heart of successful remote work environments. While physical distance may pose challenges to traditional modes of collaboration, AI offers innovative solutions to overcome these barriers and foster meaningful connections among team members, such as AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants that facilitate real-time collaboration, streamline information sharing, and bridge possible communication gaps.

Virtual Collaboration Platforms

AI-powered virtual collaboration platforms are revolutionizing the way teams interact and collaborate remotely. These platforms leverage technologies such as machine learning and predictive analytics to facilitate project management and knowledge sharing in virtual environments.

Enhanced Decision-Making

AI algorithms can analyze vast datasets and identify patterns and trends that human decision-makers may overlook. By providing real-time insights and predictive analytics, AI empowers remote teams to make informed decisions quickly and effectively, driving business growth and innovation.

Looking Ahead: Embracing the Potential of AI in Remote Work

As we embrace the future of remote work, the integration of AI into our work will play a pivotal role in driving productivity, fostering collaboration, and unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth. By leveraging AI-powered tools and platforms, organizations can empower their remote workforce to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic digital landscape.

In conclusion, the future of remote work holds immense promise, fueled by the transformative potential of AI. By embracing innovation, embracing change, and prioritizing human-centric approaches, we can build a more inclusive, resilient, and productive remote work environment for generations to come.

Created: March 13, 2024

Nothing pushes you to do something more than a necessity. This is what happened when the pandemic hit, and most of the students were forced to attend classes online. This caused what would normally take decades, just one week to accomplish. Now we have reached closer than ever to the goal of every student having their own laptop or tablet to learn from. In this post, we will go through the pros, the cons, and the potential pitfalls that an educational institute must know. 

Before we begin, let us look at some data that was collected by the EdWeek Research Center. In May 2020, it was reported that 59% of the schools questioned had at least one device for every student. It is also reported that 78% of teachers had at least 75% of their students with good enough internet access that it did not hinder their online learning. Two of the most common challenges for schools were that students were distracted by one technology when they used another technology, and that their parents were unable to help them use the technology at home. 53% of the educators were also concerned about the internet connectivity in their student’s homes. It has also been reported by 80% of the educators that when the screen time for students increases, their behavior gets worse.

If you asked a traditionally educated student where they learn, they would say that they learn in the classroom. This might be true for many students, but a school’s primary goal should be to make their students life-long learners. When students say that they learn in the classroom and are incapable of learning outside of the classroom, it uncovers a hole in the education process. What this push towards 1:1 computing does is that it opens the minds of the students to see the internet, or a laptop as a source of information. It shows them that learning is more than just the classroom. The fact that they can learn to turn on their devices and Google a fact is a good start to making them lifelong learners. It will ingrain into them the point that learning just does not stop the minute they leave the classroom or the school.

Many students are not fortunate enough to get to use new devices. So, when they transition into 1:1 learning, they get to use an up-to-date device. This will start the process of technological education for them. This is especially useful because of the fact that the workplace is increasingly becoming technologically advanced. A student that learns how to use various technologies from a young age will become efficient workers of the future. 

One of the many disadvantages of using technology to learn is that corporations spend billions of dollars to make those technologies as addictive as possible so that they can make a profit. This is very hard to circumvent even after educating students about the potential addictiveness of technology. This might cause students to spend less time doing physical activities and more time wasted on their screens. This can be easily reversed by having the parents monitor their kids and how much time they spend on the screens but the parents cannot be there 24 hours a day. If you are a parent of a kid with technology, you should install apps that track their screen time and instill into your kids a healthy boundary between the digital world and the real world.

A very big disadvantage when transitioning to online learning is the amount of money required to do so. The Wake County District of North Carolina ended up spending $48 million on new devices. This is fine if you are from a rich district, but many districts will not be able to spend so much money on new devices. Buying all those devices is just the beginning, you need to spend money on training the teachers to effectively use the devices in education, you need to spend money on maintaining the devices, and so many other underlying costs. If the districts skip buying devices for the students and ask them to buy the devices themselves, the households of the students will feel the crunch. When it comes to money, there is no easy way to solve the problem.

Let us move on to the potential pitfalls that an educational institute might fall into when they start the transition. The first one that has been recorded is that when the transition is too fast, the teachers need to adapt quickly. This causes every teacher to use a different software without much research into what type of software it is. The teachers were not informed that the district would be liable if student data was not properly handled. To not fall into this pitfall, the institutions should mandate the use of proper software for every subject. This might mean buying licenses or subscribing to a service. Google Education is a great start for educational technologies.

Another pitfall that an educational institute might fall into is the hardware constraints they might face. When every single student has a device, there will be hundreds of devices that need to be connected to the network. This might mean hiring more technology staff to make sure that everything runs smoothly and buying better network hardware. If the institute decides on a permanent 1:1 learning strategy, they also need to make sure that their access points are capable of handling the huge influx of wireless devices.

In conclusion, introducing technology into the world of education is seen as both a positive thing, as well as a bad thing. Right now, there is no definitive proof that it is entirely positive, or that it is entirely bad. It is good when students get to learn how to use newer technologies, and the students understand that learning is much more than just sitting and listening in the classroom. It can be bad because the profits of the companies making the software for the devices depend on the attention of their users. It is also important for an institution to educate their teachers about the laws on handling student data, and the negatives of free software available on the internet when it comes to data handling. If institutes decide on going full-time with 1:1 computing, then they should also be prepared to upgrade their hardware and their networking.

Created: February 15, 2024

In the age of technological advancement, the integration of Artificial Intelligence into various industries has been nothing short of revolutionary. Among the sectors experiencing significant transformation, manufacturing stands out as a recipient of AI-driven solutions. The combination of AI and manufacturing processes has not only streamlined operations but has also paved the way for unprecedented efficiency, precision, and innovation.

The Evolution of Manufacturing with AI

Traditional manufacturing processes often relied on manual labor and basic automation. However, the emergence of AI has ushered in a new era of intelligent manufacturing. AI systems, powered by advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, enable manufacturers to optimize production processes, enhance product quality, and respond swiftly to dynamic market demands.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency

One of the primary advantages of AI in manufacturing lies in its ability to optimize operational efficiency. AI-powered predictive maintenance systems utilize data analytics and machine learning algorithms to anticipate equipment failures before they occur. By analyzing historical performance data and identifying patterns, these systems can schedule maintenance activities proactively, minimizing downtime and reducing maintenance costs.

AI-driven supply chain management solutions enable manufacturers to optimize inventory levels, streamline logistics, and minimize supply chain disruptions. By analyzing large volumes of data in real-time, AI algorithms can identify potential obstructions, predict demand fluctuations, and optimize production schedules accordingly, ensuring timely delivery of goods to customers.

Precision and Quality Control

Incorporating AI into manufacturing processes has revolutionized quality control procedures. AI-powered computer vision systems can inspect products with great accuracy and speed, detecting defects that may be missed by human eyes. These systems analyze visual data captured by cameras and sensors, comparing it against predefined quality standards to identify deviations or anomalies. By automating the inspection process, manufacturers can significantly reduce the risk of defective products reaching the market, in turn enhancing customer satisfaction and brand reputation.

Empowering Innovation

AI empowers manufacturers to unlock new realms of innovation and product development. Generative design algorithms use AI to explore vast design possibilities and generate optimal product configurations based on specified parameters and constraints. By harnessing the power of AI-driven simulations and optimization techniques, manufacturers can accelerate the design process, reduce prototyping costs, and develop innovative products that meet evolving customer needs.

AI-enabled collaborative robots are revolutionizing the way humans and machines interact on the factory floor. These robots, equipped with advanced sensors and AI algorithms, can work alongside human operators safely and efficiently, performing tasks that require precision, dexterity, and repeatability. By automating repetitive and labor-intensive tasks, they free up human workers to focus on more value-added activities, fostering a more productive and collaborative work environment.

The Future of AI in Manufacturing

As AI technologies continue to evolve, the future of manufacturing holds boundless possibilities, ushering in an era of interconnected and intelligent manufacturing ecosystems.

Looking ahead, AI will play a pivotal role in enabling autonomous manufacturing systems that can adapt and learn from their environment in real-time. From self-optimizing production lines to AI-driven product customization, the potential applications of AI in manufacturing are limitless.

In conclusion, the integration of AI into manufacturing processes represents a transformative leap forward, empowering manufacturers to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency, precision, and innovation. As AI technologies continue to mature and evolve, sustainability will increase as well as competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

Created: March 11, 2024

In recent years, the world of higher education has witnessed a remarkable transformation with the emergence of esports. With its growing popularity over the years among teens and young adults, esports has now found its place within the halls of universities and colleges worldwide. With purpose-built environments and innovative programs, institutions are recognizing the potential of esports to foster community, drive academic engagement, and prepare students for the digital landscape of the future. This year, the trajectory of esports in higher education continues to expand, promising exciting trends and opportunities on the horizon.

Creating Environments for Growth

The cornerstone of the esports movement in higher education lies in the creation of dedicated environments tailored to the unique needs of competitive gaming. Gone are the days of makeshift setups in dorm rooms; instead, universities are investing in state-of-the-art gaming facilities equipped with high-end hardware, immersive displays, and ergonomic seating. These areas serve as focal points for student engagement, providing a space where gamers can come together to compete, collaborate, and connect.

Moreover, these environments extend beyond just gaming hubs; they serve as versatile spaces where students from diverse backgrounds converge. Esports programs often integrate elements of STEM education, business management, and marketing, offering a comprehensive learning experience that goes beyond traditional boundaries. By embracing the multifaceted nature of esports, universities are preparing students for careers in popular fields such as game design, esports management, and digital media.

The Positive Impacts of Esports

The integration of esports into higher education brings forth many positive impacts, both academically and socially. One of the most notable benefits is the promotion of teamwork and communication skills. In competitive gaming, success relies not only on individual skill but also on effective collaboration and coordination with teammates. As students participate in esports leagues and tournaments, they develop vital communication skills that are highly sought after in today's job market.

Additionally, esports serves as a way to build community and inclusivity on campus. Regardless of background, gender, or physical ability, students can find a sense of belonging within the esports ecosystem. Through shared passion, barriers are broken down, and lasting friendships are forged. Esports transcends geographical boundaries, allowing students to connect with peers from across the globe, fostering a sense of global citizenship and cultural exchange.

Growth and Trends in 2024

In 2024, the growth trajectory of esports in higher education shows no signs of slowing down. Certain institutions are expanding their esports offerings, launching new degree programs, and establishing scholarship opportunities for aspiring gamers. Esports infrastructure continues to evolve, with investments in advanced technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality tech to enhance the gaming experience.

The rise of mobile gaming is reshaping the landscape of collegiate esports as well. With the expansion of smartphones and tablets, students now have access to gaming experiences anytime, anywhere. Universities are leveraging this trend by developing mobile gaming leagues and integrating mobile-friendly titles into their esports curriculum.

Additionally, there is increasing attention on regulating esports. As esports grows, people are looking closely at things like player well-being, fair competition, and avoiding cheating. In response, authorities and those involved in the industry are creating rules and practices to make sure esports stays fair and sustainable.

In conclusion, the rise of esports in higher education represents a paradigm shift in the way we approach student engagement and learning. By fostering inclusive environments, promoting collaboration, and embracing emerging technologies, universities are empowering the next generation of digital natives to thrive in an increasingly competitive and interconnected world. As we embark on the journey ahead, the future of esports in higher education shines bright with promise and potential.

Discover how the Smart-Way raceway can help transform your campus >>>

Created: March 07, 2024

ELA teachers face the enormous challenge of growing young writers within an extremely tight time frame—just one school year. Like the writing process itself, teaching writing is messy, non-linear, and time-consuming. Both novice and experienced teachers, though well-intentioned, often remain superficial in their writing instruction methods given the constraints of curriculum and other systemic factors. Inadequate time to provide feedback is most often cited as the culprit. Additionally, many ELA teachers find assessing writing continuously challenging.

Over the years, technology in the classroom has evolved to better support ELA teachers in developing their students’ writing abilities. Students today are certainly better equipped with digital tools, sites, and apps that assist with their writing needs. Despite this, many ELA classrooms today are still not tapping into the potential of technology to enrich writing instruction and embed teacher feedback seamlessly into the process.

So, how can ELA teachers leverage technology to more effectively grow writers?

Above all else, stay rooted in pedagogy and best instructional practices. Avoid using technology just for the sake of using technology. NCTE believes that “New technologies should be considered only when it is clear how they can enhance, expand, and/or deepen engaging and sound practices related to literacies instruction.” Design the lesson around the literacy goal and then choose the technology tool to further engage students.

Consider how tech tools can support the writing process. There’s assigning writing and then there’s teaching writing. Teaching writing requires heavy modeling and guiding students through all steps of the writing process: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing—and not necessarily in that order.

Utilizing technology during the brainstorming phase can excite students, building energy to transfer into drafting. During a personal essay brainstorm, teachers may ask students to curate a collage of pictures on Padlet of people and places of significance to them. When generating ideas for a research presentation, students can record a 30-second pitch on Flipgrid. Classmates and the teacher can comment on the ideas and spark some momentum for the writer.

Drafting in Google Docs allows students to share assignments with the teacher for quick formative checks and feedback. Additionally, they can share drafts with their peers during various points in the process. With teacher guidance, they can collaborate to improve their pieces, inching it toward the finish line with more autonomy.

Revision history in Google Docs serves as a powerful tool in making growth visible to students and the teacher. During a writing conference, a teacher may restore previous versions of the draft in an effort to focus on how the writing has evolved as a result of certain acquisition lessons. For instance, the student writer can more clearly see how active, unusual verbs invigorated the essay. As a bonus, it instills a growth mindset and creates a classroom culture where resilience and hard work is valued.  

Personalize writing instruction with recording technology. After a rough draft is due, teachers can harness recording tools to streamline feedback, ultimately saving time and personalizing the learning. Mote, a Chrome extension, allows teachers to quickly record audio feedback right within Google Docs. Teachers may also opt to use screen recording technology like Screencastify or Loom where they’re able to point to specific problem paragraphs or model rewriting a sentence or two. Undoubtedly, these tools have changed the feedback game.    

Technology enables ELA teachers to work smarter, not harder. Most veteran ELA teachers have accepted the long hours of grading required of the job. Though, with the help of novice teachers entering the field, many are beginning to grasp how technology can quicken their pace while benefiting students.

The most valuable feedback for developing writers comes during the brainstorming and drafting phases of writing, not at the end. By then, it’s too late. Students who receive snippets of feedback along the way are much more likely to engage in producing high-quality work. An encouraging comment on a brainstorm Padlet, a link to a website on semicolon use, or a 2-minute screencast that asks some focused questions can all enrich a student’s writing experience.

Gradually as teachers gain experience through the years, they can craft and store these comments and resources to use for future classes. Standards-based rubric generators like ThemeSpark are a great place to build language for comment banks.

Along the way, students will begin to see the value of continually revisiting their writing, tweaking, utilizing sources provided by the instructor, and tweaking some more. The classroom culture embraces the messy process that yields the best results—writing that students are proud to share.

Publishing with technology empowers young writers. The beauty of a connected world is that it creates endless outlets for students to share their work. No longer are the days where students solely write for their teacher. Whether it be posting a poem on their social media feed or sharing a link on Google Classroom for a cross-class virtual gallery walk, authentic audiences for their hard work inherently expand.

Encouraging students to publish their work with the wider world increases their confidence and motivation to write even more. Sites like Write the World provide students a community of young writers seeking feedback from both peers and expert creative writers. It honors that writing is social and that inspiration can stem from collaboration.

A litany of middle and high school online literary magazines like TeenInk or Polyphony Lit offer similar outlets to encourage the next generation of writers. Overall, providing these publishing outlets for students to share their work ups the stakes and reminds students of authentic purposes for writing beyond simply earning a grade.

The world has a shortage of dynamic and creative writers across all fields. It’s imperative that ELA teachers today prepare students for the rigorous writing challenges that they’ll certainly face in college and the workplace. Fortunately, technology can greatly enhance writing instruction in the ELA classroom and afford teachers more time to provide feedback and personalize learning.

Created: February 15, 2024

Living in the 21^st Century, the term ‘’STEM/STEAM’’ is no longer unfamiliar. Now, most individuals know STEM involves skills that will take students to the next level of learning and problem-solving. It brings attention to strengthening the basic skills that can groom an individual and prepare them to manage real-life problems (without panic!). While some educators propose the idea of dedicated time slots for STEM activities, I disagree with them. Because the purpose of integrating STEM becomes meaningless if we still treat it as a separate entity; rather, it should be a foundation for everyday lesson planning and class activities! For that, the role of the teacher becomes most significant as a moderator to direct the student’s energies and strengths to achieve a collective goal. So, teachers, are you ready?

To highlight the major focus of STEM integration into the classroom, Dare and colleagues (2021) quoted the idea of the 4 C’s- Critical thinking, Creativity, Communication, and Collaboration- as the skills which support student empowerment. Integration of STEM in the classroom stimulates problem-solving, identifying alternatives to a common problem, reaching out, and working in a team to achieve a common goal utilizing the applied skills of the 4 C’s. Making sure that the students absorb these skills can be achieved through effective lesson planning, which can switch between experiential learning to vicarious learning (learning from observing other individuals’ learning experiences) or situated learning.

Tips and Tricks to Dissolve STEM into your Classroom

While you are teaching students, no matter whether it’s science, languages, or mathematics, pause once you are done with the day’s topic and think about how you can present a topic-relevant problem to the students. Students will engage in the process of problem-solving and work to resolve the problem. This involvement will give students an opportunity to use their STEM skills.

Try to incorporate as much STEM vocabulary as you can during your class. For example, you can use words like model, experiment, test, and build in everyday classes to make the kids familiar with the terms.

Even if you are teaching languages, you can still integrate STEM. Curious to know how? Here it is! Let’s say you are teaching ESL, and there’s a story kids are reading. In the end, you can ask the students to identify the problem that the antagonist faced and how the problem was resolved. In this way, students will become familiar with the problem-solving process.

You must be thinking that you already got a lot on your plate while teaching your students, so why this extra stuff? Yeah, we feel you! But if you are planning to integrate STEM into your curriculum, the first thing you need to do is change your perspective on STEM. STEM is not the “extra.” STEM is not separate or disconnected from what you are teaching, but rather it gives you a way to enrich your classroom learning experience for the kids to be meaningful as you present a real-world connection for each topic they study. So, try to utilize the benefits of STEM more in your classrooms, and then see how excited your students will be to engage in your lessons! Yeah, it sounds impossible, but it is doable! Try it!

So, let’s get back to the facts!

For STEM, there are no hard and fast rules. Students can work in teams, groups, or even individually and it will help them come up with innovative ways to solve a certain problem and view different perspectives and decide collectively on one solution to go with. STEM also supports developing an inclusive and well-connected classroom. This kind of supportive environment also helps in catering to student’s learning needs in a more collaborative manner.

How can you incorporate STEM? Here are a few example techniques and activities:

1. Make a circuit: While teaching them about circuits and current, ask them to develop a circuit based on their existing knowledge and see how it works. After the activity, they will have lots of questions and want to know more. Tell them how it actually works and let them solve the problems they have spotted in their existing circuits. It will help them to understand how it actually functions and also about ways which can hinder the functioning!
2. Reflections and solutions for real-world problems: Choose a real-world problem, ask students to take different work role positions, and consider what they could do to solve a certain problem if they were given a chance. For example, obesity is a growing concern; they could take the position of a doctor, dietician, gym trainer, or even a psychologist and allow them to give logical reasoning about why obesity needs to be controlled and what role they could play in solving it. It will make them aware of such issues, and they will come up with some pretty creative ideas!
3. Jelly towers: Allow your students to work with different shapes of jellies and identify which shapes work well together to make and hold a tower. Let them struggle and test out different shapes and structures to bring out their innovation and understand different shapes and structures and why buildings are built with different architectures. (This is an excellent way to stimulate their interest in their surrounding buildings too!)
4. Make DNA structures: In order to give students a better grasp of the concept, ask them to build a spiraling structure using toothpicks and colored dough. This will help them identify different Nitrogenous bases and their bonding structures.

Conclusion

STEM integration in the classroom empowers students’ development on multiple levels, supporting them to learn individually and equipping them to work in a community with different people, sources, resources, and multiple pathways to reach a goal that benefits all! It does not bind but rather broadens the horizons of reasoning, logic, creativity, innovation, and teamwork. Teachers are influential in students’ growth and development and support the rich learning experiences for their students as they develop and integrate rigorous STEM integrated lesson plans.

Created: February 15, 2024