Category: Education

Many public schools and universities around the world have shifted from campus to distance learning. Even though online learning is a mostly-foreign concept to our kids, some seem to be loving it. Other’s struggle with the lack of personal connection from friends, as well as teachers and professors.

Still, the advancements in online education have led more students to become interested in obtaining their college degree through virtual means. Get this: 60% of eLearners believe that online classes help them improve their soft skills such as writing, paying closer attention to detail, perfecting their oral communication, engaging in teamwork, developing time management skills, and helping them with critical thinking/problem-solving.

Still, there are a bit of challenges that arise with learning online – primarily, technology access. 44% of students in low-income families don’t own a computer, and nearly 18% of school-age children don’t have at-home Internet access.

Read how to making sure kids stay happy and healthy during online classes

You’ll be happy to know that a computer may not be exactly essential to your child’s educational journey. Today, most eLearning programs are smartphone and tablet-compatible, providing students with a wider range of options to receive their new content. However, the 30 million school children relying on free/reduced lunches remain in a tough spot. 

As if the world weren’t fast-paced enough, current circumstances are changing every corner of the world as we know it. The last thing we need during times like these is for our childrens’ education to be put at risk. Luckily, eLearning has a solution.

Check out the infographic below for the full scoop on the future of distance learning.

As online learning becomes more prevalent with the growth in technology related to communication, students can often feel more stressed out working apart from friends within a classroom environment. A fall in grades may result if special attention is not paid to potential problems related to virtual education.

However, teachers and parents can work together to help students minimize their distractions and improve their remote learning experience. While technology itself can also divert the student’s attention away from curriculum during eLearning hours, there are practical things that can be done to help.

Remove Distractions

Disabling phone notifications and turning on “do not disturb” mode can help. A step further, Apple’s “screen time” and Android’s “focus mode” can help limit distractions. Screen time allows users to set time limits on specific apps and features, and focus mode allows users to block access to specific apps on a set schedule. 

Setting a new life schedule can be helpful, too. It’s easy to let normal schedules slip when everyone is home, but you don’t have to keep your old schedule to have a consistent routine. Students with schedules built around a type of activity rather than specific plan may have greater success improving each child’s focus during online learning.

Furthermore, a schedule with announced transitions to keep your child engaged when switching tasks.

Give time warnings before a transition, and stick to them.

Get your child’s attention, give directions, then say “go.”

Using a visual timer can help your child understand how much time is left before switching gears. Try the “Time Timer app” for this.

Incorporate Fun

When learning is fun, it’s easy to get kids engaged. Schedule virtual playdates for your child to catch up with friends, let students collaborate and help each other with school work through digital, and keep in touch with other parents to share ideas on what works.

Find more tips to enhance home learning in the infographic below.

Lost Learning Time during the Covid Era, how worried should parents be?

College may be a long way off for your young kids, but what will higher education look like in the future? Technology and the availability of virtual learning is already changing how teens view education. At the time of this writing, 1 in 6 high school seniors who planned on attending full-time college are now rethinking their decision.

The vulnerable state of many universities combined with the psychological effects on students who may feel disconnected from others are primary fuelers to this. For a few years now, kids, teens and young adults have been experiencing the replacement of personal human interaction with ease of communication through technology. As a result, the value of traditional education may be fundamentally affected.

Education Interupted

Worldwide, as of April 2020, 1.6 billion students saw their education interrupted. Despite drastic changes to the college experience and a move to online learning, the price hasn’t shifted. In March 2020, the American Congress allocated nearly $350 million of a Relief Fund to colleges with “significant unmet needs.” However, this was only able to help less than 3,000 students, leaving prospective students stressed over how they will afford higher education.

On top of that, the psychological effects of remote learning presented the graduating class of 2020 with many challenges. For example, isolation has led many to experience PTSD and depression. Even more catastrophic, younger adults have experienced a 10x increase in serious mental distress. The fuelers behind the mental obstacles? No physical classes or guidance toward their career of interest.

Knowing this, the future of education for your teens may be different than ever before. Not only will the economical value of education change, but also the classroom dynamic. Prepare your student for the future of education by becoming privy to how future classrooms will operate before they step into them.

Integration of In-Person and Online Learning

For example, mixed-location classrooms. Several experts predict a surge in integration of in-person and online learning. Now that the convenience of living and working online as been introduced, many tools like Zoom and Slack may be crucial in the future of online and in-person classes. 

Furthermore, colleges may take a major shift towards innovation. Some teaching methods were old-school and based on outdated technology. However, many are now quickly searching for innovative methods for distance learning. In China, for example, 120 million students now access learning material through live TV. However, students report feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and helpless in these scenarios. Expect this to be re-imaged in the future.

According to the American College Health Association, colleges can expect changes for at least the next 12-18 months. In the meantime, keep an eye out on the higher education economy for the best approach in preparing your teens. Pay attention to the dynamics of online learning, credit transfers, and avoid falling for scams.

Redefining the Role of Educators in Virtual Learning Environments

As virtual learning becomes more prevalent, the role of educators will undergo a significant transformation. In traditional classroom settings, educators play a central role in facilitating discussions, providing guidance, and imparting knowledge. However, in virtual learning environments, educators may need to adopt new strategies to engage students effectively.

In the future, educators may become facilitators of knowledge, leveraging advanced technology and interactive platforms to create immersive learning experiences. They may utilize virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to simulate real-world scenarios, enabling students to apply theoretical concepts in practical settings. Additionally, educators may focus on personalized instruction, tailoring learning pathways to individual student needs through adaptive learning platforms and data-driven insights.

Embracing Skill-Based Education and Lifelong Learning

With the evolving landscape of job markets and the demand for specific skill sets, colleges may shift their focus towards skill-based education and lifelong learning. Traditional degree programs might become complemented or even replaced by shorter, more targeted courses or certifications that emphasize practical skills. This shift aims to equip students with the necessary tools to adapt to rapidly changing industries and navigate a dynamic job market.

Colleges may collaborate closely with industry partners to design curricula that align with the current and future needs of the workforce. These partnerships may include internships, apprenticeships, and mentorship programs, providing students with real-world experience and enhancing their employability.

In addition, the concept of lifelong learning may become deeply ingrained in the educational system. As the pace of technological advancements accelerates, individuals will need to continually update their skills throughout their careers. Colleges may offer flexible learning pathways, allowing students to upskill or reskill at any stage of their professional journey.

Did you know that all children are born with intrinsic attributes of a successful scientist? It is in their nature to experiment with new things, seek answers to endless questions, and they are always curious about everything within their sight. Young kids pick-up everything they find and show genuine interest in the world around them. That is basically what scientists do.

But what happens when they join the school to the extent that they lose their interest in science? The obvious guess would be that as they grow up, they stop seeing the world around them being as important as they initially thought. They go to school and hate everything about it, including the science tasks they so readily undertook as toddlers. Everything seems complicated, boring, and completely out of touch with their lives. If you remember correctly, at one point, you too probably thought that most science projects at school were unnecessarily tiresome.

As a parent, what can you do to ensure that your kid doesn’t lose their interest in science even after joining the school? Simple answer: By creating a science-friendly home and encouraging kids to experiment, ask questions, and take part in all science programs in the community.

There are plenty more techniques that you can apply if you wish to inspire your own child to fall in love with science. If you are a parent that works and you find it difficult to manage their time, we believe that finding out where your time goes and how to manage it, will be beneficial to you and to your kids. However, here are 6 of those techniques:

1. Take them to science camps

 On top of providing your kid with hands-on learning opportunities, science camps bring together hundreds of young scientists who can influence your kid positively through one-on-one interactions. When kids come together to explore and analyze science, learning becomes fun. Science camps are easy to find within your locality but in case you have no idea where to begin, you can visit one of the universities in your hometown. Most science camp organizers liaise with local universities to run science programs.

2. Allow them room to explore

Many parents don’t warm up to this idea because of the mess kids make when they explore, but there isn’t any way around it if you want your kid to love science. Even the greatest scientists became who they are today through experimentation, sometimes through trial and error. Allow your kids to try things out on their own. If they want to observe a pool of water under the microscope, let them be. If they want to build something using dirt and water, the best thing to do is to dress them appropriately. Make it acceptable to get dirty in your household and while at it, buy them a science kit in order to make their work easier and more fun.

3. Allow them to play video games

Video games such as Minecraft will introduce the virtual world to kids and nurture their interest in the science of coding. Not all games will teach your kid the language of programming, but there are many that will. Help your child choose the right ones.  You may also want to check out these game applications that can help boost their mind.

Skills such as negotiating, customizing player qualities, and different game levels equip children with the needed skills for progression to higher levels. Such qualities come across as necessary in later life.  Therefore, video games come across as an excellent way of enhancing your child’s problem-solving skills.  The key to a healthy well rounded life is balance between work and play.  This includes a balance between computer play and physical play, developing both mind and body. 

4. Help them keep up with the latest discoveries

Kids are naturally eager to learn about how the earth came to be and how it operates. Topics such as Earth’s rotation and how day/nights came to being are very interesting for everybody. Now build on that interest by letting kids follow breaking news about major scientific breakthroughs. Now build on that interest by letting the kids follow breaking news about major scientific breakthroughs.

5. Go hiking

By walking through nature, you will be igniting curiosity in regard to the world around them. You will create a terrific environment for kids to bring up scientific questions on their own. For example, hiking can arouse curiosity about photosynthesis, how plants eat, breathe, and grow. Besides, you will be seeing lots of animal species, birds, and insects, all of which you can photograph and try to research their adaptations. Your kid will love doing that. He won’t even realize he is learning.

6. Quash science-related stereotypes

Many kids have the wrong impression of science, especially girls. Make it your job to demystify these stereotypes and change your kid’s attitude towards science. Explain to them that physics is as simple as building with blocks, or that chemistry is as basic as baking or doing laundry, or that the simple act of breathing and excretion is biology. The key here is to make children see that he/she uses science every second.

Conclusion

We cannot emphasize this enough: Learning, especially in science, is founded on curiosity. It is your job to create a climate for discovery for your kids. Don’t force kids to love science. Just answer their questions and stimulate curiosity. Teaching science in a fun way and making it something interesting a child can relate too is key.  Everything else will naturally fall into place.