Building social and emotional-learning (SEL) skills such as curiosity requires face-to-face interaction, meaningful discussion, and reflection. Edtech is no complete substitute for that, but there are tools that can supplement the development of character in the classroom and at home. According to Character Lab, curiosity is: a strong desire to learn or know something—a search for information for its own sake.
While some tools focus specifically on building curiosity, the websites and apps that you use daily (in all subjects) can be used to promote inquisitiveness, too. You don’t have to stop using the tools you love or toss out your lesson or curricular plans to start developing SEL. Below we have included some tips, tools, and actionable ideas for seamlessly integrating curiosity and life skills-building into your content classroom.
Why build curiosity?
To some, curiosity suggests actively seeking out challenges and new experiences. While that’s partly true, studies suggest that curiosity has a deeper impact on learning. Scientists at the University of California, Davis, found that brain activity increased when participants were more curious about certain questions, resulting in greater quick recall as well as long-term memory.…Read More