Interactive whiteboards are very popular amongst schools in the UAE and GCC countries. No longer will you find teachers struggling to connect with students using outdated technology. Most schools will have one per grade at the very least. Interactive whiteboards can be a great digital tool for math learners. Similar to various other tools, the key to whiteboard effectiveness is how the educator uses this tool. They can help teachers and students interact more effectively, as well as provide visual aids to better illustrate concepts.

They are not limited in what they can show the students. Videos, PowerPoint presentations, and graphics can be used in addition to standard text-based lessons. The boards can be used to show equations, graphs, and diagrams that can help students understand difficult concepts quickly. Additionally, they allow teachers to create interactive activities that help engage students in the learning process. For example, they could use the board to create a game or quiz on a certain topic in order to reinforce the material.

Studies have shown that whiteboards can help improve student engagement and performance in maths, as well as increase the confidence of both teachers and students. Additionally, whiteboards can help with formative assessment by allowing teachers to quickly assess student understanding of topics in real-time. The student can view the teacher’s method of solving the equations or problems and also see how she pulls in additional data from the internet. Then this work can be saved and later emailed to the students for further learning or analysis.

Outside of the classroom, educators from not only Dubai but all over the Middle East, choose to use the online math’s program called Mathletics. It is the world’s leading program that uses engaging and gamified learning content. It provides complete support for school and home by offering simplified lesson planning. Teachers and parents alike benefit from its benchmarked assessments and curriculum-aligned activities appropriate for each grade. Using Mathletics data and targeted task assessments, you can positively challenge yourselves. Both these tools, Mathletics and the interactive whiteboard allow students to work together on given tasks such as labeling in geometry, solving algebraic equations, penning mathematical proofs, and interacting with virtual manipulatives.

Interactive whiteboards can be used to guide puzzled students in various ways. By allowing teachers to project images, videos, and animations onto the board, teachers can demonstrate concepts in a more appealing and simplistic manner.

Whiteboards also allow teachers to create interactive lessons with drag-and-drop activities, quizzes, and games that help students better understand the material. The smart technology of the interactive whiteboard can be used to highlight all the vital information as the class works through a lesson.

Additionally, whiteboards can be used to provide students with real-time feedback on their work by having them submit their answers directly on the board. Teachers can see the thought process of the student while he attempts to solve the problems given. This allows for an immediate assessment of student comprehension and allows for quick adjustments in instruction if needed.

Finally, interactive whiteboards provide an opportunity for collaboration between students and their peers which can further enhance their learning experience. It is especially beneficial in this virtual world where students grow up in a smart and connected world. Static chalkboards and paper worksheets can no longer hold the attention of children born into the digital era. With the click of a button, they can find a lesson they used previously. Internet connectivity to the whiteboard instantly puts a wealth of resources at the teacher’s fingertips.

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Technology is a very important component in multiple facets of our life. It is somehow connected with most things we use on a day-to-day basis. Wherever any form of learning is involved, technology plays a major role. The world is going digital and from children to adults, everyone is gradually adapting to current forms of technology whether in the Middle East or across the globe. The quintessential method of reading books as hard copies is still prevalent and we do not want to negate its benefits. However, we do want to bring to light the modern styles of reading by integrating technology with it, which also has a host of advantages for young learners. One such platform doing it so beautifully is Reading Eggs. They make learning to read interesting and engaging for kids with great online reading games and activities. They are present in Dubai in the UAE and in the GCC region. Reading Eggs covers ages 3 to 7. Children take their initiation in learning to read, practicing phonics, sight words, spelling, vocabulary, and even comprehension. They love the games, songs, golden eggs, and other rewards that motivate them to keep exploring. Children are quite receptive and are quick to adapt to use technology in newer ways. Let us give you some reasons to use technology in your reading class.

Voice and Animated Visuals

When an eBook is read to a class, instead of printed books, the children are excitedly watching the screen on their devices and are eagerly listening as the text is shown digitally with an engaging voice over with attractive clips going on simultaneously. It is definitely going to keep them hooked longer and they will be intrigued to dive further into the stories and have fun with technology-based learning. Needless to say, the screen time has to be monitored by teachers and parents, so nothing becomes of an excess usage with kids.

Amp Up the Learning

Like we do not want to nullify an actual book, likewise we do not want to do away with classic writing with pen and paper. However, when we talk of digital devices that we want children to get accustomed with, they come with tools that help children to enhance their learning process. They can digitally write and share the same text online with a mentor or a teacher and can get instant feedback on their performance. This helps especially in a remote learning situation when kids are not present in person with their educator. If it is allowed, kids can also share their work online amongst each other internally and get feedback before they submit their work to the teacher.

World of Apps

With digital devices and gadgets, tools help kids along with creative apps to elevate their learning process. It can be quite overwhelming when kids are bombarded with new words at once. Instead with certain spelling apps, the benefit they get is to categorize the words in various ways and then smartly compare the words with each other and understand the meaning thoroughly. Additionally, spell-checkers in these apps help children rectify their writing mistakes immediately and their spellings get stronger. Not only that, but it also aptly points out their grammatical errors. There are plenty of other apps like these to assist children digitally with reading and writing.

Digital is Inclusive

When it is a physical book, differently abled sight-impaired children obviously find it very difficult to cope up if they are studying in a mixed batch with other abled children. Teachers, of course, have to pay more attention to the needs of these kids. In an eBook that has enhanced and creative audio voiceovers these children do not feel lost and feel connected to what they are learning without it being a gruesome process for them and they will absolutely enjoy it. Braille books are certainly given to them but learning through audio in the digital format is so effective that it has a happy, positive, and lasting impact on them making studying wonderful for all children.

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LEGO® Education has been collaborating with educators for more than 40 years to provide engaging learning opportunities that bring concepts to life in the classroom and make learning enjoyable and effective. A broad range of tangible and digital educational tools are available to students to help them think creatively, reason logically and unleash their potential to create the future they want.

Targeted at preschool, primary, and middle schools in UAE, our teaching and hands-on learning solutions encourage interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM). These are based on the LEGO® Education system, which combines digital resources and curriculum-related content for enjoyable learning.

Physics is the science that focuses on how matter is organized and how the building blocks of the cosmos interact. In its widest definition, physics (arrived from the Greek word physikos) deals with all facets of nature, both on a macroscopic and submicroscopic scale. The nature and genesis of gravitational, electromagnetic, and nuclear force fields are all covered in this scope of study along with the behavior of things when subjected to certain forces. Its end goal is the establishment of a small set of comprehensive principles that unify and explain all of these many events.

There are a couple of concepts of physics that LEGO® Education covers through the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime module.

The science of mechanics is concerned with how objects move when they are subject to forces, including the unique situation where an object is at rest. The forces that bodies exert on one another are the primary concern in the problem of motion. The resultant nature of such forces at play leads to the study of subjects like gravity, electricity, and magnetism.

Given the forces, one can look at how bodies move when they are subjected to those forces; this is the field of mechanics. LEGO® Education covers all sorts of topics in mechanics including motion, buoyancy, tension, and much more.

What is buoyancy?

All the hydrostatic forces acting on a boat in the water together create buoyancy, which is the upward force. As the depth of the water pressure increases, the horizontal components work in opposition to one another and cancel each other out on the unit areas of the ship’s sides and bottom. Buoyancy varies with the density. For example; In the Middle East, a vessel floating in the Gulf of Aden will have a different buoyancy than the same vessel floating in the Gulf of Oman.

What is tension?

A force pair acting at either end of a component might be referred to as tension. When thinking about a rope, every component of the rope, excluding the ends, experiences tension force in both directions. Along with the force from the connected weight, the terminals feel tension on one side.

What are the types of motion?

Motion may be characterized as a shift in an object’s location with regard to time. Motion may be referred to in a variety of different scenarios, such as a book falling off a table, water running from a faucet, rattling windows, etc. There is motion even in the air we breathe due to inhalation and exhalation! The universe is a moving thing. The cosmos in which we exist is always in motion. Atoms, which are the building blocks of all matter, are always in motion. Motion of some kind underlies every physical process in the cosmos. Motion is present, whether it is quick or gradual.

Linear motion

Objects traveling in a single plane of space relative to time. Example: A car going in a straight line from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

Rotational motion

Objects traveling in two planes of space in a Circular path. For example, a satellite circumnavigating the GCC from space would be in Rotational motion.

 Oscillating motion

Any kind of motion that is active with a fixed time period would be defined as an oscillating motion.

Using hands-on learning using LEGO® Education kits for physics can be both fun and educational for your middle or high school learners.

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The last couple of years have been challenging the world over. A pandemic like this has been unprecedented but the human race has always been known to cope and adapt beautifully. There has been a great change in the way people go about their daily lives. There has been a transformation in the methods of operation not only for adults but for children as well. The Middle East has always been technologically advanced but the arrival of Covid has sped up the process of digitalizing everything. There is no task now that cannot be completed remotely and this includes learning. Although we may feel that our children have missed out on social interaction during their most impressionable years, there are also multiple advantages of trading an outdoor, physical life for an indoor, virtual one.

Parents have had to make adjustments and set up an effective module for working and schooling from home. It has been observed that homes in Dubai have always dedicated spaces inside the homes to children and their studies and now space permitting, a work-from-home- office setup. This is solely to highlight the fact that having a comfortable, dedicated spot is conducive to learning. With the whole family being at home all the time, it is imperative that a child has a dedicated spot to study, where there is good lighting and minimal distractions.

Virtual learning provides more time for children given that they do not have to spend time traveling to school and back home. This time must be used effectively for maximum output. Loitering aimlessly can be minimized by making a daily or monthly planner with set goals and tasks to be completed. Scheduling the day to optimize output helps them focus and feel a sense of achievement at the end of the day.

Children as young as 5 years are found to have superior technical skills. With the increased use of devices such as tablets, laptops, and phones, every child has learned to navigate through these devices to join a zoom call or submit their assignments on Google Classroom.

These kinds of platforms also cut down the turnaround time, so to speak as submissions are immediate and feedback from the teacher too is almost instantaneous. A virtual learning environment is also beneficial as it allows the students to collaborate and learn from each other. E-learning has enhanced everyone’s technical knowledge not only in the UAE but all through the GCC areas. Possessing this skill greatly enhances your chances of getting a better job in the future as technology is the future.

Parents too have an equal role to play in setting up an effective virtual learning environment for their children. One of the first things we teach our children before they out into the world is manners and saying words like please and thank you. In the virtual world as well, parents play an important role in imparting this ‘Netiquette’. These netiquettes teach you how to be a respectful cyber citizen by highlighting punctuality, dressing up appropriately, waiting for your turn before you speak, and presenting yourself well.

Schools the world over recognize the fact that over the next decade, almost 50% of the jobs will be automated, and therefore empowering our children with skills to create or control this automation is the order of the day. Equipping your child with coding skills has never been easier, with online robotics platforms like Robotify which teach you how to code in an easy-to-learn, fun-filled and accessible manner without having to purchase any expensive hardware or actual robots. A quick and simple registration process is all that you need to do before you can access multiplayer platforms which present real-life challenges in extraordinary virtual environments. Students are inspired to produce innovative ideas and solutions to real-life challenges in extraordinary virtual environments.

Robotify boosts creativity and critical thinking along with collaboration skills and problem-solving with its screen-free coding and STEAM robot toys. Children express themselves better and learn how to think sequentially and logically, to solve problems. Coding provides the set of tools that they will require for self-expression. It is a highly transferrable skill that you can apply to various fields regardless of whether you eventually become a software engineer or a professional. Hence, the importance of virtual learning in today’s world cannot be diminished and we must do all we can to ease our children into being comfortable with this change.

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Is individual learning more beneficial than group work? Especially when it comes to Math, where concentration is key to solving problems, must schools encourage students to learn in groups? Let us first understand the key advantages of synonymous studying or learning, and how it can be beneficial to the student.

What is collaborative learning?

Wise men have said that the true strength of learning lies in the collaboration of ideas and sharing of knowledge amongst learners and not in being single-handed experts.
Collaborative learning is a method of inculcating a habit of group activities to enhance the preparedness of students, as a bunch together. It is important that the project is executed by sharing ideas and understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Only when each participant performs his assigned role properly, will a collaborative project fructify & result in success.

Here are some benefits of combined studying for kids:

• The student develops cognitive advantage and becomes a deep thinker.
•  There is an exchange of ideas, thus each participant has something to learn from others.
• Students learn to take responsibility of their own studies, rather than depending only on the teacher for classwork.
• There are chances that one brilliant student may influence or motivate their co-members, thereby leaving a positive influence on others.\
•  Friendships are fostered and learning together becomes a joyous process.
• Since the roles and responsibilities are distributed it doesn’t create anxiety or pressurize the student to perform stressfully.
• Interpersonal skills and communication improve exponentially, making the student more confident.
• Brainstorming leads to problem-solving techniques and solutions are brought to life.
• Listening skills improve, which builds trust and long-term relationships.

Find your Math Buddies: A New Way to Learning Math

Over the years, Math teachers have experimented with different teaching-learning techniques and concluded that one of the effective ways, is by assigning group ‘Math problems’ to solve.

Essentially, the teacher divides the class into groups and uses online medium to create separate ‘Math rooms’ for children. The assignments can be uploaded where each team is challenged to complete a certain number of solutions (for example: 16 word problems, 2 theorems, and 10 equations).
One of the important guidelines to follow is that every student must contribute to the online assignment, and not just be a passive participant. The teacher can monitor and keep an eye on the level of progression of the groups and also track the contribution and proactiveness demonstrated by each child.
This is a new-age technique of assigning Math Homework, while the seeds of a positive competitive spirit are sown, to help kids excel in the future.

This is also found to be the best method to cope with Math anxiety, and do away with the fear of the subject because ultimately students enjoy & take pride in fulfilling their role. A lot of management skills are developed such as; scheduling tasks, setting goals, adhering to timelines, sharing responsibility, etc. Most schools in Dubai and other regions of the Middle East, that follow the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum, have advanced from textbook theoretical learning to project-based practical learning. Setting up an LMS (Learning Management System) is the most ideal solution, as the journey of progression can be tracked and even assignments can be allocated online.

What is Mathletics?

Mathletics claims to be the world’s leading online Math Program that encourages Math enthusiasts to deepen their subject knowledge and develop a liking for it. Mathletics is therefore pretty popular in GCC regions, including the UAE.

As we discussed the advantages of collaborative learning earlier in this Blog, Mathletics too supports ‘teamwork activities’ by allowing teachers, parents, or students, to create as many as 12 groups and divide the assignments into fun & gamified modules.

Feel free to create new modules as per the Math topic being taught in class from the readymade easy-to-use templates. The most exciting part is that children earn reward points and get a chance to be featured on the Mathletics Hall of Fame.

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