Imagine being bound to a wheelchair knowing you will never get up from there, all at the mercy of carers and the only thing that works is your mind.
Where people usually resort to grief, objection or even self destruction in case of petty failures, Stephen Hawking decided to channelize his major biological defeat into the wild horizons of the cosmos.
With the body continually falling to the gravity of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis(ALS) and the moments of life being sucked into the black hole of complications, all he had was the power of his thoughts and an unparalleled drive to find his way to the beginning of time itself.
Let’s have a look at how the man with least abilities, went on to become a man with most achievements.
Achievements
One of his greatest achievements was his life itself. How he grappled a fatal form of ALS to live 55 years when medical facts had only predicted a 3 year life span post diagnosis.
Hawking Radiations – Stephen Hawking proved that given the Quantum nature of particles, it cannot be said that the black hole traps everything. They emit radiations and particles. This emission can possibly continue until the black hole evaporates. These radiations became known as Hawking Radiations.
Creation of the universe – Applying the concepts of Quantum physics and general relativity he proved that the Universe was created due to the explosion of singularity trapped in an infinetly small space and that no creator was involved in the process. This theory was widely accepted and also helped scrutinize the behaviour of black holes and furthermore the nature of the universe.
An international Best seller– The most complicated concepts of physics are served to the readers with utmost clarity and lucidity in his Book “A Brief History of Time”. The book sold out over 10 million copies and was translated to 40 languages. The media called him, The Master of Universe.
In addition he published several other books which did gain a lot of attention. Black Holes and Baby Universes and other essays (1993), The Universe in a Nutshell(2001), On the shoulder of the Giants (2002) and God created the integers: The Mathematical Breakthroughs that changes History (2005)
Singularity– With the aid of English mathematician and physicist Roger Penrose, Hawking proved that the universe was a infinitely small seed of singularity which exploded to become the vastness that it is today.
A gravitational singularity is boundless energy and mass trapped inside an infinitely small space, within which the forces and laws of physics cease to behave normal as everything becomes a function of infinity.
Mechanics of Black Holes – Alongside James Bardeen and Brandon Carter Hawking discovered the four laws of black hole mechanics. These laws comprehend the behavior of the physical properties of the Black holes like mass, charge, entropy, surface area etc. these laws are analogous to the Laws of Thermodynamics.
Cosmic Inflation –Cosmic inflation was a theory proposed by Alan Guth in 1980 which proposed the exponential expansion of the universe following the big bang and later settled to a slower expansion. Hawking calculated Quantum fluctuations resulting from cosmic inflation to demonstrate how they are capable of giving rise to spread of galaxies in the universe.
The time when there was no time – In 1983 Alongside James Hartle, Stephen Hawking suggested a model of the formation of universe where in he concluded from the behavior of particles as per Quantum physics that time did not exist before the genesis of the universe.
Top-down cosmology – The universe according to Stephen Hawking’s theory of top-down cosmology(2006) had not just one but many possible initial conditions. Thomas Hertog who was a co-researcher in this study had a strong argument to believe that.
In the words of Hertog – “Quantum mechanics forbids a single theory”. Both Hawking and Hertog, believed that the concept of innumerable alternate worlds as put forward in famous string theory has strong grounds.
Zero G Flight – The then 65 year old man with ALS, glued to a wheelchair, had a lifelong dream of breaking free from the confinement. And owing to the efforts of serial entrepreneur Peter Diamandis Hawking did experience a freedom like never before. On April 26, 2007, Diamandis’ Zero G team successfully executed Hawking’s zero gravity flight.
Hawking’s spirit to go ahead with the adventure inspite of the risks posed, blazed a trail many others.
He believed his physical disability had only freed his mind to explore the deepest secrets of the Universe.
Studying the truths of universe to him was more of a thrill rather than a motivation to win recognition and medals.
He once said “I don’t think the human beings have the moral obligation to learn about space. But it would be foolish and shortsighted not to do so. It may hold the key to our survival.”
He spent his entire life diving deep into mysteries of cosmology, poaching innumerable gems and romanticizing the concept of our existence.
As long as he lived, he marveled over the grand design of the universe. And now as the star scientist finds his way to the end of his time all we are left with is the knowledge he gave us, with a hope that the legacy of extrapolation and invention will continue until time is.
The mind with the power of singularity has unlocked many mysterious phenomenon of the universe including singularity itself. The legendary physicist Stephen Hawking gave the world a new perception of looking at the cosmos.
He was the man who challenged the work of many scientists and philosophers and also went on to prove that “the universe created itself”.
Furthermore, the black hole theorist extrapolated the work of many physicists making ground breaking discoveries.
Through his books he not only spread his knowledge to the scientific world but also made the insights accessible to general folks with a lesser scientific understanding.
Here we bring to you 10 popular books written by Stephen Hawking, that made him the most appealing physicist of all times.
A Brief History of Time – First published in 1988 this book covers the basic concepts of space and time, the building blocks of the universe and the fundamental forces that govern the universe in the most extra ordinary way possible.
The Grand Design – This book explores the theories of various physicists and philosophers over the period of time, comprehending their insights on mysterious cosmological phenomenon and how it rules out the role of a creator in the Grand design of the universe.
The Universe in a Nutshell – It is his attempt to unify Einstein’s general theory of relativity and Richard Feynmann’s idea of multiple histories to decode the mysteries of the universe. The book speaks about the cutting edge of conceptual physics including the ever disputed contemporary concepts like Black holes, time travel extra dimension, quantum space time, string theory etc.
A Briefer History of Time – This is a simplified rendition of Stephen Hawking’s 1988 publication ‘A Brief History of Time” . It encompasses quantum mechanics, string theory and the Big bang theory in a manner comprehensible to laymen. The book is a co-authored by American Physicist Leonard Mlodinow
Black Holes and Baby Universes –The 1993 publication is mainly a compendium of lectures and thesis on the black hole thermodynamics, general relativity, quantum mechanics and so on. In addition the book briefly contemplates his life post the diagnosis of his illness.
Through This book Hawking tries to explain how all physical aspects of the universe are linked to one another unifying all the fundamental interactions of nature. Quantum mechanics, relativity, thermodynamics, the big bang and black holes are the major highlights of the book.
My Brief History This is an account of Stephen Hawking himself on how his life and intellect progressed along with the fatal condition of his illness.
8. The Nature of Space and Time –A scripted account of an argument between Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking where in they debate about physics and the philosophy of physics.
On the shoulder of the Giants – As the title suggests it is an obvious compilation of scientific literature written by the giants in the league down the line of history and adorned with Stephen Hawking’s personal interpretation of these existing theories.
Black Holes: The Reith Lectures– The thing that intrigued the cosmos genius the most for all his life also took a form of a book. This is basically the collection of Stephen Hawking’s lectures arguing that deciphering the very mystery of black holes and their interaction with space and time could resolve mysteries of the bewildering universe
His books are a testimonial to the fact that he viewed every aspect of life through the lens of physics and they are also the best way to experience the magnificence of his imagination.
His work not just enlightened the scientists and cosmology enthusiasts round the globe but also the general public.
Be it the Black holes of the universe or of the ones in his own life, he never let the perplexity of any unexplained phenomenon corrupt his zeal to keep going.
In the words of the man himself – “However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”
Education that is imparted during early childhood goes a long way in shaping the kid into a promising individual. This happens when kids step into a preschool. Alongside helping kids to socialize with their peers, preschools come as perfect instruments that can boost their confidence levels. As the name suggests, a preschool can be a stepping stone for kids to eventually love and appreciate the format behind normal schooling. Here we describe how preschool plays an important role in child development.
The First “Home Away From Home”
It will not be an overstatement to quote that preschool education is a small step for a giant leap. Stepping out of the comfort zones created by known territories along with the constant supervision of parents, preschoolers experience the first feel of a “Home Away from Home” through a preschool.
Preschools come with lots of material supported by the cordial supervision of teachers to make the transition from home to preschool secure and comfortable. Slowly yet steadily, a preschool becomes the second home of kids where they not only familiarize themselves with the new surroundings but also socialize with teachers and their classmates. Adaptability is the lesson that is imparted by preschools to kids at a very tender age.
A Place That Builds Self-Esteem In Kids
Self-esteem is a combination of two traits; namely: self-confidence and self-respect. Preschools teach kids the importance of self-esteem when kids begin to recognize the importance of their name; for the very first time. A preschool will not only introduce your kids to identify various objects, it will also be the first place for budding friendships between preschoolers.
You will begin to see your kid transform into a confident student when he/she will begin to express feelings of happiness, anger, fear and disinterest without any reservations. Not only will your kid get to know about his/her classmates but will also know about his own self, through his preschool education.
Education During Formative Years Has Its Own Benefits
Most of the preschools admit kids around the age of 2.5 years; an impressionable age that will carry the stories of childhood into adulthood. Until then, kids learn by observation, staying at home and aping the acts of parents and guardians. Preschools come in as effective learning platforms for kids who can apply the skills and knowledge gained here for the rest of their lives.
This move of introducing kids to early education not only improves their social skills but also paves the way for fewer behavioral problems. It is only through preschools that kids learn about healthy competition along with coming up with good grades without any special attention.
Fun Learning – A Keyword to Preschool Education
What makes preschools the most attractive option for kids? It is through preschools that kids enjoy a perfect blend of fun and learning. When kids are taught in a playful manner, they not only learn better but will also hone their creative skills in coming up with alternatives that most of the times surprise the elders too.
It is through this fun-filled learning that preschoolers will emerge as individuals with a strong personality that was shaped during his/her formative years. All in an attempt to bring up kids with a keen sense of individuality, preschools are the educational places where parents and teachers can make the most of the impressionable and curious minds of kids.
There Is Never A Dull Moment In a Preschool
Toying with different objects, playing in the sand pit or learning rhymes through actions are all the creative ways in which kids will engage themselves in their preschool days. Preschools come up with activity days when kids can pick up anything like coloring with crayons, building blocks or clay modeling that interests them.
Alongside these activities, kids will thoroughly enjoy the constant interactions between other kids, setting the stage for a healthy and engaging form of constant learning. It is through these art and craft activities through which the kids will find education entertaining and refreshing as well.
The Piece-Meal Approach Followed By Preschool Teachers
Preschool teachers are trained to introduce a variety of methods that can help kids register a mental growth alongside laying a strong foundation of the subject fundamentals. However, these well-trained teachers ensure that they introduce kids to new things in small portions. This method does not burden the kid, allowing him the luxury to learn at his own pace.
It is through such stress-free learning environments that kids will also begin to scribble on paper their first versions of alphabets and numbers, one at a time. Following the principle of “don’t bite more than you can chew”, the piece-meal learning approach of preschools helps kids to assimilate information at a pace that every kid is comfortable with.
Lessons About Same and Different
It is in a preschool that your kid begins to not only appreciate the presence of kids with similarities and other who are different; may be with size or color. It is not only about identifying the differences but also tolerating them so that they will turn out to be respectful and compassionate citizens that the world will look up to.
It is through preschool education that kids will fall into social groups that attract them the most. It is through this socializing that children will be able to build healthy friendships. Bestowing a positive influence on kids, preschools through trained teachers become a platform to discover their bodies and emotions which can be different from their peers.
Self-Awareness – A Lifelong Lesson Taught In Childhood
Preschools teach kids to identify and safeguard their prized possessions; like their school bag, tiffin box, water bottle and napkin. This is a lesson connected to self-awareness that is imparted by preschools. Most of the times, preschoolers leave their toys and belongings in a mess.
A preschool teacher who finds things of kids left helter-skelter can teach them an invaluable lesson of responsibility. Making the preschooler responsible for his belongings, it is in a preschool environment that you can bring in elements of fun and interaction to the regime of orderliness.
The Importance of Time Management
Preschools which follow a daily routine of assembly time, play time, study time and recess teach the importance of time management; the fun-filled way. They begin to understand that there is a time for everything and that they need to keep up the time so as to fall in line with the decorum of the preschool.
Preschools teach punctuality in kids when they will be taught to reach on time along with sticking to timeframes concerning eating, playing and sleeping. Certain preschools come up with colorful calendars that enlist simple activities in relation to the time taken by kids to complete them. It can be a simple task as coloring an image. Putting up this calendar encourages preschoolers to appreciate the value of time.
A Thriving Platform for Extra-Curricular Activities
It is through a preschool that parents and educators get to know the innate talents in kids. When kids engage themselves in activities like singing songs, narrating stories or reciting rhymes, they begin to enjoy the company of their peers alongside honing their oratory skills. Literary celebrations in preschools can help showcase the acting talent in some kids who will perform their acts without stage fright.
Preschools are the bustling places for physical activities. When kids are taught to be physically active at an early age, they carry this regime for the rest of their lives, picking up a sport they love the most. Play and extra-curricular activities in preschools are thus critical instruments to promote holistic development in kids.
KeyTakeaways
The key to success lies with childhood education which is imparted by preschools. Along with the well-chalked out curriculum of preschools, well-trained teachers lay the foundation for a healthy learning and growing environment for kids. Once kids step into preschools, they not only learn to communicate with peers but also with teachers which improves their linguistic aptitude coupled with the power of expression. Thus, every kid who walks out of his/her preschool will be armed to take on kindergarten education as the next step to learning and development.
Teaching science is no longer a monotonous job when you have science movies that can be played in classrooms. It is only when education merges with entertainment that students grasp the subject matter. Relying on the broadcast of science movies, you can make a topic much more interesting for your students. For all those educators who wish to go the entire nine yards to teach effectively, here are some science movies that will present a perfect mix of entertainment and information to the seekers of scientific knowledge.
You must have heard of this famous movie that became a run-away hit with moviegoers when it was first released across the world in 1993. “Jurassic Park” is a movie which sheds light on a theme park which was created to house genetically engineered dinosaurs. Scientists work very hard in building a DNA from the blood of a preserved dinosaur so as to create many such creatures.
However a twist to the tale comes in the form of a computer expert deactivating the security system of the park so that he can flee with the embryos of the dinosaurs. The thrill of watching deadly and awkward-looking creatures which are extinct is what makes Jurassic Park an entertaining and intellectual science movie for students as well.
Released in 1986, “The Manhattan Project”is a science fiction movie revolving around a teenager and his girlfriend. Both of them steal the radio-active element Plutonium to make an atomic bomb from a scientist. And how do these teenagers build the disastrous bomb? They dig out information from the internet and refer to published materials. They also rely on random government papers so that they can build the destructive nuclear bomb. Any guesses as to what drives them to such extreme limits? All this is to win number one position in a science fair.
Tagged as a science movie, students will enjoy the fun element that blends with a feeling of fright that surfaces once in a while. All in all, this is an entertaining movie that can demonstrate the singular mindset of teenagers working very hard to pursue their irrational dreams.
If you are an ardent lover of nature, then “Microcosmos” can excite you in more ways than you can imagine. Typically a documentary demonstrating the life of insects in ponds and meadows, students will thoroughly enjoy the result of 15 years of scientific research that has gone into picturing these little yet interesting creatures. Employing state-of-the-art photography coupled with 3 long years of filming, Microcosmos is a treat to the inquisitive eyes of every student. This science documentary sheds light on how honey bees collect nectar, the manner in which snails reproduce and how spiders catch their prey through their webs.
Students can delve deep into the lives of underwater spiders which create an air bubble as their home. Demonstrating the process of mosquito egg-hatching through awesome slow motion photography, Microcosmos, true to its name is a beautiful presentation of incredible insects and their habitats.
Released in 1989, students will be amazed at the comic representations of this American science fiction film. When telecast in the classroom, this movie will transform the teaching arena into a comical theater with the loud laughter of students.
Going by the title, this comic movie revolves around an inventor as the central character, his kids and his neighbor’s kids. So what about the movie? The inventor toying with his electromagnetic shrinking machine accidentally shrinks all the kids to a quarter of an inch. The fun element comes to life when these tiny kids are dropped into the trash by the inventor. These kids go through a lot of problems, face obstacles and try their best to ward off insects in the trash dropped in the backyard of the inventor. If you want your classroom to bustle with the giggles of your wards, then this movie along with its sequel named Honey I Blew Up The Kid can he helpful for you.
This is a 5 star rated American science movie loaded with adventure and comedy in equal shares. Released in 1985, “Back to the Future” is a story of a teenager called Marty McFly who will be sent back into the past. He gets positioned into the year 1955 by the acts of a weird scientist where he meets his future parents but falls in love with his own mother.
That is when his friend steps in to protect Marty to wipe out the damage caused by his journey into the past. All thanks to his friend that he becomes the reason for love to strike the hearts of Marty’s parents. In the end, the weird scientist will be working towards finding a way to bring back Marty to the year 1985.
Released to the global audience in 2009, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” offers a comical ride with a touch of computer-animated science. Tagged as a fictional story revolving around the central character named Flint, this entertaining movie keeps your students in splits.
Flint, an upcoming scientist invents a machine which is capable of transforming water into food. Although a novel idea, he faces a number of obstacles. When the invention becomes difficult to manage, the responsibility of protecting the town of Chews and swallow comes on his tender shoulders. How he takes up this responsibility forms the crux of this entertaining and creative movie.
“Meet the Robinsons” is a yet another entertaining science movie with a dash of comedy. Released in 2007, this is a computer-animated science fictional film loaded with funny scenes. Meet Lewis an orphaned child who tries his hand repairing pans and kettles. He is lucky enough to find a family when he meets The Robinsons.
Applying his creative instincts, Lewis comes up with many smart inventions, frightening his potential parents. It is then he realizes that it is not only important to share cool inventions but also to have the support of people who respect and support your unique ideas.
Key Takeaways
Being a subject linked to logic, science when teamed with fiction becomes a treat to the eyes of students. Alongside entertaining them, such movies which carry a streak of comedy as well are in favor of kids’ viewing. It is through such movies that you as an educator can break the monotony that sets into a classroom session and bring in a fresh whiff of air. Such movies can not only engage your students but will also help them learn about the traits that make the central characters a class apart from the rest.
Student engagement and understanding of materials is given more emphasis in today’s education over spoon feeding the facts.
Therefore, using black-boards or the typical lecture methods are not adequate to teach science and other related subjects.
Many scholars and researchers have proposed advanced ideas and they claim that virtual teaching scenarios or simulations can help to build a better understanding of subjects amongst students.
More than just conveying facts or findings in science, students will love to explore the world of science. These innovative teaching methods in science can substitute the typical teaching techniques to achieve the goal.
1. Hands on Learning:
This is the best teaching method invented so far that involves the active participation of students to experience scientific concepts than to just have an audience view.
Schools are promoting the use of low cost apparatus in classrooms to helps students to have hands on learning experience. It can be a string telephone to teach about sound and communication, matchstick mecanno to teach 3D structures, notched pencil to teach rotation motion or anything similar.
2. Story Telling
Students love to hear stories and therefore, storytelling is one of the best ways to get their attention in class.
Teacher can explain the facts of biology or the laws of physics in the form of stories. This is a mental organizer as human brains can remember stories than just plain facts. Some teachers present the whole concept as a story while some others use a story to open and end the session.
3. Role Play
This innovative method is becoming an integral part of science education as students can intellectually and physically involve through activities while learning a new concept.
Activities can be organized in classroom sessions where a group of students can take the role of atoms or molecules to study a chemical reaction or they can represent a scientist group to demonstrate the particular scientist’s laws.
4. Sports Based Learning
This is an interesting approach to learn problem-solving in physics or a stepwise method to study complex chemical reactions.
A game of football or cricket helps them to learn about the percentage, average or probability which can find its use in physics problems. Sports are mostly played in teams which also promote the importance of teamwork that helps them to synchronize better in group projects.
5. Visual clues
Using visual clues easily supplements auditory information and students can easily connect better with ideas.
The multi-sensory experiences improve their understanding and memorization. This includes drawings, diagrams, and pictures to assist theory and setting up examples to show its application side.
The sequence of lab procedures can be better taught using pictures with words approach.
6. Instructional Conversations
Building instructional conversations is a key method to teach science vocabulary. Let them talk in between the lectures about the experience they had with an application related to the topic of discussion.
This promotes their dialogue construction in science as they communicate using scientific and technical terms. Make this a classroom strategy to help students to easily learn science vocabulary.
7. Science Text Cards
This is an innovative teaching method to convey the science facts in an easy and organized way. In this activity, statements related to science concepts are written on index cards.
Students can work individually, pairs or in groups to sort the cards based on the given format. The formats include true/false,agree/disagree, matching pairs, classification, sequencing and more.
8. Word Games
This is a creative strategy to help elementary students to experience the language of science. Hangman, Pictionary, Dingbats, Bingo, Scrabble, Odd One Out, Charades, Trivial Pursuit etc. are the common games.
Playing these games using scientific terms helps the students to work closely with different hard to understand words and use them fluently in their subject.
9. Graphic Organizers
This teaching approach is helpful for students to interact with science in a more organized and structured way. Teachers can use different types of templates to represent the data according to the topic that is being handled.
A typical format for graphic organizer contains a central point from which different branches are formed and there may be sub-branches in certain cases. Arrows are used to point the direction or sequence of a process.
10. Word Parts
This teaching strategy is followed by teachers to educate the basics of science to elementary students. While introducing new scientific terms, they can reinforce the structure of words.
Students are asked to identify and understand prefix, suffix, and base word, and to relate their meanings. For example, metamorphosis — meta (large), morph (change), osis (process); photosynthesis — photo (light), synth (make), isis (process).
11. Social media
The different social media platforms can be used wisely to teach science to make the science classrooms more interesting and engaging. For instance, students can be asked to follow scientists in Twitter and share his/her new thoughts and findings in class or to use Feedly for improving the content of their research projects.
Students can also use Vine to document and to share science videos, Pinterest account for sharing images for research projects or writing prompts or WordPress class account for peer-to-peer learning.
12. Virtual science labs
There are many virtual science labs available online for free and therefore, this approach almost gives hands on experience of learning the subject without much expense.
Detailed diagrams, illustrations or close up pictures allow students to virtually get inside a plant or animal part without actually doing it. Dissections in biology can be studied thoughtfully with a virtual hands-on sensation without the problem of odour and similarly, experiment a chemical reaction without burns.
13. Word walls
Science word walls in classrooms can stimulate the interest of students in the subject and an opportunity for them to illustrate different concepts. In an advanced technique, a more in-depth understanding of different scientific terms can be made possible with pictures that accompany the words.
This is also an option to help them better understand words with multiple meanings. Teachers can design creative word walls or ask students to contribute to the idea weekly or monthly.
14. Thinking Maps
This is an ideal way to visually represent different thought processes which help to organize the science education with a better flow. There are different types of thinking maps available which can be chosen wisely to represent the particular topic.
This includes bridge maps to teach relation between ideas, brace maps to break larger objects into smaller parts, flow maps to show sequence of events, multi-flow maps to show effects or causes of an event, tree maps to classify objects or ideas and more.
15. Mini anchor charts
These interesting charts are a great idea to give a detailed overview or explanation of a science topic. Teachers use it to interactively teach areas such as scientific methods, types of energy, plant life cycle, states of matter, mixtures and solutions, force & motion and more.
To make the whole idea interesting, the teacher brings variations such as black and white charts, colored ones; fill in the blank models, and full-page anchor charts for large classrooms.
16. Crossover Learning
In this teaching method, students are given opportunity to learn in multiple settings such as inside the classroom, museums, field trips or clubs.
Teachers can use this method effectively by proposing a question in class, taking students to informal settings to find answers and then, going back to classrooms to discuss and share the findings. This way, learners can record, link, recall and share their diverse learning events to explore the topic and get a deeper level understanding.
17. Argue with Science
Learning through argumentation gives students a widened thinking to contrasting ideas which in turn deepen their understanding.
They can refine ideas with others and engage with open-ended questions, and re-state observations or remarks in a more scientific language. Teachers can also guide them in their approach and share the intellectual expertise with them.
18. Context-Based Learning
In this method, students are given the opportunity to create context and explore ideas from them. They interact with surroundings, hold conversations with subject experts, make relevant notes and attempt to modify the nearby objects.
The context can be understood in detail by exploring the world around. This gradually helps them to interpret new information from the context and relate to what they already know.
19. Computational thinking
This is an advanced technique to improve thinking and problem-solving skills. The method comprises decomposition i.e. breaking large problems into small units and pattern recognition-related problems to the ones which were already solved successfully in the past.
Computational thinking skills also cover algorithms-step by step approach to reach a solution; abstraction-neglecting unimportant details and debugging-refining these steps.
20. Remote labs
Learning by doing is an unparalleled approach to teach science and this is made a reality with remote labs. Students are given access to authentic scientific tools and opportunities to control remote lab experiments.
This would enhance their inquiry skills and conceptual understanding and also, the students can learn and explore with motivation.
21. Embodied Learning
In this approach, mind and body of the students work together to explore science. The physical feedback, as well as the resultant actions, will reinforce their learning process.
This idea is well supported by today’s technology such as visual systems that track movement or wearable sensors to collect physical and biological data.
22. Science museums
Give opportunity to students to visit a science museum as part of the learning process. This gives them access to innovative resources and they can visualize data they learned in class.
They can have a look at the real work of scientists which improves their urge to learn about it further. Regular visits to museums make learning science more engaging and interesting.
23. Projects
This can be an individual activity or group activity which helps students to showcase the application side of what they learnt through theory.
This method involves choosing the idea, building a plan, executing the plan and finally evaluating it. When students pass through these stages, they can improve their skills to express ideas, problem solving, overcoming the challenges, team work and self assessment.
24. Multimedia Approach
This method is a blend of text, audio, animation, video, still images or interactivity content forms to teach diverse difficult to understand concepts in science.
The educator can convey vast information using advanced media, devices and techniques, and involve a wide range of activities to provide a meaningful learning experience.
25. ICT Enabled Learning
ICT refers to the use of Information and Communications Technology to teach the scientific ideas that promotes open source learning.
In order to make the accessing, storing, transmitting, and manipulation of information more easy, this approach integrates telecommunications, computers and relevant enterprise software, storage, middleware, and audio-visual systems required to handle the topic.
26. Video clips
This teaching technique makes use of instructional video clips available online or in libraries to show and teach a new concept.
The evolution of a process can be conveyed better with animation videos. It can also be videos of demonstration of an idea or an application side of a theory or an interview with a scientist, tutorial by a subject expert and more.
27. Power Points
Instead of the conventional talk and chalk methods, teachers now include power point presentations in their classroom sessions to make it more interesting.
They connect the computers to projectors to address a larger classroom and include interesting slides with diagrams and flow charts to make the teaching more interactive.
28. Mini-labs
Mini-labs allow students to take part in hands-on activities inside the classrooms to illustrate a concept. This makes classroom sessions more fun, engaging and memorable.
Students can attempt to mock-up day/night with a globe and flashlight, build circuits, test for conductivity and magnetism, produce mixtures and solutions or model the formation of sedimentary rock and more.
29. Science Fair
Schools should conduct science fairs as part of their teaching strategy to promote students interest in the subject as well as to evaluate their level of understanding.
In this competition, students are given a time frame to answer a question or perform a task through a range of experiments and research. They showcase the output in the form of reports, display board, or as models.
30. Research books
The teacher can promote the use of research books in classrooms rather than just text books and lecture notes. Students are asked to do a research on whatever topic is covered in class by means of libraries, websites or by talking with experts.
This can include the extended information of their syllabus and their findings with diagrams and charts to emphasize it. They can share their research books with classmates too.
31. Documented Problem Solving
In this method, the teacher insists students record their thought process when solving a problem. They are asked to explain their reasoning for reaching the particular solution rather than simply presenting a solution.
This kind of documented problem solving helps them to have a deeper understanding of their process and gives an option for self-analysis.
32. Science kit
This is one of the innovative methods of teaching scienceto kids and adults alike. Let it be physical science, life science, or earth science, teachers are now making use of science kits to help students have an engaging educational experience.
They can conduct small experiments with guided instructions to identify rock specimens, to watch out for insect metamorphosis or demonstrate chemistry reactions.
33. Science stations
This is a fun, quick and engaging way to teach science that promotes student-led learning. Science stations support differentiated learning that lets students immerse themselves in topics, experience science to the fullest and then reflect back on their learning.
There will be multiple stations built with different learning styles and students can research, explore, watch, read, write, assess and illustrate the science concepts.
34. Observation stations
More than just the textbook assignments that have limitations in exploring the topic, these advanced observation stations help students to build up their research, observation, and creativity.
This includes activities that help them to have an understanding of a specific concept using 5 to 6 stations with varied options. The activities include determining mass using a triple beam balance or testing objects to find out their electrical conductivity and magnetism and a lot more.
35. Peer-to-Peer Teaching
Students take the role of teaching each other that promotes excitement learning science. In Peer-to-Peer Teachingapproach, they are really engaged in the content by discussing scientific topics, generating questions and working in teams to explore new information.
Some of the activities involved in this approach include buzz groups, solution groups, and critic groups.
36. Science movies
Teachers take initiatives to take them for science movies in theatres or in school halls that clearly showcase the application side of scientific concepts.
More than just entertaining them, many science movies captivate their attention and illustrate diverse science concepts in the real world. Science and nature-focused documentaries is one of the best ways to introduce science to kids than spoon feeding them with text book content.
37. Science games for kids
Kids always love to play and that is why smart teachers introduce science to them with interesting games. They can learn more about science and technology with fun.
A wide range of games are available online that showcase the concepts of animals, plants, space, forces, light, sounds, magnets, electricity, weather and gases. There are games with multiple levels and passing each level teaches a new concept and illustrates scientific experiments.
38. Science songs
This is another creative teaching method to help kids to learn about the science world with fun. Teachers can make use of the interesting science songs available online or create one to introduce the basics of astronomy, biology, botany, physical science and earth science with fun.
Science Is Real, Meet the Elements, The Star Song and Motion Song are a few among the popular science songs available online.
39. Science Exhibition
Encourage your students to take part in science exhibitions as part of school level or inter-school level competitions. This is a great opportunity to bring out their creativity in science and design an application based on a scientific concept.
Develop this inquisitiveness and creative mindset in students right from the elementary classes to help them to grow up as science enthusiasts.
40. Mobile apps for Science
A number of mobile apps are available online for elementary, middle school and high school students as well as for those undergoing advanced studies. Today’s kids are tech savvies and they love to learn science using their gadgets.
The advanced mobile apps built with innovative features in fact turn students into scientists. This lets them hold science in their hands and explore it with just a few taps. The popular apps in the category include Human Body, Cozmic Zoom, Earth Primer, Video Science, Science360, NASA GLOBE Observer and a lot more.
41. Field trips
In the middle of boring classroom sessions, take your students out for field trips to experience science while learning. Go to an aquarium, a nature center, a scientist’s home or visit a pet store.
You can also spend some time with the students in the bird park or simply go on a nature walk to experience the science around while learning new concepts.
42. Science clubs
Set up science clubs in your schools or community, which is an ideal approach to STEM education that assimilates high quality hands-on instruction.
This is the right place for science enthusiasts to share and discuss new happenings in the science world and to connect innovative ideas to what they actually learned.
43. Reward discovery
Right from the elementary classes, teachers should support, guide and inspire students to discover the wonders of science.
With an inquisitive mindset, there are a lot to discover from the science world we are living in. Also, reward them for the small discoveries they make and let them share and present it in class.
44. Interactive science journals
This is an advanced version of lecture notes in which students express the information they learnt into different templates and elicit their own responses.
Students can use this technique effectively to have a deeper connection to their learning and this activity promotes their higher level thinking. They can be creative with their notebooks using pictures, charts and comments, thus, building an encompassing resource for future reference.
45. Science at home
Like scientists say, science starts from home. Encourage your students to discover science at home from elementary classes itself. Ask them to find out a specific science concept application at home as assignments and let them discover science on the go.
There are fun science activities at home that involve parents and kids such as measuring Earth’s circumference with a shadow, creating under water fireworks with chemistry, building a balloon powered toy car and a lot more.
46. Flipped Classroom
In this innovative teaching technique, students are asked to go through video instructions or tutorials in the initial stage, i.e. digital learning.
The second stage will be in classrooms where they involve in challenging tasks and assignments based on the information gathered through video assets. This flipped learning frees up class time for activities such as hands-on labs, guided practice or online simulations.
47. Guided Discovery Problems
Understanding science is more than just knowing some facts and the guided discovery problems method makes it possible. This technique can be integrated into the lecture, lab and field courses.
It refers to understanding science step-by-step through the discovery process and involves the collection and processing of data, debugging and explaining it through intriguing puzzles, structured hands-on activities and right presentation of information.
The conceptually difficult or counter-intuitive topics are better handled with this approach.
48. Fishbone
This is a visual tool for organizing critical thinking which is a good approach for problem solving in science. The fishbone diagram helps to teach students about the root causes leading to a problem and quantifying the relationship between the effect and cause. This is more effective when teaching a group. In this diagram approach, the head of the fish represents the change, the ribs show the reason and riblets have the supportive evidence.
49. Science Quiz
Include a quiz as a part of your classroom sessions when teaching science. This can be done as a whole class activity by splitting the group into 4 or more sets. The questions can include the application of the theory taught in class. Students can discuss and share ideas to find the solution within the stipulated time frame. This teaching approach helps students to think from different angles and sometimes, to think out of the box.
50. Build your model
This can be a challenging task given to students as part of science education. Models are the building blocks of science which are used to explain the diverse aspects of real world.
Ask your students to build their own model using the scientific knowledge they have acquired and you can provide supportive guidance.
Students will be creative in making models and designing their own imaginative means of testing them. This is the right approach to find the scientist in them.
The new era teachers and science enthusiasts have come up with many innovative teaching methods in science and the listed ones are just a few among them.
We live in a scientific world and the advanced teaching strategies are helping students to discover and explore science every day.
Other than the listed methods, teachers looking for advanced techniques can also try group discussion, case studies, laboratory experiments, seminar, outdoor teaching, creative illustrations, crafts, dramatization, and interactive lecture demonstrations to help students to experience the beauty of science.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! This commonly used maxim is so true when it concerns education which demands the constant attention and dedication of knowledge-seekers. However, there will come a time when you find education slowly transforming into a dull form. This brings into focus the need for a fun element to learn when you wish to motivate yourself to learn something new or to hone a skill that you possess as a gift.
If you are looking to make the process of self-development through education even more exciting, here are the numerous ways in which entertainment and short breaks from study routines can become blessings to students.
Fun-Filled Activities Motivate Students to Learn Better
If you wish to welcome every morning as an exciting day to learn new things, you should be motivated to get up and step into your classroom with a curiosity about what lies ahead of you. This curiosity can be enhanced only through fun activities that helped you relax your brain. A teacher who finds a distracted student should take this data point and change the material or mode of teaching. Aiming to enliven a classroom session, he/she can adopt a change in style or approach and conduct sessions beyond the four walls of a classroom.
Helps Develop Healthy Competition Amongst Students
When entertainment and education go hand in hand, students benefit a great deal. Engaging students in fun activities during study time not only introduces them to social interactions amongst peers but also paves the way for the development of healthy competition. Grouping classes into teams that will be instructed to play certain games will help kids to bring in competition to learning. When they begin to concentrate on playing the game better, they are also learning to accept defeat as well as appreciate victory in a healthy manner. Acclimatizing students to a friendly classroom and outdoor atmosphere fosters inter-personal ties while engaging them with games and classroom sessions.
Keeps the Excitement Alive
Imagine an English lecturer conducting a class on grammar and vocabulary. While some students may find the lecture interesting, there can be others who are disinterested with the conventional pattern of teaching and learning. As an aid to such students, a teacher can infuse a sense of excitement to her grammar class by asking his/her students to role-play an English drama with dialogues assigned to every student. The classroom turns into a stage allowing all the actors to hone their linguistic skills; the fun way! This entertaining skit can unleash the hidden talents of students alongside paving the way for a fun-filled method to master the nuances of the English language.
Small Rewards Go A Long Way In Encouraging Students
Who does not crave for recognition and attention? Students also look for words of appreciation coming from their peers and teachers. These words of praise work as an encouragement to students, validating their strengths and abilities. If you are a teacher looking to encourage your class, you can announce small rewards for academic excellence.
Set your students a target; say an 80% class aggregate in a test which will get them to enjoy a movie with their classmates. You can also treat them with pizzas alongside pasting a funny sticker on the answer script of a student who performed well in his exam paper. These small yet creative moves will spin the entire class into the laughter mode with giggles and the event can be cherished by the entire class, eventually making learning a fun-filled activity.
Guest Lectures – A Creative Means to Break the Monotony of a Class
Notwithstanding the fact that a lecture is an educative session that calls for the attention and interaction of students, teachers can bring in the fun element to teach through outsiders. You can substitute your presence with a guest lecturer who is not only a subject matter expert in his/her chosen field but also an engaging orator. The guest lecturer who will narrate his/her personal experiences will bring in freshness to your class through an evident change in the style of coaching. This way, you as a teacher can break the monotony of your classroom sessions, encouraging your class to experience varied things.
Use of Visual Media in Teaching – A Sure-Shot Strategy to Fun-Filled Learning
There can never be a dull moment in school provided teachers employ fun-filled learning strategies. One such move would be to play a YouTube video to the entire class which revolves around the subject that is being discussed as part of the curriculum. The introduction of audio-visual aids to learning not only makes teaching effective but also encourages students to concentrate better, thereby prompting them to come up with different ideas and opinions during classroom discussions about the video presentation. The use of interactive technologies can capture the attention of your entire class that will thank you for your innovative attempts to transform learning into an interesting regime.
The Internet And Mobile Technologies Are The Entertaining Carriers of Education
Students of today need not exclusively rely on their teachers in their pursuit of gaining knowledge. All thanks to technology, now is the age of the internet and mobile technologies which add the much-needed fun element to learning. You can now browse about any topic under the sun at your convenience and be at the receiving end of an ocean of knowledge presented in the form of informative articles on the net. Your pocket-sized smartphone can become your tutor. This way, the use of technology in learning and teaching can help students get the best of both the worlds; the entertaining world that teaches them a whole lot of things in a jiffy.
Fun-Learning Boosts the Release of “Feel-Good” Hormones
You will agree with the fact that education is all about dedication and repetition. At some point in time, learning can get monotonous and dull if it is not blended with entertainment. A joke cracked in class will serve as a catalyst for students to engage themselves with the topic that is being discussed. Reducing the tension of learning by consuming all your mental abilities, it is through entertaining events in classes that students can be at ease with themselves. When they are comfortable and peaceful in the class, they will enjoy the benefits of positive hormones that will be released into their bodies along with a rush of oxygen.
Be it endorphins or dopamine, both these have a positive influence on the minds of students. All set to improve their mind power, students will begin to look forward to the fun-filled activities that make their classroom sessions interesting and creative.
Education Can Be Made More Effective
The brain of a student is constantly juggling with multiple concepts and ideas. Just as you put your body to sleep for all the muscles to relax, your brain too needs periods of relaxation for it to function effectively. It is only when you relax your brain that you will be able to concentrate better with the task at hand. In this context, students who are exposed to entertaining and brain-relaxing activities during their school hours can make the most of what is taught in class. You as a student after a relaxing session will lose track of the learning time and will put your heart and soul into what is being taught and give it your best.
Memory Retention – Another Promising Benefit of Fun-Learning
Teachers and guardians can bank on a host of educational toys and games that are crafted for their wards. Allowing them to discover, share and create incredible educational content, these fun-filled tools weave magic in the lives of students in more ways than one.
Students usually multi-task even when they are simply sitting in the class and listening to a lecture. While they are listening, they are also engaged in taking notes, simultaneously heeding the instructions given out by their faculty. It calls for a great deal of mind power to perform all these activities.
Fun-filled activities during school hours bring in a sense of novelty which is not enjoyed by students but also helps in improving their memory power. After a fun-filled activity, the minds of students are activated to such an extent that they will be able to enhance their capabilities to recapitulate what was taught after the entertaining activity.
Conclusion
It is all about making education even more interesting for students to not only remember the course contents but also to relate every fun-filled event to a topic that was discussed in class. With that in mind, teachers and schools which give importance in providing fun-filled study-breaks will stand tall, attracting the attention of both parents and students to enroll. All for the sake of delivering holistic and quality education to students, it is only through fun-filled activities that assimilation of information is made simpler and interesting to students.
Now is the age when a rush of technological advancements is changing every sphere of human life. Speaking of one such innovation is the field of Augmented Reality (AR) which is extensively finding its use in the field of education. Introducing a fun element to learning, here are some mobile applications that allow teachers to employ creative teaching techniques in classrooms.
The Multi-Faceted AR Apps for Imparting Knowledge
1. AR Flashcards – Montessori Teachers’ First Choice
Montessori and preschool teachers enjoying their role of interacting with and teaching toddlers and preschoolers can look up to the AR Flashcard Animal Alphabet AR mobile app. This is an app that can lay a strong foundation for kids who are taking baby steps into learning and recognizing alphabets and animal names. This innovative teaching app which is sure to excite the senses of both the teacher and the learner comes in the form of cards. Students will be excited to juggle with these cards which come with the alphabet along with the corresponding name of an animal. In this manner, these flashcards come in as unique instruments attracting the attention of first-time learners.
The teacher can point his/her mobile at a printed flashcard that will result in an eye-catching 3D image of an animal on their screen. Then, the tutor can prompt students to tap the animal. When they do so, the students will get to hear the name of the animal and the alphabet the name begins with, that is given out by this intelligent app. Compatible with both Android and Apple phones, this AR app also allows you to save the pictures of all the 26 animals by tapping the “Screenshot” button on the phone.
AR Flashcards Space, as the name suggests, is a novel mobile AR app that is again meant for preschoolers and toddlers. Teachers can use this app when they are planning to conduct an introductory class about celestial objects. This is a befitting app that allows students to be taught with the help of 3D images depicting the various planetary objects along with their names. The “Info” button comes handy to explain interesting trivia about these objects belonging to outer space. This app can be downloaded on all the iOS and Android devices that come with a camera.
If you are looking to introduce your toddler into the world of colors and shapes,the free AR Flashcards Shapes and Colors app is one of the best choices. Tagged as a fun-filled teaching app, this cutting-edge AR technology makes teaching exciting. There can never be a dull moment in the lives of both teachers and students when both of them can make the most of the innovative technology of AR. The app that helps to teach students about various colors and shapes, comes with a color bar at the top of the screen. Teachers can simply press a button for the color and the shape to change. This app can be downloaded from either Apple iStore, Amazon Appstore or the Google Playstore.
2. Chromville Science – A Beginner’s Guide for Anatomy
Compatible with both Android and Apple phones, Chromville Science offers the perfect amalgamation of AR technology and high-quality educational content. Incorporating the concepts related to 8 Multiple Intelligence concerning the different learning stages of young children, this teaching app supports students who are interested in human anatomy. Teachers can make the class interactive by downloading this app on their mobiles before they can start printing the coloring pages. Now, it is for the students to color the templates according to their liking.
This is the spadework that should be done before you can start the app. The next step is to start the app. Teachers can prompt their studentsto tap the “PLAY” button which will again allow them to “SELECT” the correct character. The last step is to “PRINT” the colored pages which are in .pdf format.
Chromville Science is a perfect teaching app to unlock the inquisitive side of students. It is through such creative teaching techniques that students will grasp knowledge going by the maxim that “A picture is worth a thousand words”. They will be able to recapitulate nuances of a subject when they are exposed to pictures rather than subjecting them to black and white information.
3. Anatomy 4D – Your “On the Go” Anatomy Teaching Tool
Anatomy 4D AR App is aperfect aid to students, teachers and medical professionals. All in an attempt to unveil the knowledge about the enigmatic human anatomy and the heart in particular, this mobile app can be used to conduct an interactive class about the various parts of the human body.
You name the human system and teachers can access 4D images in the app explaining the same in detail. From the skeletal system to the muscular and digestive systems, those interested in anatomy will have information about various human systems on their fingertips.
Downloading this app onto your Android phone is an intelligent move before teachers can “PRINT” the huge collection of images that are enlisted under the “TARGET LIBRARY” section. This section lies embedded inside the MAIN MENU which is made accessible to mobile users. Once the image is printed, the teacher should place the printout out on a levelled surface and scan the image, using her phone. This completes the job of the teacher and the onus now shifts to students when the app delivers an unimaginable and life-like 4D image of the human part the teacher earlier scanned. The “ZOOM IN” option is an add-on from the app for students to enjoy a closer look at every organ that makes up a particular human system under study.
Helping mobile users to embark on a virtual journey, the Anatomy 4D app is a perfect teaching app to understand every bit of information concerning various body parts and their interconnections.
4. Unravel the “Under Water” Secrets through the Barcy AR App
Teachers looking to stimulate the imagination of students enamored with the water kingdom can now do it the smart way. The Barcy AR mobile app allowsstudents to imagine being a part of the stunning water world. Compatible with iPhones and Android devices, the Barcy AR mobile app throws light on the various types of marine animals with an imaginary submarine ride as a compelling attraction of this app.
Simulating the unfathomable depths of a water body, this app turns a discussion into a visual treat when students begin to enjoy the sight of marine creatures they are not familiar with. Giving the students the freedom to design their favorite marine character, teachers can harp on the ill-effects of water pollution alongside offering ways to avoid the same. This app which introduces students to various swimming techniques can excite them to register for swimming classes as a move towards “healthy and happy” living.
5. Elements 4D – An Easy Way To Master Chemistry
Elements 4D is an awesome app that provides an easier way to memorizing the periodic table of elementsand chemical reactions. The app features a collection of 4D cubesthat can be prepared by printing the special element blocks on a letter-sized paper and then, cutting them out and folding them. The blocks can then be held in front of any device camera to see the elements in augmented reality. Students can use the cubes to learn about 36 different elements, their names, atomic weights and structure.
They can also try bringing two different element cubes together to see if they react. After selecting one element, the next step is to introduce the second reactant. Then, teachers can move the two blocks close to each other until they establish a contact. If both the reactants are chemically active elements, the app demonstrates a chemical reaction. If nothing happens, you should alter one of the elements that can result in another chemical reaction.
6. Arloon Geometry – An AR App That Makes Geometry Interesting to Teach
Arloon Geometry is the next in the list of stunning teaching apps, employing the state-of-the-art Augmented Reality technologies. Offering a collection of multiple 3D models that explain various geometric shapes, teachers can handhold students above the age of 11 years to learn geometry. Allowing the class to interact with different geometrical figures, this app can strengthen knowledge about spatial visualization-a mental ability of students to visualize 2D and 3D figures.
The long list of topics that can be taught by this app is simply fascinating. Teachers can discuss geometric shapes like prisms and pyramids while going into the depths about their respective properties. Formulae to calculate their areas and volumes are also provided. The app follows a step-by-step process to arrive at a solution using the area or volume formula.
AR comes into play when students will be able to make comparisons between different geometric shapes in a virtual environment. Enabling students to understand various geometric shapes from different angles, AR steps in by making these multi-dimensional images look like plane surfaces. A star attraction of this app is the fact that its educational content is in line with the curriculum of schools. To sum it all, this app is a stunning tool that promises the perfect blend of textual content and graphic representations.
7. The Metamorphosis from a Pupa to Butterfly Clearly Explained by an AR App
Life Sciences teachers have a novel tool to excite their students. Life of a Monarch ButterflyAR app,which is compatible with iPads, can be downloaded by teachers who wish to tread the path of creative teaching. Tagged as an interactive app, an iPad dock VGA adaptor and a projector are the accompanying gadgets that are needed to make the most of this educative app. Teachers will excite students by projectingthe life-like simulations of the transformationsfrom an egg into a beautiful butterfly, on a screen.
Science teachers who wish to conduct their classes through video presentations can bank on this teaching app. The app which employs the AR feature follows a step-wise instructional pattern. After the successful completion of a lesson, students will be able to access a pop-up styled book which has a summary of all the important points of the chapter.
Teachers will be able to deliver practical sessions to their wards when the app isteamed with video presentation. Notwithstanding the intelligent quotient of a particular student, this teaching app can help smart students and the below-average ones. This app gains strength from the fact that the educational content is backed by graphical and life-like representations and thereforeis unique.
Coming under the umbrella of a digital storybook for teachers, this app helps teachers delve deep into the enigmatic natural wonders that surround and excite mankind. This teaching app is a perfect bet for students to visualize the beauty of nature that cannot be experienced by the naked eye.
8. History Teachers Make You Go Down Memory Lane With Augmented Reality Freedom Stories
A history teacher who wants to explain the ancient parables talking about the conditions of people of bygone eras can bank on Augmented Reality Freedom Stories AR app. History lecturers can use the app to take students to go down the memory lane about the incidents connected to the period when the US/Canada Underground Railroad was being commissioned. Going back to the time when Harriet Tubman, an American humanitarian who resolved to grant freedom to the American slaves living in Canada, it is through this app that a history class can be made even more exciting.
Teachers who possess an iPad or an iPhone can download and install this AR app along with the flash cards that come with it. Once installed, teachers can print these flash cards. The next step is to launch the app and point the image that is depicted on each of the cards to your device’s camera. This is when students will be thrilled to witness the glory of ancient stories come to life through AR.
9. Star Chart – An Exciting Visual Aid Simulating Outer Space
A classroom discussion about stars and their constellations, planets and the solar system, and the moon is incomplete without the Star Chart AR app. This app is compatible with multiple devices including Android Tablet, iPad, iPhone, Android phone and Mac Desktop. However, all the above mentioned devices should come with a built-in compass so as to enjoy all the AR features of the app.
This high-tech teaching app can transport them into the captivating world of outer space when students begin to enjoy the stunning looks of the entire universe. Teachers will also be able to demonstrate how to calculate the astronomical distances between a particular star, moon or planet from the Earth.
The app can also be used by students aged between 7 and 18 years to view all these celestial objects even when the sun is shining bright. Teachers can simply point their device to any outer space object for the class to know whether it is a star or a planet. Students who are curious to know the placement of their star sign can use this app to view their star.
Once the teacher holds her mobile to the sky, she will be able to excite the visionary senses of her entire class. It is then that all the students will begin to watch in awe the beauty of the outer space unfolding in front of their eyes. This phenomenon comes in the form of 3D images with visual effects.
Additionally, this app allows teachers to manually set their location to visualize how the sky appears from any corner of the globe. All thanks to the Star Chart AR app, teachers can present the look and feel of everything and anything that happens on the ever-expansive blue sky to their inquisitive students.
10. Aurasma – An Innovative AR Teaching Tool
If you are a teacher who is driven by the zeal to employ the state-of-the-art teaching practices, then you are just a step away before you can achieve this. Simply download the Aurasma AR app, an educative tool specially designed for teachers and you are all covered. This app allows creative juices to flow by engaging students of different ages.
Compatible with iPhones and Android devices, this app helps in the creation of online AR content called “Auras”. Teachers can share the created content that is saved on their phones by connecting with the Aurasma Studio-a free online interface that allows teachers to create and publish their AR content. This app conveniently helps teachers to upload images, videos and animations that can be used to impart education to knowledge-seekers.
Conclusion
Technology aided teaching has become an indispensable part of the lives of every student and teacher. Apart from the use of multimedia technologies, the most modern advancements in the teaching sphere come in the form of AR tools. These apps allow students to experience the look and feel of real-life situations and thereby, transport them into an imaginary world while remaining in their classrooms.
“Teaching in the Internet age means we must teach tomorrow’s skills today.” – Jennifer Fleming
Over the past few decades, influence of technology upon children and education has been immense. Education was once equated with money, but things have changed. Great education for your children is no more a dream. It’s affordable. Even average families can afford a mobile phone in which applications can be downloaded.
While there are a lot of applications available at the app store, choosing the right one for your child can change the way they look at the process of learning. Educational apps are making things easier for children to understand. Books are often found to be tiring and boring for children while replacing them with colourful pages and moving animations can make learning fun to the core.
Benefits of Using Mobile Applications in Education
1. Enhanced Interaction
Experts say that apps in education can make children more interactive and activate better engagement between parents and children. The most effective way is to engage with the children while they are using applications. Interaction tendency in children is enhanced by mobile applications.
2. Novel learning techniques
Thoughts of traditional methods of learning accompany a generic feeling of boredom. They do not favor drifting from the monotonous learning patterns of restricted and upright book learning, thus dissipating the engagement factor.
Technology in the guise of apps is helping those looking for some newness in the universe of learning. In addition to the feel of novelty, apps add an element of fun and involvement to the learning process. Through games, puzzles or other challenging tasks, app learning stimulates the brain cells to actively metabolize the input unleashing a new perspective.
3. Parent-teacher communication
The ideal concept of frequent parent teacher interactions finds its space in the articles and books regarding performance enhancement but not in reality. Owing to the tight schedule of both the parties, it is just not possible to maintain the rapport through physical interactions. But now, we have apps. Teachers can attend to the queries of the parents anytime and anywhere through an ominous device called the phone. This fosters transparency regarding the child’s growth at school.
4. Online resources
The power of digital world lies in the ginormous amount of resources that fill its nooks and corners. The wealth of this platform implicates its popularity among knowledge seekers. The reach of this platform makes it a favorite to people who cannot afford the luxury of full time courses in schools or colleges. Mobile applications help them access a compendium of ebooks and pdfs and other online materials and the freedom to access it beyond the boundaries of time and space.
5. Entertainment
According to studies, mobile apps promote entertainment. Learning is no more a passive activity, it’s active with applications. Lessons transforming to games can change the face of education. Children will enable a kind of interest in learning. Level based apps instil determination to pass each level. Apps without doubt enhance education. No more boring home works and tough class lectures.
6. Availability 24/7
Unlike school, mobile applications are available round the clock. No need to be worried about schedules. Anywhere can be a classroom. App learning is not time-bound learning, its relaxed learning.
Most of the apps promote child-friendly control. Children should only need to reach out for the device when they feel like learning. Little ones can operate it without much effort.
7. Leisure Hours Utilization
No responsible parents want their kids to get addicted to the “idiot box”. Too much internet usage and talking over the phone for hours are not wise options for killing time. This is where mobile apps prove their worth. Mobile app learning is one among the wisest choices of utilizing your free time actively.
If a child has lots of leisure time, it can be utilized to learn something new with the help of a learning app. Entertainment guaranteed without wasting time.
8. Routine tasks
It’s a relief to get all the mundane tasks done with a few taps. Be it tasks like fee payments, other transactions which require us to stand in a queue for hours or the laborious job of marking attendance that drives teachers crazy with the amount of paperwork smiling back at them each day. All this drudgery has been put to an end simply by having apps in place. The life of each individual associated with the ecosystem is now simple and functioning, more efficient.
9. Filling in the gaps
The wheel of time has spun to drive the progress to land us into the world we live in today.
The advancement that schools have seen eliminated a lot many glitches that prevailed in the education system. A major one being the lack of interaction between the teachers and the teachers. Apps and websites have been created to help reduce the gap not just between the students and the educators but also among parents and the teachers. Students and parents can be kept in the loop of every event, schedule change or announcement.
10. Better Earth
While millions of trees are cut down for making papers for the traditional method of learning, mobile apps in education requires just a download. It means a greener earth for future generations.
Mobile learning process has sustainability. Completing a lesson with an app is much more effective as it is learning from experience rather than from compulsion.
11. Systematic Learning Activated
Smart learning is one thing and systematic learning is next. App based learning enables both. Mobile apps help in systematic learning. Apps are arranged in such a way that, it promotes not only a craving for learning but systematic learning.
The apps are arranged in a systematic way that it becomes possible for students to go with the flow without even realising.
There are no constraints for mobile phones.. They can be constant companions of parents and students. Thereby, apps are available to children anywhere, anytime. Learning will not be confined to the classrooms alone.
13. More Than Just Children
It’s a misconception that only children are benefited out of the apps. Teachers and parents also benefit from using educational apps. Teachers can make use of apps in classrooms. There are apps that help teachers to plan teaching materials. App based learning allows teachers and parents more time to discuss lesson plan for better interactive classes. While selecting apps for children, parents and teachers can contribute a lot.
14. Sustainability
Using mobile apps for learning is more sustainable compared to the traditional learning methods which include papers, pencils, and pens. Getting reference notes is very simple in mobile learning- just download it. This results in a lesser number of trees being cut down every year.
15. Instant Updates
There are some apps which are not only meant for learning but also to stay updated about campus events, timetables, alerts and other important information. Soon apps will allow you to do the educational related payments such as tuition fees, library fines, etc. They also provide opportunities to interact with students throughout the life cycle of prospects, enrolled students, and alumni.
16. Track Your Children’s Progress
With some apps, you can track your children’s progress which is one of the important things that every parent wants to know. Along with the progress, you can visualize how each app is helping your children to improve their skills such as reading, maths and much more.
17. Staying connected
Educational apps are the best way for children to stay connected with their teachers. Though the way of learning through apps is entirely different from the traditional learning method, it adds value to the entire process.
Apps for Betterment All The Way
Over 20 million students use Google apps for education
The use of Google apps for education has increased 100% by 2 years
Opting Google apps for education can save up to $1.5 Million per year in classrooms
72 of the top 100 universities in the United States use Google apps.
73% teachers access digital content from their handheld mobile device
Mobile networks are accessible to more than 90% of the worlds population
Technology has emerged as an essential part of the lives of children. Smart Apps for Preschoolers are useful teaching means for children with special needs. They can be introduced both in the classroom and at home. Parents should kick-start their child’s education with educational apps. These apps are available for children of all ages. But make sure that the app you select for your kid is appropriate!
Smart apps have improved the lives of pre-schoolers with special needs. Most of the teachers, counsellors, and parents of children with special needs are using educational apps to help kids organize their days, improve overall communication and learn a variety of skills.
Give your kids a jump-start to a proper education with smart apps. Also, make sure to monitor the apps and go for the one which is apt for your kid’s classroom curriculum.
In recent times, education sector is one of those areas which have seen a good growth rate. We are not so far from the high-tech era where the classrooms will be filled with wearable technology as well as gadgets of the modern era. There is no doubt that these smartwatch apps and wearables will go a long way in bringing a revolution in the education sector. They are indeed useful in helping students get education in the best way possible. Moreover, it is highly different from the traditional studying habit which was followed few years back.
Coming to the present time, let us get to know more about these wearables and apps.
It is not always we get to see students paying full attention to the complete lecture. Some or the other point they will get missed. This is where Google glass comes handy.
Students can thus, record lectures and can replay later on numerous times to learn. This can be a remarkable tool while preparing for exams.
2. Duolingo
If you are someone who is into learning various languages, then Duolingo is the best for you. This is one of the famous apps made to learn popular languages on the go.
The app is made up of simple tasks which make the whole learning process very simple. Other than this, there are various games which nurture your knowledge for the particular language. The app is free and is available on Google Play Store.
3. Instapaper
Apple Watch is recently in the news for its versatility and is touted as one of the best wearables. Adding to it, the Instapaper on Apple Watch has reduced the burden of carrying bulky books to school and back. Now, all you have to do is to access as many articles as you want to use the Instapaper and convert them to speech simply by connecting to an iPhone. Your smartwatch has all the controls which help in listening the articles. Thus, modern day classroom is incomplete without this wearable.
You must have heard of headbands used to listen music or watch videos. Talking about Muse, it is also a kind of headband, but is focused on determining the interest of the students on a certain topic. They behave like heart rate monitors and come with seven EEG sensors.
Muse helps teachers to determine the most effective way of teaching students based on their response. Other than this, it can also be utilized to judge the learning process and evaluate its progress from time to time.
5. Narrative Clip
Another wearable thing which can be worn to save yourself from all the distraction in the class. It is nothing but a small 8 MP camera with a video recorder, which optionally has Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth.
The best part about this Narrative Clip is that it is designed to capture images as well as videos throughout the day. This comes handy, especially when you go on field trips and class events. You can also record lessons or classroom activities to view them later.
6. Lumosity
Take hold of your smartwatch as you have a new app which will drastically improve your memory and sharpen your attention skills. Lumosity is a smartwatch app which helps you to learn a new language in a very simple way. There are various languages in the app. Every time you look at your smartwatch, a new word pops up for you to learn and widen your knowledge. It is one of the famous apps which challenges your brain and is used by millions of people around the world.
Thus, learning experience is touching new heights with smartwatch apps and wearables. Starting from kids to adults, it has a lot to offer you.
