Smart Learning Archives

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Edsys

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a rapid shift in the way education is delivered, with online teaching and learning becoming the new normal. In this era of online teaching, educators are exploring new technologies to make the learning experience more interactive, engaging, and effective for students. With the abundance of free apps for online teaching available, educators can now make the learning process more streamlined and efficient for their students.

In this blog, we will look at the 15 best free apps for online teaching that can help educators create engaging learning experiences for their students.

Zoom	Google Meet	Cisco Webex	Google Classroom	Moodle
Quizlet	Nearpod	Flip	Padlet	Classcraft
Explain Everything	Pear Deck	Loom	Remind	Edpuzzle

1. Zoom

Zoom is a video conferencing app that lets you connect with people from anywhere in the world in real-time. You can create a virtual classroom using the app that’s just as engaging and interactive as an in-person class.

You can share your screen, use virtual whiteboards, and even break your students into smaller groups for group discussions or activities. Zoom also has a range of features that make it easy to assess your students’ progress, such as the ability to create polls, quizzes, and surveys. And the best part? You can record your sessions for students who miss class or need to review the material later.

Download Now: Android, iOS

2. Google Meet

Google Meet is another video conferencing app that allows teachers to hold virtual classes. With features such as screen sharing, real-time captions, and virtual backgrounds, Google Meet makes online teaching more effective.

Google Meet is another video conferencing app that can be used for online learning. The app is easy to use and is packed with features that help teacher and classmates connect with each other from anywhere, anytime. You can share your screen, collaborate on projects in real-time, and even use virtual backgrounds to make your online classes more fun and engaging. Also, the interactive chat feature makes it easy to ask questions and stay engaged throughout the lesson.

Download Now: Android, iOS

3. Cisco Webex

Cisco Webex is a top-notch tool for online teaching that allows educators to connect with their students in a seamless and effective manner. With Webex, teachers can create virtual classrooms and conduct lectures, discussions, and interactive activities in real-time, no matter where they are.

Webex’s advanced features, like screen sharing, whiteboarding, and breakout rooms, enable teachers to engage their students and provide a personalized learning experience. Moreover, Webex’s secure and reliable platform ensures that classes run smoothly without any interruptions.

Download Now: Android, iOS

4. Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a free web-based platform that streamlines the process of creating, distributing and grading assignments and more for teachers. With the app, teachers can create virtual classes, share documents, and communicate with students in real-time. It makes it easy to organize class materials, provide feedback, and collaborate with students.

Additionally, the platform integrates seamlessly with other Google applications, like Google Drive and Google Docs, making it effortless to create and share assignments. Google Classroom is also easy to use and navigate, ensuring that both teachers and students can get started quickly.

Download Now: Android, iOS

5. Moodle

Moodle is an exceptional open-source learning management system that offers a range of features to facilitate the learning process. With Moodle, educators can create virtual classrooms, design courses, and engage with students in real-time. The platform offers various tools such as discussion forums, wikis, quizzes, and assignments that allow teachers to provide a personalized learning experience.

Moodle also offers robust analytics that helps teachers track students’ progress, identify areas of improvement, and provide targeted feedback. The platform is also customizable, allowing educators to adapt it to their specific needs. Moodle is an excellent choice for educators looking for a flexible, robust, and scalable platform to teach online.

Download Now: Android, iOS

6. Quizlet

With Quizlet, educators can create flashcards, quizzes and games that make learning fun and interactive for students. The platform offers various features like adaptive learning, spaced repetition, and personalized study plans that help students retain information better.

Quizlet’s analytics provide valuable insights into students’ performance, allowing educators to adjust their teaching strategies accordingly. The platform is also user-friendly, making it easy for educators to create and share study materials.

Download Now: Android, iOS

7. Nearpod

Nearpod is a student engagement platform that allows teachers to create interactive lessons and activities for their students. With features such as quizzes, polls and virtual field trips, Nearpod is a great app for online teaching.

Teachers can also monitor student progress in real-time and providing valuable insights into areas where students may be struggling using the app. The platform is also compatible with a range of devices, making it accessible to students with diverse learning needs.

Download Now: Android, iOS

8. Flip

Flipis a video discussion platform that makes it easy for teachers to create and share video-based assignments and discussions with the students. The app allows teachers to create topic discussions, record video feedback and engage with students in real-time.

The platform is designed to promote active learning, with features like screen recording, whiteboard integration and video replies that allow students to express themselves creatively. It is also accessible and easy to use, making it an excellent tool for educators who want to promote student engagement and interaction in online learning environments.

Download Now: Android, iOS

9. Padlet

Padlet is a digital bulletin board that offers a range of collaborative tools allows teachers to create and share content with their students. Teachers can create virtual bulletin boards in the app, where students can share and discuss ideas, images and videos.

The platform offers various features that make it easy for students to collaborate and express themselves creatively. The app is customizable, allowing teachers to adapt it to their specific teaching needs.

Download Now: Android, iOS

10. Classcraft

Classcraft is a gamification platform that allows teachers to gamify their virtual classrooms, where students can create their own avatars and embark on epic quests. Features like experience points, rewards and power-ups in the app make learning fun and interactive.

The app also allows teachers to monitor student progress and provide personalized feedback, ensuring that students are constantly challenged and motivated. If you’re an educator looking for a fun and engaging way to promote student learning in online environments, Classcraft the perfect choice.

Download Now: Android, iOS

11. Explain Everything

Explain Everything is an interactive whiteboard app that allows teachers to create engaging and interactive presentations, whiteboards and animations. Teachers can record and annotate live presentations, share videos and images and collaborate with students in real-time using the app.

The app allows teachers to share their content across multiple platforms and devices, ensuring that their lessons are accessible to all students. Explain Everything is a versatile and powerful tool that helps teachers create engaging online teaching content.

Download Now: Android, iOS

12. Pear Deck

Pear Deck is an interactive presentation platform that allows teachers to create interactive presentations and quizzes for their students. With features such as real-time responses, interactive slides, and quizzes, Pear Deck is a great app for online teaching.

Pear Deck is an interactive presentation platform that allows educators to create interactive presentations and quizzes that engage students in real-time. Teachers can use the app to create engaging slideshows that allow students to respond to questions, provide feedback, and collaborate with their peers.

Pear Deck app integrates seamlessly with other popular teaching tools like Google Classroom, making it easy for teachers to incorporate it into their existing teaching workflows.

Website: https://www.peardeck.com/

13. Loom

Loom is a video recording app that is perfect for teachers to create and share video tutorials and presentations with their students. Teachers can use the app to record their screen, webcam, and audio, providing a comprehensive and engaging teaching experience.

Customizable video templates, annotations, real-time comments and other features of the app make it easy for teachers to create engaging and informative content. Teachers can also share their videos across multiple platforms and devices to make it accessible to students.

Download Now: Android, iOS

14. Remind

Remind is a communication tool that can be used for online teaching. The app allows teachers to communicate with their students and parents quickly and easily.

Teachers can use the app to send announcements, schedule reminders and share learning resources, files and photos, keeping students and parents up to date on their progress. The app offers features like real-time messaging, translation, and message scheduling, making it easy for teachers to stay connected with their students and parents.

Download Now: Android, iOS

15. Edpuzzle

Create interactive video lessons that engage students in real-time using Edpuzzle app. The app allows teachers to import any video from YouTube or other popular video platforms and add interactive element,s such as quizzes, voiceovers, and discussion prompts, making the videos more engaging and informative for students.

With features like real-time student analytics, automatic grading, and easy LMS integration, teachers can assess student progress and incorporate the app into their existing teaching workflows.

Download Now: Android, iOS

Posted on April 10, 2020 by Edsys

SQ3R is an amazing teaching and learning strategy designed to help students to improve the understanding and retention of what they have learned.

This is in fact a sequence that can be applied throughout the reading process to move from smaller to larger details and then back again.

Teachers use this strategy to get the better of teaching and learning by utilizing each stage of the reading course, say before, during and after.

SQ3R Definition

SQ3R is a step-by-step method to approach a text more efficiently for a better understanding.

This comprehensive method of teaching basically involves 5 steps –Survey, Question, Read, Recall and Review.

This helps students to be an effective reader as they learn to think about the topic or concept while they read. Let us have a look.

Survey

In this very first step, students are asked to simply skim or scan through the entire text book and look for pictures, headings, layouts, chapters, and sub headings.

Following which, they have to check out the summaries mentioned at the end of each chapter or book.

This gives them enough idea to foresee what the author is trying to convey and get an overview and structure. Notes can be taken based on the thoughts and have a look into the overall notes to get some idea.

Catch up the title, headings, visuals, preview, bolded words & summary
Think about background information or knowledge

They get an initial understanding of the concept through bolded texts, headings and charts which give a foundation for the active reading.

This step in fact gives a bigger picture of what is going to be learnt; and decide on what is necessary.

The present information can be connected or linked back to what is already known which help students to prepare for reading.

Question

In this second step, students are asked to convert the headings of paragraphs into meaningful questions. For example, if the heading is ‘importance of self discipline’, then, frame a question like ‘what is the importance of self discipline’ and then write it out.

Turn headings into queries
Try asking who, what, why and how
Students can now stay focussed while reading

They learn to preview the content to generate questions out of it. Queries such as “What is this text about?” “What do I already know about the topic?” “What else I am missing?” etc can make reading time more productive. Having a purpose for reading in fact invokes interest and quizzing oneself on the subject is a great practice in learning.

Read

In the very next step, students have to read out the questions attentively and try to answer them.

They can actually answer the questions in their own words in notes. It is recommended to read the content areas that are complex or difficult, multiple times.

Look out for solutions to the queries
Highlight or underline key concepts
Break up the comprehension into chunks

While reading, they will actually search for answers of the questions they had generated before during the preview.

This is a good practice to get relevant information from the textbook.

There is no better way to prepare for discussions and lectures. This even helps to become a master for test preparation.

Recall

Now students can close the text books and keep the notebooks away, and then try to recall what they have read in the book.

In fact they should try to mentally visualize the contents of the material, and try to recall the important highlights.

Also Read: Teacher App : A Complete Class Schedule and Attendance App

It is advised that more time needs to be spent for recalling rather than reading. It can either be done by explaining the content to someone else or by imagining the same.

Say your answers aloud
Note down summary of section or paragraph
Identify main ideas of the topic
Write note cards of relevant data
Create a graphic organizer or mind map of how they relate

This is the phase when they rehearse the answers for their questions and prepare notes for later reference.

These are the best methods to retain or recall information after reading a topic and there is no better way to evaluate the level of understanding.

This even help students to stay awake and interact with reading.

Review

In the final phase of the strategy, students can take back the book and go through the notes, questions and answers to understand how well they have recalled.

Conclude the final phase by having a mental picture of the whole process.

Quiz yourself on what has been learned
Develop connections between notes and readings from class
Revisit the topic at least once a week and give a test on old and new topics

They can review the text to reply to the queries previously answered. This is a great way to retain what has been learned on a weekly basis. Students can prepare for exams and assignments in a systematic way.

Teachers often mention about students who read a textbook fully and still have no idea about what exactly was covered.

This SQ3R strategy is a great solution for such students to improve their learning.

This method demands them to activate their thoughts throughout the reading process and review their understanding.

Moreover, the notes created during the reading can be later used as a study guide during exams

How Teachers Can Use The Strategy?

Applying this strategy in the most efficient way is important to experience the best results.

First of all, make students understand the importance of surveying, questioning, reading, reciting and reviewing to be an efficient reader.

The best way to implement this way of teaching is to model the five SQ3R steps.

Choose a content area and model the strategy
During each step of the SQ3R, don’t forget to explain the actual purpose like what and why they are doing so
Following the session, ask students to independently perform the task while they read and practice SQ3R
It can either be provided as a take home assignment or as a class session
Following the session, let the students reassess their notes and reflect on the procedure.

This amazing reading method was first cited in the year 1946, in the book Effective Study”by Francis P. Robinson who was an American education psychologist.

Also Check: Latest Updated Educational Apps Directory List

All students need not find this method effective or feel an impact on the very first trial.

So it is highly important for the teachers to give them some time to get along with the method. Most importantly, teach them on how and when to apply the strategy.

The most important benefit of this strategy is to make optimum use of the reading time while discovering, understanding, and retaining the significant facts and ideas covered in the text.

Reviewing of information while they read the text can make a really good impact in remembering the essence of the text.

Once students feel an interest in the strategy, they will find reading and learning really simple and they will be surprised to score high in exams.

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Edsys SEO

Feedback is an information, advise, praise or evaluation given to a student, by the teacher, about his or her performance for his learning outcomes. It helps the student to enhance his performance and achievement.

Giving proper feedback to a student is one of the greatest challenges that you, as a teacher may face. In fact, effective feedback can double the effect of classroom input on a student’s achievement. Therefore, it is an important part of good teaching.

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Some of the effective feedback for learning are listed below:

1) Establish a Respectful Learning Environment

Every individual in the classroom should be respected and treated with dignity and civility irrespective of their class, race, mental or physical abilities. You should ensure that a student never feels offended while giving the feedback; as, such comments may negatively impact the students.

2) Feedback should be given soon after the Learning

If you wait for a long period to give a feedback, then, the moment would be lost and the student may not get a relation for the feedback and the action. So, try to deliver the feedback on time.

3) Ask these 4 Questions

Student psychology says that, every learner will always be keen to know about where he stands with regard to the work he did. So, you can ask these 4 questions before giving the feedback:

What are the capabilities of the student?
What are his/her weaknesses?
How good or bad is the student’s work when compared with others?
What are the effective ways for him/her to improve?

4) Use a Notebook to keep a track of the Student’s Progress:

Jotting down comments on a daily or a weekly basis will help you to analyze about the student’s learning process. This may include a record of the good questions one has asked, his behavioral issues, areas of improvement, test scores etc.

5) Maintain the 3C’s of giving an Effective Feedback

Using the concept of 3C’s will help the student to take the comments positively. The 3C’s are:

Compliment
Correct
Compliment

That is, every time you give a feedback, it should be followed and preceded by a compliment; which will enable the student to take everything positively.

6) Feedback should be Descriptive rather than Evaluative

Giving a detailed explanation of what the student has done rightly and wrongly is one of the most effective ways of rendering a feedback for learning. It would be more productive if you focus more on the rights and then analyze it by citing examples.

7) Be Sensitive to the Individual needs of the Student

A classroom is a group of diverse students. Every student may have different attitudes of mind. So, individual attention should be given to each student while giving feedback. Try to maintain a balance between providing proper encouragement and wanting not to hurt the individual feeling of the student.

8) Feedback must be given by referring to a Skill or an Ability:

Pointing out the right skills of a student will provide him more confidence in using his abilities. Apart from pointing the skills, you can also compliment for a performance, which may give him a kind of self-realization of his works.

9) Host a one-to-one Conference:

An optimistic one-to-one feedback session will draw student’s attention as well as, will give him an opportunity to clear his queries without hesitation. As this strategy requires time management, you will have to ensure that the other students are busy with their work while you meet the student.

10) Allow the Students to take Notes

While in a meeting with a student, inculcate the ‘habit of making notes’ as it will help him recollect his right and wrong responses respectively.

11) Distribute the Answer Sheets or Comment Cards at the Beginning of the Session

You can give out the corrected sheets or the comment cards at the beginning of the class. It will let the students to clear their doubts during the class hour itself, which will make a platform for the relevant discussion of the queries.

12) Provide a Model or an Example

While giving feedback about the do’s and don’ts , you better try to explain it by citing an example of how an A+ paper looks like when compared to a C+ paper which will help the student to understand more about the insufficiency in his answer paper.

13) Invite Students to Give Feedback

This strategy will be useful to you as well as your students, as the students will get an opportunity to express their views about the class and you will learn few things about yourself.

14) Give Genuine Praise

In order to encourage the students, never give them pseudo-praises, rather give them genuine praises, that too only when they really deserve it. If you give a “Good” or “Keep it up” on all his works, then after a period of time, it will become meaningless to him. So, you can try to offer genuine praises.

15) Use Phrases like “I noticed”

Making use of phrases like ‘I noticed…’ have multiple benefits on the students, as it will make the student aware of the fact that he is being noticed by you, which will not make him lethargic for his tasks. Thus, acknowledging a student’s effort will positively influence his academic performance.

16) Ask Another Adult to Give Feedback

Inviting a ‘guest’ or ‘another adult’ to grade the students will increase the quality of the work of a student. This will encourage the students as they will get an external hand of appreciation.

17) Use Post-It Notes:

Many students feel humiliated when commented publicly, this can be resorted by using ‘post-it notes’, where you can write a comment on his note book, rather than telling it aloud. This is really effective for students who are short-tempered.

18) Use Different Forms of Feedback:

Verbal, non-verbal or written forms are different ways of giving a feedback. Apart from telling the feedback aloud or writing in notebooks, you can use gestures and facial expressions like ‘frowns’ or ‘thumb ups’ as means of appreciation.

19) Focus on One of the Required Skills:

This can be explained with an example, for instance; if you tell the students, that for the next day’s exam, you are going to focus only on the ‘grammar’ part, then it would be easier for the students to learn it. This strategy will not give a steady growth, but a gradual improvement can be traced in students, without any burden for them.

20) Fix Due Dates for Students:

In this strategy, you can club the students, and assign a day for a meet. Rotational charts can be used so that the student will also know about his turn to meet you, thereby using the time fruitfully to discuss doubts.

21) Encourage Self-Feedback:

You can give opportunities to the students to evaluate themselves, i.e., give them a space to correct their own worksheets and rate themselves. This will help them to analyze their self. This strategy can only be done with older students.

22) Give a Tangible and Transparent feedback:

To make the student more attentive while giving a feedback you can make use of simple and understandable words. Avoid beating about the bush, which may drag the student’s attention.

23) Never Postpone the Feedback Session

To make the feedback more effective, you should be consistent about it. Allot a particular time in the class for feedbacks, rather than using the age-old cliché dialogues of a teacher that “Since we are running out of time, we’ll discuss it later”.

24) Try to be a Friendly Teacher

No matter how strict you are in class, be friendly during the feedback session, so that the student may not have a sense of aversion to you.

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The greatest difficulty that the teacher may face while giving a feedback is the arrogance of her students.

Reading through these 24 Ways to Provide Effective Feedback for learning might give out an idea that it’s tedious to practice. But without feedback, the entire learning process becomes so ineffective and pointless. Be it positive or negative, presenting feedback is an art and the effect that it will have on the students is absolutely miraculous.

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Edsys SEO

When in school, you would have thoroughly enjoyed a lecture delivered by a particular teacher. Then, you would start looking forward to the class he/she takes. In contrast, you would have also experienced a monotonous teaching pattern followed by another faculty.

What makes this difference?

It could be the teacher’s attitude, energy levels, and the teaching/learning style.

The learning style in particular can prove to be very important, as it allows kids to nurture a strong liking towards the subject taught.

Here, we try to shed light on different learning styles that help students to learn better. With these learning styles in place, they will begin to love what is being taught.

The Three Basic Learning Styles

With kids having different needs towards learning, educational experts have classified learning styles into three different heads. They are:

Visual (Spatial) 2. Auditory (Verbal) and 3. Kinesthetic (Physical)

Let us now delve deep into the above 3 important types of learning styles.

Visual (Spatial)

First in the list of learning styles for kids is the use of images and pictures that will provide them with a clear understanding of the area, size and position of different objects. Visual learning helps kids assimilate knowledge through observation. Tagged as the most powerful learning style, visual learners are kids who have a creative perception of their surroundings. When they observe an object closely, they will be able to absorb the minutest details concerning the object. In addition to this eye for detail, visual learners demonstrate the following traits:

They prefer to see and learn
Visual learners remember and repeat visual details with utmost accuracy
They are the kids who would need a pen and paper as learning aids to draw maps, diagrams and charts
If you notice that your kid is inclined towards penning down instructions, then you can adopt the visual learning style
A kid who is not much interested in listening can become a potent visual learner
If demonstrations about a particular topic thrill your kid, you have a visual learner who will weave stories about what he noticed through his creative pair of eyes

Visual learners cannot be taught through verbal instructions. It is only when they begin to see what they are expected to learn that they will actually pick up the details of the subject.

Auditory (Verbal)

True to its name, kids who love the auditory pattern of learning will be drawn towards listening attentively to what others are saying. Such kids will learn linguistics through the use of words; which can be through speaking or writing. Kids who adopt the auditory (verbal) learning style will show following characteristics:

They will remember and recapitulate information when they recite their lessons aloud
Kids who are attuned to a linguistic pattern of learning will learn better when they are explained orally
Certain kids who struggle with written instructions can learn by listening
You may also find auditory learners who talk to themselves when they are introduced to a new topic
If your kid loves to learn through group discussions, it should ring a bell that he/she is a student made for the auditory learning style

A striking parameter that can help you identify auditory learners is through their sharp listening skills. On the face of it, such kids might seem to be least interested in what you are saying. But in reality, they will be actually putting their listening abilities to test to grasp all that they can, when you are talking to them. Kids who can learn better by paying attention to what you are saying thus have strong listening skills when compared to visual skills.

Kinesthetic (Physical)

Also known as Tactile Learning, Kinesthetic Learning is a learning style that teaches kids through physical activities. Kids who make use of their arms and legs coupled with a keen sense of touch will develop an interest towards a particular subject. Typically treading the path of hands-on learning, it is an easy task to pick a kinesthetic leaner. He/she will be more agile with bodily movements rather than choosing to be a silent audience to a demonstration or a lecture. You as a parent or teacher can identify a kinesthetic learner if he/she mirrors the following characteristics:

Kinesthetic learners make utmost use of their hands to learn. That means, they “interact” majorly through hand movements
They have a strong inkling towards partaking in an activity that will help them master the topic
They learn by touching and feeling objects of study
Such kids are often found moving around from one place to another; talking or listening

Kids who have a mental make-up towards kinesthetic learning can sometimes be falsely classified under the category of kids with ADHD symptoms. Their inability to learn through visual or auditory means is the reason behind this erroneous classification.

There are umpteen ways to learn.

But are there only three learning styles?

No!

While the above mentioned styles come under the category of basic learning styles, there are other learning styles that can simplify the lives of students in more ways than one. All these styles which apply logic to learning can help your kid better respond to his teaching curriculum.

Let us now look into these imaginative learning styles with a brief explanation.

The Fourth Style – A Collection of Creative Learning Styles

Under this head, you will be able to recognize unique styles of learning. They are:

Aural(Auditory and Musical) – This is a combination of the auditory learning pattern with music. Kids who prefer to learn through music and sounds will follow a particular pattern of learning. They will listen, discuss topics with others, explain their novel ideas to others and pose questions. They use a tape recorder which will help them remember interesting jokes, stories and examples that were a part of the learning session. Recalling a pleasurable instance of a joke that was shared in the class during a lecture will help aural learners tag this instance to the topic of study.
Logical (Mathematical): You will agree with the fact that Mathematics is a subject based on logic. Kids who are gifted with an innate ability to apply logic to every problem will be able to solve mathematical puzzles and games. Applying reasoning to every mathematical step, they will arrive at the solution; the easy way.

If your kid demonstrates an early aptitude towards solving mathematical problems, you can encourage him to check out a host of fun-filled mathematical puzzles and games that are a dime a dozen on the internet. With these online learning tools, you as a proactive guardian can develop the logical thinking in them at a very tender age.

Social (Interpersonal): All those kids who love to make learning interesting by engaging in group activities or by interacting with other people can check out the interpersonal style of learning. Such kids demonstrate a strong grasp over linguistic and communication skills. They have a prominent social style that can either manifest in verbal or non-verbal forms. Their love for social interactions comes to the fore when they demonstrate a keen interest to participate in group learning projects.

If you notice your kid partaking in school activities like debates, drama and speeches, then you have a social learner who will garner the limelight in social gatherings as well.

Solitary (Intrapersonal): As a sharp contrast to the social learning style, you have a group of kids who love to indulge in self-study. They go by the principle that self-help is indeed the best help they can get to expand their knowledge base. Solitary learners, true to their name prefer to work alone, giving utmost importance to their privacy during learning. They have a strong individuality along with a keen sense of independence. They go by their own thinking and spend a lot of time on self-analysis.

Intrapersonal learners are happy being away from the crowd and rely on their innate intelligence to learn new things. Internalizing their thinking patterns, solitary learners come under the category of top performers who have learned about different topics their own way.

Closing Thoughts

All in an attempt to maximize the learning potential of kids, the above learning styles will not only help guardians match the needs of their wards to a befitting style but also helps understand them better. It is only when you as guardians pay heed to your kids’ wants and interests that you will be able to handhold them to make the most of different learning styles. Observation plays an important role in this regard.

Guardians, through observation will be able to provide a host of learning opportunities to kids to hone their primary and innate skills. In this way, they can become instruments of effective learning by introducing their wards to a combination of learning styles. This effort bears fruit by prompting kids to tread the path of a scientific method of learning that becomes an asset for life.

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Edsys

Learning should be in an appealing way so it boosts the learning interest of students. It is only possible when fun filled educational games will be brought into the classrooms. To support the above belief, you can refer to a plethora of research articles that are repeating the importance of structured educational games in classroom learning.

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Here are some benefits of learning through fun-filled educational games?

Here they come!

Along with a motivation to learn, kids who are exposed to classroom games will be assimilating information from various sources. While you can implement fun-filled learning activities within the four walls of a classroom, you also create ample opportunities for kids to step out and have fun outside the school. Thus, educational games played in classroom pave the way for knowledge acquisition to take place in a stimulating and interactive environment.

The underlying heads speak volumes of the significance of educational games in making learning a pleasurable experience for kids; with every passing day.

Childhood – The Age of Constant Learning and Accelerated Development

You will agree that young children are constantly learning, while embarking on the path of rapid physical, intellectual and emotional development. Unmindful of the fact that they are multi-tasking, kids learn, experiment and play; all at the same time. Childhood is a golden period of human life when kids are on the verge of cultivating a self-identity which strikingly is very different from their peers.

Every child is unique and thus has special demands that are so diverse. It is for this reason that kids are constantly on the lookout for novel means of assimilating knowledge from multiple sources. Given the inadequacies posed by traditional methods of learning, a host of novel learning mechanisms are all set to excite kids. With so much happening in childhood, it pays to attach importance to their specific needs. This can be made possible by including exciting classroom activities and games that will excite them to concentrate on the task at hand.

The Numerous Fun-Filled Learning Patterns

If you keenly observe a kid, you will understand the various ways in which he/she learns. Your kid learns through all his senses by touching, seeing, smelling, hearing and tasting. Through observation, kids emulate elders and learn the language and behavior. Finally, kids learn through playing. Though last in the list, playing is the best means for kids to learn. Playing educational games in classrooms helps kids develop a strong sense of self-worth. There are many structured and unstructured classroom games that help kids unveil their potent physical and mental abilities while helping them to concentrate on their subjects as well.

The Numerous Playful Opportunities that Excite and Teach Kids

Guardians and teachers can check out these innovative educational games that can teach and stimulate the imagination of kids.

~ When you introduce your kids to playing with sand and water, you are teaching them the concepts of Math and Science. Kids will identify the striking differences between sand which is a solid and water which is a fluid.

~ There are umpteen creative means to unveil the hidden talents and expressions of kids. Allow them to sit with a paper and colored pencils. They will begin to weave their thoughts into pictures and when you ask them to narrate the story behind the picture, they will surprise you with their imaginative and expressive tales.

~ Girls who are allowed to play with toys will unleash their creative side by dressing up their favorite dolls in different attires and accessories.

~ You can gift your kid educational games like jigsaw puzzles, Lego blocks and shape sorters. When he/she sits with them, he/she will be applying his/her mental capabilities along with developing a sense of logic, with pictures. He will also start recognizing colors, shapes and sizes; the fun way.

~ Not restricting your kid to indoor games, you can also encourage them to engage themselves in outdoor sports like playing ball games and cycling. Such activities and games help in developing the mental and physical faculties of kids in addition to developing their agility and gross motor skills.

~ When a kindergarten classroom includes educational games as a part of its teaching strategy, kids will be taught to accept both victory and defeat. They will learn the art of taking turns in addition to sharing and interacting with peers.

~ You as a parent can encourage your kids to sing and play simple music instruments that can be in the form of educational toys. When they start toying with these instruments, kids will learn the concepts of musical rhythm by listening to different tones.

Kids Will Engage Themselves in Activities They Love

When you team up educational games to learning, you as adults are actually setting the stage for your kids to do things that they love the most and learn a well. Playing educational games will introduce kids to experiment with their toys and come up with unusual way of doing things. If you notice that your kid has a keen interest in books, you can introduce him to new books.

When you sit with them and partake in their reading activities, your kids will find it exciting to not only spend quality time with you but will also encourage them to express themselves in their own sweet and child-like manner. When you as adults probe into the pictures in the books, your kids will start narrating stories that can inspire a writer of sorts to experiment with their thoughts and words. Thus, allowing your kids to do what they like is the best way for them to learn. .

Educational Games Pave the Way for Holistic Learning

Learning is all about equipping kids with ways and means for them to develop and hone their social, emotional and physical skills. Educational games help in this endeavor, encouraging kids to experience life from a completely different viewpoint. They will be prompted to conduct many tryouts with all that is happening around them. When kids team up with peers in playing educational games, they will learn to interact better by sharpening their social skills.

Team Building Mechanisms

If you as guardians and teachers wish to introduce a fun element to learning, and can allow kids to learn collectively as a team. Tagged as a cooperative learning strategy that can be employed in classrooms, playing educational games as a team helps students to not only assimilate information easily but also helps them to recapitulate what they learnt quickly. Playing as a team can be fun when kids begin to develop leadership qualities teamed with sharpening their communication skills.

A Field Trip – A Fun-Filled Quest That Helps Kids Appreciate And Learn From Nature

Connecting kids with the outside world can be encouraging and appealing to kids. And this can be achieved by engaging them with fun-filled field trips that will improve their curiosity level. An encounter with nature or a visit to a science exhibition or museum can make learning appealing to kids. Not only will they be excited to look around the exhibits and make notes, they can also learn with an excitement that comes when they begin to see the various forms of their subjects as life-like objects.

Educational Games Offer Creative Brain Breaks

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In line with this commonly used adage, if parents and teachers incorporate educational games into the learning curriculum, they can make the most of the enjoyable breaks that these games offer. It can be as simple as enacting a skit that is part of their English chapter. This can provide dual benefits to students. While they learn about the characters in the drama through enacting, students will also enjoy a brain break that shuns away the monotony of constantly listening to lectures delivered by English teachers.

Use of Technology-Based Educational Strategies

Technology opens up a number of avenues for kids to learn; the fun way. A host of classroom apps are now in vogue which can be used to increase student engagement and learning. Teachers can bank on teaching equipment like tabletop computers and overhead projectors to help kids develop interest about various subjects. Rekindling the interest in studies sets the stage for holistic learning when kids will use technology as a creative means to enhance their innate and acquired skills.

Now is the age of wearables in learning. Gadgets like headsets showcasing the abilities of Augmented Reality(AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) along with smart watches can become creative instruments for learning the novel way. These are all a part of the e-learning revolution that have taken the sphere of education by storm, altering and improving the way kids look at learning and living.

The Concept of Fun Learning Centers

Schools which go the extra mile in setting up fun learning centers will provide the much-needed social interaction to students of different ages. Along with providing them with umpteen opportunities to hone their innate and acquired skills, a fun learning center calls for grouping of students into small gatherings.

Conspicuous of the directions given by teachers, a fun learning center can become an attractive activity-area outside a classroom. Such activities are very important for kids who will begin to adhere to the rules of the activity along with developing their self-esteem. These two traits go a long way in shaping the kid into a responsible individual who is aware of both his strengths and weaknesses.

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Wrapping It Up

By now, you must have understood the relevance of fun educational games in learning. The above tips and measures can be easily incorporated in schools which are driven by a goal to make education relevant and interesting to kids. Alongside promising all the benefits of cooperative learning, these fun-filled educational games and activities grab the attention of students to help them concentrate better on their academic curriculum. Along with a progress in academics, these exciting classroom and outdoor activities finally make learning fun and engaging for kids of different ages and IQ levels.

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Edsys

If you wish to handhold your kid to succeed in school and beyond, here are the modern learning skills that will become his/her boon for life. Leaning skills are often tagged under a common name called “4 Cs”. Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication. These are the 4 important Cs that will demand a push from you so that your child develops and improves the patterns of learning, assimilating and reproducing information in the manner he/she comprehends. All these Cs are a function of their short-term memory that enables them to learn. Hence if you encourage them to develop their short-term memory through creative activities, you are clearing their path to learn and understand better.

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Here are 10 effective ways to improve kid’s learning skill:

The “Left Brain” Activity Is Linked to Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is all about the careful analysis of a topic of study to help you understand it better. In order to help kids learn and use the power of critical thinking, guardians should teach them to analyze a situation by breaking the entire scenario into smaller and understandable parts.

You can also encourage your kids to come up with logical arguments about what they think about a topic and link their thoughts to evidences. When kids start talking in this manner, they will be able to learn the topic better; in a logical way. This exercise ultimately paves the way for them to come up with a logical conclusion. Kids can also be prompted to group items under their respective heads and explaining the striking contrasts between the various classes.

Critical thinking is a learning tool to hone the problem-solving abilities in kids. When guardians push kids to come up with the causes and effects of a problem, kids will find means to eliminate the reasons for a problem.

Creativity Thinking Helps Kids Discover Possibilities

Creative thinking is the ability that is gifted to us by our “right brain”. Guardians can help their wards to learn creative thinking through a number of dedicated activities. Brainstorming is one such practice that will involve your kids to come up with a number of feasible, impossible and unreasonable suggestions for a particular scenario.

Actions speak louder than words. In line with this famous maxim, guardians can encourage the learning skill in kids by allowing them to make items with their own hands. Give them materials to create the product and they will slowly learn different ways to produce a product.

A creative attitude in kids will blossom if parents and teachers encourage them to crack jokes, narrate stories and sing their favorite songs. Engaging them in a dialogue about any topic can also bring their creative traits to the fore, allowing them to learn through innovative ways. Encourage them to pose questions through which they will be able to get to know the facts that were unknown to them. Through the answers given out by them, kids will also arrive at new ways to find a solution to their problem.

Communication Skills – Another Stepping Stone to Learning Through Verbal and Written Expressions

Communication is all about expressing your thoughts and beliefs not only through words but also through gestures, body language and visual aids. It is the responsibility of the guardians to create a communicative environment at home or in school. When communication is encouraged, kids will learn the trick of attentive listening.

When you start communicating with them frequently, they will begin to listen to you with all their ears. They will learn to take notes while posing questions about unknown facts. You can also help kids to enjoy the act of reading, when they begin to decode the printed words or images that are in front of their eyes. All thanks to technology, kids can bank on mobile phones and apps that will serve as learning tools to either communicate through phone calls or email or engage themselves through app messages.

Collaboration – The Art of Working Together for a Common Goal

Another tried and tested means to improve your kid’s learning skills is to introduce them to group activities that come with a common objective. Through collaborations, you can teach your kid the benefits of working towards a goal. In their pursuit to reach their common objective, kids will learn to evaluate multiple options.

They will take in alternatives that bring them close to their joint aim and discard those that work against their victory. Such activities can bring out the leadership qualities that are still in the nascent stage of development. Group activities come as a boon to kids when they begin to unearth the benefits of effective management of time and material resources. Such acts also teach your kids to resolve conflicts between their team mates in an amicable manner alongside introducing them to the dynamics of teams.

Unlock the Power of Simulation

A picture is worth a thousand words. So true to this commonly used maxim, you as a parent will need to hone his visualization skills so that he/she can reproduce a subject in his own words. Now you might think that how to do it? You just have to encourage your child to imagine a picture of what he has just heard or read; in his mind’s eye. The next step is to prompt him/her to draw the picture that he imagined. Through repeated session, your child will be able to hone his/her visualization skills when he/she can orally describe the image without having to use a pen and paper to describe it.

Allow Your Kid to Become Your Teacher

Take for instance that your child is trying to play a new game. You as a guardian can prompt him/her to master the game by inspiring them. If you begin to demonstrate a keen interest in their game, he/she will start opening up with the tricks of the game. He/she will employ his descriptive and discretionary skills to inform you about the nuances of the game. You can ignite their imagination through questions that will help them come up with sensible descriptions and evaluations. This way, they will assimilate all the information which they need to excel at a game or the subject at hand.

The World of Knowledge in Black and White

You will agree with the fact that books are an ocean of knowledge. While technical and subject-oriented books come with volumes of information, books on self-improvement help your children learn about the ways to lead a successful and content life.

If you as a guardian encourage your wards to make reading as their favorite pastime activity, they will not only put their leisure time to the best use. They will also be at the receiving end of invaluable information that is presented in the form of printed books or digital sources. They will begin to learn the concept of self-help when they try to pick up a befitting text that provides solutions to all their queries.

The Power of Delivering Good Instructions

As parents and teachers dealing with young children, it is very important for you to teach them by clearly explaining what needs to be done and the manner in which a particular task should be performed. Guardians while instructing kids should keep in mind their tone of voice; a clear yet calm tone can do the trick.

Parents and teachers should also be careful about the words used in the instructions. It is best to use simple language teamed with short sentences that allow your child to relate him/her to the task at hand. Good instructions are all about helping your kid to learn a process through a step-by-step approach. These phased-out instructions will permit your kid to organize himself while aiming to complete a task at hand.

The Importance of Constructive Feedback

It is very common for kids to seek validations from elders. For every task they do, they expect parents and teachers to judge them, announcing their ability to fulfil the same. Constructive feedback can serve as a stepping stone to teach your kid the right way to address a problem. When you as a guardian are vocal about the correct approach your kid has initiated, this feedback encourages him/her to develop a sense of self-esteem. This learning helps them develop a personality that mirrors a blend of their self-confidence and self-respect.

The Inclusion of Memory Boosting Games

You can check out the internet for a host of interesting and memory boosting puzzles and games. Introducing your kids to such games will not only sharpen their concentration levels but also helps them understand the concept of working around multiple alternatives to arrive at a befitting solution. Kids will learn to incorporate all the conditions that the puzzle puts in front of them; eventually reaching the winning post with the correct answer.

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Conclusion

All the above-mentioned strategies help your kids to hone their learning skills when they begin to better their reasoning power along with enhanced concentration levels. When these two attributes are sharpened, your kids will learn and unlearn various concepts by assimilating and processing information from multiple sources. When some or all of these learning strategies become a part of your child’s routine, they will help him/her thrive in a constantly changing and highly-competitive society.

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Edsys

Gone are the days when students were allowed to learn only by reading from textbooks printed in black and white. Now is the age of digitization which offers a plethora of options for students to read and write online through attractive and pocket-sized gadgets. Tagged as digital tools, you as a student can now make the most of these innovative and learning-friendly options to read better.

All in an attempt to provide the much-needed fillip to the reading abilities of students, here is the rundown of digital tools and strategies that can become perfect reading aids.

Rewordify – A Tool That Helps You Read and Learn Simultaneously

Students and teachers can check out the free online software called Rewordify.com. This is a powerful tool that can help students to master in English; the simple way. So true to its name, Rewordify is a powerful and intelligent tool to strengthen your vocabulary which teaches you different words. This tool helps you improve your comprehension by simplifying the reading of difficult and complicated English words.

Teachers who choose this tool will not only save a lot of class time, but also deliver engaging lectures to students. Offering a host of incredible features, Rewordify has been instrumental in helping English lovers to effortlessly read billions of words. Not requiring any software installation, you can make the most of the online demo that is provided along with the user guide helping first timers to get a hang of this online English reading tool.

So, when the next time you need to pick up a dictionary to know the meaning and usage of any English word, simply go to Rewordify.com and you are all covered. The learning process includes a step-by-step method, allowing you to hear words and phrases. You can then type and read them. This app which is child-safe, fast and free can be the top bet for all those students who wish to hone their reading skills while also improving their English vocabulary.

Newsela – A Website Full of Academic Content

The global learning community is constantly on the lookout for smarter strategies that will provide them with state-of-the-art instructional content. Aimed at improving the reading skills of learners, Newsela is another digital tool that provides fresh and informative details about any subject under the sun. If you wish to read about science, English and social studies, you can opt for Newsela. Tagged as a perfect reading aid for elementary students studying in grades 2 to 6, Newsela offers educative content and fun-filled learning activities as part of their educational regime.

Identifying the need for student-engagement, this tool can assess the progress of students with regard to their reading abilities. You can simply download this app on your mobile and grasp the English language through Power Words. This pattern of teaching English introduces you to the contextual usage of a particular word. Students can fit the word into its right context by reading the text that pops up on the screen. It is through this tool that you can browse, read and register for academic quizzes to assess your reading abilities.

Previewing – Another Digital Strategy For Reading

As the name suggests, Previewing is a digital reading strategy, but not a tool. Just as you preview content to get an overall picture of the article, previewing helps you get a sneak peek of the content before you have started reading it at length. You will get to learn about the content’s introductory subjects when you get to see the headnotes. These will help you pick a topic that is of interest to you and read it completely.

Outlining and Paraphrasing – The Digital Reading Strategies that Improve Your Comprehension

If you are looking to improve your comprehension, you can employ the outlining and paraphrasing digital strategies. These two strategies allow you to pick and choose the most relevant information from the content before reading it at length.

Outlining, as the name suggests provides an overview of the information by allowing you to construct a pictographic view of the topics and details elaborated in the content. When you visualize this structural presentation of information, it will pave the way to read and memorize relevant information.

Paraphrasing is another promising digital strategy that can help you rewrite the original content. This strategy allows you to first read the content. Then, you can use your own words and create a totally different content, as per your understanding. By adopting this strategy you can not only improve your vocabulary but also hone your reading skills.

Collaborative Modeling

Next in the list of digital strategies that can improve your reading skills is Collaborative Modeling. Named as a follow-up stage of learning, it calls for a group of research students who are working on the delivery of a complicated and mammoth research project. These students will be instructed to select information from various online sources.

They then sit down to synthesize the accumulated information. Now comes the time to reflect on their learnings. They then engage in informative discussions speaking about the information they extracted and the sources and strategies they looked at. When the entire group presents its findings, then is the time to ponder over important information that was missed by you. You can then pay attention to the content that slipped your attention while you were eager to move on to the next educational video or website.

Readability App Helps to Nip Off Unnecessary Chatter

A proven online reading strategy employed in classrooms is to eliminate unwanted content which diverts the attention of readers. You can make this possible by downloading this free and powerful tool. Then, you need to install it by dragging the “Readability” button to the top of your browser’s tool bar. Teachers can click this tool just when students are just about to begin reading the content of a website. Magic unfolds and the entire website takes the form of an unassuming yet informative web content. You can enjoy reading simple black and white text. Additionally, you can alter the display settings of the content by picking text sizes, margins and font colors. You can either select a black print on white background or a white print on black.

Conclusion

The commendable e-book revolution has made reading easy and pleasurable with a host of reader-friendly gadgets like Kindle and iPad. Instead of holding a thick volume of printed text in your hands, you now have the luxury of using pocket-sized electronic devices that can enhance your reading experiences. So, it’s time we make most of this technological developments to make online reading an important part of our lives. And to ensure effective reading the above-mentioned tools and strategies come handy.

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Edsys

Four walls and a blackboard alone cannot make a proper classroom. A good classroom is the place where a student can learn things in a positive way. The subject knowledge of the teacher itself is not enough to make the classroom good. There are so many things that can improve our classrooms. A skilled teacher, a pleasing physical environment and advanced technologies can do wonders in the making of an ideal classroom. Students learn more from their schools than from their homes. So, creating a learning environment is a necessity. The classroom must be charming and filled with sparks that can evolve children in a positive manner.

How should it be?

First and foremost thing is the mode of conduct in the class. There must be activity oriented learning in our classrooms. Practical learning methods are much better than long lectures. So our classrooms must provide a space for activity oriented learning. Activity can be of any type like practical workouts, writings, oral speeches or presentations etc. Let the students share their ideas about the current topic of discussion. Every development or action in the classroom can be recorded and analyzed for the purpose of evaluation of the students’ potential. Rewarding them for their presentations and achievements will be a great motivation for them.

Role of the Teacher

The teacher must have a pleasing personality. Always begin your classes with a smile. The students must not feel any kind of stress inside the classroom. He must feel free to interact in the class. It is the teachers’ responsibility to motivate all students in a class without any disparity. All the students should get a chance to speak up at least once in a day. Thus the classroom must turn into a space for interactive learning.

All these things are applicable only if the number of students per class is manageable. Not only the number of students but the number of hours and portions allotted to each teacher should be reasonable. A heavy workload or a constrained time limit is not good at all for the teacher and the students.

How to Make These Allotments Easy?

Division of workload and the making of timetables are really complicated in the case of any institution. Edsys brings solutions for these problems.

Teachers should not be over burdened with responsibilities. Managing the workload among teachers is not easy like cutting a cake. Edsys introduces Workforce Management software to solve this problem. It doesn’t simply divide the workload among the teachers but it records the works done by every teacher. With the help of this software, every work done by a teacher can be recorded and the time they spend in the classrooms also be measured. It helps the management or the authorities to evaluate the performance of the teachers and they can be rewarded according to their works. If anyone is over burdened, they can be identified and their workload can be reduced.

Workforce Management software also helps the teachers to apply for their leaves in advance. So it helps to manage the hours of those teachers by making slight changes in the schedule. The number of leaves taken and working hours are also recorded.

Only if the teacher is happy in his/her working environment will they be able to make their classrooms lively.

Edsys has introduced the Timetable Management Software to make work allotment easy by making timetables without much manual effort. With this software, it is easy to club smart classroom facilities effectively and allot periods both class wise and teacher wise. With its help, substitution work can be done easily. This software has locking and blocking options which can be used for individual adjustments.

Technology can also place a great role in making the classroom a better place to learn. Smart Classrooms are best examples for it. Classroom must have the facilities like LCD screen or projector and Internet connection. These facilities will enable them to make use of educational CDs and online classes. They will be able to interact with a wide range of tutors from around the world. Preparing a small class library is another useful tip to make classroom learning effective. With the help of Parent Portal, parents can also have a look at the books they read. While teaching a new topic in the class, teachers can give them more information related to the particular topic with the help of Internet, and can issue related books. Seeing visuals regarding the subject will enhance the memory of students.

Physical Environment

Physical environment has a great role in the making of an ideal classroom. When there are so many distractions in a classroom, diverting the attention of the students, the learning process won’t be effective. So a calm and pleasant atmosphere is necessary for a classroom. The classroom must be spacious and should have proper ventilation and light. The walls of the classroom can be decorated with charts and posters related to their curriculum.

The models, pictures, posters, charts etc the students make should be displayed in the class. The student must get a chance to exhibit their skills in their classrooms. After each hour, the teacher must give some minutes to the students to analyze the activities of the hour and should encourage them to speak up their opinion.

To analyze everything that happens in a classroom, there must be an assistant to the teacher. The assistant should record the progress of the students and add the data into the Parent Portal. So the parents can be a part of the class.

Team work

Finally, what makes the classroom a better place to learn is the team work of the teachers, students, school authorities and the parents with the help of advanced technologies. A well designed time schedule and a properly distributed workload and a fine supervisor can make it really happen.