Education over the years has evolved with times, and with technology. We currently are in such a transition stage for education across the globe. With the current state the world is in, an evolution of sorts is expected with education. And tech-based learning has been at the centre of this massive overhaul of systems. Only in a short duration of its existence, tech-based learning has shown us that it holds limitless possibilities for education and information at whole. Swiftly being adopted by urban landscapes such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi from UAE and the other countries in the Middle East, tech-based learning has not only shown promise but also delivered results.

Next Education created the Next Learning Platform with the perfect blend of technology with superior pedagogy and content. Having started in 2007, Next Education has cracked the perfect approach to tech-based learning, encapsulated in the 5E Principals:

Engage

Engaging the learner is the first pillar of the 5 E approach. A learning platform that engages, is a learning platform that is effective. Research even suggests that learners that have higher engagement in the learning activity have a greater degree of attention and focus and are even highly motivated to learn the subject matter. Learning that involves engagement to the personal level of the learner even helps them have a meaningful learning experience. E-learning is able to create this higher degree of engagement with interactive media and communication that the students follow through and learn from while doing all of it on their own.

Explore

Diving deep is the only way anyone can learn in detail about any subject matter. Really exploring the concepts and topics is possible if the content is created in a flow that the learner finds appealing and interesting. The medium is also of great importance, since dynamic mediums have a simpler and straightforward user experience. The Technology with which E-Learning has advanced, allows for students to easily access and learn from the in-depth information available to them. Multiple skill sets are developed by learners in their efforts of exploration, apart from the actual topic and concept. Identifying and development of these skills takes place simultaneously as the learning progresses.

Explain

“Teaching is the best way to learn”, similarly, the Next Learning Platform allows for the learners to explain the concepts to any degree that they have understood it. This enables a round of critical thinking to take place, where the learner themself reassess their complete learning and the results of it. This ability to verbalise the concepts and bring their original ideas to life, give their learning a completely new dimension. Demonstrating these newly acquired skills and behaviours bring the student confidence in their knowledge of the subject matter, further increasing their likelihood to learn and pursue details of the subject.

Elaborate

Having a broader understanding of the subject is what brings out the actual and application of subjects. The Elaborate pillar in the 5E approach is all about building that broader understanding of concepts at large by either obtaining more information, or by refining the already developed skills. Elaboration in learning also represents forming a complete understanding of interlinked concepts and subjects. This forms the crosslinked information a learner can use and apply in their lives. Understanding the subjects in an elaborate manner also equips the learner with a broader sense around the usability of the concepts and skills learnt by them, creating a more wholesome learning experience.

Evaluate

Assessment and evaluation of learnt subjects is just as important as learning the subject itself. It helps gauge the level of understanding of the learner and in turn is a great tool in realigning learning approaches and methods, to focus on a tangible result for the learner. Evaluating is made seamless with the Next Learning Platform, as it helps understand the abilities of the learner and guides how they can be used appropriately for a better understanding and concrete learning.

The Next Learning Platform with these 5 pillars builds a holistic approach to the learning of the student, where it is not just about information processing, but about the actual growth of the learner through various subjects and experiences. This makes the Next Learning Platform a truly valuable contribution to the student and their overall learning and understanding of the world.

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Parents get incredibly excited when their little 3 and 4 year olds join pre-school and jump into the pool of learning. Children are introduced to alphabets and numbers that lead them into the world of writing, opening a gateway to languages and excellent education ahead. So, what forms the very basis for writing? Its pre-writing activities or interesting exercises that pre-schoolers are engaged with, so that they comfortably acquaint themselves and their tiny fingers before they even begin to hold a pencil. These are foundational techniques that kids develop prior to be able to write, draw, copy or colour. Pre-writing activities aid them to handle the pencil with a firm grip and effectively produce readable handwriting. This exercise fine tunes their motor skills to exert the right force and grip and use their muscle power aptly. It gets them to build their upper body strength to also hold common objects such as a toothbrush, fork and spoon, hairbrush while maintaining hand and eye coordination. It gives them the confidence to execute basic tasks every day. Let’s understand these fun exercises.

Colourful Donuts

Kids make non edible donuts with the use of colourful play dough. So, they first make balls and then flatten them to make circles and remove the centre portion for the donut hollow. This acquaints them with shapes, colours and to utilise hand strength to mould the dough into the donut. Clay is excellent for building the child’s fine motor movements

Sand Art

A heap of sand is poured in a flat tray where children manifest their imaginations. They either draw definite letters or characters or abstract designs to create a variety of sand art with their cute fingers and this eventually leads them to create art on paper or canvas using sketch pens or paint brushes. Tracing on sand is the first step before children advance to paper and crayons.

Fun with Sponges

Kids dip pieces of sponges in water buckets, then remove them and squeeze the sponges and fill the empty cups with water. This fun exercise makes them flex their hand muscles enhancing their motor skills and improves their hand eye coordination as well while they complete the task of dipping sponges and filling the cups with the squeezed water. This exercise requires concentration too.

Candle Arrangement

Children organize candles of different shapes and sizes and put them in their respective slots of the candle stand. By using their motor skills in this activity, they get a fair judgement of holding objects in their hand, understanding grip and balance and gauging their size and accordingly matching it to where it fits. The action of picking up and placing things in its correct slot requires skill and appropriate exertion of force by the fingers

Join the Dots

This fun activity makes kids know their alphabets as well as their favourite farm animals like dogs, cats, goats, sheep, rabbits and many more. The first letter of any animal is taken for example D for Dog and a dotted outline of the alphabet is made by the parent or teacher with 5 or 6 dots. Kids then use crayons or markers, get a feel and grip of holding them to join these dots, focusing on lines and curves and complete the letter and once that’s done, they also match the letter with the correct animal on the picture chart.

Lace Craft

Small holes are already cut out in pieces of chart paper by adults. Children then use shoe laces to pass through the holes. Either they pass the lace in and out from one hole to the other which is side by side or in a ‘criss cross’ or random fashion making several designs. Post this exercise they will never find it difficult to tie actual school shoe laces since they’ve mastered the motor skills for doing so.

Playing with Blocks

Kids are made aware of simple shapes while playing with blocks. They get familiar with not just lines, curves and strokes but complete shapes like squares, rectangles, triangles and circles. While at play, they join similar shapes of blocks together to make a tower and enjoy breaking and remaking it. They also learn to mix match and join different shapes together and make abstract art out of toys.

Decorate Christmas Trees

This is by far the most enjoyable activity not just for children but for one and all. Decking up the Christmas tree with several props such as stars, bells, colourful strings and ribbons, reindeers and snowmans, caps and stockings, Santa’s face and of course presents is exhilarating. Using many of these props, children sharpen their motor skills because they are performing multiple tasks together while handling these objects and learning where to put what, how to hang it, tie it, fill up something, place it correctly and make it look amazing. Highlights offers a varied range of Arts and Crafts books to explore the child’s creative side. If you haven’t already shopped for your Highlights starter packs, get yours today. Deliverable in UAE, Middle East, GCC, and Dubai, and also all over the world.

These playful activities help kids to know the handling of objects and also be familiar with alphabets, numbers and shapes. When they’ll write they will never be unprepared or low on self-esteem. Out of many things, you will see them writing their own name and age correctly with a great sense of joy.

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