Learning WITH Technology, not Learning ABOUT Technology
It’s a great time to be a part of the digital revolution in education! EDTECH DIGEST recently released exciting findings in their State of Edtech 2019-2020 issue. Movers and Shakers in the edtech industry weighed in on the state of technology in education and the overwhelming consensus is promising for the future of education, both for the students and educators alike.
Technology has become an expected and vital part of the classroom and transformed the classroom like the Renaissance transformed society from the middle ages to modern times.
The Digital Shift is replacing traditional, hard copy-based practices with interactive, tech-based tools such as: etextbooks, smart boards, student portals, laptops, learning software, and learning apps.
Some of the highlights and trends mentioned in the State of Edtech issue include:
- STEM: According to U.S News the White House Administration’s five-year goal is for every American to master basic STEM concepts like computational thinking in order to respond to technological change; to increase access to STEM among historically underserved students; and to encourage students to pursue STEM careers.
- Computer Science: Computer Science has emerged from an ‘interest area’ subject to being a required, basic body of knowledge for all to demonstrate before graduation.
- Applied Learning: with digital tools and information, students are applying their learned skills to needs and problems that interest and move them.
- Coding: According to The Inquirer Daily News Twenty-five percent of all U.S. students now have Code.org accounts and 800,000 teachers use the site in the classroom. Learning to code is a building block for the future!
Digital learning has brought education to life, enriching the education process for students and educators alike. We’re proud to be part of this movement and look forward to the exciting experiences the future holds!
Founder & CEO
Ace Your Next Test with Online Preps!
Test taking strikes fear in the bravest of souls, especially when it comes to college entrance exams. It’s no secret, students need help tackling tests effectively and confidently.
As we enter admission testing season, consider novel ways to give students the targeted practice, reference resources, and study skills they need to conquer high-stakes tests.
Fun fact: There’s a lot to the process of learning something new. At first, your prefrontal cortex, which stores your working (or short-term) memory, is focused on figuring out exactly how it’s done. Then, after much practice, repetition and memorization, you become proficient, the prefrontal cortex gets a needed break (especially important for teens, whose prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed) and you can now perform the skill automatically, leaving your conscious mind to focus on other things. This is ideally where we want our student test takers to be, having a comfortable understanding of the questions at hand.
Your college admission test scores can determine your educational future. Whether it’s gaining admission to your dream school, or earning a scholarship, working toward a higher ACT or SAT score is a smart choice.
Test-taking is a skill, and practice is the only way to hone it. It used to be that preparing for the SAT or ACT meant hours of reading and “dog-earing” 500-page study guides. Now there are online test prep options that pinpoint “trouble spots” and help you focus on what you need to work on most. One such option offered by EdTech is Shelfit which provides access to online study resources and test preps. If you go to Study.ShelfIt.com, you will see dozens of study guides and test preparation books available for immediate download.
Another EdTech partnership that is experienced at prepping students for test taking is Varsity Tutors. Students can work with online tutors to help master subjects and prepare for every aspect of the testing process. In addition, a good tutor can teach you how to approach difficult problems, use complicated math formulas, and work through verbal passages even if you don’t know the vocabulary used.
For visual learners, or anyone for that matter, watching video tutorials on YouTube or Khan Academy will help you break down and master a concept or skill. If you’re struggling to understand a certain topic and reading explanations aren’t cutting it, then video tutorials may be the answer!
Like anything else that needs to be mastered, when studying for a big test, students need to be highly motivated and practice winning habits. Start every “test-tackling” endeavor by creating a schedule and setting a SMART goal for studying:
S-Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?
M-Meaningful: Why is it important to you-what’s motivating you?
A-Action Oriented: What steps do you need to take to reach the goal?
R-Realistic: Self-explanatory. What score are you aiming for?
T-Timely: What is your time frame? When do you want to achieve this by?
