The business world is constantly changing and adapting to new ideas and innovations, which is why it’s so important to always stay ahead.
Continuing your education and taking online courses is a great way of ensuring that you don’t get left behind and that you’re always picking up new ideas and strategies to implement.
Luckily, there are a lot of different online courses you can take to gain new and valuable skills.
Whether you want to start your own business or simply want to improve your CV, you can find a whole range of great courses online. Many of these courses are designed for professionals working in the business.
Deciding which course to take can be difficult, but this list will go through some of the top courses you can take to improve your business skills.
A competitive strategy online course is designed to give business decision-makers the tools they need to build competitive advantage strategies. In an increasingly competitive landscape, those working in management positions need to understand how to make the most of innovation to help their company or clients stand out from the market.
Whether you’d like to work in management or pave your own way as an entrepreneur, this course can provide a lot of useful knowledge. After taking a course in competitive strategy and innovation, students should have a better understanding of how to use innovation as a tool to build a competitive advantage.
They should also be able to put ideas into practice, making full use of their organisation’s resources to improve performance and profitability. For any aspiring business leader, a solid knowledge of how to build a competitive advantage strategy is vital.
2. Digital Marketing Fundamentals
Digital marketing is the concept of using digital tools and platforms to develop brand exposure and build clients and sales. In the modern world, so much business is done online, and digital marketing is an increasingly important skill for young business leaders to understand. Building a business from scratch will almost always require digital marketing, and it’s a more cost-effective way of generating leads compared to traditional methods in most cases.
By studying a digital marketing course, students can learn more about this area of business, including how they can market their own business more effectively. Aside from being useful for entrepreneurs, it also gives business leaders more insights into how they can boost revenue and develop new marketing strategies.
3. Business and Technology
Modern business revolves around modern technology, with almost all industries making use of some kind of tech. In many cases, businesses that fail to adapt to the latest tech can get left behind as their competitors gain an advantage, delivering better results at a cheaper cost. As a result, it’s more important than ever that those working in business understand the technology and how to get more out of it.
A course in business and technology can provide a useful foundation for business students in helping to learn more about the ways tech can have an impact on business performance. While there are lots of available case studies on tech in business, it’s also useful to learn about lesser-known applications of technology.
4. Pre-MBA Essentials
Students who wish to pursue a master’s in business can gain a lot from a course in pre-MBA essentials. This type, of course, is designed to prepare students for their MBA, providing them with a foundation of business knowledge. This will not only make their studies easier but also give them a deeper understanding of the business world, giving them a better chance of career success after graduating.
Areas covered by a pre-MBA essentials course include finance and accounting essentials, data analysis essentials, and maths essentials. Once finishing the course, students will be better prepared than ever for their MBA.
Now you should have a better idea of which business online courses may be suitable for you as a business student to progress in your preferred subject area. Make sure you check which business industry and niche are in high demand or which market to focus on so that you invest in education that will provide you with a high ROI.
Having a strong command of English as a world language should ideally start at an early age. We give you the most important tips to learn English faster.
And just like the adage that says, “charity begins at home,” parents should consider it important to be a part of the learning process. In addition to what your kids learn at school, as a parent, you ought to supplement it with your own contribution.
You may have a knack for speaking or writing English fluently and wish your child could adopt the same. Young minds at a primary school level fall between ages 6 to 12 and tend to grasp language skills faster than adults.
Therefore, seize the opportunity to teach them English while they are still young.
English tutor Singapore recommends the following 15 language learning tips to achieve faster English language learning results that prepare your children best for English exams and language tests.
1. Help your Child with English Homework
Getting involved in your kid’s language acquisition can be very rewarding. Homework given to them in school enables them extra practice periods after school. Try to participate by guiding them on how to manage the language tasks.
Encourage them by showing an interest in their studies. Dedicate time to teach them how to use online dictionaries like SnappyWords to find synonyms of new words or how to use English language apps to add a fun factor.
2. Speak English More Frequently
Set a rule for your child to speak only English at specific times or throughout the day whether they are home or not. If you cannot speak English at all, there are many English language apps you can download for them to improve their skills. Let them practice speaking more because that is the only way to reach perfection.
3. Be a Role Model
It may get frustrating when your kid is not learning English as fast as you expect. Be patient as well as make it fun for them. Children do not learn if they do not feel comfortable around the teacher or parent when using the language. Introduce famous and popular English songs, poems, or stories to encourage them to use English more often and with more confidence.
4. Let them Read More
Whatever they lay their hands on, be it cereal packs, storybooks, magazines, or newspapers, let them read. Most teachers recommend reading for kids who are learning a second language. There are online stories with subtitles where they can learn by reading along.
5. Sing-Along with Them
Music is an alternative to memorization. Try to introduce your child to singing educational English songs early enough. That will create a fun-filled environment for learning. You can even sing along with them and make them write out the songs to check their spelling. For younger ones, pronounce and repeat the words of the songs for improved memorization.
6. Introduce Advanced Strategies
Expose them to higher levels of English learning like YouTube tutorials or television programs. Studies revealed that children do better when they are exposed to learning standards above their ages. Show them how to read according to the English phonetic sounds. School teachers will also add phonetics to the English language structure following the school syllabus.
7. Play Word Puzzles
If your child is struggling with vocabulary, introduce English games like scrabble or word puzzles. Let them play with you or watch them play with their friends. It will help them learn to spell new words easily and improve their vocabulary and grammar. Encourage such play during their spare time to further enhance the learning experience.
8. Read Bedtime Stories
This is an extra opportunity to add more English language to the learning process. Make every night another memorable period for your child to look forward to. Read stories that are informative and entertaining so that they will be interested in asking about the characters and plot afterward.
9. Try out Hand Crafting
Organize activities like painting, cutting, and gluing. You can also try baking pastries with your kids. All you need to do is communicate with them in English during such tasks, follow English recipes, and so forth. Let them pass you objects or ingredients by asking for them in English. Ensure they also reply in English. Children love to participate in such activities, so it is a great way to make them learn more.
10. Set Mobile Devices to English
Nowadays, children are used to operating their parents’ phones and iPads without help. Most of these gadgets are set in their native language. To improve their proficiency, keep your devices set to English. Their game consoles should also be set to English.
11. Invite your English Friends over
If your child is learning English as their second language, then you should provide opportunities to communicate in English ideally with native speakers. Research has revealed that children who communicate in daily activities in English find it easier to understand the language faster. Ask your friends who speak English fluently to visit your home with their kids to make learning more fun.
12. Give them Positive Language Feedback
Whenever you engage in a discussion with your child, let them take the lead by telling you what they want to say. As they talk, listen to them, and take note of their grammar. If you notice any errors, you can gently correct them by repeating what they have incorrectly said in the correct way. Children learn faster through repetition and consistency.
13. Teach them Self-expression
Encourage the ability to recount details of events or activities around them. Allow them to narrate their daily encounters using the English language. Rephrase their mistakes by constructing correct sentences with them and make them understand the underlying principles.
14. Watch Movies Together
There are good family movies which you can enjoy watching with your children. But if they prefer kid’s movies, then pick up educational ones. Encourage them to role-play favorite scenes. Children are fond of emulating what they see.
15. Perfect their Writing Skills
Make it a duty to check their schoolbooks daily when they return from school. Take the time to go through their English language texts and tasks with them. It will improve their ability to write better. It will also stir their interest more since there will not be any pressure doing that at home.
English language tuition is another option you must support your children’s English language learning at a professional level, especially in preparation for exams or possible academic challenges.
Zoomers are those young people who currently either study in school, have graduated from college, or got their first job. Imagine how broad this generation is and how important it is to find ways to teach and train them in the new digital era.
This article will explore how you can leverage mobile and remote learning to entice this generation of learners.
As Collins English Dictionary puts it, a zoomer is “a member of the generation of people born between the mid-1990s and the mid-2010s.” This generation of people is also called Generation Z, who are characterized as “confident users of new technology.”
What Makes Zoomers Different?
Zoomers have lived with digital technologies at their side most of their lives. They hold gadgets all day, even when on the go: constantly chatting, scrolling, reading, playing games, watching videos, and so on. Smartphones are part and parcel of their life, and this impacts the way they learn.
For instance, zoomers tend to demonstrate clip-based information consumption: they retrieve and process it fast but can’t stay focused long enough to delve into the topic or task. It’s challenging for them to handle large volumes of textual information. They constantly switch between various activities and information channels, and their engagement level drops frequently.
Another point is that zoomers are accustomed to visual, rich media content. Devices have unleashed their creativity, and they use smartphones and other gadgets to shoot videos and take photos for TikTok and Instagram all day long.
All of this makes Gen Zers soak up information in bits and pieces and, in turn, challenges teachers and instructors to reconsider the educational process.
But how? The answer is before your very eyes: learning with mobile devices.
What Is Mobile Learning?
Mobile learning is a way of delivering and accessing learning content via portable devices, e.g., smartphones and tablets.
The term ‘mobile’ refers not only to the devices but also to learners themselves. Usually, they are the ones who need to gain new knowledge quickly while on the go and not be bound by the place, time, and pace set by the instructor. Mobile learning content is digital and multimedia-based, so the approach suits zoomers perfectly.
Below are just some examples of how mobile learning can help teach and train the young generation:
Learners have an opportunity to find and absorb knowledge quickly
They can control the pace of learning themselves and study in their free time
Learning is now more accessible, interactive, and engaging
Learning is fun and fits into other daily activities
Materials are available anytime, anywhere, even offline – in just a couple of clicks
The thing with mobile learning is that you need to break content into smaller units or build it in clips. You can easily create bite-sized learning content with the help of authoring software. Let’s take iSpring Suite, for example.
Build concise mini-courses
With this tool, you can prepare slide-based mini-courses right in PowerPoint Slideshows. They can last from 3 to 10 minutes and contain text combined with images and videos. You even can make your mini-course look like an Instagram carousel post presenting a series of ideas in a concise form. It will help you attract and retain your learners’ attention.
Engage with game-like quizzes
You can also add a quiz at the end of your mini-course. iSpring Suite enables you to create 14 types of questions and game-based activities from premade templates. Adding such interactive assessments, polls or surveys, and exercises to your learning content will serve as a great alternative to mobile games that zoomers love to play. Now they can interact with learning content and have it at their fingertips.
Deliver mobile-ready learning content
To distribute your mobile-ready learning content to end-users, you can share it via a browser link, and post it on your website, social media, or any eLearning marketplace. All learning materials you make with will run smoothly on any mobile operating system. No less importantly, they’ll look good on any screen size.
However, if you have several groups of learners, run an online school, or want to launch mobile training in your enterprise, your in-house learning platform will be more helpful. That’s why you can opt for a learning management system (LMS).
A Mobile LMS App for Centralizing Knowledge
Contrary to popular belief, an LMS is not only for universities. It’s the virtual space that any learners can access to take courses, quizzes, individual learning tracks, etc. And this space doesn’t have to include hundreds of learners, although it definitely can.
An LMS just holds it all together: your online courses, videos, enrolments, assignments, grades, and other metrics. Thus, an LMS helps you set up and automate training processes without manual grunt work.
For mobile learning, LMSs like iSpring Learn are immensely effective because it has a slick app for Android and iOS devices. It’s clear, intuitive, and works even with no Internet connection – while on the tube, for example. The app tracks and synchronizes learner progress, no matter where and when learners study.
And, of course, zoomers will appreciate the system of points, badges, and leader boards that the iSpring Learn app compiles based on their performance. Such a gamified learning experience will most certainly engage and motivate your Gen Z learners.
Little Troopers, the military children’s charity, has expanded its range of free resources to help teachers support service pupils aged 11+. Any secondary school with one or more service students can access the materials online at www.littletroopers.net/little-troopers-at-school.
Released as part of the charity’s Little Troopers at School program, the new resources include worksheets to accompany the charity’s new teen podcast (SQUAD), and new activities as part of the Little Troopers Forces Life Club pack and an online toolbox of videos for teachers. More than 700 schools have already signed up to and are using resources from Little Troopers at School.
Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, comments:
“Before we created these resources, there was nothing out there specifically for military teens in school. Feedback from students and parents was that they wanted to see military life better recognised and supported in education settings. Now teachers have access to a substantial range of evidence-based resources that they can use with any children who have parents serving in the British Armed Forces.”
From discussion-led sessions about military life to CV workshops, community-focused activity ideas, and even a military child wellbeing course, schools can pick and choose the free resources to best suit their needs and the needs of their service pupils.
New for 2022
SQUAD podcast worksheets: In September Little Troopers released series one of SQUAD – a podcast for military teenagers. Presented by broadcaster Katie Thistleton and professional rugby player Thom Smith, the podcast (available on all major podcast platforms) hands the mic to 15 military teens who share their experiences of military life. Now Little Troopers has worked with an Educational Psychologist to add a series of worksheets to accompany each episode so that schools can make the most of listening to the podcast in the classroom.
Online toolbox: The Little Troopers online toolbox is a series of short videos showing schools how to use Little Troopers resources in the classroom. The toolbox also features an interview with an Educational Psychologist who explores some of the unique challenges that military life can bring and shares expert advice for all education settings. In another video, a group of military parents discusses their views on how they’d like to see schools better support their children through their military journey.
Forces Life Club, new resources: The Little Troopers Forces Life Club Pack encourages schools to regularly bring their service pupils together as a unique group of students. The charity has added eight new activities to the pack with topics including ‘military community’, ‘everything you need to know about me’, ‘peer cooking skills’, and ‘family military life’.
Resource Hub: Little Troopers continues to add new activities to its online Resource Hub for secondary schools. The new activities include ‘how to host a school dinner’, ‘how to write a good CV’, ‘how to organise a virtual mountain challenge’ and ‘how to write a letter to your MP’.
Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting service children who have a parent(s) serving in our British Armed Forces, regular or reserve. For more information about the Little Troopers at School program and the resources available visit www.littletroopers.net/little-troopers-at-school.
Children would presumably be happy to hear the termination of exams announced.
However, have you ever thought about the teenagers or adults who like studying so much and have invested in cracking the A-list exams with all their efforts, and then suddenly the government or local authority and schools or colleges decide to terminate the exams.
What would be the effects on their minds, especially on their mental health, of that eleven-letter word printed on that notice?
Well, let’s find out then what might be going through their thoughts after the sudden shock of that situation!
What are A-Levels?
To begin, what do you think the A-level exams are? It’s not like our general school tests and final exams, but these are the exams of advanced levels, which are internationally accepted and subject-based qualification systems, which help kids enter well-known and internationally popular colleges or universities.
This system is specially offered by British education bodies as a part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE). It was established first in England and Wales as a replacement for the high school certificate and now it is playing a vital role in students’ entrance into universities for further education all around the world.
Understanding the Mental Health Effects through an Example
Let’s take a scenario: a student has an interest in business, which they developed at an early age in primary school. They planned all his steps according to the A-level subject exam they were going to take as a ticket to their desired university.
They’re doing all things perfectly as suggested by their research, like taking subjects that are business-related, spending most of the time-solving problems and giving extra time reading books in the library and articles online. The last week has arrived, and the board has announced that this year there won’t be any A-Level exams conducted.
What do you think about that child’s long preparation? They didn’t make any mistakes but wholeheartedly aspired for further education at their favourite university through this one exam, and now their year has been ruined, their preparation gone to void, right?
Now imagine if that kid’s parents have a poor financial background and how difficult it has been for them to collect funds and invest in their child’s education with the hope that one day their child would be studying in a higher academic institute and graduate with flying colours; albeit, their dream has now remained a dream only and they are not sure that they will see it become reality any time soon.
Possible Mental Health Effects from Exam Termination
This is just the case of one student, but there are lots of students getting ready and training for these exams since they are of the utmost importance for the future of students. A-level exams determine whether they will be able to study at university or college or must settle for a training institute despite the fact that they have the potential to pass more difficult exams.
The problem here is that most of the popular universities have criteria and one of them is passing this exam. If the exam is terminated, then there is no option to reopen the door to enter prestigious education institutions such as Eton, Oxford or Cambridge for aspirants.
Not to mention that most mental health issues grow from seeds to plants as a result of exams and crises like these. Aspirants and enthusiastic students who love to study and get an education in a particular subject or field, the termination of exams can cause depression, stress, and anxiety.
Students with different mindsets take it differently. If a person is capable of handling stress, then they would find a way to manage this shock, but a soft-hearted person could be damaged so deeply mentally that sometimes they are either stuck in the mental health disorders because of chronic repetition or maybe more fatal outputs that would silence their thoughts for a longer period.
Another lens, another view!
Now, let’s take a look through another lens and check out the other effects of cancelling or terminating A-level exams. This could be good news for students who are unable to afford further education or who are weak in their studies but want to learn more anyway. Who knows, maybe because of the termination of the exam, the child might invent another hobby or interest which could be the turning point for their future? If that happens, then it’s a great outcome, right? Don’t you think so?
If universities just knocked down this wall, which some students see as a hurdle between failure and success, then the futures of tons of students might get brighter. Maybe students should not be assessed more strictly but gently with an effective structure so all learners and their parents can see their dreams come true. The pandemic led to the digitalisation of mostly everything, and exams have not been left behind either.
However, it turns out that this COVID-19 home schooling situation with the prolonged relaxation period made people so lazy and rewired into other things that students’ interests in studies went drastically downward, as demonstrated by the performances in school-level exams. If in this pandemic, exams, especially A-levels, are still conducted, then obviously they’ll find a reduced level of grades and an incapability to go through the university’s welcome gates.
Digitalization should be used as a Boon
Plus, nowadays, more people are thinking that exams are not the only way to judge students, so this point should also be considered in figuring out the best way to implement digitisation in colleges and institutes to improve the performance of education systems and students’ focus and interest in particular subjects through improved teaching methods of visualisation.
The feasible and optimal solution would be to take a survey of students and teachers via some structural exams and then decide what to do and what not to do further. Keep in mind that whatever steps the government takes or will take will have an impact on student’s mental health, both positively and negatively; however, the role of the board and government is to pave the way for both sides to be balanced out.
Author Bio
S Patil is founder of myHobbyCourses, an internationally renowned online tutoring platform in the UK offers skills from maths and science to languages and literacy, arts, and crafts to technology and so much more. All you need to grow your intellect! If you’re struggling with Maths problems, solving Physics equations, or you want to learn a new language, myHobbyCourses provides lots of choices to find an online or private tutor for you.
The UK Education Blog team attended this year’s BETT Show at the ExCel Centre in London, where over three days 400+ leading EdTech Solution Providers exhibit, 90+ CPD content sessions take place, 300+ inspiring speakers share their knowledge together with coordinated business meetings and exclusive networking opportunities all wrapped into one.
We couldn’t miss this opportunity to see what’s on display, especially as some of the brands we have worked with previously were present too.
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We interviewed a selection of exhibitors that fall into different EdTech categories such as education software, education programmes, education resources and learning materials and share the insights and trends they have discussed with us here exclusively.
We couldn’t resist to say hello to Education AI‘s robot and learned more about this innovative curriculum for schools that covers computational thinking, coding and robotics through online resources on the Education AI platform for teachers and students of all ages.
We spoke with founder and CEO JiaJia Wang, who was very excited to answer our questions about the platform.
We were curious to understand how the curriculum teaches especially younger children at preschool and primary levels computational thinking and coding and she explained that Education AI provides lesson plans and learning materials that are hands-on so that children can access tactile teaching aids and games online as well as offline. She highlighted the importance of social interaction and a personalised learning journey so that every student learns elements such as abstraction, algorithm, decomposition and pattern recognition at their own pace.
We were also ensured that the curriculum is mapped to the English National Curriculum to support every school with the implementation of digital literacy from preschool all the way to A-levels.
2. DrumFit
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We love action and had to find out more about DrumFit, speaking with the education partnerships manager Jemma Froggitt, who was very enthusiastic about this web based curriculum. She showed us how to use the in-class equipment together with the lesson planning software and video curriculum library and we were impressed with how easily accessible it is for its users and how it also covers additional important aspects of physical learning such as yoga and mindfulness.
Jemma explained that it is a great resource for all teachers to integrate short physical activities into daily lessons or to add to the school’s existing PE curriculum, including gymnastics and HIIT lessons.
DrumFit also offers CPD courses for teachers and we felt that sitting on those comfy stability balls would be worth testing in the classroom as an alternative to normal chairs.
We spoke with Engino‘s business development officer Alexandros Sisamos, who was happy to explain to us some of the construction sets, robotics and STEM solutions that were on display.
We learned that all their products can be used at home or at school and they offer what they call “the real STEM experience” through their models together with their user-friendly interactive software and apps.
When asked how they enable younger users to access their learning materials, Alexandros explained that some robotics models like the Qboidz are developed for early childhood to easily stack and click different parts together and with the free app, children can follow step-by-step building instructions in a 3D view.
We were also impressed with the STEM Qboidz set for preschool children, which covers interesting facts about each featured topic in combination with building their model, colouring related pictures and other creative activities to learn about shapes, colours and maths.
4. 2Simple
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Every teacher is probably familiar with 2Simple or Purple Mash, the UK’s established educational software that provides wonderfully curated creative, mathematics and computing activities even for the younger learners.
Head of Education, Mark Burrows, kindly showed us some of the new features of Purple Mash and Mini Mash, which cover the seven curriculum learning areas and in each area a range of engaging content and tools perfect for individual or group activities are available.
We were impressed by the 30 topic packs covering all the favourite Early Years topics, each containing a range of themed activities and resources perfect to use in the classroom on an interactive board or on iPads.
The student’s work is saved into online trays that can be shared with parents to celebrate what their child has done at school. And the ‘Teacher Tools’ enable the creation of themed resources, like jigsaws, pair games and slideshows.
5. BOOKR Class
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Every educator loves story time and so do we, hence why we couldn’t miss exploring BOOKR Class, a platform providing a fast-growing digital library and a Teacher’s Dashboard for tracking engagement and reading activity of the students. We spoke with CEO and Co-Founder Dorka Horvath and Learning and Curriculum Designer Kinga Krämer, who demonstrated how the platform works and what it features.
We learned that every student has access to over 650 books and nursery rhymes as well as 2500 educational games that enhance language skills in an immersive and playful manner.
The platform monitors each student’s individual progress and assigns books and activities accordingly with an AI-based speech recognition feature.
We particularly enjoyed the interactive features that encourage children to manipulate sound effects and play interactive games linked with the stories. What also stood out was that the content is from recognised publishers such as Oxford University Press and only high-quality illustrations are used designed specifically for the users.
Speaking the lovely Elastik team, we learned that this analytics and assessment platform for schools is designed to empower teachers to pinpoint and address unidentified gaps in their students’ learning in Maths, English and Science.
The custom-built software uses the school’s historic data from assessments to provide the teachers with insights into their students learning while saving time by reducing the administrative burden.
We were informed that with Elastik teachers can use the platform to access gap-bridging lesson plans, create bespoke assessments, automatically analyse multiple assessments for their class or school and view ‘bubble’ graphics to identify specific learning gaps.
7. Creative Hut featuring Lego
On our way out, we bumped into CreativeHUT, a STEAM Education resource and service provider, catering for learning from EYFS through to FE/HE.
We spoke with senior creative consultant Michael Lyon, who shared some of their hands on and creative resources that allow children of all ages to develop 21st Century Learning Skills and build confidence in STEAM Learning.
CreativeHUT work with carefully selected partners and industry experts such as Lego Education and Sphero in curriculum areas of Computing, Design, Technology, Science, Art and Maths. We were invited to spin their price draw wheel and won a bag of Lego Education parts, plus witnessed a demonstration of the Sphero RVR programmable robot.
They offer consultancy, training, and ongoing support for educators to enhance the full potential of their pupils.
8. Evouchers
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We discovered this voucher platform for schools, parents and communities while roaming through the exhibition and learned that Evouchers offers features to order, control and manage digital and physical vouchers securely and easily.
For schools and local authorities the platform helps to manage the process from live eligibility of data to DfE compliant reporting and families can receive vouchers via text message, email or by downloading them directly from the platform.
9. Canva
We ended our tour through the BETT show by watching a live demo of the online design and publishing tool Canva that is on a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere.
During the presentation we learned that Canva Education works with other go-to classroom tools and all the presentations, graphics and designs produced with the software can be imported from Google Classroom or by sharing a class link to Clever for example.
The work and assignments can also be shared or stored via Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams and Remind, or be downloaded to PowerPoint, enabling smoother remote learning and online collaborations.
We think it’s fair to say that we’ve only scratched the surface of what the BETT show and the EdTech industry has to offer, however, by sharing some of the highlights, emerging EdTech trends and insights from the experts we met there with you, we hope you can take away some inspiration.
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Here are some discount codes you can use:
www.tts-group.co.uk: BETT2022 for 10% Discount on orders from their catalogue (expires 30th of April 22).
Canva: CANVABETT2022 for 25% off print orders (expires July 22).
Through the last century, the world has evolved by leaps and bounds.
This decade is deemed to be turning point of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Fourth Industrial Revolution or I4 as it is popularly known as is all about developments in game-changing technology to gear the world towards becoming a better and more efficient place.
It’s time to embrace cutting edge technology including AI (Artificial Intelligence), 3D Printing, robotics, gene editing, cloud computing, augmented reality, drones, and autonomous vehicles to name a few.
Way back in the 18th century, the First Industrial Revolution introduced the power of steam-powered industries to the world. During the early 19th century the Second Industrial Revolution brought the benefits of manufacturing and mass production to the human race. The onset of the 21 century saw the Third Revolution and the magic of digitalization and the internet.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is already becoming a part of our daily life. From ordering food online, looking for book recommendations, online markets, travel reviews, and bookings, to digital health care and education, the web of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is slowly encompassing us. And I4 brings with it the promise of increasing income levels of the human populace along with improving the way we live our lives.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is all about SEO, digital marketers, app developers, bloggers, internet entrepreneurs, online freelancers, data analysts, and digital nomads.
Digital Skills Needed for I4:
Programming
The backbone of digitalization is programming. According to LinkedIn, coding has also been listed as one of the ten most demanded by employers. Coding languages like Python, Ruby, and Perl are both high in demand as well as high paying.
SEO Training & SEO content writing
Each company requires expert SEO professionals to improve their sales and profit margins. A good SEO training program would include creating SEO efficient headlines, using SEO tools for data analysis, creating visuals for attractive web outreach, and optimizing presence on search engines through powerful content writing.
App Development
Even as you read this, there are almost 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world. App development is definitely the digital skill of the present and future. If you are looking to make it big in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, its time to develop a strong background in iOS and Android Development through the various IT and computing courses available online.
Big Data
The digital world means that information is wealth. And with dependence on information increasing every day, there is a growing need for big data management and analysis including:
Prescriptive analysis: prescribe suitable actions based on machine learning
Descriptive analysis: provide insights to past happenings
Predictive analysis: predict future trends
Diagnostic analysis: provide solutions to specific problems
Moving towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution
On one hand, different schools, colleges, universities, and online portals are providing different learning resources and educational courses for helping people develop digital skills to prepare for I4. On the other hand, countries, businesses, and organizations are investing time, money, and energy in implementing digital literacy at the grass-root level.
Vietnam
TEKY is Vietnam’s little step towards taking a giant leap in empowering students to build up careers in robotics, multimedia design, coding, and web design. The TEKY aims to empower children from six to eighteen-year-olds by teaching them the heart of digital skills—STEAM. With the help of STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, Vietnam is training its future generations to succeed in I4.
Japan
The Japanese government is using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to improve their student’s English skills. By investing approximately ¥250 million, there shall soon be English speaking robots in more than 500 ($227,000) in rolling out English-speaking robots in 500 Japanese classrooms in 2019.
UK
The UK is also taking active measures to inculcate modern pedagogy to bridge the gap between conventional education and digital world demands.
Many online learning platforms offer free or affordable short courses on digital skills like computing, programming, coding and many more skills that will become increasingly important. And schools use platforms like Discovery Education or play resources like Duplo Coding Express to teach the basics of coding. The UK government is stepping up to encourage quality online education at home through the Hungry Little Minds campaign and funding more technology in classrooms.
And with the current challenges of self-isolation due to the spread of the Coronavirus, many educational settings have to teach and tutor online. These new challenges are inevitably leading to confront everyone involved, be it the teacher, the parent or the child, to learn how to use technology and internet-enabled devices safely and effectively. Read this article about the recently introduced ICO guidelines to protect vulnerable people online for more information.
It is essential to focus on hard skills for succeeding in the digital space. But let’s remember that it is imperative to remember the importance of soft skills like adaptability, time management, communication, and problem-solving to succeed in the digital age.
Limassol, March 15, 2022: Engino, one of the largest toy manufacturing companies in Europe, is excited to announce that its new STEM CLUB Subscription Box line, which soft launched in late November 2021, is now available.
Utilizing years of experience in the construction of award-winning STEM toy systems and after extensive research with children of different ages, parents and academics, our new line is here to enrich students’ learning experience by offering them hands-on STEM activities and encouraging them to practice their skills and imagination as they play. Each month the ‘Adventures of Gino & Gina’ will arrive at your home and embellish your children’s knowledge, preparing them for the future.
Choose one of our plans and receive monthly, right at your doorstep, an exclusive Engino set, methodically designed to offer unique models and weekly STEM activities for your little ones.
How does the Engino STEM CLUB Subscription Box work?
When you give your children an Engino STEM CLUB Subscription Box, you are giving them a deep dive into the world of STEM discovery that covers everything from history and fun facts to design, experimentation, and theory.
If you are interested in offering your children a unique learning experience, follow the steps below:
Choose your Plan. Personalize your subscription, by choosing your preferred package and language.
Receive your Set. Your new STEM CLUB box set will be delivered to your house every month.
Build, Play, Learn. Create your models and learn through hands-on activities about a different theme every month.
Share & Win. Take videos and pictures of your creations and share with our online community to earn rewards.
About Engino: Inspiring the next generation of inventors
Founded in 2004 with a vision to inspire students to become better problem solvers and future innovators, Engino now has a wide product range of more than 50 different sets and has been established as one of the fastest growing companies in the field. The expansion to a new fully automated factory in Cyprus reflects the company’s success and innovative culture, while setting new standards for production in Europe.
Academics, engineers, product designers, illustrators, education specialists and marketing experts have all combined their strengths and expertise to ensure that each Engino system promotes students’ learning, critical thinking, problem-solving and communication and motor skills, while stimulating their imagination and their creativity.
According to researchers’ findings, MRI scans of young students solving mathematics problems experienced brain reactions that suggested aetiological occurrences.
These findings show that many students still face problems approaching and effectively learning mathematics despite several traditional teaching method revisions and additions of technological aid.
So, how is it that some people enjoy solving maths problems while others don’t?
Many people mention mathematics as a very interesting and favourite subject when others cannot get their head around it.
Research has hinted that there is no such thing as a maths gene or maths brain, suggesting that anyone can learn maths and be good at it with the right approach and methodology.
So, let’s look at a few mathematics expert approaches that will help you learn maths and match up with the above extremities.
Firstly, you must decide which branch of maths you want to start with. Suppose that on top of being a learner, you also are an enthusiast as opposed to people who are reluctant to study maths.
In such cases, it is important to understand that the right approach isn’t always to start with difficult branches that you have been wanting to learn for a long time. For instance, let’s say that you’ve only studied calculus 1, but you always wanted to leap onto algebraic topology.
Here in this example, you will need to be well-versed with abstract algebra and general topology and have a certain level of mathematical maturity to start with algebraic topology. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t refrain from learning tough subjects. Just it is always recommended that you pick something that feels manageable initially unless you’re extraordinarily smart and confident about where you stand in terms of the respective topic.
2. Adopt Relevant Learning Methods
We’ve heard a lot about how traditional learning methods are unproductive for long-term mathematical applications. Most students learned what their teachers told them according to pre-set syllabi. Only later do they figure out what they want to learn further or ways to use it to their advantage. Schools aren’t known to teach students to be ready for real-world applications.
However, with today’s technological advancements and ease of communication, kids have better opportunities to adopt application-level learning using highly-rated math apps for example. Today, the average age of children getting their first mobile-phone ranges from around 12-14 years.
It increases their chances of being exposed to useful learning materials and motivates them to approach subjects in a career-oriented fashion at a very young age. For instance, many students are fascinated with the possibilities of machine learning, IoT, and how maths is key to mastering those areas of study.
3. Finding The Right Approach
While a good number of expert online maths tutors can help with choices and guidance, many undermine your current progress just to win an account. For instance, despite knowing basic calculus and algebra, they might explicitly tell you that you are not ready to learn advanced calculus for canvassing you in their course.
That’s not true. Although you might not understand everything right away, you can still try and figure out where you stand in terms of advanced topics with patience and the right guidance. Just pick a subject you want to learn and find genuine learning resources. You will gradually catch up.
Also, it is always better to manage your expectations and accept that you will not understand everything right off the bat while attempting a really advanced subject. This will ensure that you don’t feel defeated when you come across complex concepts. Rather than feeling like a failure, managing your expectations will help you constantly learn and improve.
4. Get the Right Study Books
The next thing you should do is get the right books. Although still prevalent, with an abundance of resources on the internet, the percentage of people using books has declined significantly. Also, several educational mobile applications have attractive features and interesting graphics aimed to glue users just to increase memberships and screen times.
So, it is advised that you try to find the best maths books at affordable rates for solid basics and practice. There’s nothing like the good old way of learning mathematics that will help you retain concepts. Late Paul Hammant once said he would do as many problems as possible and gather as many resources as possible when learning maths. The more resources you have, the easier it is to learn.
Takeaway
Anyone can learn maths via the latest means available if they choose these wisely. The internet is cluttered with so many different resources that make it easy for young students to get distracted. Renowned maths books will always serve as the foundation for further innovation and technological advancements. You must diligently make use of recommended online resources to supplement your mathematics learning efforts. Furthermore, you can seek guidance from registered online maths tutors. They can help you find more like-minded people to interact with and study maths together. You can also learn further through several resources available on forums, social media, and the online maths Olympiad communities.
Elastik will launch with over 100 UK schools and Multi-Academy Trusts to address learning gaps created by the pandemic and inequalities in learning
Insight from Elastik could be used to directly support teachers in the UK’s 55 educational ‘cold spots’ and the National Tutoring Programme as part of the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda
Schools working with Elastik can complete a comprehensive analysis of student learning gaps in under two weeks
Elastik, the pioneering analytics and assessment platform for schools, is launching in the UK to help schools and teachers urgently address gaps in learning that have been created or exacerbated by the pandemic. Designed by teachers, for teachers, Elastik maps student performance data against the national curriculum, so that teachers can quickly and easily pinpoint individual and class-wide learning needs. Elastik initially launched to help schools identify learning gaps in Western Australia in late 2020 and will now start working with over 100 schools and Multi-Academy Trusts including the Astrea Academy Trust which has schools in South Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire.
Between March 2020 and April 2021, students across the UK missed on average over half a year of normal, in-person schooling. Ofsted reports significant delays in educational development as a result of remote learning, with Year 1 and Year 2 pupils falling behind in topics such as phonics knowledge, number and symbol recognition, and number bonds. The Department for Education has identified 55 ‘cold spots’ where education outcome is the weakest to target intensive investment. Bridging the learning gap in areas like these will be one of the keys focuses of the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ policy. Teachers know that subjects missed, particularly at early stages, can fundamentally undermine teaching in later years where those topics need to be built upon. However, identifying precise gaps can be difficult and extremely time-consuming to address accurately. With more than a quarter of teachers in England working more than 59 hours per week, record stress levels are being recorded.
Elastik is a custom-built, software platform for schools, which uses the school’s historic data or data from new assessments to provide accurate student learning insights as well as automate time-consuming administration for teachers. Its proprietary analytics technology can identify student learning gaps from assessment data in under two weeks and map this to curriculum requirements at a granular level. From these insights, Elastik can develop detailed individual and class lesson plans for teachers to use as appropriate, delivering focus on areas that need addressing and saving essential time for teachers.
Jeremy Waters, Founder of Elastik, says:
“As a former teacher, I understand all too well the simultaneous pressures and privileges of teaching. My priority when establishing Elastik was to give teachers easy access to the insights across their pupil cohorts, take away as much admin as possible, and in turn support them to pursue their passion for teaching. Inequalities in learning are unfortunately not new, but as many in the sector will agree, gaps that were already there have been exacerbated by the pandemic and we are now at a crisis point across the vast majority of schools in the UK as teachers and pupils absences persist. To effectively address the government stated, ‘expected standards’ in reading, writing, and maths and to support children of all abilities to achieve their best, we must first establish where the specific learning gaps are so that teachers know where to focus their attention.”
Hywel Jones, from Astrea Academy Trust said:
“Our mission is to deliver the best possible education to every child. While the pandemic has caused significant challenges for education, we are pleased to be participating in a pilot with Elastik, to help the children who have struggled with remote learning or had reduced levels of concentration and ensure they are supported. Having the insight as to what our children have either missed or not understood properly at any stage of their schooling plays a fundamental part in our ability as teachers to lay the right educational foundations for them.”
Paul Kinsella, Headteacher of St Monica’s Catholic Primary School in Liverpool said:
“What I rate about Elastik is its ability to inform and empower our teaching. It pinpoints problem areas quickly and offers a real range of support, which teachers can use as they need to. The platform itself is extremely visual and easy to use, which means it has been rolled out quickly for staff to use without onerous IT or training requirements.”
The UK Education Blog asked Jeremy Waters the following questions:
Elastik claims to reduce the administrative burden for teachers, which is a key problem in the teaching profession. How does Elastik deliver this?
A recent study by UCL revealed that one in four teachers work a 60-hour week, and manual administration processes form a considerable part of this – tracking student progression, preparing lessons, sourcing learning material, and reporting on student process, not to mention marking.
Elastik helps to automate these processes:
It triangulates assessment data and maps it to the curriculum, so that teachers can use its cutting-edge technology to identify learning gaps at the touch of a button.
Elastik immediately generates lesson guides targeted to cover those specific areas of the curriculum, then automatically creates tailored assessments to ensure that the gaps have been effectively bridged.
It cuts marking time, even for English where its real-time writing assessment module marks students’ work in real-time in accordance with curriculum-based criteria. Teachers are always in control.
It generates comprehensive feedback reports, so teachers can effectively communicate more quickly and effectively with students, other teachers or teaching assistants, and at parent-teacher meetings.
Its straightforward interface and visualisation of insights mean teachers don’t need to struggle with technology.
In what ways does Elastik empower teachers to deliver the best teaching while reducing the admin time?
Elastik is built by for teachers by teachers and is designed to support their core activities without adding to their stress levels.
Teachers tell us that Elastik gives them a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their class, so they can more easily decide how best to use their teaching time. Elastik can pinpoint the underlying problem, even it if was a concept taught in an earlier school year, so that teachers can ensure that children have a solid learning foundation to build on.
As well as supporting whole-class learning, Elastik also allows teachers to understand where individual children are struggling – whether they are underachievers or aiming for a top grade. Teachers can create focus groups and track progress, ensuring that all children meet their potential.
By reducing administration time and leveraging technology, Elastik frees teachers to be more targeted in their teaching, leaving more time to be creative and spontaneous in the classroom, secure in the knowledge that their lessons and assessments are developed in line with student needs.
How easy is Elastik to use and will teachers receive training?
Elastik is designed for teachers, not technologists. It is simple to set up and use. A single password gives a teacher access across Maths, English, and Science content from Key Stage 1-3. This makes it easy for them to their log in for reporting and teaching material. It’s easy enough for students to log in to use it for assessments or if remote learning is required.
Ultimately Elastik is about the human connection. This means giving teaches back time to teach. But it also means supporting teachers with the Elastik platform until they are fully confident. All schools working with Elastik receive hands-on training and support from Sales liaison officers who help schools get up and running and provide ongoing guidance. Every school is unique, with its own set of goals and challenges so the Elastik team is always on standby to help every user get the best out of the platform.
About Elastik
Elastik launched in the UK in January 2022. Since January 2021, the platform has been used in Australia, where it now works with over 400 schools, 103,000 students, and 13,971 teachers across the country to empower teaching staff to address unidentified gaps in their students’ curriculum-driven learning across Maths, English, and Science. Elastik delivers cutting-edge technology but was designed with the premise that technology cannot replace a teacher. Instead, it uses AI (smart algorithms and machine learning) to free teachers from administrative burdens, give them insights on student development, and let them focus on what they do best – helping students grow. Elastik recognises the challenges facing schools today and provides support and expertise to the school and the teachers. Rapid implementation delivers benefits immediately and ongoing guidance ensures that the value grows as Elastik becomes embedded. Teachers in Australia describe their approach as game changing.