Boxlight Educator UK

This year, our young people have had to deal with events that are unique to say the least. Winter break is a great time to recharge and refresh, while anticipating the new year with new challenges to navigate. For those who may need to be isolated for an extended period of time, books are a wonderful way to “escape reality” for a moment. Check out a few books from the list below, cosy up with a favourite blanket, and take a break from the world.

Can you believe that this year is almost over?! Back in March, it almost seemed like we’d never get through 2020 yet here we are, looking forward to a new year…if we can just get through this winter break! For many of us, our kids have spent an inordinate amount of time in front of a screen. Give their eyes a break and have them try one (or more) of the activities below.* Have fun and see you in 2021!

In June of this year, Boxlight launched the MimioConnect® Blended Learning Platform and the mind behind this innovative teaching and learning medium is Darin Beamish, VP of Software Development at Boxlight, Inc. Beamish recently spent time talking with Larry Jacobs from Equity and Access (ace-ed.org), explaining the why and how of MimioConnect for any learning environment.

One of the many things that educators are missing this year are in-person annual conferences. Conferences provide educators with a variety of opportunities to learn about the latest innovations in their field. Education conferences can provide teachers the means for earning professional development hours/credits by attending presentations and sessions facilitated by expert speakers and thought leaders. By connecting with other education professionals, educators acquire a broader understanding of the prevalent issues and concerns in education. There is no doubt that these conferences serve many purposes and are incredibly valuable. BUT, this year, conferences have taken a hit of sorts. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many conferences were cancelled, postponed, or customized to be delivered as virtual experiences for attendees.

I’m probably telling on myself a bit here but growing up, hands-on learning activities in school were infrequent. If anything, I did hands-on experiments at home because of the influence of shows like Mr. Wizard’s World (my favorite was poking a pin through a piece of tape on a balloon and being amazed that it didn’t pop). Any hands-on learning experiences were limited to science classes and were mostly dissecting animal parts and insects. If you were to ask me why we did them, I’d be hard-pressed to give you an answer beyond “we were learning about the body.” So, there’s the rub — just because an activity is hands-on doesn’t necessarily mean it’s meaningful or will boost understanding. How can incorporating hands-on activities create an effective STEM learning experience?

Maths talk is more than simply describing the steps when solving a problem (“First, add the ones, then the tens. If you need to regroup, do that.”). Maths discussions are focused on the process of working towards a solution, understanding how others’ think about that process, and developing a plan for similar problems. Students should be pushed to think beyond an explanation of steps to an explanation of process, including making errors and how those were resolved. They should also be encouraged to use different methods and tools when solving a problem, then sharing these ideas with others to build a bank of strategies. How can engaging in maths talk be done successfully?