Category: Education Foundations

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8 Strategies To Support Foundation Skill Development In The Workplace

In the modern workplace, foundation skills – basic skills necessary for employees to perform their job roles effectively – are critical for productivity and growth. To ensure that employees are well-equipped with these essential skills, organizations need to employ deliberate and strategic approaches to support their development. Here are eight strategies to consider:

1. Implement a Skills Audit: Regularly assessing the skill levels of your workforce can help you identify gaps in foundational skills. Use the results to tailor training programs that target specific skills that need improvement.

2. Offer Tailored Training Programs: Create or source training programs that cater to various learning styles and proficiency levels. This could include online courses, workshops, or even microlearning sessions focusing on core competencies such as literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, and digital literacy.

3. Promote Continuous Learning: Foster a culture of continuous professional development where employees are encouraged to build on their existing skills and to acquire new ones. Providing employees with access to resources like e-books, webinars, or subscription-based learning platforms can be beneficial.

4. Provide Constructive Feedback: Constructive feedback is essential for growth. Managers should regularly provide employees with insights into their performance, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement.

5. Encourage Mentorship Programs: Pairing less experienced workers with more seasoned colleagues can facilitate the sharing of knowledge and skills in a personalized and impactful way.

6. Leverage Technology: Use technology to make learning more accessible and engaging. Gamification of learning modules or incorporating virtual reality (VR) simulations can create immersive experiences that enhance skill acquisition.

7. Recognize and Reward Progress: Recognizing employees who have made significant strides in developing their foundational skills can motivate others to engage in skill-building activities. Rewards can be as simple as certificates of completion or badges for their internal profiles.

8. Integrate Skill Development Into Career Pathing: Ensure that employees understand how developing their foundational skills will contribute to their career progression within the organization. This integration can provide them with clear goals and incentives to develop those important skills.

By focusing on these strategies, businesses not only improve the competency of their workforce but also invest in the overall human capital that drives success and innovation in the workplace.

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What Is a Museum School and What Is It Like to Teach at One

Introduction

Museum schools have been gaining popularity in the field of education as alternative learning environments. These unique institutions offer students and educators alike a hands-on approach to learning and teaching. In this article, we will discuss what a museum school is and provide insights into what it’s like to teach at one.

What is a Museum School?

A museum school is an educational institution that partners with or is based within a museum, allowing students to engage directly with exhibits and artifacts as part of their learning experience. The aim is to create a rich, interactive learning environment beyond the traditional classroom setting. Museum schools can be found at various grade levels, from elementary to high school. Many of these schools also incorporate other learning techniques, such as project-based learning or integrative arts approaches.

Museum schools often focus on subjects related to the content of the partnering museum, which enables students to delve more deeply into specialized topics such as history, art, science, or technology. Moreover, museum schools emphasize experiential learning by giving students access to real-world resources, experts, and immersive experiences that enhance their understanding.

Teaching at a Museum School

Teaching at a museum school provides educators with opportunities for enrichment and professional growth while allowing them to foster students’ passion for discovery and knowledge. Teachers can expect to encounter some unique aspects when working in this non-traditional educational setting:

1. Collaboration: Teachers engage in active collaboration with museum staff members such as curators or experts in their field. This fosters interdisciplinary connections and opens up new teaching perspectives.

2. Innovative curriculum development: Educators have the opportunity to work with museum staff to design innovative curricula that leverage the vast resources available within the museum itself. This also includes incorporating field trips and hands-on experiences into lesson plans.

3. Student-centered learning: Teachers play a pivotal role in encouraging students to think critically and independently, using the museum as their primary tool for exploration. They facilitate discovery, helping students to make connections and apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.

4. Smaller class sizes: Many museum schools have smaller student populations, which allows teachers to foster closer relationships with their students and invest in personalized learning experiences.

5. Professional development opportunities: Teachers at museum schools often have access to unique professional development opportunities. This can include attending special exhibits, trainings provided by museum professionals, or working with renowned experts in their respective fields.

Conclusion

Museum schools offer a unique learning environment that challenges traditional educational models by providing tangible experiences and fostering critical thinking skills. Teaching at a museum school grants educators the opportunity to collaborate with industry professionals, develop innovative curriculum, and empower students. Teachers who are passionate about experiential learning and eager to explore new avenues in education may find that a museum school is an inspiring and rewarding place to work.

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How To Upgrade Your Google Classroom With BookWidgets

Introduction:

Google Classroom has revolutionized the way teachers and students interact, making it easier than ever to manage assignments, share resources, and communicate effectively. But what if you could enhance your Google Classroom experience even further, by integrating a powerful, interactive tool like BookWidgets? In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of upgrading your Google Classroom with BookWidgets, so you can make the most of this remarkable educational platform.

Step 1: Get Familiar with BookWidgets

Before you start integrating BookWidgets into your Google Classroom, it’s crucial to understand its features and benefits. BookWidgets allows teachers to create engaging, interactive lessons and activities for students. This includes quizzes, flashcards, puzzles, games, worksheets, and more. The best part is that all these widgets can be customized according to the curriculum and shared with students through popular learning management systems (LMS) like Google Classroom.

Step 2: Setting Up a BookWidgets Account

To get started with BookWidgets, you’ll need to create an account. Visit the BookWidgets website (https://www.bookwidgets.com/) and sign up for a free trial or one of their paid plans. Once you’ve created an account, explore their library of widgets and templates to discover the different resources available for use in your Google Classroom.

Step 3: Integrating BookWidgets with Google Classroom

Linking your BookWidgets account to your Google Classroom is simple. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your BookWidgets account.

2. Click on “My Account” in the top right-hand corner.

3. Choose “Integrations” from the menu.

4. Find the Google Classroom integration option and click on “Connect.”

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize access between your BookWidgets and Google accounts.

Now that you’ve successfully integrated both platforms, it’s time to start creating and sharing widgets.

Step 4: Creating Your First Widget

To create a widget, follow these steps:

1. Click the “+Create Widget” button on your BookWidgets dashboard.

2. Choose a widget template. You can view examples and demos for each type of activity before selecting one.

3. Customize your widget by editing content, images, colors, and other elements according to your lesson plan or topic.

4. Save your creation and preview it to ensure that it meets your teaching objectives.

Step 5: Sharing Widgets in Google Classroom

Once you’ve created a widget, you can easily share it with students through Google Classroom:

1. Open the finished widget in the BookWidgets editor.

2. Click on “Share” located in the top right-hand corner.

3. Choose “Share with Google Classroom.”

4. Select the class and action (“Create assignment,” “Ask question,” “Make announcement,” or “Material”).

5. Customize details like due date, point allocation, or any additional instructions.

6. Click on “Assign” or “Post” depending on the chosen action.

Your BookWidgets assignment will now be available to students in Google Classroom! As they complete activities, you will receive feedback and analytics to help track student progress.

Conclusion:

Upgrading your Google Classroom with BookWidgets opens up endless possibilities for interactive learning experiences. Give your students engaging activities that cater to diverse learning styles and watch their motivation soar. Integrate BookWidgets with Google Classroom today and revolutionize your teaching approach!

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Digital Escape Rooms for Fun and Formative Assessment

Introduction

In recent years, escape rooms have gained immense popularity as a recreational activity for people of all ages. They present exciting challenges that require players to work together and think critically to solve a series of puzzles, ultimately leading to their ‘escape.’ In an age where digital technology continually shapes new learning methodologies, educators have started to give digital escape rooms a closer look. Not only are they entertaining, they offer opportunities for formative assessment in the classroom.

What is a Digital Escape Room?

A digital escape room is an online adaptation of physical escape rooms. The concept remains the same- participants must solve various puzzles and riddles within a limited time frame to progress through the game. However, digital escape rooms don’t require a physical space and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

These virtual experiences are typically multimedia-based, utilizing visuals, audio, and interactive elements to create immersive environments that keep learners engaged. The content and difficulty level can be customized according to specific age groups and educational goals.

Fun and Formative Assessment

One of the biggest challenges educators face is finding creative ways to conduct formative assessments- evaluations that take place during the learning process rather than assessing knowledge at the end of educational instruction. Digital escape rooms provide an innovative solution for this challenge.

Here are some reasons why digital escape rooms can serve as excellent formative assessment tools:

1. Engaging and Interactive: With their gamified nature, digital escape rooms provide a fun environment that encourages students to actively participate in the learning process.

2. Collaboration and Communication: Escape rooms require teamwork and effective communication for solving problems successfully. Students learn essential skills such as cooperation, listening, leadership, and negotiation while working together.

3. Critical Thinking: Digital escape rooms stimulate critical thinking skills as students must analyze complex scenarios, identify patterns, make connections between different pieces of information while solving puzzles.

4. Customization: Educators can design digital escape rooms based on specific learning objectives or curriculum requirements, ensuring that the content is aligned with the desired outcomes.

5. Immediate Feedback: As learners progress through the game, they receive instant feedback on their performance, allowing them to adjust their strategies and understanding of specific concepts.

6. Assessment Data: Digital platforms can track and record various data points during the escape room experience, providing valuable insights on student performance and areas for improvement.

How to Create a Digital Escape Room

There are various tools available online that can assist educators in designing their digital escape rooms. One popular tool is Google Forms, which allows for easy creation of interactive questionnaires. Teachers can also use Breakout EDU, a platform tailored specifically for educational escape room experiences.

When creating a digital escape room, consider the following steps:

1. Define your learning objectives.

2. Choose an engaging theme or story.

3. Develop age-appropriate challenges and puzzles aligned with the learning objectives.

4. Design multiple stages to test different skills and provide a sense of progression.

5. Incorporate hints or checkpoints to assist students when needed.

6. Test the escape room with a group of students and make necessary adjustments.

Conclusion

Digital escape rooms present an innovative way of incorporating fun into formative assessment processes. Not only do they promote critical thinking, collaboration, communication, but they also offer opportunities for immediate feedback and data-driven analysis. By embracing this versatile tool in the classroom setting, educators can provide an engaging and effective learning experience that extends beyond traditional teaching methods.

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Bias Starts as Early as Preschool, but Can Be Unlearned

Bias starts as early as preschool and can be unlearned. According to a study published in the PLOS ONE journal, bias can be unlearned through the process of “reconceptualization.”

Researchers at the University of British Columbia asked 120 children between the ages of three and six to identify pictures of people that were either “nice” or “mean.” Afterward, the children were asked to identify objects that were either “nice” or “mean.”

The results of the study showed that the children who had identified the pictures of people as either “nice” or “mean” were more likely to identify objects as either “nice” or “mean.”

The study’s authors say that the process of “reconceptualization” is key to unlearning bias. The authors say that the process of “reconceptualization” helps kids to see the world from a “neutral perspective.”

The study’s authors say that the process of “reconceptualization” can be taught to children through activities such as role-playing.  

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What is the State Department of Education?

The State Department of Education is concerned with the certification of teaching staff and the accreditation of educational activities. They also manage the allocation of funds within the state educational system. They assess the curriculum and its implementation and record and collect useful information worth reporting to the governor or the public. They also offer support to teachers and other staff working in education and listen to complaints and suggestions.

In the United States, education is principally the responsibility of States and their respective local authorities and communities. This means apart from the States and communities, private and public organizations of all types too can set up schools and colleges, design curricula, and decide eligibility criteria and other requirements for enrollment and graduation. The country’s funding structure for education showcases this predominant role played by the State and local governments, along with different local and private organizations and communities. When it comes to the federal funds earmarked for elementary and secondary education, the contribution doesn’t just include funds from the Department of Education. Instead, it also includes funds from other federal agencies, like the School Lunch program of the Department of Agriculture, as well as the Head Start program run by the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Though the State Department of Education’s share of total education funding is comparatively small, it functions hard to get the most value for its taxpayer-provided funds by directing the money to educational avenues where it can get the best results and do the most good. This way of directing the funds is aligned with the historical progress of the federal role in the domain of education as a form of “emergency response system,” which can be called a mode of bridging the gaps in local and State support for education when critical national requirements crop up.

The official mission of the State Department of Education is to promote student achievement, along with encouraging educational excellence and ensuring equal access for preparation toward global competitiveness. This mission is executed in two key ways. First, the Department and the Secretary play the role of a leader in the ongoing national conversation over ways to boost the results of the education system for all students. Second, the Department chases its twin goals of excellence and access by administering programs that cover each area of education and include an extensive range – right from preschool education through postdoctoral research.

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Modern Idealism: Everything You Need to Know

Modern idealism was introduced by two leading thinkers who lived not too far far from each other on the map of time. Both men, Rene Descartes and George Berkeley suggested that there are two realms of reality, the first being the physical realm and the second being the world of the mind or the world of perception.

Unlike similar philosophies which emphasize the development of critical thinking skills, modern idealism puts just as much emphasis on character development. Its aim in asking questions about reality is to seek the best moral path to take. It approaches education by helping students break down the world we live in and, through the understanding of various parts, help them develop an understanding of the whole. They do this without sacrificing the student’s standard curriculum-based education.

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Marxism: Everything You Need to Know

Marxism is an ideology that believes the class system has an unfair influence over the realms of politics, education, and society. Marxism believes that to understand the world, one must study the economic consequences of the existence of the class system.  The Marxist movement suggests that an educational system is a tool that’s used by the dominant classes to maintain their control over the oppressed classes.

Today, it’s the capitalist class that primarily determines what’s taught, to whom, and how. This is in line with what Marx once said about the ruling class that rules the society and even its intellectual force.

According to traditional Marxists, the education system works in favor of the interests of ruling class elites. These people believe the education system executes three functions for these elites, namely:

·         replicating class inequality

·         legitimizing class inequality

·         working to meet the interests of capitalist employers

In today’s education system, class inequalities are replicated or carried from one generation to the next. By using their material and cultural capital, middle-class parents make sure to enroll their children in the best schools. Consequently, the wealthier students are likely to get the best education and then get recruited into middle-class jobs. In contrast, working-class students tend to get a poorer standard of education. As a result, they end up doing menial working-class jobs. Thus, class inequality gets reproduced.

According to Marxism, it’s money that decides how good an education an individual gets. Yet, people don’t recognize this due to the schools spreading the ‘myth of meritocracy,’ where every student is touted to have an equal chance to succeed, and it’s said that grades depend on the students’ ability and effort. This way, failure is typically attributed to a student’s fault, which legitimizes or justifies the system because people consider it fair, though it isn’t. The myth of a fair system helps control the working classes. Since the students grow up thinking they were given a fair chance, they’re less prone to rebel and attempt to change society.  

Marxism also suggests a link between the values students learn at school and the way the workplace functions. The values are taught through the ‘hidden curriculum.’ Such curriculum involves those things that students learn through the experience of attending school rather than the core curriculum subjects the school teaches. This way, students are made to learn those values that are essential for them to toe the line in tedious manual jobs.

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American Exceptionalism: Everything You Need to Know

American exceptionalism is a type of nationalism that is unique to the United States. This is based on the idea that the United States’ success and dominance in the international system is proof of its exceptionality. This has the effect of instilling national pride in the hearts of the citizens, and the primary agent for instilling the concept of American exceptionalism into students is the school. This belief that the United States has qualities that make it different, unique, and special has been ingrained into the country’s school system – right from elementary to high school and even beyond – all the way to college.

Supporters of American exceptionalism argue that the country is outstanding because it was established on a set of ideals. They say America was founded on defeating tyrants, or as put forward by Lincoln, was conceived in liberty, and founded on the basis of all men being created equal. But the reality is that America wasn’t founded on equality for all. Opponents of American exceptionalism say that the nation’s founding fathers took the responsibility upon themselves to dish out “selective freedom.” They say the country dictated a hierarchy on freedom, and that assumption of power and difference of race, class, and gender remain the primary cause of several issues plaguing modern society today.

According to the opponents of American exceptionalism, American ideals didn’t include equality for women. They had to fight for suffrage, but it was only in 1920 that they got the right to vote. American ideals neither included equality for the Native Americans nor Black people who’re fighting to this day to be recognized as equals. Though these people have been granted equal protection in name, the country is still miles away from universally accepting Black people, along with people of color, as equal. Though Americans love to picture themselves and their country as the world’s moral compass, they seldom acknowledge their own failures and shortcomings.

Proponents of American exceptionalism believe that taking a unilateralist or arrogant approach to world leadership isn’t the right way to make the country exceptional again. Even denying America’s international obligations won’t help. Instead, the country should take up its former role as a benevolent leader, whose international supremacy is legitimated by its verifiable commitment to spreading democracy, peace, and shared prosperity.

Though America has unique and redeeming qualities that need to be praised, teaching just them won’t be patriotism. Rather, it’ll be sheer ignorance if other aspects like the tremendous injustices that have occurred throughout American history are ignored.

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Post-Reading Strategies That You Can Use in Your Class Today

Post-reading strategies give learners a way to summarize, reflect, and question what they have just read. Here are three post-reading teaching strategies to try in your class today.

Exit Slips

The exit slip post-reading tactic is used to help learners reflect on what they have just learned. It helps them sort out ideas and how or what they feel about the material learned. This tactic requires learners to use critical thinking, a skill that is important in today’s world.

Exit slips are good because they only take learners a few minutes to complete, and educators get an informal assessment of how well the learners understood what they just learned.

How to use the strategy

  1. Think about the main idea you want learners to get out of the reading or lesson.
  2. After the lesson, pass out the exit slips to learners.
  3. You can choose to differentiate the exit slips based on your learners’ needs.
  4. After learners jot down their responses, be sure to gather the slips.
  5. Review the slips to decide how to meet the needs of all learners.

Examples:

  • Write down one thing you have learned today.
  • Talk about one thing that you learned today that can be used in the real world.
  • Talk about one thing that you learned today that you would like to learn more about.
  • One thing that surprised me today is.
  • Rate your comprehension of today’s topic on a scale from  1-5.

Frame Routine

Frame routine is a class tactic that uses a graphic organizer to assist learners in organizing topics, central ideas, and critical vital details of what they have just read. This strategy helps learners summarize what they have learned.

How to use the strategy

  1. Choose the topic. The topic is the title of what you just read.
  2. Identify the central idea. Learners then document the vital ideas of the topic.
  3. Talk about the details. Learners write details in the appropriate sections.
  4. Create the central or big idea of the content. Learners write a brief summary of the conclusion that they have come to.
  5. Study the info on the frame. Once the info is clearly stated and organized on the frame, the educator evaluates it and plans follow-up activities to extend learner learning.

Question the Author

Questioning the author is a tactic that requires learners to pose questions and engages them actively in a text. This comprehension tactic challenges learners’ comprehension of the content and encourages learners to ask questions of the author.

Question the author has lots of benefits, one being that it engages all learners in the content. It also helps to cement their comprehension, as well as learn to critique the author’s writing.

How to use the strategy

  1. Choose an interesting passage that would make for a good discussion.
  2. Bookmark spots that you want to pause during the content so learners can gain greater comprehension.
  3. Construct specific questions for each spot to ask learners. What is the author trying to convey? Why do you believe the author used this phrase?
  4. Provide a brief passage to learners with a few questions, and model how you think through your answers to the questions.
  5. Challenge learners to read and answer the questions that you have constructed.

Teacher modeling of each post-reading tactic is vital in order for the tactic to be a success. Post-reading comprehension strategies like the ones discussed above drive home the fact that once you have completed your reading, you still have to comprehend what you have just read. Learners need to summarize vital ideas and concepts after reading to help them comprehend the info that was learned and store it in their long-term memory.