A good education begins with holistic development. All too often, parents’ focus tends to be on academics and not on activities that promote physical, emotional, social, and intellectual well-being. However, field trips are an essential part of a child’s education. They give insights and opportunities that are otherwise non-existent within the four walls of the school premises. Field trips act as catalysts for learning, as they encourage children to acquire knowledge through their senses, practice skills and apply information that has been absorbed, thus leading to better retention in their long-term memory.

Field trips can be arranged for any grade level, but are often done at the elementary and middle school levels. They are a great way to get students excited about learning. 

Here’s why:

Hands-on Experience

Field trips allow students to experience hands-on learning opportunities. Classrooms are often not equipped with all the tools necessary for students to thoroughly understand what they are learning about in class. However, during a field trip, they can experience real-life situations that enable them to apply what they have learned in class. 

By going to different places and experiencing different things, students can better understand concepts such as art, history, or geography that would otherwise seem abstract if only explained through classroom lectures. Field trips also stimulate students to use their imagination and make connections between what they’ve learned in class and real-world applications. For example, if your child’s class were studying ancient civilizations during one semester and then took a trip to a museum where they saw artifacts from those cultures, it would reinforce what they were learning in class. The same applies if your child’s class studied ocean life during an afternoon at the aquarium, or had a discussion about environmental issues after visiting an environmentally friendly farm.

Moreover, field trips also help students learn about the world by exposing them to new environments, cultures, and people. This can help foster an appreciation for diversity in our society. 

Better Teacher-Student Relationship

Field trips are also an excellent way for teachers to get out of their classrooms and into the community where they work with students every day. This allows them to interact with other teachers outside of school hours – which can lead to stronger relationships within their school community, as well as building new ones with other local businesses and organizations.

Field trips help teachers connect with their students on an emotional level. When teachers take their classes on field trips, they get to know their students in ways that they don’t usually do when simply teaching them in a classroom setting. Teachers can use this connection to motivate their students to learn more about whatever topic they’re studying at the time of the trip.

Foster Collaboration

Students learn more when they work together. Field trips provide an opportunity for students to collaborate on a project or task, which fosters their ability to work together. This can be challenging for some students, especially those new to the school or those who have difficulty communicating with their classmates.

Field trips encourage teamwork and collaboration between students. When students are faced with new challenges, such as finding their way around a strange place, they have to work together to overcome them. This is a valuable skill for students to develop, as it will help them succeed later in life.

Field trips also allow teachers to see how their students interact with others in different settings and environments than they’re used to at school. This gives teachers insight into how their students will behave at other events like sporting events or concerts — valuable information that can help them better plan future activities for the class!

Develop Life-Skills

Students build self-confidence by exploring new places and situations on their own. Most children are not used to being away from home or school for long periods, so taking them on a field trip can be a great way to boost their confidence levels and provide them with an exciting experience they will never forget!

Field trips enable students to use their problem-solving skills in real-life situations where there isn’t always a correct answer or an immediate solution available at hand. Students may need to think outside the box to complete their tasks successfully during these types of activities.

Improve Learning Outcomes

Field trips involve students in their own education. By taking students out into the world around them, teachers allow them to become active participants in their own learning instead of passive recipients of information fed to them by their instructors. A field trip lets students ask questions about what they see and interact with other people who may live in different places around the world — experiences that can significantly enrich their perspective on life and increase their knowledge base.

Field trips also give students a chance to practice skills they’ve learned in class, such as reading maps, following directions and interacting with strangers. This helps solidify what they’ve learned in class, making it easier to remember when they’re back at school.

At Square Panda, we believe holistic development is the best way to prepare the students of today for the challenges of tomorrow. To know more about our work, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

Social media has changed the way we communicate with one another, and as a result, the way we learn. Although social media has impacted our world in many ways, its impact on education deserves special attention.

In today’s world, students are exposed to more information than ever before. Students can access articles, videos, and photos from all over the world at the touch of a button. From online classes to the ability to communicate with teachers and peers, social media is changing the way children learn. It has made it easier for students to interact with their teachers and peers. Through social media students can ask questions and stay up-to-date on coursework. Students can also use social media as a tool to find information when they have a doubt in class. They can also understand concepts that were not covered in class.

Social media has had a profound impact on education. Here are some of its effects.

For Students

Social media platforms like Facebook & Twitter allow users to interact with others in their network through comments or posts. This helps them expand their knowledge base by exposing them to new ideas or perspectives on topics they might not otherwise encounter in their day-to-day lives. 

For example: A student interested in politics may start following political figures on Twitter. This way they will see a variety of opinions held by different people within their social circle. This is important, as it helps students understand that there are many ways of thinking. While some ideas may be more popular than others, they are all valid in their own right.

Social media has also become an important tool for student learning. It gives kids access to information they may not find anywhere else. Examples of this are peer-reviewed articles from experts in their field of interest, podcasts from experts in other areas, videos from around the globe that showcase different countries’ cultures, and more.  A study reveals that TikTok has become a popular medium for learning pronunciation among students. 

Another benefit of social media platforms is that they allow students to connect with others who share the same interests and hobbies as them. For example: A student who loves photography would follow a photographer on Instagram who has similar interests. This allows students to gain inspiration from other artists, which helps them develop their own style of art and become more confident about what they post online.

In addition to allowing students to access high-quality education, which they might not have been able to do due to physical distance or financial constraints, it also allows them to enter into fields where there is high demand, but low supply. 

While social media can be a great educational resource, it is essential to keep learners safe online. Check out this webinar addressing the cybersecurity of students.

For Educators

Additionally, social media is changing how educators teach. Teachers are using social media as a tool for creating lesson plans and communicating with students outside of school hours. According to a recent study, teachers and professors are finding new, innovative ways to use social media to engage students and further their educational development.

Teachers are using social media to connect with other educators and share ideas about teaching methodologies or best practices. They can also use these platforms to see what their peers are doing in other schools across the country or around the world. It can help them improve their own teaching style — especially when it comes to incorporating new technologies into their classrooms.

In fact, many schools now have policies in place that encourage teachers to use social media as part of their curriculum. Schools want teachers to utilize the wealth of resources available on platforms like YouTube and Twitter. They use it as a way to communicate with families about school events and policies.

Another benefit of social media is its ability to help teachers create engaging lessons that engage students holistically through interactive activities like quizzes or polls, which can be accessed via mobile devices. Teachers can also use social media tools like Twitter or Instagram to share interesting articles or videos with their classes so that everyone stays up-to-date on current events.

Teachers are using social media to reach out to parents, who are more involved in their children’s education than ever before. Parents are also able to use this technology to ask questions about schoolwork or assignments and receive answers from their child’s teacher immediately.

In these ways, social media helps reshape our understanding of the world around us. It constantly reveals new ways in which to further education for all.

Square Panda’s programs and services equips children with the knowledge and skills needed for successful classroom learning, and consequently empowers them to embrace lifelong learning in dynamic environments. Moreover, we empower teachers to contribute significantly in this regard, augmenting the student learning experience. 

To know more about our varied methodologies and pedagogical approaches, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

Teachers have always been at the forefront of the education system, greatly responsible for shaping young minds and preparing them for life. With the internet and other technologies taking over, the education system is changing considerably. Online classes and virtual schools have replaced some of the old classroom setups. Mobile devices and electronic documents have elevated note-taking to a whole new level. Educators now have to fully embrace the technology revolution to keep their students ahead of the curve. 

Teachers who don’t engage in continuous professional development can fall behind their peers and feel less confident in their ability to provide a great learning environment for students. Continuous Professional Development helps teachers keep up with the latest developments in their field. It means they can provide more engaging lessons relevant to today’s students. It also allows them to develop new skills and techniques that will help them become better educators overall.

The most common type of professional development is on-the-job training. In this, the teachers learn how to use new technology or techniques while working with students. This type of training often occurs through workshops or classes offered by professional organizations.

Other types of Professional Development include:

• Mentor programs in which experienced educators work one-on-one with new teachers to give them advice and guidance about how to improve their teaching skills
• Summer institutes that provide intensive courses over several weeks
• Internships where new teachers work under the supervision of an experienced mentor who guides them through the process of teaching a class for a set period.
• On-site programs where teams from different schools come together for workshops or seminars focused on specific topics, like classroom management or instructional strategies.

Instead of simply observing, teachers committed to continuing their growth and development engage in a myriad of professional opportunities. They seek conferences, workshops, online training classes, or e-learning courses to expand their knowledge and skills.

With Continuous Professional Development, Teachers Can:

✏️ Learn New Skills

Continuous Professional Development allows teachers to learn new skills and techniques. Teachers who take part in professional development courses often learn how to improve their teaching methods and techniques. They also comprehend how to create lesson plans and other resources that can be used in the classroom. This helps them improve their ability as educators and helps them better teach their students. 

Besides, teachers also experience more confidence in their teaching abilities because they know they are up to date with the latest developments in education. This allows them to feel more comfortable when teaching a new topic or concept, making it easier for them to engage with their students and explain concepts clearly.

✏️ Better Understand Student Needs

Effective professional development programs help teachers identify learning objectives for each lesson before they begin teaching it. They also allow teachers to reflect on how well-designed lessons met their objectives, including how much time was spent on each objective, what worked well, why specific techniques were successful or unsuccessful, etc. The goal is to make every lesson as effective as possible by identifying what works best with different groups of students at different times in their education.

✏️ Increase Knowledge about Effective Practices

There are so many new initiatives being implemented in schools every year, along with the ongoing challenges faced by all educators. With Continuous Professional Development opportunities, teachers get access to information about these initiatives and how they might impact their classroom practice. 

Additionally, teachers have better relationships with their colleagues and other professionals because they understand how other people work and think about specific topics or issues related to teaching. This can help them collaborate with other professionals on projects at school or within the local community, which means there is more opportunity for students to benefit from their expertise too!

Professional Development Opportunities

Continuous Professional Development allows teachers to find ways to improve their teaching style and increase their knowledge base. This means there is always an opportunity for teachers who want to learn more about teaching or expand their knowledge base on a particular subject matter or topic area, whether it’s math or science or another subject area applicable in the classroom setting. Continuous Professional Development allows teachers to find opportunities that they may not have otherwise found if they weren’t participating in these ongoing efforts.

Teachers are responsible for the well-being of their students and for ensuring that they succeed in their studies. With professional development, teachers can learn new ways to engage with students so they don’t feel like they’re just lecturing at the front of the room. They can also learn how to work with children from different backgrounds than them—for example, if they’re teaching English as a second language, which is often required in most schools across rural India today.

Through these mechanisms, and more, Continuous Professional Development helps teachers stay at the forefront of an ever-evolving education landscape, and help young learners realize their full potential. 

Anganwadi workers are women who work in government-run childcare centers across India. A large number of these women come from low-income households themselves, and therefore face financial constraints when it comes to completing their education or acquiring new skills that could help them improve their quality of life. Square Panda India’s Anganwadi Workers Upskilling Program aims to empower Anganwadi workers, enabling teachers to upskill their talent and knowledge to help them deliver better services, while our Educator Empowerment Programs equip teachers with the skills and knowledge required to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. 

To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

Here are some useful videos to explore the topic further:
Prerequisites of a Preschool Teacher
Supporting Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development with Edtech
How To Support Educators In Their Changing Roles

You may also be interested in reading some of our blogs on teacher training:
3 Things Teachers can do to Improve Teaching Kindergarten Online
4 Ways Formative Assessments Can Enhance Your Teaching
Creating Self-Paced Classrooms through Curriculum Design

We hope that you enjoyed our post on National Curriculum Framework. If you have any tips or suggestions please leave a comment below. If you would like to collaborate with us, you can drop us a mail on marketing@squarepanda.in.

Follow us so that you never miss out on any updates:
Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | KOO

Empathy is a critical skill for every human being to have. It is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. To be empathetic, one must be able to imagine themselves in another person’s shoes. Thus feeling what that person is feeling. Anyone can learn empathy through practice and experience. We are all born with the capacity for empathy. But we often need to nurture it to grow into a full-blown skill.

Empathy maps are visual tools that explore the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of a particular population. We can use them to learn how a particular population processes information and makes decisions. They are based on the principle that we humans make decisions based on our emotions, not our intellect.

In education, an empathy map is a simple, easy-to-understand visual that captures knowledge about a student’s behaviours and attitudes. Using empathy maps, educators have a better chance of relating and connecting with students, which leads to more effective teaching practices. The empathy map consists of four quadrants: 

• thinks/says
• feels/needs
• does/goes/seek
• hears/sees

As a teacher or adult interacting with the student frequently throughout the day, you can capture insights about them in these different quadrants. We can use it to understand a student with whom you have a troubled relationship. We can employ empathy maps to build a relationship with any student you don’t know well yet.

For example, what does this student say to his or her peers? How does he or she act when her team is struggling with a problem? What does he or she look like when she is happy? 

Empathy Maps allow teachers to put themselves into the shoes of their students. They can then better understand what students need from them. A teacher may ask students questions about their learning experience and then record their responses on a map to make it easier to analyze the data.

How do Empathy Maps help Teachers?

Empathy Maps do not replace in-depth assessments or other methods for understanding students’ needs. They provide a framework for educators to go beyond conversations with students and generate more meaningful results. These results contribute to improved design, courses, and programs. 

These maps help teachers see things from the perspective of their students. They also aid in developing an emotionally supportive learning environment. By understanding what they need and want, teachers can provide more engaging lessons that cater to the specific interests and goals of their learners.

It is essential for educators not only to know how students feel, but also why they feel this way. Thus, Empathy Maps should include reasons behind emotions expressed by students during classes. With such information at hand, educators can adjust their lesson plans accordingly to address students’ needs and promote a positive classroom atmosphere.

Benefits of Using Empathy Maps:

The use of Empathy Maps promotes the development of emotional intelligence in students. They become more attentive to others and get new skills in communication. In addition, this approach encourages interpersonal relationships and personal growth and development.

This benefits learners in many ways, including:

• It helps learners put themselves in someone else’s shoes, and see things from another person’s perspective. By developing greater empathy, learners can better understand the world around them and work collaboratively.
• It helps them get to know each other better as team members. Having a learner complete his or her Empathy Map can help other members understand that person better. 
• You may be asked to work with someone who is not part of your usual team. They may have a chance to see your perspective in a new way and generate ideas about how best to work together.

By using a variety of unique approaches and pedagogical tools, Square Panda India helps people across the education ecosystem realize their full potential through the transformative capabilities of EdTech. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

We hope that you enjoyed our post on empathy maps. If you have any tips or suggestions please leave a comment below. If you would like to collaborate with us please reach out to us on marketing@squarepanda.in.

Here is the link of our social media channels:
Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

Here is a list of our other blog posts that may interest you:
Six Tips to Help Children Cope with Stress
Overcoming The Gendered Digital Divide Through Education In India
3 Ways ICT Labs Can Equip Students To Be Better Learners

With a seemingly constant stream of new technologies transforming education, schools have regularly upgraded their computer labs to keep up with the changing times. However, with more schools switching from traditional curriculums to blended learning classes, computer labs are being phased out in favour of technological advances.

As technology increasingly impacts how we live our lives in an ever-evolving world order, the need for students to enter the workforce with robust technology skills has become a critical component of our curricula. Computers and technology permeate all aspects of daily life, so it only makes sense that students should have access to them in school. 

One of the best ways for students to gain these skills is by creating computer labs. ICT Labs not only focus on technical education, but also helps develop soft skills like teamwork, leadership skills, and presentation skills. ICT Labs aim to produce better learners by providing them with a healthy mix of academic and technological learning.

These ICT laboratories have been modified and modernized to meet current industry standards. For instance, the Ranchi district administration will soon unveil digitized laboratories in government schools as part of a pilot project to increase students’ digital education. Each tab has educational apps that provide general information and the course materials specific to each teacher’s class. The idea is to give students access to digital learning materials at the click of a button.

Here are 3 ways that ICT Labs can be great enablers of education.

👉 Desktop Computers Have More to Offer

Full-sized workstations offer greater power and more display space than smaller mobile devices. They provide a more comprehensive array of software options and offer greater support for the heavy-duty graphics cards used in virtual reality and 3D visualizations. These computers tend to be more expensive than laptops, and are best suited to students needing more screen real estate and processing power. Virtual reality headsets are increasingly used for experiential learning in schools and colleges in India. For instance, some students of Smt. Godavari Devi Saraf Senior Secondary School in Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh is using VR headsets to learn how the human heart works, which is more than what a textbook chapter can teach.

👉 ICT Labs ensure Equal Access

With digital technologies playing an increasingly vital role in learning, educators have struggled to ensure that all students have equal access to resources and opportunities. In addition to disparities in technology access among children, there are also differences in parents’ levels of technology fluency. School computer labs ensure that all children get to use computers until they get a dedicated laptop or a tablet. Most schools have recognized the value of having dedicated lab time, where students can learn basic computing skills and use the internet and software applications.

👉 Computers Supplement Classroom Learning

Computer labs provide an opportunity to explore a world of knowledge beyond the required classroom curriculum. They can help develop soft skills and introduce concepts that aren’t learned in class, mainly because classroom teachers have a wide-ranging curriculum to explore in a limited period of time. School computer labs are the perfect complement and enhancement tool for classroom learning.

Computer skills include how to use word-processing programs, utilize spreadsheets, navigate the Internet, send and receive email messages, create multimedia presentations, and many more skills. Rather than relying on self-instruction, computer labs in schools can provide an ideal location for students to learn and practice their skills in a safe, controlled environment.

At Square Panda India, we understand the importance of equipping educators with technological and digital skills for today’s classroom. Our educator empowerment programs include basic training about ICT Labs and cyber safety, where we include topics about introducing fun, relevant digital tools to the school. We want to empower educators by giving them the knowledge and skills needed for the current 21^st-century classrooms. To know more, visit https://www.squarepanda.in/

The pandemic has altered almost every area of our daily lives. Teachers and students, in particular, have had to adapt to online education, which has proved difficult for many learners. Educators agree that online courses are no substitute for in-person learning experiences. In 2018, the New York Times reported that online classes do not allow for the same level of individual attention as in-person classes, and children studying online perform worse than those directly studying with teachers.

Despite this, some students have managed to thrive by embracing this remote style of learning. Learning styles can be deeply individual, and students who respond well to online learning usually have a strong sense of independence and self-motivation. Those students often choose this learning style because they can work at their own time and pace.

Let’s look at why some kids are succeeding in online learning.

👉 Self-Paced Learning

There is a lot of flexibility in online learning. The choice to learn at your own pace instead of being forced to go through the material in a certain way can help you stay focused and attentive. Therefore, students who do well in self-paced, flexible learning situations thrived while learning online. It allowed students to remain focused and attentive to course materials. Students could take any past classes they may have missed or repeat them as many times as needed. Anytime students wanted to repeat a lesson, they could replay it at their own pace, allowing them to fully comprehend the material and gain an understanding that would not be found in a classroom setting.

👉 More Time, Less Distraction

It is not an overstatement to say that today’s students had a grueling schedule in a pre-pandemic world. They attended school and were also expected to manage different extracurricular activities, such as sports and arts, alongside their classes. In addition to this, most students had to receive additional support from private tuitions and preferred going to these sessions in the evening or on weekends. As a result of the pandemic lockdown, many students had to curtail social activities, focusing on their online courses and studies, which proved to be beneficial for many.

👉 Mental Well-Being

Mental health is an integral part of overall wellbeing, and it varies from person to person. Regardless of the child’s age, some students may suffer from anxiety about going to school or the thought of being in a physical classroom where they feel uncomfortable. For these students, online schooling provided the opportunity to learn without all the pressures and expectations of being in an actual classroom. Even if they weren’t able to keep up with their classes at first, they were still able to complete their assignments at a later time without worrying about falling behind.

👉 Family Support

While it is widely known that school-based interactions and relationships with peers helps develop a child’s academic and emotional well-being, many children thrived while learning remotely. Parents play a significant role in how well their children flourish at school. Since online learning was new for children, many parents were actively involved with their children’s education. Most children were able to cope well with the demands of online learning because parents assisted them with the technology being used. This helped in boosting their child’s self-esteem and confidence.

The Bottom Line

There are several reasons why some kids thrive during remote learning, but it’s important to remember that every child is different. It’s never a good idea to compare your child with others or expect them to perform just as well as their peers in every subject area. While the thought of virtual schooling may have been far from parents’ minds when it first emerged, they can now view it as a viable alternative to attending classes physically in school, for now and the foreseeable future.

Our comprehensive interventions span across the lifetime of a child’s education journey, and impact multiple factors that influence a child’s educational achievement – such as learning, teacher support, parent support, educational infrastructure, access to technology, health & exposure to other skills. 

To know how our array of products and programs improve learning outcomes from pre-primary through secondary grades, visit ecce.squarepanda.in/ 

You might not think it, but room arrangements can actually make a big difference on a student’s performance. As a learning environment, it’s not too surprising that flexibility impacts success by putting the student at the center. Flexible room layouts allow for a more student-centric teaching and learning methodology. In fact, flexibility can be a driver for increased engagement and performance in students, teachers and the school as a whole.

Let’s understand what flexible classrooms are

Flexible classrooms are an innovative idea that strikes a balance between the two dominant educational paradigms: traditional classrooms (with rows of desks), and project-based problem-oriented learning. Each flexible room has its own unique set of features. Children and teachers adjust them to suit the activities they choose to complete while in those spaces. Because no two flexible-space classrooms are alike, and children who study in them may be from different grades, each flexible-space classroom presents unique challenges for those working in them.

Flexible learning spaces are not one-size-fits-all, nor are they static. There is no one right way to set up a flexible classroom; every teacher should decide what works best for them and their students. Below are some of its features:

✏️ Movable Furniture

A flexible classroom allows for the movement of furniture, creating a variety of seating arrangements to best suit a variety of different classroom activities, such as lectures, small group discussions, and lab exercises. The classroom arrangement depends on the curriculum and purpose for which it is being used. In addition, furniture should be comfortable, durable and sized appropriately for students.

Flexible classrooms are designed to give students choices about where they work and how they learn. For example, if a student wants to collaborate with other students on a project, they can move desks into a circle so that all members can be involved in the discussion. If another student needs space from others or wants time alone to concentrate on an assignment, they can choose a quiet corner or workstation away from the group activity.

✏️ Storage Spaces

A flexible classroom has shelves or storage bins for each child’s belongings to avoid clutter around the room. There also might be a little kitchen area where children can make snacks and keep their lunch readily available.

✏️ Technology Integration

The current generation of learners have grown up with technology. They expect it to be part of their learning experience. They live in an interactive world where mobile technology allows them to connect with others continually, access information quickly, and multitask daily. It’s also essential to have technology available to support a flexible classroom layout, where students have the freedom to decide how they organize their time, space, tools and activities.

The technology used in the classroom takes many forms, including interactive whiteboards, projectors, document cameras, computers, and digital recorders. Technology will enable teachers to present content in numerous ways and engage students in hands-on learning activities.

✏️ Display Areas

Display areas also provide opportunities to revisit past lessons and concepts. Children’s work is displayed throughout the room to showcase student effort and encourage peer review. 

✏️ Supportive Materials

Flexible classrooms contain various instructional materials that support multiple learning styles and interests. Materials may include elements such as blocks or number tiles,  audiovisual aids such as videos and games, science kits, art supplies, maps, musical instruments, dress-up clothes, and dramatic play props such as puppets or play money, sports equipment, etc.

It’s important for teachers not just to allow flexibility, but also make use of it themselves. While some instruction will happen at the front of the room, for example, during whole-class discussions, teachers may occasionally move around the classroom while teaching and checking student progress.

The Bottom Line

Formal learning spaces are becoming more flexible and informal, creating a blend of work and lifestyle. While traditional classrooms are the most used learning spaces, they do not offer all the elements desired in a flexible learning space. A study has shown that flexible classrooms provide increased collaboration, more engaging material delivery mechanisms, close proximity between students, and teacher workstations that are not separate from students. Flexible classrooms can help create the right environment for learning for students and educators, and it is something that teachers and institutions everywhere need to closely consider when setting up their classrooms, for it can create a joyful learning environment.

Inclusive classrooms will be the norm in the near future. Educational institutions are already taking steps toward more-flexible spaces for students of all learning styles. Our programs are designed considering the differences in students’ learning styles and how teachers can be flexible in their approach to stay relevant and in tune with the needs of each student. To know more, visit, ecce.squarepanda.in.

Formative assessments are a vital component of effective classroom instruction. Rather than using only summative assessments to grade student achievement and development (e.g., administering the same maths test at the beginning of the year, again in May, and again in June), there is a growing emphasis on attempting to gauge student’s understanding throughout the year to influence teachers’ lesson planning and classroom environment. In this way, the formative assessment focuses on developing students’ learning each day instead of testing their knowledge at the end of each learning block.

With this in mind, the Telangana government plans to bridge knowledge gaps through formative assessments. The three R’s, reading, writing and arithmetic, will be taught to students as part of a comprehensive program that aims to improve education standards. The lessons will take place over three hours during February, with regular teaching sessions.

Using a variety of assessments over the week will allow you to keep track of student progress and pinpoint areas in which they have not yet mastered curriculum. Here are some strategies that can enable you to accurately determine whether your students have learned what you taught them, allowing you to tailor future instruction for their needs.

Types of Assessment Strategies Teachers can use:

📍 Summarize

Learning requires students to step back, evaluate what they have learned, and reflect on it. During the formative assessment, you should ask students to make sense of what they have learned, derive personal meaning from their learning experiences, and increase their metacognitive skills.

📍 Visual Representation

Presenting information in a visual format often serves as a practical learning tool. Graphical representations of information help people to make connections and increase memory, facilitating retrieval of information later on when needed. When presenting textual information in a diagram, chart, graph or other visual representation, including text, reinforce each lesson’s meaning. This helps teachers address differences in learning style and types of knowledge of children.

📍 Exit Cards

The use of exit tickets is one of the easiest formative assessments you can implement in your classroom. Exit cards are an opportunity to collect data on students’ immediate grasp of a concept that they have just received in extensive group instruction or small group activity. For example, with reading comprehension, students may be asked to summarize a story or draw a visual representation of what the text says about a particular topic.

Benefits of Formative Assessment:

📍 Define Learning Goals

Students need to set and meet learning goals. This helps them regularly check their progress, ensuring they haven’t strayed off course. It gives you a platform to periodically check in with students as a teacher. This fosters a communication culture to ensure that all students are on track and helps you redirect any potential misunderstandings early on so that your lesson stays on track from beginning to end.

📍 Focused Feedback

Regardless of the subject or lesson a teacher prepares for their students, there will always be gaps in understanding. Providing descriptive feedback will give you a detailed account of what students can observe while working on particular tasks. This type of feedback provides teachers with information regarding how students approach a task, whether they are maintaining their focus, and how they are working to reach their goals.

📍 Personalized Learning

Formative assessment is an ongoing practice in which continuous data is collected from your students to determine how effective a teacher’s instruction is. Through this system, the teacher can assess student understanding, make judgments about the success of their instructional strategies, and provide additional instruction when needed. Each person learns at different rates and to varying levels of understanding. Within this scenario, a teacher’s challenge is to create strategies that instruct each student at the right level and helps them achieve their educational objectives.

📍 Self-Paced Learning

Research shows that constructive and formative feedback is an effective strategy for cultivating self-regulated learners. Chunking, previewing, and self-checking are three essential prerequisites to becoming an independent and successful learner. A unique combination of instructions, practice, assessment and feedback provides students with plenty of regulatory opportunities, helping them develop into successful learners.

Square Panda India’s comprehensive programs utilise formative assessments to motivate and inspire students. This helps them realise their full potential while keeping them actively engaged and motivated to continue learning in a joyful manner. To know more visit, https://ecce.squarepanda.in/

As parents, we all want high grades for our kids, and no one wants to see their child struggling in school. But sometimes, things just don’t work out that way. There are few things more frustrating than seeing our kids spending so much time with their homework and trying so hard, but not getting the grades they deserve for all that effort. Now, it might be tempting to scold them for not studying better or longer—but aren’t there enough stressors on kids already?

The first step to building an effective study routine is identifying the problem areas that most frequently sabotage your child’s ability to learn and retain information. Once you understand where your child is struggling and what techniques they need to stay focused, the process of creating a study routine can help them build skills for academics that will last and serve them well.

Here are some reasons why your child might have trouble studying effectively:

• Lack of Planning: Students who do not plan their time effectively will often have trouble with deadlines and miss opportunities to get good grades. Lack of planning leads to disorganization, making it hard to stick to a study schedule and commit enough time for a task.
• Hesitant to Clear Doubts: Students are reluctant to seek answers to their doubts, as they fumble over a lack of clarity about how such queries should be raised. They fail to clarify whether the teacher can be approached personally or during a proper time slot. While the bigger class size and more number of students can make the task of teachers really difficult, the lack of confidence in oneself and the fears that one’s query might be repeated by someone else could be other reasons why students refrain from asking questions.
• Poor Results despite Efforts: Children are typically assigned numerous tasks at school and are instructed to study specific topics. However, these instructions might not be sufficient for the students to reap the maximum benefits from their study time. Even for the really bright kids, getting good grades is a constant concern that haunts them. Therefore, it is essential for you to understand your child’s study habits and how they learn best.

Below are strategies that could be hidden in plain sight, which can help young people develop the skills they need to learn that bit better!

📍 Leverage New Technology

In the 21st century, learning is no longer confined to books and classrooms. With internet connectivity reaching almost every household, it has become possible for children to learn from the comfort of their homes through the available learning platforms. Help your child use their educational apps and study platforms with gamification at its core. Game-based learning has shown positive results, especially in areas where students find otherwise tedious subjects interesting. By choosing the right learning platform for your child, you can increase their interest in specific topics and help develop their cognitive abilities.

📍 Remove Distractions

For most students, distractions are everywhere and can interrupt the learning process when it comes to studying. The biggest distractions in a student’s environment are often their mobile phones, iPads, or television. To keep these things at bay, it’s helpful for parents to find a place for studying where there is no television or other distractions. One way to do this is by setting up your child in a designated study area to focus on their homework without the worry of being disturbed. 

📍 Encourage Short Breaks

Studying for too long can cause symptoms of “brain fade”. Brain fade occurs when your child feels like they are losing concentration, or their brain just doesn’t want to focus anymore. In order to avoid brain fade, parents should encourage their children to take occasional breaks while studying. Recent studies have shown that taking a break during learning is vital for the brain to be able to absorb and retain information.

📍 Encourage Play and Sleep

The world today is a rat race for all. There is no room for error, and every kid feels pressure to be the best they can be. But as parents, we need to understand that our kids are going through a crucial stage in their lives where they need the best possible care. It’s crucial for them to have an active social life and an active lifestyle outdoors. Encourage your kid to play sports and allow them to have a good night’s sleep. When kids are outside playing and having fun, they tend to keep themselves free from worries, which keeps them relaxed. Research has proven that kids sleep better after playing, thus helping them perform better at school the next day.

📍 Appreciate Them

Positive parenting is one of the best ways to raise happy children. While it’s good to put your child in a time-out now and then, helping your child see that their behaviour leads to positive consequences will help them build effective study habits. Kids love to be praised for their efforts and achievements, regardless of whether it’s a big or small win. Celebrating even the smallest of victories can be just the encouragement they need to keep going.

Square Panda India employs a unique learning approach that makes the learning journey engaging, joyful, and often more productive than traditional studying methods. We do this by utilizing techniques like gamified learning, group work, mixed activities, and utilising a personalised adaptive learning platform to adapt content and curriculum to the unique needs of each child. Our programs help children discover and develop the best study habits. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

Just as all of us are unique in our own ways, so too are our learning requirements and journeys. Simply put, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to educational delivery. With the national debate over standards and “teach to the test” performance at an all-time high, alternative education facilities like self-paced curriculum are needed more than ever. 

But questions abound; such as 

• How do you create a self-paced curriculum? 
• What is individualized instruction? 
• How can you incorporate self-paced tasks into your course? 
• What are some of the positives and potential challenges of self-paced learning?

These are questions frequently encountered by course designers. After all, it’s essential to design a learning module that allows students to learn seamlessly at their own pace. When children can determine the duration and speed of their learning, it increases their retention of learning, and helps them become motivated to soak up knowledge at a rate that is comfortable for them. However, not all students work at the same pace or have the same motivation level. This is where a self-paced curriculum works best. 

So, what is Self-paced Curriculum?

At its core, it is a way to organize students into an interactive learning environment that encourages responsibility and accountability. This form of management creates a different type of energy and activity in the classroom, where each student’s contribution is essential to the learning process. A Forbes study emphasized the importance of self-paced learning, where several schools have adapted this model to make changes in their curriculum.

Below are a few benefits of having a self-paced classroom:

• Students of all ages can find success with a self-study model that caters to the needs of each individual. They can focus their attention on the most relevant material based on personal interest, thus reducing feelings of frustration, anxiety, and boredom in an otherwise rigid classroom environment.
• The self-paced format lets students take responsibility for their learning, construct their study plans, and pursue goals at an independent pace. This keeps the momentum by regularly reviewing the materials and organizing their time.
• Self-directed curriculum allows students to control their learning. Self-directed students benefit from learning-management systems that give them real-time data on test performance, in addition to insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
• Students are inspired to learn more when they can move at their own pace and take control of their learning. They will try new things, take on challenges, and experience new insights.

So to help you create a self-paced curriculum design, keep the following principles in mind:

📍 Keep the Content Simple

The number one reason most students fail to finish an online course successfully is that they get overwhelmed with the amount of content presented. We all want students to take ownership of their learning and use the instructional time constructively. However, overly complex content discourages learning, making it difficult for students to use the site effectively, ultimately doing more harm than good. No matter how great your content is, no one wants to navigate a mindless maze just to get to what they need. These four things can help you avoid this pitfall:

• When designing your online curriculum, it’s essential to keep the navigation as simple and streamlined as possible.
• Don’t add more information than is necessary. Keep it simple by giving one instruction at a time.
• Reduce the need for students to click or scroll by embedding content into each screen to avoid distractions.
• To keep students on track, keep your directions short and precise.

📍 Keep the Content Organized

If you have been teaching for a while, the chances are that you have encountered students who haven’t followed your instructions. They ended up confused about assignments and learning material, and often frustrated that they could not locate what they needed. 

One way of resolving this is better organization. Whether you’re a high school teacher, college professor or home tutor, you’ll want to keep your important material organized and easily accessible. For instance, label file folders with the course name and number, and save lesson plans in labelled files on your computer desktop. Course organization should not be an afterthought — or worse, a quick fix at the end of a development project when it becomes clear the course still lacks structure. Instead, course organizations should be part of the development process, not just a “fix-it” final check. 

📍 Give Clear and Consistent Directions

Students need a road-map to help them accomplish the task at hand and reach the final destination. Good communication practices make it easier for students to know how to find their directions and expectations. Many teachers wait too long to begin setting classroom expectations and communicating how the classroom functions. 

It can be challenging for students to adjust if you randomly tell them what is expected behaviour in a classroom and what happens if the homework assignments are not clearly posted or explained. Provide your students with well-written lessons, activities, and projects. Instruct them in sound techniques of research and grammar. Students must learn to respect deadlines and follow directions.

At Square Panda India, our team of experts develop adaptive, self-paced curriculum that joyfully engages children throughout their learning journey. Our programs are tailored to deliver improved learning outcomes that can be measured and provide a more holistic educational experience. To learn more, visit our website – ecce.squarepanda.in