For the past five years, I’ve looked for ways to enrich my experience as a Math teacher at Dr. Pillai Global Academy (DPGA) in Mumbai, India. DPGA prides itself on being a “maximum opportunity” learning environment school, designed to impart education that empowers children to pursue a globally challenging career. The focus is on activity-oriented teaching and beyond-the-classroom methods. That’s why Level Up Village was perfect for us.
Relationships and shared personal connections are a huge part of making learning fun, real and something that we remember long after a school year has ended. They are also great for developing empathy, broadening the mind to the experiences of others and cultivating a global mindset. The challenge for schools developing in countries like China is: How can we help students cultivate this global mindset and experience when nearly all of their classmates are from the same country and culture? Bringing teachers from around the world can go long way, but there’s something extra special about kids being able to connect with other kids and share with someone from a far-away land on their own level.
A pioneering provider of Global STEAM (STEM + arts) enrichment courses, Level Up Village (LUV) , was selected as one of the winners for the EdTech Digest Awards Program in the 21st Century Skills category. The program recognizes people in and around education for outstanding contributions in transforming education through technology.
By Tina Coffey
This is the fifth year for one of the largest learning events in recent history: The Hour of Code. This global event takes place every year during Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 4-10) and over 100 million students have tried it! The idea is that during this week, as many students as possible will have a chance to do at least one hour of code. Here are some suggestions for rmaking the most of this epic event in your classroom, not just this week, but also for the rest of the school year.
By Kevin Barrett
Earlier this year, Level Up Village was one of ten young companies selected into the SETDA’s Emerging Partner program for 2017. Being a member of this cohort offers many benefits for new K12 EdTech providers including unique opportunities to be seen and heard by state and national EdTech leaders. Without this affiliation, it would take many months and much effort to have this audience. In addition, the learning opportunities have proven invaluable. For instance, we recently participated in the 2017 SETDA Leadership Summit. This year, the theme of the Summit was Leveraging Technology to Personalize Student Learning, but the conference also provided key insights into several other trends in K12 education.
By Esra Murray
…When I talk with colleagues who are planning to attend ISTE for the first time, I give the following five tips to manage one of the most amazing roller-coaster rides that they will experience, both professionally and personally:
By Jake Parmley
Virtual reality is a powerful learning tool that affords students the opportunity to not just see or hear, but also interact in a virtual environment, and by doing so, arrive at a greater understanding. Now, due to its greater affordability and available content, VR has the potential to amplify learning by enhancing curriculums and providing context in a way that is both accessible and experiential, particularly in the STEM classroom.
By Chris Woods
…I’ve already decided. I’m adding STEM to my classroom everyday and encouraging other teachers to do the same. I’m beginning to add more PBL into my regular instruction, not just as end of chapter “dessert” projects. And there are lots of ways to add STEM simply and effectively, whether you’re a geek or not, that will engage and inspire your students. Here are a few.
It’s conference season at Level Up Village! We just came back from #DareOST and this week, we’re going to #NaeycAC in L.A., #NAGC16 in Orlando and #ISACScon in Columbus!
By Jake Parmley
Virtual Reality is a powerful new technology that’s opening doors for gaming, film, communication and education. While 2016 has proved to be a defining year for VR, the immersive tech still faces growing pains, like consumer acceptance and quality content, before being completely embraced within classrooms. However, many of those growing pains are being addressed in ways that prove VR can revolutionize how we educate students and share experiences.