The Internet ‘knows it all’! There is an ocean of information available on the net going beyond definitions and paragraphs in the school textbooks. When students are encouraged to research online, they have a better opportunity to delve deeper into the Scientific ‘topics’ and gain confidence. Nowadays, most schools across the world, including Dubai in the Middle East and GCC nations, allow children to use laptops during break-out sessions so that they can refer to the net for learning purposes.

A proper Google search can clarify doubts that the learner might have while studying about say; ‘Newton’s Laws of Motion’ or ‘atomic physics’. One even feels more prepared to attempt collating a research paper for submission to school and answer lengthy subjective exam questions effortlessly.

However, there is no formal training available on how ‘research’ needs to be conducted on Google. There isn’t a step-wise guide that tells you what to do next! Unfortunately, the student usually resorts to using a trial and error method to get to the core of finding a satisfactory conclusion to their doubts.

Through this blog, we aim to highlight simple methods that will ease your burden as a prudent researcher and save oodles of time on deciding which web pages to refer to and which ones to ignore.

Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar functions pretty much like the normal search engine, except that Google Scholar helps in searching special ‘Scholarly Literature’ from the web. By using just one platform you can search across many different articles, books, theses, and even review popular opinions by academic scholars. Students can look up for ‘up to date’ content, without worrying about its authenticity and can trust it to be relevant in the current scenario.

Keep it Simple

A lengthy search phrase will only create more confusion. Using numerous ‘and’ and ‘or’ in the sentence while trying to link up too many topics under one search query, will leave you with a dissatisfied search. Be crisp and clear with what you want to learn about and try to type it in 4 – 5 words max. Example: Anatomy of Human Heart.

Search effectively

Keying in the appropriate ‘term’ leads you exactly to what you want to learn about so that you can proceed with the findings. Follow these simple steps to refine your searches:

Use Quotes

When you look for a phrase or a term, put it in quotes – “Properties of Matter.” This will help the search engine find the query exactly as you typed it.

Use Hyphens

When there are words that may have multiple meanings such as; ‘bark’, then you need to let Google know which ‘bark’ you are NOT looking for by placing a ‘hyphen’ before the word. For example: (bark -dog) is understood that you are NOT referring to a dog’s bark in the statement, but instead you want to know more about the bark of a tree.

The wildcard search

If you are unsure about the exact words to use for the search, Google gives you an option to put the guesswork in asterisk. Example: organisms are made up of *matter* – here the student is unsure what an organism is made of, so he adds a generic word *matter*. Google will find results: Organisms are made up of cells – which is the correct phrase.

Use CRAAP Test

CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. It helps the student gain more confidence in the ‘search links’ by checking their authenticity. By applying CRAAP you can find out if the information published is up-to-date, related to the topic, and if it’s been written by a knowledgeable person.

Currency

• When was the information created?
• Is it up-to-date?
• Has the content been revised?

Relevance

• Did the search query give you the exact information you were looking for?
• Is the source credible?

Authority

• What is the credibility of the author or creator?
• Where does the author belong to? Is he from the US, UAE, or some other region?
• Are the organizational references correctly given to the author?
• Is the author qualified enough to write an article on this topic?

The above tips will come handy when the student needs to present a project in class, submit a whitepaper or just prepare for an upcoming exam. It’s always good to have extra knowledge, rather than stick to the verses of a textbook.

For a subject like Science, while students indeed have fun performing experiments on physics & biology, using Carolina’s lab kits in school, they can back this up by referencing authentic scholarly articles & thesis by renowned Science experts and researchers to immerse wholeheartedly into detailed understanding.

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Pressure from school and high expectations from parents, can add to the exam stress most students have to undergo. Generally, students aren’t very fond on studies, and avoid doing homework or revising concepts taught in class until the very last minute. The built-up overburdened study stress affects the student’s state of mind, especially before an important board examination.

Here are some tips and routine to follow before an Exam

Make a Study Schedule

Enlist all the subjects and the chapters that are to be included in the upcoming examination. Prepare a timetable for each day and try to balance out topics. For example; don’t attempt to study or revise all difficult topics in one day. Pair one easy social science topic with another difficult problem-solving sum from trigonometry.

Allocate Time for Revision

Revision is the key! The more a student practices, the easier it gets to attempt the exam paper. There are multiple mock tests available, so its wise to undertake these mock papers, so that the examinee knows exactly how much time to allocate to each section of the answer paper and is well-prepared to attempt any type of question that comes their way.

Use Unique Study Methods

If you are learning about a topic that has many stages; say for example; the lifecycle of a butterfly, use flashcards and draw each stage on a separate flashcard. Write the explanation at the back of the flashcard, and this is how students are most likely to remember the step-wise patterns. You could also try to concise the main pointers and make keywords; like VIBGYOR is the abbreviation that helps one remember the 7 colors of a rainbow. Watching videos and reading novels to get a better understanding of the concept, also works well.

Make Study Notes

Research shows that when you write down points, you are likely to remember the facts for a longer period. Especially in the age of digital information, where most students are glued to laptops and notepads, usage of pen & paper has become rare. However, writing on paper not only helps retain information, but also improves the student’s handwriting, thereby preparing to create a better impression for the examiner.

Minimize Distractions

Ban the usage of smartphones, so that one doesn’t spend too much time browsing through social media platforms, which is a complete waste of time. Also do not touch that TV remote, until exams are over. Pack those video games and place it on the topmost shelf of your cupboard! Utilize time to meaningfully study, by avoiding any sort of unwanted distraction.

Practice Yoga & Meditation

Even a 45-minute routine of yoga & meditation goes a long way in helping students re-focus. Yoga helps improve concentration and meditation calms the mind. Especially for students who are hyper and have low concentration levels, yoga & meditation helps manifold. Simply sit in one place with your legs crossed and observe your breath.

Get Enough Sleep

A good night’s sleep is essential, if you don’t want to pass out during an exam. A sound sleep is a must to help the brain retain information and get the clarity & focus required on exam day.

Eat Healthy & Stay Hydrated

Eating a well-balanced meal that includes proteins, fibers, and carbohydrates, helps the body and mind stay active through the day. Especially when you are dedicating extra effort to work your memory overtime just before an exam, one needs good nutrition to stay physically strong and mentally alter.

Markezy is a powerful, innovative digital platform that enhances the education experience by bringing valuable technology for student assessments. The tools help not only in evaluating but also in analyzing how students perform. Markezy allows students, parents, and educators to notice knowledge gaps, provide quick feedback and achieve the best outcome. Markezy is integrated in schools across Dubai in the Middle East.

You can now utilize the latest technology to streamline and improve your grading system too. Thanks to Markezy! It also offers you the flexibility to accommodate a range of teaching and learning styles. To learn more about Markezy’s availability in GCC or UAE regions, visit our website: https://knowledge-hub.com/markezy/

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Adobe Photoshop is a widely used platform and is popular amongst photographers, graphic designers, web developers, 3D artists, creative artists, and other professionals across the world. As many as 10 million users globally, find it advantageous and extremely useful to edit images and design creatives with the help of Photoshop. The demand for marketing collaterals and social media creatives have created lucrative job opportunities in the market for design experts. So, why not catch them young, and get students familiarized with the basics of Photoshop?

Like a blank canvas, Photoshop allows you to explore limitless opportunities. From the slightest editing to designing complex Infographics from scratch, it is all achievable on Photoshop. Let’s find out the versatility of this platform, and how one can make use of it.

Graphic Designing

A graphic designer basically visualizes an artwork and puts it together by adding text, visuals, and pictures, into one frame. Photoshop aids in helping designers mix & match various elements and create a beautiful illustration that can be used as a marketing collateral or a social media image, to communicate a story that the brand is trying to build up.

Web Designing

Before getting started with coding a website, you would prefer to create a framework of what the website would look like. With Photoshop you can first make a sample of the website design, page by page, or at least a prototype of the homepage, to put the design in context before actually executing it. This process makes it easier for the coder at the time of coding and even reduces errors.

Print Materials

For the purpose of marketing, a brand needs to have several collaterals printed like; standee, brochure, flyers, portfolios, etc. which share details about the product/service. These materials are usually designed, edited, and formatted in a print-ready format using Photoshop. Complex designs like 3-fold brochures are also conveniently curated in exact size and dimensions using Photoshop.

Videos

Can videos be edited on Photoshop? Certainly yes! Photoshop can be used to edit video, clips, and RAW format motion by performing different functions. The platform is capable of adding filters, changing effects, trimming videos, choosing frames, and adjusting color contrast.

3D

A three-dimensional object or layout looks pretty cool and adds detailing & depth to the image. 3D designs are used by interior decorators, architects, or even applied to products, to see how it looks in different angles. Did you know Photoshop has an in-built feature that allows plain text to be converted into 3D. Check out the ‘Windows’ tab on Photoshop and click ‘3D’ to add layers, shadow effects, and create textures to make the 2D into a 3D image.

Web Designing

Before getting started with coding a website, you would prefer to create a framework of what the website would look like. With Photoshop you can first make a sample of the website design, page by page, or at least a prototype of the homepage, to put the design in context before actually executing it. This process makes it easier for the coder at the time of coding and even reduces errors.

Print Materials

For the purpose of marketing, a brand needs to have several collaterals printed like; standee, brochure, flyers, portfolios, etc. which share details about the product/service. These materials are usually designed, edited, and formatted in a print-ready format using Photoshop. Complex designs like 3-fold brochures are also conveniently curated in exact size and dimensions using Photoshop.

About TechnoKids

TechnoKids is a popular computer-based curriculum that provides technology-based projects to assist teachers in classrooms. TechnoKids resources are highly customizable and the innovative projects on this platform keep children engaged. TechnoKids is incorporated in educational institutes & hobby classes across developed nations like Dubai in the Middle East.

Schools introduce the wonders of Photoshop to students in Grade 7th and above, by making use of the TechchoPhotoshop module by TechnoKids.

Learning Objective of TechnoPhotoshop to students

• Learn photo editing skills
• Adjust the color of photos and learn to crop an image
• Apply filter effect to photos
• Create a scene right from scratch and make it look real
• Use text, layers, brushes, and shapes.

The TechnoPhotoshop project includes the following materials;

• Teacher guide
• Student workbook
• Customizable resources
• Assessment tools
• Extension activities
• Templates
• Parent letter
• Certification

High School students will have a good time creating their own ‘scrapbook’ applying different filters, designs, and fonts using the Photoshop platform. Who knows, the Next Best interior designer, game developer, motion animator, or creative artist, could be your classmate! To know more about TechnoKids and its reach in the UAE market and to purchase the TechnoPhotoshop curriculum in any of the GCC regions, visit our website: https://knowledge-hub.com/senior-curriculum/

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Home is where our heart is! Then why should you have to go too far to fetch reading books for your kiddos? If you’ve always been a book nerd in your school days and wished the same habit for your children, then having a small corner dedicated to all kinds of books in your home, could be a good start!

The benefits of reading are manifold and being raised in a home with a ‘mini library’ can impact the child’s life in a positive manner. Imagine how excited your kids would be to have access to 50-100 different types of picture books, tales, biographies, and classics, in their home bookshelf. Just seeing the array of choicest books, makes them excited to go and pick one up & read it.

We bet your child will want to put aside their iPads and give reading a try, getting enticed by the fully stocked home library in the periphery vision of their eye. So, let’s raise a generation of readers, though it may sound like a tough task in this age of digitalization! One book at a time!

Here are some ways to build a great DIY home library.

Choose the Right Spot

A space that is poorly lit and has no source of natural light, is ideally not a good spot to host a library. Make sure the location you select is convenient and accessible to your child. Avoid any sort of clutter and move objects & furniture away from the library space. Also, have a small seating area, like a beanbag or a foldable chair around the reading corner, so that your kids can comfortably sit and read, be it for a few minutes, or even hours together.

Place Books Within Reach

Place books within reach, on the bottom-most and middle sections, and avoid displaying them on the topmost shelf. Your preschooler should not be taxed. Standing on toes, stretching arms, and having to pray that the book doesn’t fall down, is more like a Fear Factor task and is really demotivating. Going through rigorous rituals every time he feels like reading a book, won’t work.

Organize the Bookshelf

Start by categorizing books as per their genre; fiction, non-fiction, rhymes, and general knowledge books, etc. Place books of the same category in one section and use a divider to break the pile. Label each section of the bookshelf, so that children learn to read words & associate the book with its correct category. Vertically stacking books, the old-fashioned way is useful. Always display the book on the side which has the title & author mentioned, for easy recognition.

Rotate Books

Having a good collection of books is great, however, displaying them all on the rack is impossible. Make it a monthly exercise to rotate books that are on the shelf and place new titles on display, while the other books can be stored in the attic. Children usually tend to re-read their favorite book and miss the opportunity to try picking up other books. Therefore, patiently Introduce your child to new & more exciting book covers, and motivate them to read a variety of genres, instead of sticking to one. To learn about the latest age-appropriate reading books in the market, reference the Reading Eggs app, which allows parents to browse through over 3000 titles. This app is pretty popular in Dubai and across the Middle East and those who have been using this platform have good things to say.

Encourage Creativity

Around the reading corner have some stationary handy; markers, crayons, origami paper, etc. Encourage your little one to re-tell the tale and use props to make it more interesting & creative. Children have a vivid imagination, and you will be surprised at the enthusiasm they display in presenting the story. You can also follow up the story with an activity from the Reading Eggs app – which is available for download seamlessly across the UAE and in other GCC countries.

Now that you know how to set up a library at home, it’s time to have a fixed routine for ‘story time’ each day. Maybe 15 minutes before bedtime and 30 minutes after your child returns from school, makes for a good practice.

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