Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

MDM solutions and gamification make perfect interactive learning partners

In the era of mobile devices and tablets, interactivity has become the norm for schoolchildren. To facilitate effective teaching and learning, modern schools must equip every classroom with interactive touchscreens and utilize gamification techniques. As these modern education tools require management and security, integrating MDM solutions has become imperative for every organization.

Understanding the Basics of Gamification in Education

Gamification means adding interactive gaming elements to processes such as learning. Everyone loves games, and competition motivates people to perform their best. So, by adding gamification elements during teaching sessions, schools can significantly increase their participation and engagement levels.

In addition, gamification can improve student skills such as active learning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It also helps students enhance teamwork and collaboration.…Read More

Intelitek Opens the First of 20 STEAM centers in the Republic of Ghana

DERRY, N.H. – In partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of Education and Israeli government, Intelitek and its parent company, Robogroup T.E.K. Ltd., have opened the first of 20 planned STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering and Mathematics) centers in the Republic of Ghana. Located at the Accra High Senior High School, the new center is part of the ministry’s initiative to increase student interest and instructional quality around STEAM. Students ages 6-14 will be trained to use advanced STEAM technology in a modern interactive learning environment.

The Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education held a commissioning ceremony for the Accra High STEAM Centre in November. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, commended all involved for their commitment to the project and called the center a testimony of the government’s commitment to STEAM education.

“We can become a developed nation,” Dr. Adutwum said, “but it is going to emanate from how well we focus ourselves, how we remain determined and focused in the midst of challenges and say to ourselves we can.”  …Read More

Galaxy Next Generation Offers G2 Visual Alerts to Every School in the U.S.

TOCCOA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / June 4, 2022 / Galaxy Next Generation, Inc. (OTCQB:GAXY) (“Galaxy” or the “Company”), a provider of interactive learning technology solutions, has offered a complimentary one-year (school year) subscription for its G2 Visual Alerts security solution to every school and school district in the U.S.

G2 Visual Alerts, part of the larger G2 Secure platform, is a cloud-based solution that can send visual alerts or announcements to any internet-enabled device within the school or district, disseminating a lockdown message throughout the building within seconds of an indicated threat.

“With the rise in school violence continuing across the nation, we felt compelled to make an impact on the education community by providing any schools with a proven security solution at no cost,” said Magen McGahee, Chief Financial Officer of Galaxy. “The majority of our employees are either parents or grandparents of school age children, so it is a personal mission for all of us at Galaxy to make our schools safer for this generation of kids and beyond. Since most of our costs for the development of G2 Visual Alerts has already been accounted for in previous years, we are able to offer a solution to our community in a time of need without a large impact to us financially.”…Read More

Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration Refines Mission to Focus on Narrowing Opportunity Gaps for Young Students and Educators

North Mankato, Minn. (Feb. 23, 2022) — The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC), a nonprofit dedicated to breaking down educational barriers through virtual, interactive learning, today announced an updated mission that focuses on leveling the playing field for young students and educators.

As part of its refocused strategy, the company is launching a host of new programs and virtual field trips for students and educators, along with a new website that makes it easier for visitors to discover all that CILC has to offer.

“The pandemic and the many disparities it highlighted prompted us – like many organizations around the world – to take an inward look at our core values and home in on our ‘whys of service,’” said Glenn Morris, CILC’s executive director. “As a result, we realized it was time to update and refresh our brand and strategic plan to achieve our mission of connecting children and educators with inspiring and engaging virtual learning experiences that narrow opportunity gaps.”…Read More

Virtual, Interactive Expeditions for Black History Month Provide Students with a Diverse and Multi-Dimensional Look at African Americans Throughout History

North Mankato, Minn. (January 28, 2022) – The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, a veteran expert and thought leader in the virtual learning space, today launched a Black History Month package of fresh and engaging virtual and interactive real-world expeditions for students that cover significant historical, cultural and societal events.

CILC’s 10 virtual fieldtrips transcend other well-intentioned, but often one-dimensional and overly simplified narratives of African American historical figures by providing students with a detailed look at the encounters, achievements, and heroism of everyday African Americans throughout history. In addition to the Civil Rights Era, the fieldtrips cover everything from the American Revolution and its relationship to enslaved African Americans to the impacts of sharecropping and homesteading for Black farmers and western communities to the struggle for racial equality in the military during World War II. These “trips” also examine the meaning of race, the history of jazz, and the myths and misconceptions of Africa.

“These interactive, virtual learning programs break down the walls of the classroom and transport students back into history to witness the generations of African Americans who both struggled and triumphed throughout our country’s history, while also bringing to light current situations that many Black individuals still experience today,” said Glenn Morris, CILC’s executive director. …Read More

Celebrate National Distance Learning Week Nov. 8-12 with Live, Daily Free Programs for K-12

North Mankato, Minn. – Distance learning has long been a part of the education landscape. In the midst of the second pandemic-disrupted year the field has flexed, adapted and evolved to encompass a myriad of teaching methods to a wide-ranging student population. In May 2020 demand for online educational courses was up 250% from the previous year. Virtual learning has become a permanent fixture in modern academia.

This year, the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) is honoring National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) by offering 10 live, virtual lessons and field trips with topics ranging from scientific to historical to artistic. Below is a list of the two free classes offered each day during NDLW along with a link to registration.

Monday, Nov. 8:          American Indian Stories: The Three Sisters                                                   By Booth Western Art Museum, for Grades 1-3…Read More

A ‘Brilliant’ way to learn STEM

Every now and then, a new resource comes along that’s worth a second–or third, or fourth–look.

You might feel that way about Brilliant–a site that helps users learn not through lecture videos, but through hands-on, interactive learning.

Brilliant works by helping learners of all ages master content instead of simply memorizing. It also provides instant feedback so that learners can improve their knowledge through problem solving. Struggle is part of Brilliant’s instructional strategy, because the path to learning STEM isn’t necessarily 100 percent easy.…Read More

How one district’s focus on interactive learning is paying off

Educators know by now that engaging instruction is the best way to ensure students are involved in learning and absorbing new lessons and concepts. These days, the right edtech tools and interactive technologies can open up a wealth of engaging teaching and learning possibilities.

But using technology tools simply because they’re technology tools won’t cut it–and this is where strong teaching, combined with innovative technology, team up for a truly new teaching and learning experience.

In Pennsylvania’s Peters Township School District, educators are transforming teaching and learning with interactive and engaging technology. …Read More

How outdoor learning spaces lead to STEM engagement

A new sustainable outdoor learning space is giving students in California an engaging opportunity for STEM learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In late April, Thousand Oaks High School in the Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) and Schneider Electric, a global energy and sustainability company, unveiled a first-of-its-kind Sustainable Outdoor Learning Environment (SOLE)–a solar-powered, state-of-the-art interactive learning space for boosting STEM education and providing a safe outdoor classroom.

As school districts of all sizes across the country look for innovative ways to meet health advisories to safely open and remain open, implementing a SOLE can provide districts with a safe alternative to traditional classrooms while providing a bespoke, sustainable and dynamic learning experience for their students.…Read More