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It’s Time for Data – And Time To Make Time for Data

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Data has been a core part of education for years. We all remember being graded at school, both formatively as well as summatively. Strong observational practice, or constructivist methods, by teachers in classrooms has also been an effective way to gather data. This human-led combination has historically informed about how students are progressing with work, socializing and communicating with their classmates, or how they respond to struggling – perhaps crossing the line from persistence and concentration, to frustration and disengagement.

An increased introduction of technology into classrooms brings with it artificial intelligence, real time visible information and a multitude of options to introduce more personalized student learning experiences. However, how do we ensure that what is being measured is relevant and will produce meaningful results?

In an article about the approach taken by Broken Arrow Public Schools in the US, it illustrates how their school sites take a meaningful approach to data which considers the overall stories being told by the data in each of their schools. They approached developing their solution through a Professional Learning Community process and eventually made time, through embedding it in the schools’ schedules, for collaboration time to reinforce the process. The point carried through strongly that, data being available is one thing, however this will not return value unless teachers are given the time to analyze, collaborate and act upon it.

Another article about how data can inform teaching made a great point about the wealth of information that is available from student files and the insight that can be drawn from them, however brought up the difficulty in finding the time to view them.

The technology tools on offer today impact not just the fabric of the school, such as learning management systems, but also the hands on learning of students, such as online learning platforms. All of these platforms produce data and it is in the amalgamation of all of this data that the benefits will be found, rather than in a single tool in isolation.

Understanding the data from environmental conditions, attendance, learning data and results; what happens when and by whom across a range of activities; can identify not only opportunities to enhance teaching practice, but also duplication of effort. Subsequent automation or use of artificial intelligence, made effective from the initial understanding of the data involved, might improve e.g. communication and time availability.

On BSD Online, teachers can access real time data about work that their students are currently doing, including when they do it – at school or at home, where they are up to, and what parts of the work they most frequently make errors on. The latter feeds a machine learning algorithm to improve personalized in-platform suggestions and tips given to students as they learn.

We have seen teachers become able to better understand how different types of content are paced down to individual student levels for personalization, as well as understand the interdisciplinary performance of students and preferences of the overall student body. In some schools, preference data has been compared to attendance data to identify strategies to increase engagement in traditional subjects. Because data is available in real time and accessible anywhere, it becomes more easy and flexible for teachers to connect in person or virtually to discuss their findings.

Data is available from more sources than ever before. A trend only set to continue growing. To convert the insight from data analysis and interpretation into actionable and valuable initiatives, data must be considered from all aspects of school life and time must be made to consider the story that data is telling as a collaborative community. In the end though, the opportunity is better than ever to take back time and really understand how student life is performing at your school.

Breaking the Disconnection in Computer Science Education

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In a recent survey of 540 K-12 teachers conducted by YouGov for Microsoft, 88% of teachers said they agree computer science is critical to ensuring success in the workplace. In addition, 83% said they believe coding can build students’ creativity. Thus, teachers recognize the importance and benefits of technology education.

However, one-fifth of teachers said their students aren’t actually taught any computer science. These teachers mention a lack of resources, curriculum, and testing as explanations for this. To give students digital skills to prepare for the future, instructors and society believe it is vital. However, what actually happens in schools is quite different.

The second issue is that teachers feel underqualified to prepare children for a digital future. Most teachers (88%) value computer science, while 30 percent are underqualified or overloaded—insufficient support and training for teachers to confidently integrate technology into their classes.

Interestingly, the same kind of feedback led to our offering at BSD Education. Many teachers recognize the importance of technology education for students’ future success but struggle to deliver it effectively. We researched with schools and students from diverse socio-economic, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds to discover why. While schools want to use technology more, there are three major obstacles to overcome:

  1. Confidence: Teachers don’t usually have a tech background and so can see it as risky and unfamiliar. Professional development for an area that is new and technical can be hard to access.

  2. Content: Technology is constantly changing. Curriculum can, therefore, become quickly outdated.

  3. Community: Teachers don’t have a community of practice or peers, with a core group of trained practitioners, to learn from and share ideas.

Following this research, we worked with thousands of students and instructors for over 34,000 hours to develop a solution that inspires the next generation of problem-solvers and creative thinkers. As a result, we equip schools with resources to integrate technology into all subjects:

  1. An online teaching environment that gives teachers confidence by putting them in control of the learning experience.

  2. Real world relevant curriculum that can be brought into every subject.

  3. Professional development that enables every teacher to integrate technology into their classroom.

Our new year resolves to bring this solution and create the community in and amongst more schools globally to help break the disconnect. Teachers know that technology education is vital. We need to empower them and support them with the right tools to be in a position to deliver.

Code Your Holiday Cheers: Create Your Own Digital Greeting Card

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At a school we currently partner with in the UK, Dr. Taylor and his Code Club students shared their holiday cheers with their school community and the BSD Education team by including student coded digital holiday cards in their recent school newsletter!

This is such a thoughtfully refreshing and environmentally friendly way to spread some holiday joy. Try out this sandbox as a cool digital “arts and crafts” activity!

We have prepared a fun activity (approximate duration: ~ 60 minutes) with resources and video tutorials so that you can do the same with your students just in time for the holiday season. We recommend this activity for ages 8 and above.

For younger students, you can do this as a class activity. For older students, you can print out or display the instructions from step 7 to challenge them to figure out and tinker with the code.

Below is the sample output that we have created at BSD:

Follow the 8 simple steps below and check out the video tutorial on how you can introduce this activity into your classroom.
Step 1:

Login to BSD Online

If you and your students already have a BSD account, simply login. If you are new to BSD Online, click on “Sign-up” to create a new account. It is advisable to login as this will allow you to save your work.

Step 2:

Introduce HTML and CSS

Spend 5 to 10 minutes to introduce or recap about the use and syntax of HTML and CSS with your students. Use these resources to help you.

Step 3:

Open sandbox mode

Direct students to sandbox mode as shown below:

Step 4:

Copying code into HTML and CSS file in sandbox

To help introduce the code to your class, we have put together the coding snippets from below. Direct students to copy and paste each of the relevant code into the correct files.

Paste this into the HTML file:

<div>
     <h1>Happy Holidays!</h1>
     <h2>Wishing you all the joy in the world!</h2>
     <img src=”https://image.flaticon.com/icons/svg/1066/1066181.svg” />
     <h3>From, BSD</h3>
</div>

Step 5:

Paste this into the CSS file:

@import url(‘https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Lobster|Raleway’);
body {
    background-color: #3e4e88;
}

h1 {
    color: #e0fcff;
    font-size: 75px;
    font-family: ‘Lobster’, cursive;
}

h2 {
    font-size: 36px;
}

h3 {
    font-size: 30px;
}

div {
    width: 500px;
    height: 750px;
    background-color: #1a2c5b;
    text-align: center;
    border-radius: 5px;
    border: 6px solid #b8dff0;
    margin: 30px auto;
    padding: 20px;
    box-shadow: 10px 20px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
    font-family: ‘Raleway’, sans-serif;
    color: white;
}

img {
    width: 300px;
}

Step 6:

Save your work!

Click the “Save” icon under your profile picture to save your work! This is very important so that you won’t lose any work. Remind students to keep saving regularly.

Step 7:

Time to customize!

Follow this video tutorial to learn how to customize the different parts of this digital holiday card!

  1. Customize the content in HTML file:
    1. Find <h1>, <h2> and <h3> to update the text
    2. Find <img src= “ URL”/> to update the image. Use Flat Icon to find a suitable royalty free icon.
  2. Customize the styling in the CSS file:
    1. Find the “body” selector to modify the background color.
    2. Find the selector <h1>, <h2> and <h3> to style the font by using:
      1. color to change the font color. Simply type in a color and sandbox will make some color suggestions
      2. font-family to change the font style. Below is a video to show you how to use Google Fonts.
      3. font-size to control the size. The “px” stands for pixels.
    3. Find the “div” selector to modify the following:
      1. width to adjust the width of the card
      2. height to adjust the height of the card
      3. background-color to adjust the color of the card
      4. border-radius to adjust the rounded corners of the card
      5. border to adjust the thickness and color of the border
      6. font-family to apply a different font style (remember you must have included this font when you import from Google Font)
      7. color to change the font color

Step 8:

Share with your community.

Once students have completed their digital cards, ask them to click on the link icon and click the toggle for “share with others” on the top right corner of their sandboxes. Alternatively, you may want to share the cards using the QR code. Simply take a screenshot of the QR code and share via a communication application of your choice.  

This project is so versatile that you can easily repurpose it after the holiday season as an event poster, invite or any other context for students to try out.

If you have any questions about this activity, reach out to us via our Intercom system located on the bottom left corner of the screen. Happy Holidays!

Top 10 (Non-Tech) Skills You Learn From Coding

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Coding is more than just a technical skill. Students engaged in coding projects and activities will also develop a wide range of soft skills. When we talk to employers, we find that digital skills are the key to opening the door. Still, an essential part of turning the opportunity into reality can demonstrate the soft skills that go with them.

1. Communication

Communication is often overlooked as a vital skill amongst coders. When you hear the word “coder,” what comes to mind? Probably a stereotypical image forms – a quiet twenty-something-year-old sitting behind a computer screen with giant headphones on. Often they are not assumed to be a strong communicator. Unfortunately, this is not the reality. Coders must be able to communicate clearly to their team, colleagues, and clients. Successful coders can manage expectations, understand and interpret requirements, and effectively convey what is in a given brief. We encourage students to articulate their ideas and processes through real-world presentation activities. These include concepts like elevator pitches, stand-ups, and team-based idea generation exercises.

2. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to comprehend and be sensitive to other people’s needs and emotions. Through incorporating original project briefs in lessons, students understand compassion and practice executing their requests in a considerate manner. Empathy is not just sensing “feelings” or interpreting emotions. Students will learn that to understand the needs successfully, detailed research should be conducted.

Read our other article on the importance of empathy and how you can help your students practice it. 

3. Creativity

Learning to code is like learning how to read and write in a different medium – it enables you with creative and expressive power (Here are five reasons why coding is like a language). In addition, code helps students to become creators of digital artifacts rather than simply being consumers. Through coding projects, students experience ways to express their ideas and become thoughtful creators in their communities. Some of these projects include creating a digital photography portfolio, a recipe app, or a self-driving toy car!

4. Logic

Logic is a skill students can practice through code. Students become increasingly analytical by dissecting existing programs to understand the process to achieve the solution through written code. Whether they are building or debugging, they are exercising their logic faculties regularly. Understanding machine operations, conditionals, and progression in coding projects strengthen logic. Breaking down issues and figuring out how each affects the other will help students think objectively.

5. Problem-solving

Students have to be aware of and apply appropriate coding skills for different requirements or scenarios. Students that practice this will improve their ability, having broken down a problem that may seem complex or abstract to recognize the optimal way that students can articulate its solution. Identifying the operations needed to solve pain effectively is a skill that students can apply in any other field.

6. Enterprise

Coding brings out enterprising qualities in students. Coding is not like other subjects in school where the facts might be all in the classroom with them. When beginning the coding journey, students will quickly identify gaps in their learning and recognize the need to seek resources for themselves. This search for an answer will accustom students to find and recognize the quality or reliability of sources to achieve and fulfill their creative ideas.

7. Abstract thinking

Abstract thinking is the ability to think about objects, principles, and ideas that are not physically present. The use of analogies is an excellent example of abstract thinking. Once students begin to learn languages like  JavaScript or Python that are not immediately visualized, students will need to practice speculating and predicting results in how the interrelationships of the code happen as a whole. Some scholars argue that abstract thinking is not a natural cognitive development but rather through culture, teaching, and experience. Students can develop their ability to make connections and abstraction in intermediate and advanced coding through unplugged activities. Teachers can do this through the utilization of graphic organizers, such as flowcharts.

8. Project planning

Coding is best learned through project-based learning. Students practice and learn planning by thinking through the steps necessary to achieve their end goal. Projects created with code are built by envisioning the required syntax and the overarching rules that will govern it and the most efficient way to put it all together. Then, to meet the deadline set by the teacher, students learn how to assess their resources and knowledge to get the project done on time.

9. Attention to detail

Coding is excellent practice for attention to detail. Not only from the perspective of the accuracy of the code itself but also accounting for users’ needs, for example, ensuring a well-designed user interface and experience. A savvy coder may develop a system to avoid repeated mistakes. Where errors are present, they will examine their work systematically. Experienced software developers often try to “break” programs to identify problems and areas of improvement before launching a product to the market. This iterative and creative process can be applied in your classroom as well. Get students to demo and test each others’ creations and see what they pick up on.

10. Resilience

Coders and developers gain an ability to move past their debugging frustrations and continue to find solutions to help complete their projects. Students will practice a sustained process. Creating something good and successful takes time and attention to detail. By understanding and accepting that coding is not something you “get” the first try or that users do not always receive projects in an intended way, students become resilient learners through the process of making mistakes and finding the solution.

More success in the future is predicated on individuals’ ability to apply the hard skills of technology. It also follows that where this becomes an inevitable norm, the differentiating features for human beings will be the ability to deliver the best solution and understand its success, which will come from the soft skill attributes of technology learning. Thus, perhaps the greatest differentiating strength in a technology future will be innately human.

Code Is: Your Voice

Try Code Is Your Voice today with 6 free coding projects to start building something different today!

Learn more

The Missing Soft Skill: Empathy

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The P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning states that ‘Learning and innovation skills increasingly are being recognized as the skills that separate students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in the 21st century, and those who are not.’ It is clear that people can no longer rely solely on knowledge and so education must now focus on giving students the skills and attributes they need to succeed in a whole range of different contexts and situations.

The P21 Framework highlights creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication, and collaboration. Other lists include abilities and competencies like flexibility, self-learning and initiative. But there is one skill that is often missing – empathy.

Empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, and being sensitive to the experience of another from either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an explicit manner. It enables people to identify the problems others are experiencing and then design solutions that actually meet their needs.

Given future jobs are likely to have a heavy reliance on problem-solving, empathy surely belongs on the lists of skills that students should focus on. But how do you develop someone’s empathy? Many people suggest it is something you are born with, that can’t be taught, but we disagree. Empathy can be practiced and, to some people’s surprise, it can be practiced when learning to use and build with technology.

How do you do this? Get your students to build solutions for real-world problems using technology.

Ask your students to think about a problem they encounter on a regular basis. Once they have thought about a problem for themselves, encourage them to consider whether this is a problem for other people and how this problem might affect different people in different ways to arrive at a specific problem that really needs to be solved. Let them spend real time on this. Once they have identified the specific problem, task them to create a solution that will work for and be used by a range of different people. To do this, they will have to demonstrate empathy.

As soon as you introduce a problem that affects real people, students have to really think about those people and understand their needs, often within a context very different to their own, before even being able to start to develop an effective solution. If they don’t do this and don’t demonstrate empathy, they will likely finish with a product that doesn’t solve the problem, does not present a solution to something people really feel is a problem, or perhaps solves the problem in a way that nobody will use.

There’s a reason why the best innovators are empathetic and problem finders: you can’t come up with new ideas unless you observe the world with fresh, empathetic eyes.

Empathy is a fundamental skill and mindset that all students need to develop. At BSD we build all our projects that students learn and create with to be real world and product focused. By bringing the real world into technology learning and getting students to build real products for real people and communities, you will give your students the opportunity to develop empathy.

Advantages of Real World Technology Camps: Roblox

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Roblox is a game-creation platform where students can design and upload their own games, as well as play other games in a multiplayer online environment. Roblox provides scripting tips and design elements through Roblox Studio – a free game creation platform that helps budding designers create and contribute games and activities. Through the platform and its features, students develop skills like creativity, self direction, storytelling, coding, giving and taking feedback.

1. Learn how professionals build games

Using Roblox Studio to build games exposes students to real tools and techniques professionals use to develop games. Beginners who are keen to learn game design and haven’t learned to code yet can use the Roblox Studio’s game builder to create a game world of their own game environment, obstacles, difficulty levels and score systems.

Students with some experience or those interested to learn coding can use the coding language Lua to develop their own games on Roblox Studio. Coding a game gives the game developer control over the game dynamics and the ability to completely redefine the game, its movements and the game environment with fine precision. Coding the game also makes the game look and feel professional, and in this process students experience developing a game just like a professional developer would.

2. Learn to plan and think computationally

Building a game either by using a game builder or by coding it requires the game developer to think logically and systematically. In the planning phase, even before a game is developed, one needs to think about factors like the objective of the game, storyline, types of players to attract, obstacles players will encounter, difficulty levels the game will need and how players earn points.

When building the game, students will have to build each game component sequentially with great attention to detail. S/he will learn that a computer by itself isn’t intelligent so the instructions given to build each component have to be clear.

3. Storytelling

The best games are challenging yet fun with a compelling narrative and an objective to strive for. While developing the game and making key decisions like choosing the game character/s, difficulty levels, scoring system, etc, students will constantly have to ask themselves “why will a player start playing my game and continue playing it?”. The objective of the game with the narrative will help them answer this question.

During BSD camps, we have found that it is a helpful starting point to provide students examples of games with good narratives for inspiration. Then they spend up to one lesson writing down their game’s objective and narrative; then share this with their instructor and peers to get their feedback and improve it.

4. Self direction and creativity

Developing games is an inherently creative exercise. Students are engaging in imagining characters, worlds and experiences that don’t exist yet. Then they learn to use the right tools and techniques to bring their imagination to life.

To successfully build original games, students are given a high amount of autonomy, and are encouraged to test their ideas by building prototypes.

5. Problem solving

Working with technology tools and code requires students to be able to spot errors and solve them on their own. This methodical review develops their attention to detail, makes them process oriented and encourages self-reliant learning.

In BSD camps where there are always groups of students, they are encouraged to work in groups to solve problems collaboratively.

6. Learn to code

Learning how to code makes the students literate in 21st century skills and develops mindsets and behaviours like computational thinking, attention to detail, collaboration, creativity and problem solving. It empowers them to create their own tools and products using technology. It’s more than just a technical skill!

Roblox games can be made unique by developing them using a coding language called Lua which is very similar to JavaScript and Python. Students can use the code editor to create custom actions, conditions, or game mechanics. In doing so they are exposed to programming concepts like loops, conditionals, arrays, and inheritance. Though earning Lua, students develop a transferable foundation that can assist their future transition to discover other coding languages more confidently.

7. User testing and feedback

After creating the first version of the game, students are asked to demo their game and share it with their peers for testing and feedback.

While their peers are playing their games, they are advised to observe how they play the game and request feedback. Based on their observations and peer feedback, students determine the priorities to improve their games.

This testing and feedback cycle is not limited to one time, it is repeated as often as needed to make the game perfect.

8. Digital citizenship

While developing and customizing their game, students will need to search for resources like images and tutorials online. They learn about image selection and audience appropriate content, copyright, royalty free images and the importance of crediting the work of others properly.

There is an overwhelming amount of evidence in education for the power of the real world to capture the minds of young learners. At the same time, no one can dispute the incredible popularity and fascination that children and adults share for fiction. Roblox has achieved a exceptional balance of creating a platform that has succeeded in marrying fantasy with reality in a platform that has the tools to introduce the real world through a user friendly package, intuitively constructed and able to maintain the focus of curious young imaginations.

Bring Digital Skills into Your Classrooms All Year Round

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The Hour of Code is a great way to introduce coding and digital skills to your students. As they learn what they can create and build, they will likely want to do more. With this in mind, providing opportunities to acquire digital skills throughout the school year will help them.

So, how can you incorporate digital skills and coding into the classroom more regularly?

Here are three ideas that can be used in your classroom immediately:  

1. Encourage your students to “go digital” to complete their schoolwork and projects. They might create a website or a video presentation using Flipgrid instead of a poster. With digital tools, students can develop skills while also preparing for future jobs.

2. Encourage students to consider how technology relates to many subjects. Students must understand how technology is used to solve real-world problems. Prompt their thinking with questions. Doing biology? Ask about medical technologies. Art classes? Explore digital artists. That said, students should begin applying digital abilities to real-world situations as soon as possible.

3. Set up specific time for digital activities in your classroom. This could be weekly or monthly but make the time!

a.) You could use the slot for a combination of mini on-screen and unplugged activities throughout the semester.

b.) You could set your students a challenge that they can work on across the semester as a passion project.

Whatever format you choose, give students the opportunity to be creative and explore the many ways technology can be used by introducing them to a range of different resources.

At BSD we advocate for the use of real world technology projects in every classroom throughout the school year. We believe that regular exposure to technology in a range of different contexts is the best way to prepare students for using technology in their futures and to understand how to apply it in connection with their interests.

To see what BSD can do for you, contact us here.

What You Need To Know About the “Hour of Code”

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All Your Questions on the “Hour of Code” Answered

What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is designed to show that anybody can learn the basics of code and to broaden participation in the field of computer science and technology.

When is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. This year Computer Science Education Week will be from 3rd to 9th December. But you can host an Hour of Code all year-round by registering on the Hour of Code website.

Why is the Hour of Code important?

Learning to c威而鋼
ode helps develop problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. Coding requires attention to detail, patience, and develops computational thinking skills and creativity.

There must be more to the “Hour of Code” than picking up skills?!

The skills are really not what we think is important about the Hour of Code, and you have likely already heard and read all the information extolling the virtues of the mindsets and methodologies of technology development before.

The important part about the “Hour of Code” is about giving as many young people the opportunity to try creating technology for themselves.

Why is it important to try creating with technology?

It’s true that most students won’t become programmers, and the reality is that only a small minority of jobs are even full-time programming jobs.

The important point is that all students will not only be using technology in their jobs in the future, but that it will be a fundamental requirement to become employed in a majority of cases.

Trying to create with technology is critical for everyone to have equal access to opportunity in the future.

How can understanding technology start a student’s pathway to opportunity?

Understanding the building blocks of technology, learning to code as we say, is a huge help in being able to understand the world around us and how technology is used and applied. Through this, it’s easier for young learners to think about what their greatest interests are for the careers that they will pursue in the future, as well as the technology that will evermore surround and be ubiquitous to every aspect of their lives. Identifying interests is an important first step to developing the passion to pursue them.

Why is technology so crucial to equal opportunity in the future?

For many years, the aspirations and dreams of young people have often been predicated on their grades, having a degree and even sadly the name or brand of the institution where they studied.

Fortunately, a world that is being driven by technology can be a world of innovation and creativity. You might have heard of the “Innovation Economy”. This will be driven by technology. Through technology, opportunity will be driven not by where it was learned or what grade was achieved, but by what has been delivered and whether it is something people like or choose to use. Opportunity in our future technology reality is not even about being present, people will be able to deliver from anywhere.

What unifies careers and access to opportunity for as many people as possible and particularly those that struggle to realise their dreams because they are in underserved communities, is technology. The ability to create it, apply it and solve problems for others with it.

Without experience of technology at a young age, without the ability to try to create, write a little code even, the door to these opportunities might never seem open and the reality of success might seem unattainable and distant.

The “Hour of Code” being experienced by everyone is not about groundbreaking new discoveries during an hour next week, it’s about levelling the playing field, making a future with tech seem less frightening and more attainable, and laying the groundwork for everyone to have the opportunity to all work towards groundbreaking and exceptional futures together. For the simple chance of realising this, an “Hour of Code” is an excellent investment.

What do I need to know to join the Hour of Code?

21st Century Tools for the Classroom: Quizzes & Videos

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Formative assessment is an essential part of the learning process, allowing teachers to assess students’ understanding of concepts. Here are a few of our favorite tools to help make assessments fun for students and easy for teachers:

Quizizz:

Quizizz is simple to use, with customizable options and an intuitive interface. One of its unique features is how it includes memes and player points/leaderboards in between questions. These options add a layer of fun to the experience. As a result, Quizizz is simple and easy to use, perfect for creating fast, fun, engaging formative assessments. Students take quizzes individually, but teachers can monitor student progress in real-time and download performance reports afterward.

Kahoot is less streamlined than Quizizz but offers a wider variety of content. Including game types like Jumble, where students order items instead of selecting a multiple choice answer. In addition, Kahoot has “blind kahoots,” or quizzes designed to teach a concept rather than just test knowledge. Finally, Kahoot allows you to save performance data for each examination, just like Quizizz.

The main differentiating feature is that quizzes are taken as a whole class, with students engaging with one question at a time as a group. Its comprehensive variety of content and focus on group engagement makes Kahoot perfect for stimulating class discussion and encouraging students to engage with each other to answer questions.

Recommended for extensive reviews or when other game modes are better suited to the subject matter. While using Quizizz to reinforces learning in small chunks that allow students to move individually at their own pace.

Both programs easily save performance data and provide opportunities for things like keeping a class-wide term scoreboard, tracking individual improvement, or highlighting areas that need work.

Video Lessons:

Edpuzzle is a platform that allows teachers to take videos and turn them into fully realized lessons. The biggest thing we love about EDpuzzle is it’s intuitive and easy to use.

Teachers can search popular platforms like YouTube or browse collections of videos by subject and grade level. Then, teachers can cut the video, add voice-overs or insert in-video quiz questions.

Students can use these lessons to break up lectures, review, or teach complex concepts in the classroom. It also allows teachers to take full advantage of the visual power of videos in their lessons. Ideal for formative assessments, the questions can be added throughout the class.

Learning Through Play With Lego Mindstorms

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In a recent article we released in Issue #7, we talked about the advantages of extracurricular activities like Technology Camps on student learning; how it helps students develop to become well rounded young adults and the real world skills students acquire in camps such as Game Development.

Looking for Technology Camps for kids younger than 8 can be a challenge. Many organizations are trying to provide options for this age group because they see it as a business opportunity. However, there are a number of child developmental considerations when choosing programmes for younger children that should be taken into account. For example, children as young as 5 for will likely have difficulties in using a mouse, typing, remembering where the letters on the keyboards are, understanding the syntax of coding languages and let’s not forget the much shorter attention spans.

For young kids, we would recommend keeping the phrase “Learning through playing” front of mind. It has been long understood, through practical experience as well as academic work by e.g. Lev Vygotsky and Maria Montessori, that learning through play is a critical element for young children to develop key skills in language, emotion, creativity and social interaction, it pulls together the logical and creative areas of the brain.

In practical terms, we have found that introducing Technology with Lego Mindstorms to young kids is more effective than making them code early on. Even in children as young as 6 years old, we have found Robotics with Lego effective to expose them to both the principles and ideas of coding, like logic, and elements of engineering through robotics. The small parts in Lego Mindstorms challenge younger students developing motor skills and coordination.

Here’s some of the key benefits of Lego Mindstorms and what kids learn and build in a Lego Mindstorms Camp:

1.) Boosts empathy and awareness
In our camps, we ensure to kickstart it with a few intriguing questions: “What type of problems do you face in daily life?” “Are there more people who are facing the same problem?” and “What can we do to solve it?”. Prompting these questions helps young learners begin to consider their environment. This helps them think about the problems they would like robots to solve, these can be as simple as “retrieving an item across the room without having to leave a seat”.

2.) Nurtures Imagination and Creativity
When entering the brainstorming process you’ll get a room full of energy and 100 possible answers, this is the time to introduce feasibility. For example, If you need to retrieve an item from across the room, “what will you need?” You will likely need something with wheels on it to move and arms to pick it up. “Do you have these resources available?”.

3.) Introduces engineering
Lego Mindstorms encourages kids to build with more variety like gears and levers. It promotes engineering where students can take the various plastic pieces to construct robots, buggies, or devices, while ensuring they can physically “move” or “operate” together to successfully and repeatedly perform a task e.g. making sure none of the pieces fall when the robot moves from a spot to another. Some people opine that the best way to stimulate the maximum creativity in robotics is to first take away the option of using the wheels!

4.) Emphasizes teamwork
Building a robot is not easy for kids to finish alone. We encourage them to go in groups to accomplish robots together, even to seek help where they can observe adults nearby or in their class. We help them identify their strengths, as well as start to think about ideas like delegation and having a team leader. One kid can be in charge of putting the pieces together, while another can be in charge of coding the robot.

5.) Teaches programming concepts
When building a robot, it is important kids are aware that computers don’t and can’t think for themselves. All technology is based on code, no matter how complex it is. Lego Mindstorms runs on a visual programming environment, which is intuitive for kids because they simply need to imagine what their robot will do, and drag-and-drop plain language blocks into correct sequences using logic. There are on screen technologies to do this like Scratch, however they lack the physical interaction and immersive multi-sensory experience that kids get in creating and using a robot.

6.) Camps are a great opportunity to Improve presentation and public speaking skills
At the end of any technology camp, we find it’s a critical capstone event for kids to be able to present their product. Presenting a solution is just as important as making a solution! It is the culminating part of reflection on their experience, reinforcement of their learning and demonstrating important soft skills and pride in their work.


Here we have used Robotics as our example. However, the benefits of play based learning will be quite consistent in any camp that is science or technology based. You can be certain that your children will have a lot of fun and be highly engaged to light the spark to learn even more in the future.

If you’re interested in bringing our Technology Camps or After School Programs into your schools, let us know here or request a demo.