The versatility of maker education means students get more opportunities to choose how they learn best. For neurodivergent kids, underrepresented students, and others, MakerEd projects can improve engagement, agency, and retention. Makerspace director, Nicholas Provenzano, known as “The Nerdy Teacher,” shares benefits of those projects in this Teacher Talk post.
Helping students learn through both independent and guided experiences can enable them to view their education differently. When we use the term ‘scaffolding,’ we’re typically referring to any targeted teaching and learning approaches that gradually evolve and ultimately empower students to lead their own learning, which is very relevant in hands-on STEM experiences.
Not every student learns in the same way, has the same skills as each one of their peers, or can find the appeal in all that their teachers want them to try. Age doesn’t matter because all kids have different preferences when it comes to how they learn. Some want to read until they master the content while others have to get hands-on or try something entirely different.
This week, we’re talking about bite-sized learning. Bite-sized learning involves teaching with short and highly focused lessons. They typically cover one specific topic and clear learning objectives for students to meet. And, when utilized consistently, these types of experiences can be very beneficial for some students.
With Zigazoo, students can take pride in their learning by creating original content. Zigazoo serves as a response tool for them to create thoughtful responses to teacher-posed questions or challenges. Whether you’re discussing a historic event, teaching a new type of math, or simply in the mood to get student creativity flowing, Zigazoo can help.
Padlet is an online platform that allows educators to create and collaborate easily and efficiently. A huge part of teaching in the 21st century is being creative and keeping the attention of students with unique content. Keep reading to find out how Padlet helps educators accomplish exactly that in a way that truly benefits students.
The buzz around the implementation of personalized learning in education isn’t simply a trendy way to weave some new approach into the classroom. Personalized learning, though sometimes challenging to fully implement, has been shown to work and offer each child a tailor-made learning experience.
We understand that it is tremendously difficult for teachers to create custom lessons for each individual student, but we also fear that some students will be left behind if they’re not being taught in a way that works for them. Personalized learning is attainable—so long as educators take some certain steps and go about it in the right way.
The fact is that not all students learn in the same ways. Some are visual learners. Others need to hear things multiple times before it sticks. And, still others require a hands-on component so they can learn by doing. There is no wrong way when it comes to students’ learning style preferences and 21st century teachers have taken notice of this.
Even with technology available, you might be wondering how on Earth teachers could provide each student with a meaningful personalized experience. Personalized education has become more than just a trend in our education systems, however. When teachers provide students with content and approaches that suit them best, students often find success.
