Changing attitudes to edtech
Siemens UK Schools and Education Manager, Brenda Yearsley, on changing attitudes to edtech through providing meaningful e-learning tools… Many parents, teachers and carers are worried that smartphone and tablet use is blocking their children’s career prospects…. what if the use of technology is actually a gateway to life-long learning? I would say that the methodology of engagement with young people is as important as the content; the world of work is forever changing and we need to showcase how we use fun, practical technology in industry, whether this is digital twinning, virtual or augmented reality. Augmented reality in education changes the way students and employees learn, enabling the user to be fully immersed and able to interact and enhance their study in a novel and safe environment. The free Ingenious Engineering App is a great way to engage students and help them to learn more about inventions and innovations in engineering. It is a new resource from Siemens Education, whose aim is to bring science, technology, engineering and maths education to life in the classroom and to excite children about the STEM subjects. Edtech resources for ages 12+ Developed to support design and technology for students aged 12+ the resources comprise the App which can be downloaded from the Google Play and App Store, a poster which launches the augmented reality animation and a comprehensive lesson plan and supporting worksheets for Key Stages 2, 3 and 4. The App allows students to explore automation, electrification and digitalisation on individuals, society as well and the environment; there’s a CT scanner to see inside the human body, a rollercoaster, wind turbines and a driverless car. Teachers or students just need a smartphone and the ingenuity poster to bring to life the technological aspect of learning to life; the Siemens’ AR app can be used as stand-alone but can be used just as easily in collaboration with full lesson plans and interactive ‘tools’ for full authenticity, creativity and realism. There is also free design and engineering software, activities, games and challenges for students available too. They can be found here: Student edtech resources Teacher edtech resources
5 reasons e-learning is a great option for introverted students
Livia Bran at Cypher Learning discusses why e-learning is a great option for introverted students… There are many things introversion is confused with. In a world that seems to have been designed based on extrovert ideals, introverted people get tags like shy, aloof, uninterested or anti-social. Even introverts have a hard time understanding themselves, and this can happen way into adulthood. Introverted kids have an even harder time. Chances are, one in three (if not even one in two) students is introverted. Meeting their specific needs besides their learning needs can be a challenge, especially for teachers that don’t understand what these students are going through. But e-learning has their backs. Why e-learning is a great option for introverted students Introverts live mostly in their inner worlds and they very much appreciate having options that allow them to do things their own way. Including e-learning in your instruction is a perfect way of providing that much-needed alternative to traditional instruction. Here are the main reasons why introverted students love this alternative: 1. E-learning happens online. A student does not have to be physically present in a certain place at a certain time to get new knowledge; they only have to be connected to the internet and usually logged in the school learning management system. Online there is no distraction like in the classroom — who says what, who does what, so the introvert student can spend their precious energy focusing on just the lesson. 2. E-learning is self-paced. There is less peer pressure and introverted students especially like the fact they can progress at their own pace. If they understand the lesson they’ll move on faster and finish the online course at a fraction of the regular time; if they need extra time to master a new concept they can take as long as they need, without feeling guilty for holding the rest of the class stuck at the same part of a lesson. 3. E-learning is all about writing. Introverted students often struggle to express themselves orally. (They can become surprisingly great debaters and presenters, mind you, but only if they’re interested in mastering this skill of public speaking). They prefer writing over talking anytime. In online courses everyone has to write more, so introverts feel more at ease and express their thoughts more easily as well. 4. E-learning puts the student behind the wheel. This extra control they get over their own learning process makes introverts rejoice. They can choose when to do their learning, how much time to allocate at once, if they want to engage in group discussions or compete with their colleagues, edit their thoughts before they publish anything, and so on. Online instruction comes with a degree of independence introverts simply love. 5. E-learning helps them improve. One thing that is often misunderstood about introverts is that they very much like competition; they just don’t like to compete against their friends and classmates. If their peers want to gain as many points as possible, add badges to their online profiles and get trophies for their work to be better that everyone else, introverted kids will do the same, but to be better than their yesterday’s selves. Closing thoughts Introversion is not something to be fixed. Being an introvert at schools comes with plenty of challenges from the start. Understanding introverted students is the first step in making them bloom into the great students they can be. Including e-learning in your teaching strategy may be a challenging task, but your students will be thankful for it — introverts and extroverts alike, because the above advantages of e-learning work for all students. For more information on Cypher e-learning, see cypherlearning.com