While most educators recognize that student engagement is core to their mission, there are many indications that this is becoming harder to achieve. This article briefly describes the changing picture of student engagement and offers some tips to address it.

Image Source: Pixabay 

A growing disconnect

Numerous surveys indicate the increased fragility of student engagement in recent years.

• It was already softening before the pandemic. Thus, the so-called “school cliff” was already entrenched, where engagement seemed to decline steeply as students got older.
• The pandemic had an erosive effect. One 2021 survey found that 50% of students felt less motivated than before the pandemic (87% of teachers agreed that it had negatively impacted student motivation).
• And engagement levels have not recovered. According to a study by Kahoot!, 59% of teachers surveyed in 2022 felt students were still less motivated.

There will be huge variations (between ages, subjects, and setting, for example) to these broad brush findings. But the big picture seems clear: there is a significant disconnect between many students and their learning.

Of course, this disconnect is not exclusive to students and the education sector. Businesses try to engage disenfranchised clients with unique corporate gifts (some of which may be a good way to grab the attention of higher-education students), social media is built on the back of grabbing attention of those who feel disconnected from the real world. There is an overall sense of disconnection sifting throughout age groups. 

Why the disconnect?

The pandemic had a visible and momentous impact, which seems to be rumbling on in one way or another. But there is a huge diversity of other factors and issues at play—a detailed assessment of which is certainly beyond the scope of this brief article.

It is a question every educator should consider in their particular setting. What broader changes in student behavior and experiences may be impacting their engagement? What role might broader economic, cultural, and technological forces play?

Whatever the causes, most educators agree that connectedness is crucial for achieving positive outcomes. For example, in one 2021 survey of K1-12 educators, 92% saw engagement as the primary driver of student success.

There are also reasons to be positive. During the pandemic, educators discovered powerful tools to support their work and are keen to keep using these. Take the sophisticated class presentation and conferencing tools now available and better known to educators. These facilitate engaging content sharing and communication (especially if you compare to apps like magicJack, which set the standard for such things previously).

Improving engagement

Just as the challenges are contingent on the context, so are the solutions. However, many general ideas can help educators enhance the connectivity of their students.

1. Constantly nurture your “withitness”

Back in 1970, the educational theorist Jacob Kounin asserted that positive classroom experiences depend on the behavior of teachers, even more than the behavior of students. Indeed, the former greatly decides the latter: a student’s learning experiences and outcomes are directly linked to the approach of the teacher.

Although decades old, this fundamental insight is still highly influential and relevant. One key characteristic of successful teachers that he set out was “withitness.” A with-it teacher knows what is going on across their class and—crucially—is also perceived by students to do so.

Stay highly connected with your students, anticipating their needs and difficulties. For example, students must be crystal clear about expectations for the lesson—whether behavioral, academic, or motivational. They know that their learning engagement matters. The teacher will address and diagnose issues swiftly.

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2. Offer achievable difficulty

One of the biggest drains on student engagement is learning that is either too easy or too hard—mismatched to the student’s needs. This can often get swept up into an all-pervading sense of student ennui over their learning: “It’s just boring!”

Learning must be pitched at the right level: difficult enough to pose a challenge (giving students a sense of onwards with their learning) but accessible enough to be achievable. Students need to experience not only success but also progress.

In recent years, Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) has offered more insights. It can help educators to understand how our brains hold information—particularly how short-term, ‘working memory’ (critical to learning) functions. Educators can target their teaching and activities to stretch students into an appropriate zone of challenge, difficult for them but not too difficult.

3. Foster collaboration

Engaging students in the classroom means making them active participants in a lesson. Students should be given opportunities to work together on tasks.

When carried out in a highly purposeful manner, with close teacher monitoring, such collaborative learning can yield many benefits. It can promote higher-thinking skills, boost self-confidence, build friendships, and nurture social skills. And, as it does those things, it can also ramp up engagement.

By connecting learners purposefully, a with-it teacher can better connect them to the learning at hand. Try to get all students to participate—there are lots of great brainstorming techniques to empower all to feel valued, for example.

4. Involve students more broadly

Student feedback can yield insights about what helps them learn. For instance, one survey showed that 61% of students felt they learned better when “fun” activities were used. But what exactly might that mean in your lessons, with your students? Perhaps use polls to get feedback on what works.

Giving students more responsibility in their learning can also help. According to the survey by Kahoot!, 7 in 10 educators felt students remember more when given a choice of activity. And the next step may be to encourage students to keep reflecting on their progress. How successful were they? Are they ready to move on, or do they need more input at that level?

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5. Use technology

Technology had already become an everyday part of education well before the pandemic, with many educators utilizing tools like master schedule software to make administrative tasks more efficient and productive. But Covid certainly ramped up technology’s role.

Overnight, face-to-face lessons were replaced by remote learning, and a wide range of new tools was introduced to support this. Educators found themselves getting to grips with conferencing software and business phone systems.

For many educators, remote instruction—or at least a hybrid model—is still a part of life. And even for those now predominantly back to a class-based model, the new tools and approaches adopted can augment great teaching.

• Homework and assignments can be managed via online portals, endowing visibility and ownership.
• Live instruction or video tutorials can be provided—a library of extra support.
• Online platforms provide personalized learning, using AI to adjust to an individual’s needs. The use of gamification can make these especially motivational.
• Instead of print books, an ebook can be used to engage students in the classroom and encourage discussions points and interactive games and questions.

When used appropriately, such TechEd can help connect students more deeply with their learning.

Building engagement takes effort

Although many tools can help, there is no magic bullet that re-energizes disconnected learners. It requires a high expectation that learners will stay connected and then a relentless drive to ensure that happens. However, achieving this—and fostering a student’s enthusiasm for their learning—is one of the most impactful things a teacher can do.

The post How to Re-Energize Disconnected Classroom Participants appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

It is always a good time to review spending and look for possible savings 

United States schools spent over $27 billion on edtech in 2021. If your district is like many others, there’s plenty of opportunity to trim the fat in edtech budgets.

Virtual learning led to experimentation, which is good. Now that school is evolving and federal COVID relief dollars are running out, it’s time to take a good, long look at edtech efficacy, use, and budgets. Which are worth the investment? Here’s a high-level look at how to begin to answer that question.

1. Find the apps

This is the hard part—the perpetual whack-a-mole of identifying loopholes, one-offs, and shadow apps.

The number of tech products has nearly tripled over the past six years. That’s a lot of apps to track, not to mention learn, and maintain. According to a customer survey by Lightspeed Analytics, districts reported more than 2,000 apps in use. 300 apps made up 99% of total usage, while an additional 1,700 apps were used less frequently.

2. Evaluate efficacy

Another hard part.

If the app has no proven, vested interest in education, does it belong? Maybe.

Surface-level first impressions don’t always tell the whole story—for example, non-educational apps such as social media platforms may still play a niche role in certain classrooms. But not every app marketed for education is actually educational anyway.

Pro tip: look for independent and peer-reviewed research instead of research bought and paid for by an edtech start-up. Remember: efficacy might look different for individual platforms, especially for administrative software. Learn how different districts have navigated the complex process of choosing new SIS and ERP systems that weather decades of use.

3. Eliminate duplicates and risks

Now things are getting a little easier, at least technically. It can be difficult to pare down apps that do similar things—after all, there’s a reason they were all chosen by the educators using them.

Curriculum guidelines can help. Watch for similar apps and trim the overlap.

Scrutinize apps with privacy policy changes. The same Lightspeed survey revealed 91% of applications used in school districts had multiple changes to their privacy policy—the median being three changes per app.

4. Compare the market

Don’t get fooled by flash.

Edtech companies sell edtech. Edtech partners support edtech users. The market is shifting to favor the latter, but that doesn’t mean the former is going to disappear. On the contrary, they may even get more tenacious. Remember, marketing budget and targeted ads ≠ efficacy. Be especially wary of companies who make bold claims without the (independent, peer-reviewed) proof to back them up.

5. Ask your neighbors

What do you do when you’re in the market for a large investment at home? You read reviews, and reviews are gold. Word of mouth is the best way to get a real, honest look at the good and the bad of edtech (and many other things).

Most district leaders truly enjoy comparing notes on what is working and what isn't, and are happy to share both good and bad experiences.

6. Adjust school culture

Now that you’ve purged your edtech, how will you prune future additions to ensure the plethora of applications doesn’t grow wild?

This is a function for the IT department of course, but it’s also a culture question. There will always be a trendy new application educators want to explore—at least, we hope so. It’s how edtech will evolve. Build a sense of caution into the school technology culture. After all, students deserve the most effective, safest edtech available, and that’s not always the newest, flashiest edtech.

The post Evaluate Edtech Use and Save Thousands appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

Taking a quick aside from the usual focus on instruction tech to share a quick reminder about working to get ahead of the curve with ransomware. Very much worth doing! Be proactive to beat back this menace before it takes you down! Thanks to Mike Bianco for the post. – KW

No one wants to imagine the headlines and aftermath of a ransomware attack. However, preparing for such an event is crucial to escaping with your data intact and without shelling out ransom to attackers. More than 56% of K12 education organizations suffered ransomware attacks between 2020 and 2021—with an average cost of over $265,000.

To help strategize, break planning into different stages of a hypothetical attack. Here’s how to prepare to weather the storm.

Before an attack happens

No one ever regretted implementing best practices. If you don’t yet have an incident response plan, create one now.

Implement the principle of least privilege. If someone does manage to infiltrate systems, their credentials ideally won’t be sufficient to reach valuable data.

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is way more than simply antivirus software! Monitoring the health and security of each endpoint (read: a device connected to the network) zeroes in on the nooks and crannies criminals hope you neglect.

Keep up with software patches—it makes a difference and protects your network from exposure. In 2022, over 22.5 thousand new common IT vulnerabilities and exposures were discovered, a new record.

Data backup follows the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies, 2 different media formats, 1 offsite. Then test it!

82% of breaches in 2021 involved the human element. 35% involved the use of email. You can expect 7–10% of real phishing emails to filter through your blocking systems, so practice matters. (Did you know some are authored by your own students?)

Make security training a regular routine of life. Include incentives for completing training, such as digital badges, leaderboards, and certificates, for completing training well. With regular practice using KnowBe4 training programs, districts have gone from a 32% fail rate on phishing tests to a 4% fail rate. Plus, some cyber insurance programs require proof of training and data backup.

What do I do if I suspect a phishing email or ransomware?

Decide the course of action ahead of time—for almost all users this will be to contact internal IT and follow their instructions.

What to do during a ransomware attack:

Front end users:

It’s important users know what to do before an attack actually happens.

Number 1: Contact IT immediately.

Most folks’ roles will stop after that, but they still need to be told what to do in the meantime and how to communicate with their own stakeholders and students. To that end, make community-facing folks (admin assistants, teachers, etc.) aware of the situation and the unified messaging from the PR team.

Back end users:

Enact your district’s incident response plan.
Disconnect and isolate infected systems but don’t turn devices off.
Locate patient zero to identify the source and type of breach.
Contact your cyber insurance, authorities, response teams, public relations.
Meet with vendors, work together, stay informed, evaluate options for moving forward.
Record facts and file them for retrospective later.

After a ransomware attack

The bad guys leave back doors, so never re-use compromised systems. Instead rebuild them after verifying it’s safe to do so.

Enlist the help of your vendors (like Skyward). There can be nuances that are critical to getting your systems back on track.

Learn from it: How did attackers get through? Re-evaluate policies and make changes to block copycat and repeat attacks.

Make retrospective questions standard and include vendor notes and feedback. Keep these facts and findings organized and confidential but allow transparency to stakeholder teams. Knowledge is power and data is private.

Be prepared! Create an incident response plan tailored to your district. Share and practice the plan with your stakeholders.  By taking the time to prepare, you’ll eliminate headaches in the future. While we can’t prevent bad actors from targeting school data, we can definitely prepare as well as possible.

Empower everyone to be a cyber hero!

The post We Need You to Help Fight Ransomware in Our Schools appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

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Tech advancements are inherently meant to make life easier for us. It’s only when we abuse it or become obsessed with it that it can become a toxin to our health. In today’s age, however, young students are becoming more engrossed with technology — toeing the line between obsession and general interest in technology.

Our aim as educators and tech enthusiasts should be to harness new technology for its potential and leverage it for why it was created  –  to make life easier and solve our problems.

Through education technology, we can lead our young student generations to learn more in a faster, more cohesive method that promotes healthy living.

Online Learning

As most students can attest, one of the largest ways technology has taken over their lives is through the advent and evolution of e-learning. More students have learned to adapt to remote digital learning, which for many students, has opened the door for their own potential.

There’s an ever-growing wealth of online resources that can serve to support growing minds and keep them healthy. For example, the CDC has instituted a program called BAM!, which marries mental learning with physical education.

Likewise, sites like Health for Kids! aim to provide evidence-based learning tools, games, and modules to young students in a virtual space about health subjects. Both of these resources will provide young students the knowledge base they need to stay healthy for years to come — all while playing fun games and learning exercises.

Health and Self-Care Education Through EdTech

One of the center-focused initiatives of edTech for young learners is to highlight the importance of self-care and the fundamentals of healthy living habits, including hygiene, mental health, and physical wellness

Now, there are more health-oriented apps today that equip students with the know-how to take care of themselves. A major component of this is understanding their health needs, the solutions for those needs, and how to access them. It’s worth exploring the options available and finding the right topic that’s pertinent for your student.

Gamification in Health and Learning

You may have heard of the old term “Edutainment,” coined by Walt Disney in 1954. The classic hybrid of education and entertainment that, when mixed, should politely deceive the user that they’re pleasurably consuming something that might’ve originally been unattractive to them.

In most cases, educational games fit the bill for edutainment. The ‘90s bore some of the first pioneering educational video games like Math Blasters, Jumpstart, and Carmen Sandiego. Each of them emphasized teaching a specific topic while managing to be engaging and immensely fun for kids.

Fast forward thirty years later, and edTech has made leaps and bounds to improve upon the medium we loved then. Apps like Zombies, Run! are the perfect example of what we should strive to emulate with education. In this case, it’s a physical wellness app that motivates users to improve their health by running, but with the added stimulation of zombies chasing them.

It became an instant hit with its users, fostering an audience that used the app for both its entertainment quality and the ability to convince them to exercise while being entertained.

Preparing Students For the Real World

Perhaps one of the best areas of potential for edTech is the utility in preparing students for the real world after they complete their schooling.

Virtual reality technology can simulate real-world scenarios to help students anticipate and acclimate to situations that will likely arise in their day-to-day life — situations that they may not know how to handle without the proper guidance. These may vary from navigating taxes to handling difficult personal relationship conflicts.

What’s more, new technology is not only useful for students in the here and now, but by understanding technology sooner, students will become more accustomed to newer technology at a faster pace in ten or twenty years. The more foundation of technology they have now, the stronger they’ll be in the future.

Beyond that, however, health education can inspire students to pursue a higher healthcare education and career, thus combatting current shortages of informed and educated healthcare workers. With a record level of nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals alike leaving the profession, there is more demand than ever before for younger generations to take their place.

Pulling It All Together

We have a duty to our succeeding generations to encourage and reinforce them to help us build into the future of technology.

Consider that we’ve achieved a great feat in being able to access the technology we currently have. If we’re not proactive at arming the next generations with what we’ve created, then we risk generational and technological stagnation.

Again, the overall purpose of advancement is to make life easier for all of us, and that’s what we have at our fingertips. We only have to put forth the effort to tap into it!

The post Using EdTech to Support Healthy Habits in Kids and Teens appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

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After a rough economic year in 2022, and things not looking like they are going to turn around soon as we head into 2023, I thought many of you could appreciate a few ideas like these! I've been working a bunch side gigs myself for going on 15 years now. You can do it if you wish! 

Good luck and Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for visiting the site! Follow @emergingedtech on Facebook or Twitter to be sure to get new posts as they are published.
– K. Walsh, EmergingEdTech Founder 

Education is always changing and evolving, but those changes have been especially intense in recent years. Many teachers are still recovering from the stress and logistical craziness brought about by pandemic restrictions, struggling to adopt new curriculums and policies – and if you’re like most other teachers, you may not be thrilled about your salary, either.

But one of the perks of living at this time is that there are many side gigs that can supplement your income (some education-related and some not). You can improve your financial situation without compromising your rewarding teaching career by picking up a side hustle. Today, EmergingEdTech shares some practical business tips and side gig ideas for teachers like you!

Embracing Entrepreneurship

First things first: learn to think like a business person. You may not be launching a full-fledged company, but if you want your side gig to make money, you must approach it as a business.

Create a business plan and research any funding, technology, and equipment necessary to complete your daily tasks. Make sure there is a market for your business idea, and create customer profiles to use for your marketing strategies.

Another thing to consider is forming a limited liability company (LLC), which can provide pass-through taxation and protect your personal assets. Each state has regulations around establishing an LLC, so just make sure you understand your state’s rules before diving in. Learn more about how to start an LLC and consider working with a formation service.

6 Side Gigs for Teachers

So, you’ve put on your entrepreneur hat and are ready to explore business ideas. Many teachers across the country are supplementing their income through these six side gigs:

1. Tutoring

Tutoring might be the most natural side gig because it revolves around teaching. Look for local opportunities to tutor kids in your specialty or use an online platform that helps match you with students. You can set your own rates; most tutors charge $30 – $60 an hour.

2. Online Teaching

Another option if you want to teach in your side gig is to create an online course to sell on an online platform and generate passive income. Several marketplaces allow teachers to upload courses on virtually any topic you can think of.

3. Creating Printables

This is another excellent opportunity to generate passive income. You can create printables and sell them as long as you wish online. Budget templates, lesson plans, chore charts, meal planners, habit trackers, and intake forms are a few digital files you can upload and sell on Etsy.

4. Freelance Writing

As a teacher, chances are you’re at least a competent writer. But if you are particularly skilled in grammar, you could succeed as a freelance writer. Websites, companies, and individuals are always looking for content writers to produce landing pages and blog posts. Sign up on a job board like Fiverr or Upwork and start connecting with potential clients.

5. Starting a Blog

You could also start your own blog writing about topics you’re passionate about. You might be surprised how quickly and easily you can build an attractive website to host your blog. If you enjoy it enough, you might consider getting into affiliate marketing to boost your income.

6. Online Surveys

Did you know that you can get paid to share your opinion on various topics? Use sites like Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, and American Consumer Opinion to fill out surveys and earn extra cash.

If you’re like many other teachers across the US, you could use a little boost to your income. The good news is that there are many ways to earn extra cash without stepping foot from your home. Consider the ideas above, and remember to approach your side gig as a business to position yourself for success.

The post 6 Best Side Gigs for Teachers appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

Hobbies and interests are great additions to your resume. They provide potential employers with a fair idea about your personality and help them understand whether you’re the right fit for the position you are applying for. 

Hobbies increase your chances of employability by demonstrating your passion and dedication. They help you become more adaptable and reduce stress thereby influencing your performance at school. 

Finding a new hobby can be challenging as there are so many hobbies to choose from. A hobby is something that keeps you engaged and happy in your free time. Hence, you must choose a hobby that helps you relax your mind while, ideally, complementing your existing skills. This will give you a competitive edge over others when searching for a new job.

Here’s a list of top hobbies that will boost your resume and make you more employable.

9 Hobby Ideas You Can Add to Your Resume

#1. Blogging

Blogging provides a unique opportunity to present your writing prowess to employers. It helps you build a professional profile and portfolio that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise in content creation. It can also demonstrate your knowledge of graphic design, SEO, and marketing. 

Blogging is useful for someone interested in content writer, copywriting, technical writing, editing, or social media roles. It provides you with unique opportunities to demonstrate your research skills, time management skills, multitasking abilities, and problem-solving capabilities to your potential employers. You can also present yourself as an individual that is organized, self-motivated, and creative with the help of this hobby.

If blogging is something that interests you, you can create a blog for free and get started right away.

#2. Creative Writing

Besides blogging, creative writing is another hobby/skill that increases your chances of employability for content writing, journalism, editing, or marketing-related roles. Writing stories and poetry brings out your creative writing and storytelling skills thereby helping employers gauge your written communication skills.

It demonstrates your ability to share your thoughts through well-structured language. Writing is one of the highly sought-after skills that most employers seek.

#3. Learning a New Language

You can expand your horizons by learning a new language as it increases your chances of getting a job in foreign countries. For example, if you are thinking of applying for your dream job that requires working in Berlin, learning German would be beneficial for you. 

Being multilingual helps you in securing a position in the global job market. It can help you land desired jobs and get a promotion or pay raise. It will also help you connect with your coworkers better and foster cordial customer relationships. 

Studying a new language demonstrates your passion and dedication to learning new skills. It is something that employers often look for in their potential hires.

#4. Volunteering

If you love volunteering or being active in a community, you must include it in your resume. Volunteering or doing charitable work presents the compassionate side of you to potential employers. It also demonstrates your ability to work as a team player.

Community involvement presents you with opportunities to interact and work with people from various walks of life. It enhances your communication and collaboration skills. Experience with handling different kinds of people will prove useful if you are seeking a career in sales roles.

#5. Photography and Video Production

Photography and videography require patience and great attention to detail. This hobby comes in handy if you are applying for job opportunities in the lifestyle, fashion, events, and film-making industries.

Furthermore, having photography and video production skills demonstrates your ability to lead the entire video creation and publishing lifecycle.

#6. Art and Craft

Hobbies, such as drawing, painting, crafts, quilling, and others bring out your creative side. It suggests that you are open to trying out new things and experimenting with innovative ideas. 

Art and craft would be an excellent addition to your resume especially if you are wanting to build a career that requires artistic creativity. For example, graphic design, interior design, and so on. You can start sharing your artwork on social media and build your portfolio online.

#7. Musical Talent

Singing or playing a musical instrument requires dedication, focus, practice, and discipline. It is a must-have skill if you are wanting to build a career in the music industry.

Apart from music-related careers, these music-related hobbies can also strengthen your resume by presenting you as a candidate who is willing to improve by putting in the time and commitment to master the desired skills. 

#8. Traveling

Traveling gives you opportunities to explore different places and appreciate different cultures. It prepares you to survive and enjoy yourself in various parts of the world. It boosts your ability to adjust to new places, immerse in new cultures, and gain valuable life lessons.

If you are wanting to secure a job in the travel industry, adding traveling to your resume would boost your application. 

#9. Gaming

Did you know that your love for gaming can be turned into a full-fledged career? Gaming and esports is one of the booming industries with ample opportunities for gaming enthusiasts who live and breathe video games.

Including gaming in your hobbies increases your chances of pursuing it as a career prospect. There are several aspects of gaming offering amazing employment opportunities, such as game designing, game development, game marketing, and other roles. In fact, you could also try your hands at professional gaming.

Wrapping Up

Including interests and hobbies in your resume will help potential employers learn more about you before meeting you for an actual job interview. We have tried to cover a few of the top hobbies that you might want to include in your resume. 

Remember, there are many other hobbies that you can include in your resume based on the job role you are applying for, increasing your chances of getting the job.

Learning a new hobby may not always require a lot of time or money but can yield impressive results. Dig into your interests and start cultivating a hobby today!

The post 9 Tech-Friendly Hobby Ideas for High School Students That Will Help Their Career Prospects appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

Whether it’s dealing with illness, teaching across the world, or even making sure that students don’t miss out on learning, virtual teaching remains useful for educators. 

However, many of the problems that teachers had to deal with when originally shifting to the virtual classroom still persist. Particularly when teaching younger children, it can be difficult to replicate the feeling of community and belonging when teaching online. 

Despite this, there are ways in which you can make the most of virtual teaching. By reading this article and implementing the information within, you can ensure that your students don’t miss out on the communal aspects of education while also enjoying the new opportunities offered by online technology to build innovative and exciting lessons. 

How can you create a great online learning environment?

Every teacher knows how important it is to build an open and caring learning community. This is even more important when teaching is restricted to video calls. The following tips can help your students feel like they belong, even when learning from their bedrooms.

1. Establish routines and expectations

Having a clear understanding of the routines and norms of any school environment is one of the most important ways that a teacher can confidently lead a class. Without this consistency, pupils will be uncertain of expectations around their work and behavior. 

The same is true when teaching virtually. When you start to teach a new class online, begin by outlining what you expect of your students. Consider how pupils should contribute to classes and ask questions, where they can submit work to you, and whether you want all of your pupils to have their cameras and microphones turned on.

For older pupils, encourage a discussion of what a professional learning environment looks like online. Ethical culture is defined as a set of expectations shared by people, and this should shape the environment that you want to create.

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It might be most effective to do this through an online video call with your whole class. This can let you agree on expectations together and ensure that all of your students will have a good understanding of what is expected of them.

At the same time, you should set out a clear routine for the online school day. This can include setting time aside every day for full class discussions or setting tasks for your students to complete each morning, such as filling out a section of a shared Google Doc.

Once you have established the routines and expectations of online learning in your class, you should make sure that your students are following them. You should also continually check that they are happy with them and understand them.

2. Use morning meetings 

When designing this routine, try to fit in a meeting with your class in the morning. This helps to build community, while it also builds a good structure that gets your students in the mindset to learn.

For younger children, you can use this time to focus on creating a community. Think about what you would usually do to engage them in a physical classroom, and try to replicate that through an online call. This can include classroom singalongs, interactive games, or teacher-led readings. 

Morning meetings are also useful for older pupils. They can be particularly helpful to prompt recall of yesterday’s learning. Another thing to consider is how you can use cloud collaboration tools to get students to work together to summarize previously learnt information. 

You should also use this time to try to build a community within your class. If one of your pupils has a birthday, encourage the class to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in the morning meeting. You can spend this period congratulating pupils on good pieces of work or classroom contributions. 

3. Make the most of technology 

While teachers might understandably focus on the disadvantages of teaching virtually, hosting your lessons through the internet nevertheless opens up new possibilities for your teaching.

This can include very ambitious new ideas. As an example, AR and VR learning has become increasingly popular. If your pupils have access to AR or VR equipment, you can use this technology to really bring your teaching to life.

One example of how AR and VR can be used is through increasing gamification. Think about parts of your curriculum that students would understand better if they really interacted with it—for instance, you might want to teach history by using a first-person VR video of a major event. 

It should be noted that not all educational institutions are able to provide their students with potentially expensive equipment such as VR headsets. However, this doesn’t mean that they are unable to make the most of modern technology.

Online learning is the perfect opportunity to use games and internet quizzes. While these might be a distraction in a physical classroom, encouraging your students to complete these can be a crucial part of online learning.

As well as this, you can use social media in your teaching (with appropriate age groups). You might want to create a teaching social media account and, for instance, produce Instagram Reels for classroom use—these would include small, easily understandable bits of information for your students to learn. 

4. Encourage collaboration and peer learning 

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The main difference between physical and virtual learning for children is the social element. If you want to ensure that your pupils develop correctly, it’s important that you provide plenty of opportunities for collaboration.

This can be done in full-class meetings with the use of breakout rooms. Use these to get pupils to discuss questions or worksheets in small groups. This peer learning can be a great way to make sure that your virtual lessons are more than simply a live stream of you talking about a subject.

As well as this, you should encourage discussion between your pupils in order to build a sense of community and belonging in your class. You could give pairs of pupils specific classroom jobs, such as responsibility for moderating chats or greeting other pupils who join the video call.

If you use an advanced virtual office phone system, you should also be able to connect your classroom to other classes. Your pupils might not have seen their friends in other classes all day, so organizing lunch calls between classes can be a great way to build a feeling of community.

5. Make your teaching personal 

When teaching virtually, it can be easy to lose yourself behind your webcam. While a physical classroom will constantly require you to maintain excellent personal relationships with your pupils, it can be much more difficult to achieve this through online teaching. 

One way that you can make sure that you are building personal relationships is by knowing your students more. Virtual teaching allows you to schedule specific one-to-one meetings that you can use to check individual students’ progress and well-being, as well as talk to them about their hobbies and interests. 

Of course, it can be difficult to remember every single detail about the lives of every pupil in a large class. Luckily, teaching virtually means that you can access a record of this, whether it be through a Word document or dedicated software. By recording certain details about individuals and mentioning them, you’ll be sure to build personal relationships even when teaching online.

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As well as knowing your students, it’s important that you give your pupils a chance to know you as an individual. As such, consider how you present yourself to the students. Think about what is in the background of your webcam image—maybe show off a poster that demonstrates a bit of your personality.

Another way that you can achieve this through virtual learning is by using an online form to get students to vote on questions that they want to ask you. Incorporating these answers into a morning meeting, for example, can be a fun way to make your teaching personal and build a sense of community within your class. 

Virtual learning—not an impediment to building a classroom of community and belongingness 

As we’ve seen, teachers can often be intimidated by the thought of teaching virtually. Especially when trying to build a learning community, many teachers are unsure about how to replicate the best parts of physical classrooms in the online classroom.

However, by following the advice in this article, you can make sure that the pupils in your online classes are able to achieve the same level of community and sense of belonging as pupils in a physical classroom.

Ensuring that you build clear routines and norms and encourage collaboration will mean that your pupils have a great learning experience and are able to learn to the best of their ability. As well as this, using regular morning meetings and emphasizing personal relationships will allow your classes to be communal and positive environments.

Virtual learning also offers you new opportunities to engage pupils, notably through AR and VR learning. All of this means that you’re able to create an online classroom that is perfectly crafted for your pupils to succeed!

The post How to Build a Classroom of Community and Belongingness When Teaching Virtually appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

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Today’s teens have never known a world without social media. It’s an established – and growing – part of everyday life, from the professional to the personal. While teens are pretty savvy regarding social media use, it can be a slippery slope if they aren’t educated on how to use it correctly and safely.

It’s up to educators and parents to properly educate today’s teenagers on healthy, productive, and professional social media habits. If teens aren’t well-versed in using certain platforms properly, they could fall victim to cyberbullying and identity theft, or even run into problems later in life when looking for a job.

Let’s take a closer look at how edtech can encourage healthy and professional social media use in teens, and how you can start to educate the teenager(s) in your life to make sure they’re using social media the right way.

The Need for Tech-Savvy Teens

As of 2022, it’s estimated that about 46% of teens use some form of social media almost constantly. Some of the most popular platforms for the age group include TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, but most teens have accounts on other platforms like Facebook.

Because today’s teens have grown up with social media and smartphones, they have an advantage when it comes to learning how to grow and adapt to any new platforms or changes to existing technology. They’re also the first generation to fully experience the benefits of regular social media use from childhood, including:

• Staying connected with friends and family
• Learning about current events
• Accessing health information
• Sharing creative ideas and projects
• Meeting new people who have similar interests

However, because social media is “the norm” with so many teenagers, they might not be as aware of some of the common issues associated tech, including privacy and safety concerns, inappropriate content, and mental health risks.

This generation will lead the way when it comes to new tech innovations and big changes to social media platforms. There’s a growing need for tech-savvy people in the workplace. So, it’s just as important that teenagers understand the digital footprints they leave today can be found years from now when they’re ready to start their careers.

Edtech is an important tool for K-12 students to teach them how to stay safe, savvy, and on top of current tech trends. When teachers integrate new technologies into their classrooms and parents encourage educational tech at home, these students are more likely to know how to utilize technology in safe and effective ways, rather than relying on the “learn-as-you-go” technique that so many kids and teens grow up with.

Whether you’re a parent or an educator, you can help the teenagers in your life practice positive social media habits and avoid some of the pitfalls today and in the future by using technology as an educational tool.

How to Educate Teens Using Social Media

One of the best ways to teach teenagers to use social media properly is to incorporate it into your lesson plans. If you’re a teacher, showing your own social media skills can make it easier to keep the attention of your students – especially if you can show them something new.

For example, because more careers are relying on social media, you can teach your students things like best practices for content creation, how to develop a marketing strategy, and how to work as a team to gather and share assets.

Most kids and teens follow at least one content creator on a social media platform. Giving them the opportunity to “be” one for a lesson will really resonate with them, and you can sneak in a lot of useful information along the way when it comes to things like how to collect data, how to collaborate, and the importance of creating relevant content.

Platforms like Adobe Spark, Canva, and Storybird are all extremely useful for anyone dipping their toe into the world of content creation, and they’re perfect apps for students.

These lessons can carry over into other subjects and projects, and this is just one example of how you can incorporate social media into your school day. Don’t be afraid to get creative and inspire your students by utilizing platforms and strategies that they’re already familiar with.

Teaching Teens to Stay Safe

Teaching teens how to use social media effectively now and for their future endeavors is a great start. However, the most important thing you can teach them is how to stay safe on every platform. Some safety tips include:

• Not giving information to strangers
• Understanding how to set privacy settings
• Creating strong passwords
• Being aware of fake news
• Using secure sites

There are some edtech tools that can make these tips easier to implement. One of the best is Securly, a student-based safety software that offers cloud-based web filtering. This allows students to steer clear of harmful web content. It also monitors sites visited, as well as keystrokes, so parents and teachers alike can be notified of things like cyberbullying or inappropriate content.

As your teen approaches graduation, you can also educate them on the best social media practices they can take with them to college. The transition to college can be a little stressful for both you and your teen. Knowing they have an understanding of how to stay safe online can offer you peace of mind and can make it easier for them to find new friends safely on campus.

You can also encourage the use of edtech resources like Headspace to promote mindfulness and meditation. Guided meditation can help to combat stress and help students stay in the present, rather than feeling anxious about the future. They can even use social media platforms before heading to school to interact with new roommates and check out campus activities they’re interested in.

Even though today’s teens know a lot about the social media atmosphere and how to use multiple platforms, they can always benefit from edtech. Don’t hesitate to use what you know to inform the teens in your life about safety, and the longevity of a digital footprint.

The post How EdTech Can Encourage Healthy and Professional Social Media Use in Teens appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

From cars driving us to work to phones confirming our identities, exciting new technologies are rapidly transforming every aspect of our lives. For that, we can thank the exponential growth and advancement of STEM fields in recent decades. In fact, employment in STEM occupations has grown 79% since 1990, increasing from 9.7 million to 17.3 million in 2018. With these numbers rising consistently, we should expect to see an acceleration of modern technology use in the classroom.

Despite this huge growth, STEM education hasn’t caught up with demands. One area where this is pronounced is in the adoption of emerging technologies, such as software-defined instrumentation in engineering labs, as many educators are hesitant to disrupt the status quo and implement it into their curriculums.

What is software-defined instrumentation?

Software-defined instrumentation provides engineers, scientists, and students with greater access to more advanced and flexible tools at a lower cost. Traditional test and measurement equipment generally comes in the form of fixed-function hardware boxes with antiquated interfaces designed for a single purpose. However, software-defined instrumentation allows users to configure multi-function hardware with a software-first approach, accessing multiple instruments in one device through a single, consistent interface.

Significant advances in underlying technologies like field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), cloud services, and UX design are quickly creating a new, more capable generation of devices. The appeal of software-defined instruments is founded in the flexibility that software enables. Traditionally, this has come at the cost of complexity and performance challenges. But increasingly powerful FPGAs and modern user interface design offer a path to overcome these tradeoffs, pairing flexible configuration and control in software with high-performance execution in hardware.

How can software-defined instrumentation complement STEM education?

In STEM, students who learn differently, perhaps more visually, are not well catered to. For example, one of my learning challenges is my memory for details. If I don’t believe something is important, it’s impossible for me to engage. Unfortunately, the way that STEM subjects tend to be taught is quite linear: learn theoretical foundations first, and then recall them when useful later. Project-based learning is a great solution. It helps sharpen students’ concentration and motivation to achieve tangible, worthwhile goals while learning fundamental concepts.

Software-defined instrumentation provides many benefits to accommodate a wide range of learning styles. Software-defined instrumentation sets a new standard for flexibility by incorporating multiple sophisticated tools into one easy-to-use device. This versatility gives students access to more opportunities to visualize and interact with signals in meaningful ways. For example, most labs are equipped with oscilloscopes or data loggers to measure signals in the time domain, but before software-defined instrumentation, it was unusual for students to have access to advanced tools like spectrum analyzers or frequency response analyzers. With modern technology, students can discover alternative ways to view and characterize signals and systems (e.g., in the time and frequency domains). These new approaches can give students a much deeper understanding, often at a very intuitive level that locks in concepts for life, instead of until just after the next exam.

Recently, software-defined instrumentation has helped optimize power electronics coursework for electrical engineering education at the United States Air Force Academy. Being able to quickly debug and evaluate the quality of various electrical subsystems is an essential skill for an electrical engineer. Software-defined tools help students expedite this process, because all required test equipment for the lab is contained in a single device.

Software-defined instrumentation is also providing a visually engaging way to teach various tuning methods for proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers at the University of Texas at Austin. The PID controller provides one of the most common forms of feedback control. It is used in a range of applications, from cruise control in cars to motor control in drones. In software-defined devices, the graphical user interface dynamically visualizes the controller configuration and data, helping students see the inner workings of the system as they conduct their experiments.

Considering the valuable, wide-ranging benefits that software-defined instrumentation can bring to higher education, it might seem surprising that STEM education programs have been slow to adopt this technology, especially with innovation being at the core of what they’re trying to teach.

Why haven’t STEM educators caught on yet, and how can they catch up?

Part of the answer to this question comes down to psychology. It’s a big responsibility to educate  the next generation of engineers and scientists and set them up for success — and not one to be taken lightly. Key decision makers in STEM education are often slow to adopt new technologies in their curriculums.  They know their decisions help mold the minds of students who will later enter the workforce to solve complex global problems related to climate, industrial innovation, and technology boundaries. Because of the perceived risk associated with significant curriculum updates, STEM educators can be reluctant to adopt new ways of teaching. However, if they aren’t careful, their hesitancy to embrace software-defined instrumentation could leave the next generation of students underprepared to use the technology of the future.

A primary goal of STEM education is to prepare students for the workforce by teaching them how to use the cutting-edge technologies that are being utilized in the commercial and research sectors. In the years ahead, I expect to see a blurring of the lines between conventional instrumentation types. We will be able to focus more on the measurements and insights we are trying to get, rather than the multitude of boxes that we are using to get them. Students starting their university degrees today are not likely to retire before 2060. To serve a forward-thinking industry where new innovations and updates are constantly introduced, it’s imperative that we transition STEM education to focus on where technologies are going, not where they have been. To train the next generation of engineers, we must train them to use the next generation of technology — starting now.

The post How Software-Defined Instrumentation Will Revolutionize STEM, and why Educators are Slow to Adopt appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.

However, virtual activities do not always have to be reserved only for homeschooled students. These activities can be used as an effective form of teaching at any time during the school year or as part of professional development courses.

You will find that the best virtual school activities are not academic, but instead focus on community building or include some form of social-emotional learning.

The best virtual school activities involve students learning from each other as well as learning from their teachers. There are several advantages of virtual school programs. These programs often include social-emotional learning (SEL) components that teach children how important it is for them to maintain healthy relationships with others outside of school settings such as at home.

As a teacher, or on behalf of a teacher you know, what has pleasantly surprised you about online/distance learning?

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This type of interaction helps students develop social skills and improves self-confidence while also giving them a chance to practice creativity without pressure. Here are 13 Virtual School Activities.

1. Guided Group Meditation Sessions

Meditation can be a great way to relax, reduce stress and focus on the present moment. It can help students become more mindful in their daily lives by learning how to take control of their thoughts and emotions.

Meditation sessions are also a great opportunity for educators to have meaningful conversations with their students which can help them cope with anxiety or stress at school or at home.

2. Book Review Gameshow

This activity is a fun way for students to give each other feedback on books they have read. Students can also share their book reviews with their classmates and learn more about each other’s interests.

This is a creative way for students to practice reading, writing, and speaking skills. They can read books and then share their reviews with their classmates online.

3. Theme Days

Theme days are a fresh and compelling way to get your students excited about online classes.

It's extremely easy to plan for and implement, which means less stress, and more structured learning fun! Also, because it does not require students to be physically present together at the same time, this makes for a fun virtual activity.

Teachers can plan specific themes on certain days of the week or during seasonal occasions. Then, students can dress accordingly, and say a few words about the topic. They can even present something that relates to the topic.

This can contribute to their development in many ways, including helping them express themselves, build stronger connections, and share their knowledge.

4. Student Talent Showcase Videos

This is an amazing way to get students to showcase their talents. Apart from that, this is also an excellent way to learn about different cultures and traditions.

Students can learn how to make videos and edit them using a smartphone. It can be exciting to see what students can come up with to reveal their hidden talents!

5. Online Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a game that students can play virtually. It's a fun way to get them interested in learning more about each other and their community.

The game involves everyone in the group having different roles, and can stay interesting for hours!

The ‘Scavenger’ has all the answers and knows where everything is located (for example, he/she may have a map). Players team up and work together to either find items on the map or solve puzzles together, which is both fun and a great team-building activity for the class!

This helps build community among peers who are not familiar with each other yet because they're working together towards common goals while also learning more about topics outside of classwork!

6. Virtual Tour

Virtual tours are a great way to show off your school. You can use this tool to showcase different classrooms and other places.

Virtual tours are also valuable for educators who want to create a more personal connection with their potential students.

This can be especially helpful when it is time for parents or community members who aren't familiar with the school environment or curriculum yet — virtual tours allow them not only to see firsthand what kind of facilities there are but also how well it all fits into their child's learning style.

7. Game-based Learning

Role play is an effective way for students to practice social skills. It can be used to teach a variety of subjects and content areas, including math, science, history, and arts.

For example, students may need help understanding how numbers relate or how fractions work together. They can interact with each other by using role-playing games (RPGs) where each student has his/her character and can communicate with other players via text chat or voice chat.

This allows them to practice communicating effectively while learning about different types of mathematical concepts at the same time!

8. Creative Online Drawing Challenge

Drawing is an excellent way to express yourself, connect with others, and explore your artistic side. It's also a great way to get students working together in teams or individually on the same project. If you're looking for something that will challenge your students' creativity and get them thinking outside the box, then this activity is for you!

To get started:

• Ask each student what they think about when drawing.
• Do some talking about famous artists like Picasso or Michelangelo —or even more contemporary artists like Banksy or Jeff Koons!

9. Charades

Charades are a fun and powerful activity for team building, and they can be played in teams or individually. The best part about this game is that it can even be played virtually. Students will practice their communication skills while having fun with this classic game!

Charades are also a great way to get students to learn about cultures from all over the world. You can find some great resources online on how to play charades with different themes and customs.

10. Jeopardy!

Let’s face it: many aren't great at memorizing facts. But that doesn't mean you can't give your students a fun way to learn! Jeopardy is a fun and friendly game to test the knowledge of students and their peers.

In this game, teams of students can be made to compete against each other in a quiz show format, answering questions using their phones or laptops.

11. Trivia Game

Trivia games can easily help to get students engaged in their learning, while also teaching them something new. They can be played as part of a lesson plan or just as an after-school activity on your own time.

The best part is that there are many different types of trivia games you can play with your virtual school class! Here are some examples:

• General Knowledge – This game requires students to team up and interact by answering questions about a general range of topics. (e.g., “What country did Shakespeare come from?”). The answers will then appear on screen so everyone knows who won each round before moving on to the next round.
• Name That Tune – Everyone loves music! You'll have no trouble getting kids involved in this one because it involves simply listening carefully enough until someone guesses correctly without any clues from others around them – that's what makes it fun after all!

12. Storytelling Session

Storytelling is a fantastic way to build community and empathy. It can also be used to teach students about themselves, as well as their peers. Here are some storytelling tips:

• Start with an open mic – or if you don't have the space for this, start by asking your students what types of stories they like. This will help them narrow down their ideas for what kind of stories they'd like to tell next time around!
• Give each student a time limit –  This is to make sure that everyone gets a chance to tell their story within the stipulation of the class's time duration.

13. Crafting Masterclasses

Every student has a unique talent that they can share with the rest of the world! Children and young adults enjoy exploring interesting skills and learning new abilities from their peers. It excites them and helps bring them together and form strong bonds, which is extremely important for their growth and personal development.

Hosting crafting tutorials are an excellent way to bring the entire class together and learn something new! It gives students an opportunity and a platform to present themselves and share their knowledge.

This could be origami, painting, modeling with clay, or many more possible crafts, students can host masterclasses that the rest of the class can follow along with virtually. Even if all their peers aren't in the same room, they can still teach and learn from each other effectively with this virtual activity.

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Conclusion

Virtual school activities can not only be refreshing and exciting, but they can also be great for personal development overall.

The best virtual activities are those that not only provide value for students in terms of education but also allow students to connect and form a strong community.

For more on virtual team building, check out this comprehensive virtual team-building guide from Time Doctor. These activities have proven successful in helping students build their social skills by teaching them how to communicate effectively, collaborate, listen and respect others.

The post 13 Virtual School Activities that Students & Educators Love appeared first on Emerging Education Technologies.