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Educational Games for Skill Building And Learner Engagement

In fact, there are a number of educational games online that help young and old students learn new things, develop problem-solving skills, and get creative while having a great time. For example, timetables are written with clear instructions, and children learn how to slope and build roller coasters while playing in action. If you’re looking for other options, Minecraft and Roblox are popular with kids of all ages because they offer free educational resources.

Many schools are engaged in educational video games, and homeschoolers can do the same. There are some great games that try to present high-quality educational content in a fun format that students will love from kindergarten to high school. Video games for Wii, Xbox, and PlayStation will get your children excited about the learning process.

Consider using a serious single or multiplayer game (see GamesForChange.org) as a warm-up for online classroom discussions. Students can play and judge video games, like the Civilization series, for their content and accuracy.

An Example Study On Educational Games

In six sessions lasting for nine weeks, we will explore the development of educational video games and hear from experts who have worked on many aspects of learning through game design, development, and implementation. Each group will engage in a discussion on the development of educational games.

The current meta-analysis builds on earlier meta-analyses by expanding the scope of constituent studies and focusing on an overlapped but unambiguous cross-section of research literature, with a greater emphasis on learning games among K-16 students. This study provides a specific and unambiguous focus on (a) digital games for students from K-16 and (b) cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal learning outcomes. Based on the previous meta-analysis, we predict that the game condition will be associated in media comparisons with better learning outcomes than the non-game condition. Many studies have included games as a condition for additional play-free instruction, in which students participate in relevant classwork in addition to playing. Games should be adapted to the difficulty that suits your learning style and grade level.

Gaming Platforms

Sheppard Software is led by Brad Sheppard and hosts hundreds of free online educational games for children. The company divides these games into categories and enables students and teachers to orient themselves according to subject areas and find suitable games that meet the educational needs of children with curiosity and a thirst for knowledge and challenge.

For over a decade, iCivics, which has over 20 free games on its platform, has become my gateway to game-based learning. When they taught middle-school children social studies, they noticed that 12- and 13-year-olds got bored with the content. For example, to help students learn about the Bill of Rights, they let students play “The Rights Game,” in which players learn to manage a civil rights firm.

Why Online Educational Games for Children Are Great

Online educational games for children are a great way to build the skills they need to succeed in school. Primarily, games provide teacher-created and approved educational computer games to elementary school students to learn math, language, and art over the internet. Educational games from Greate are an alternative for children who are not so good at learning with pencils and paper.

This is true regardless of whether your child is learning through homework, online learning, or in a traditional classroom. Whatever the subject, whether your child hates it or loves it, educational games for children can help you teach them the love of learning. There are many educational quizzes, funny fillings, and action/adventure games to play. Children can play games that allow them to improve in the game while unlocking fantastic prizes.

The Educational Value of Video Games

Encourage your child to spend time playing educational video games, as a child strengthens their skills in many subjects. Children can explore the ocean through a series of lessons and seven different educational games in the Magic School Bus to the Ocean. Your child can help Carmen and Sandiego track down burglars who work for a global, criminal organization called “El Chapo.” It contains more than 25,000 words, 100 different levels that involve the player, and 11 different games. In this incredible collection of games of varying difficulty, you will find social studies, teamwork, and feeling.

This educational MMO takes children between the ages of 8 and 13 on a search for knowledge through language, art, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences. Children can take the Wunderkind Placement Test to develop games that are tailored to their strengths and weaknesses. There is access to over 140 online educational games for K-6 children. This site was developed by primary school teachers and focuses on strengthening basic learning concepts, such as mathematics, reading, spelling, language, art, typing, and problem-solving.

Immerse yourself in exciting learning activities and games for children in grades 1-6, designed to promote vocabulary, spelling, phonics, language, and art. A plethora of word and puzzle games will make children smile as they build their own virtual library of fun Nintendo DS games. Game Challenge Tynker gives children aged 5 and over a fun and easy way to learn to program. Buying and selling sweet treats in this game helps students understand the concepts of price and purchase. With this app and game, toddlers can practice the basics of ABCs, letters, and numbers from 1 to 10.

Here is a story of successfully incorporating online learning into a traditional university course as told by Bill Gates in “This school proves that universities can be bigger and better“. He was invited to sit in on an anthropology course at University of Central Florida, and learnt “how it’s found a way to better serve its growing population of students, without compromising on quality or cost.”

Since 1992, UCF has managed to triple the size of its student body to 66,000 students while at the same time reducing costs, boosting its graduation rate, and expanding access for low-income and first-generation students. A key reason for UCF’s success is its focus on digital learning, which has allowed the university to meet the needs of its expanding student population and keep tuition costs low. About 80 percent of UCF students take at least one online course—compared with the national average of about 30 percent.

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As the world continues to embrace technology-driven solutions, the e-learning industry has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. The global pandemic of 2020 accelerated the adoption of online learning, propelling e-learning into the mainstream and reshaping traditional educational paradigms. As we step into 2023 and beyond, the future of e-learning looks promising and dynamic. In this article, we will explore the emerging trends and predictions that are set to revolutionize the e-learning landscape in the years to come.

Personalized Learning with AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already made significant contributions to the e-learning industry, and its impact is only expected to grow. In 2023 and beyond, AI will play a pivotal role in enabling personalized learning experiences for individual students. Advanced algorithms will analyze learners’ preferences, strengths, and weaknesses to tailor course content, pace, and assessments. This approach ensures that students receive relevant and engaging material, leading to improved learning outcomes and increased retention rates.

Immersive Learning with VR and AR

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are set to revolutionize e-learning by creating immersive and interactive learning experiences. VR and AR technologies allow students to explore realistic simulations, visit historical sites virtually, conduct complex experiments, and engage in hands-on activities that were previously impossible in traditional classroom settings. The merging of real and virtual worlds will provide learners with a deeper understanding of complex subjects and encourage active participation.

Microlearning for Just-in-Time Knowledge

In an era of information overload, the demand for bite-sized and easily digestible content is on the rise. Microlearning, which delivers short and focused learning modules, has gained popularity and will continue to do so in 2023 and beyond. Learners can access relevant information on specific topics whenever they need it, enabling just-in-time learning. This approach enhances knowledge retention and allows learners to apply new skills immediately, making it an invaluable tool for professionals in various industries.

Gamification for Enhanced Engagement

Gamification has proven to be a highly effective strategy for engaging learners and fostering motivation. In the future, e-learning platforms will integrate game-like elements such as leaderboards, badges, and rewards to encourage healthy competition and achievement. By tapping into learners’ intrinsic motivation, gamified e-learning experiences will promote active participation, increased collaboration, and a sense of accomplishment, leading to better learning outcomes.

Blockchain for Credentialing and Security

As the credibility and importance of online certifications continue to grow, ensuring the integrity of digital credentials becomes paramount. Blockchain technology is poised to revolutionize credentialing by providing a secure and tamper-proof method for verifying and storing educational records. In 2023 and beyond, expect to see an increase in the adoption of blockchain-based systems that offer transparent and easily verifiable digital credentials.

Social Learning and Collaboration

Learning is a social experience, and e-learning platforms will increasingly emphasize collaboration and peer-to-peer interaction. In 2023, expect to see more integrated social features within online courses, enabling learners to discuss, share ideas, and collaborate on projects in virtual communities. Social learning fosters active engagement, knowledge exchange, and a sense of belonging, mirroring the benefits of traditional classroom settings.

Data-Driven Learning Analytics

Data analytics will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of e-learning. Learning platforms will harness the power of big data to gain insights into learners’ behaviors, preferences, and progress. Educators and instructional designers will utilize this data to fine-tune course content, identify knowledge gaps, and implement adaptive learning approaches, thereby optimizing the learning journey for each individual learner.

Conclusion

The evolution of e-learning is marked by a continuous quest for innovation, and the trends and predictions mentioned earlier are just the tip of the iceberg. As we progress beyond 2023, several other developments are likely to shape the future of e-learning.

Adaptive Learning and AI Tutors

Building upon personalized learning, adaptive learning takes it a step further by dynamically adjusting the learning experience based on real-time feedback. Artificial Intelligence-powered tutors will emerge as digital mentors, providing individualized guidance, tracking progress, and offering targeted support to learners. AI tutors can identify areas where students struggle and offer additional resources or alternative explanations, ensuring a more efficient and effective learning journey.

Continuous Learning and Lifelong Education

The modern job market demands continuous upskilling and reskilling due to rapidly changing industries and technologies. In the future, e-learning will be the go-to solution for professionals seeking to upgrade their skills throughout their careers. Lifelong learning platforms will cater to learners of all ages, offering a wide range of courses and certifications that adapt to the evolving demands of the job market.

Human-Machine Collaboration in Learning

While AI and technology are powerful enablers of e-learning, the human element remains invaluable. In the future, e-learning will emphasize a harmonious blend of human expertise and technological prowess. Educators will leverage technology to automate administrative tasks and focus more on providing personalized guidance, mentoring, and meaningful interactions with learners. Human-machine collaboration will create a rich and supportive learning environment that combines the best of both worlds.

E-Learning Ethics and Digital Well-Being

As e-learning becomes deeply ingrained in our lives, concerns about digital well-being, privacy, and ethical considerations will come to the forefront. Educational institutions and e-learning platforms will be under scrutiny to prioritize data protection, ensure digital accessibility, and create inclusive learning environments. Ethical practices in AI usage, content curation, and data management will be crucial to maintain trust and foster a safe online learning ecosystem.

Integration of Extended Reality (XR)

Beyond VR and AR, Extended Reality (XR) will further expand the e-learning landscape by encompassing mixed reality experiences. XR blends physical and virtual environments, allowing learners to interact with virtual objects in the real world. This technology will have profound implications in fields like medical education, engineering simulations, and vocational training, where learners can practice real-life scenarios in risk-free virtual environments.

Conclusion

The future of e-learning is undeniably bright, with technological advancements and innovative approaches shaping the way we acquire knowledge. From personalized learning with AI and immersive experiences in VR and AR to data-driven analytics and blockchain-based credentials, the possibilities are limitless. As e-learning continues to flourish, it will democratize education, break down geographical barriers, and empower learners from diverse backgrounds to access high-quality education.

However, for this transformation to be truly impactful, it is vital for stakeholders in the e-learning industry to collaborate and address challenges like access to technology, digital literacy, and inclusivity. By embracing these trends and predictions while upholding ethical standards, the e-learning industry can pave the way for a future where education is not just a privilege but a universal right accessible to all, creating a more informed, skilled, and connected global community.

Historically, art and technology are separately boxed by our education system and ideological gap between the two is undeniable. However, such interdisciplinary programs are not completely absent from the academic world. There has been much discussion over last decades about how STEM education needs to expand to STEAM, incorporating art and creative thinking into more right-brained areas of innovation. Aware that art can spark an excitement about learning that goes beyond the artistic to embrace science, math, technology, and engineering, prominent tech and science schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University and Carnegie Mellon have integrated design and arts education into their curricula. As is true in the best learning moments, a connection to art can ignite the drive for more learning across disciplines, more creativity and motivate students to continue seeking new solutions.

Last year, one of the world’s most prestigious art schools, The Royal College of Art in London, announced plans to expand its curriculum in order to transform the accepted paradigm of an art and design university, by injecting key scientific disciplines into the mix of creative courses traditionally on offer. RCA’s new ambitious five-year campaign programme, named GenerationRCA, sends a clear message that today’s designers must be trained to tackle larger interdisciplinary issues. The world is too complex and interconnected for designers to not be proficient in a variety of disciplines, from traditional craft-based skills to the science and technology that are an integral part of our daily lives.

As announced, the RCA will continue along its recent path of introducing exciting and provocative new programmes such as Environmental Architecture, a year-long masters that focuses on the city from a sustainability perspective, and Digital Direction, another year-long program that concentrates on digital storytelling in the creative economy. In the meantime, future programmes will center on nano and soft robotics, computer science and machine learning, materials science and the circular economy.

According to vice chancellor Paul Thompson, the launch of the GenerationRCA is the most significant development in its 182-year history. “Founded in response to the first Industrial Revolution, today the RCA stands as the vanguard of a new era in art and design, which promises breakthroughs in robotics, autonomous vehicles, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence,” he said. This watershed moment reveals that some art educators finally understand that science and technology need to be part of the curriculum in order for art schools to survive the digital age.

But so far, the science sector has been more open to welcoming art than the reverse. Although there are art and design schools that do digital arts education well, like UCLA’s Design Media Arts curriculum, which uses technology-powered art processes, very rarely a traditional school adopts science and technology as a core focus.

Despite the many possibilities that science and technology present, few art programmes embrace the new paradigm. It is noticed that art teachers are often reluctant to implement computer technology in art education, either because they don’t have the skills to use the technology or because they prefer the traditional approach and techniques. According to the 2019 State of Art Education Survey, 52.2 percent of art teachers want to learn more about teaching digital art effectively, but only 21.9 percent of art teachers feel comfortable actually teaching a digital arts curriculum. Some traditional creatives are not only unsure how to integrate technology into their teaching, but also hesitant to see coding and other technology-led processes as artistic practices.

Prof. Mick Grierson, a research leader at the newly opened Creative Computing Institute at the University of the Arts London, admits, “There are plenty of people who, for decades, have been in the art and design community but haven’t really been able to find a home for their technology-led creations and practice,” he says. “So of course, they naturally migrated to a STEM environment because it’s easier for them to talk about the materials they use and the approaches they take.” “It’s like the art school has handed the baton of creativity over to the computer scientists and programmers, who often make terrible art,” echoes digital artist Alan Warburton.

Back in 1990, Deborah Greh, St. John’s University educator, clarified that using technology as a tool to develop art works should not overshadow art principles, concepts and techniques. Too often artists are enchanted by the novelty of the tool itself, its formal and aesthetic possibilities, so they sacrifice substance in the process, neglecting the fact that art needs something to day. It doesn’t really matter, if a work of art is analog or digital – the qualities that make it meaningful remain the same, and that is something only art schools can teach.

Today, digital art still is not treated as seriously as analog art, and experts admit, universities will need to adopt an even broader shift in thinking to change that.

“The biggest problem that digital art forms have faced is that scarcity equals value, and being readily available means these works essentially are worthless,” says Grierson. This is echoed by digital artist and educator Vicki Fong, who believes that digital art is often perceived as being more about production. “People are using digital skills to speed up the process, so more art is being made at a much quicker rate, which doesn’t necessarily increase the quality,” she says. All this is the negative impact of the traditional creatives and art educators being slow to embrace computerized art and admit that it should belong to the realm of art rather than STEM environment.

Predictably, artists won’t just naturally begin incorporating technology into their work without schools teaching them how. As curator Julia Kaganskiy told Artnet, to succeed in technology-led art teaching schools should integrate both technological thinking and practice. “As software, algorithms, non-conscious cognitive agents and cybernetic thinking increasingly shape the world around us, artists need to have a strong grasp of the practical and philosophical implications of this transformation,” she says. “I’m not saying that every artist needs to learn to code, but they should probably read some media theory and software studies texts, maybe even some posthumanist philosophy.”

The process of integration of science and technology into the art school curriculum still has a long way to go. As technology infiltrates every element of our life, educators need to do more than just prep students with basic graphic software. One thing is clear: the artists and designers who embrace technology as part of their art training will no doubt be more in demand than those who do not.

When people talk about education, they often stress the formal side of learning like delivering knowledge, getting high scores on exams, etc. But animation-based education is here to up the game, with animation you can get fun, practical, and informative learning all at the same time!

While it sounds like it, animation-based learning is not all about visual materials. Rather, resources such as videos, infographics, and GIFs are used in tandem with existing resources when employing this method. This can be applied to many different fields, from scientific visualizations to corporate training schemes; from motion-graphic narratives used in primary courses to university-level demonstrations.

The Advantages Of Animation-Based Learning:

• Making Abstract Concepts Palpable. It doesn’t matter what you study, there are always going to be some concepts in a subject that are topics of the mind and are not actually visible. If you think about it, even something as concrete as math is highly theoretical and intangible for someone who’s never done multiplication and division before. And when you can’t see what you’re dealing with, sometimes it’s difficult to understand and remember the knowledge. In this case animation can be used to visualize complex concepts, for example, the “invisible hands” of supply and demand in economics, or chemical reactions in the brain during everyday
• Alleviating Pressure on Learners’ Imaginations. Animation can also demonstrate visible phenomena too, especially those that are not available in the classroom at that moment. This applies particularly well to scenario-based teaching and training and usually focuses on practical and social skills. Think nurse training, for example. A major part of it is learning about the medicines and internal conditions, but they should also be aware of external symptoms and how to deal with them as well. To better prepare nurses for such situations, animated segments can be provided during their training so that they can see the procedures rather than imagine them in their heads. And when the time comes for them to apply their training, it’s much easier to carry things out.
• Engaging The Learners. When thinking of studying, many of us will probably think about long hours of staring at textbooks, wondering if there’s a faster, more entertaining way to learn. Well, there actually is, in most cases, a learning method that’s more fun, and that’s using visual aid tools like animation. Take TedEd videos—they’re designed to fit our attention spans and they provide useful information in colorful ways. These animations are optimal for learning since they draw the eyes and bring to life the issue at hand. They pique learners’ interests, and if they’re really successful, then the learner will go on to do some more research about the subject themselves!
• Is Affordable and Can Be Watched Anywhere. Contrary to popular belief, quality animation can be produced on a budget. Perhaps you opt for whiteboard or 2D animation rather than the 3D style, but that doesn’t have to mean that the quality will be bad. And what’s good is that once made, you can use that animation again and again, so the investment pays with time. It’s always available to you, and you can make it so even for your learners by putting it online. Learners can access the video through their phone or their computers—they can even download it!

How To Produce Animation-Based Learning. Of course, by no means are you expected to create animations by yourself, although you can if you’re particularly artistic and can maneuver editing software. Oftentimes, educators find animation studios to collaborate with in order to add life to their courses. Once you’ve found your preferred studio, the process goes as follows:

1. Briefing

This is going to be the basis of your partnership. You set out these terms from the very beginning: your objective and your target audience. These help both sides research the best way to present information as you go on.

If you’re working on your own, you’ll be researching your audience at this point and potentially picking out a suitable type of animation. If you’re working with a partner, they might have some industrial insight that can help you better decide, so maintain good and clear communication.

2. Writing A script

Once you’ve found a preferred style, it’s time to settle down and write your script. This depends a lot on the kind of video you’re producing. If, for instance, it’s a highly descriptive video (e.g. demonstrating Earth’s sediments’ formation), then the script will be quite short and straightforward. Consider adding some voice-over to provide extra information and a human touch.

For narrative videos, scripts may be more complex, with characters and dialogue. Always keep your audience in mind when you write the script so that you create the right content (not too easy, not too difficult) for them.

3. Storyboarding

This is where you hand the script over to the animator unless the animator is you. Animators will have specific insights about how the video should progress, how the background should be, and what visual effects can be used. Since this is the skeleton of your video, you should be able to check how well your final result will flow. Again, check also that whatever you have planned matches the abilities and expectations of your target audience.

4. Illustrating the Elements

Now we get into the fun bit of the process, where your imagination starts to come to life. From character design to the settings and background, the still models are first needed before vectors can be added and combined to make a video.

If you’re working with a studio, make sure that they run the designs through you so that their products match the images you have in mind. Be open and constructive when communicating and you should be fine!

If you’re working alone and are wary of this, don’t worry, there are plenty of stock vectors and designs available online for you. Take a look at Vecteezy, for instance.

5. Animating

This final step is when the stars align and things come together. From ideation to storylining to design, it’s finally time to harvest the fruits of your labor! To bring the elements together, remember to stick closely to your approved storyboard and use a good tool to make your video if you’re doing it on your own. If you’re not so invested in mastering Adobe After Effects, programs like PowToon, Vyond, and Moovly can make your life as an animator a little easier!

The beginning of the fall semester is quickly approaching, and prospective architecture students are gearing up for the beginning of their future careers. While the next step may seem daunting, the first year of your architecture education helps set the pace for the remaining four to five years. So it’s important to get started on the right foot.

Architecture studios are notorious for long nights, intensive model-making and desks overflowing with trace paper and parti diagrams. But there is one important aspect of studio life that is too often neglected: the student-professor relationship.

Read on for the four steps to start investing in this unique relationship to set yourself up for success.

1. Be Present and On Time

As a first-year architecture student, you are not only starting the arduous journey to become an architect, you are also making the transition to student life in general. First and foremost, it is important to understand the commitment associated with making that transition successfully. The freedom that comes with being in college is difficult for some to handle. The only thing standing between you and your attendance in class is you. It should go without saying, but studio professors notice the effort that comes with being in class (and being in class on time). It may seem simple, but punctuality is the first step in fostering a positive relationship with your instructors.

2. Take the Initiative

After you make sure you’ve fine-tuned your schedule and attendance, the next step is a conversation. For most, it can be intimidating as a young student to talk with teachers and professors. But if you take the initiative and step out of your comfort zone and do something as simple as introducing yourself, it will go a long way in earning the respect of your professors. In architecture studios, design crits happen nearly daily, so there are opportunities to talk with your studio instructor. But in order to take that relationship a step further, it will require you to take the initiative.

3. Get Involved

Once you’ve laid the proper foundation, this step is perhaps the most important. Many professors throughout their tenure at a university must complete one (or sometimes multiple) research project within their specialized field. Getting involved in their research projects affords you valuable experience, one-on-one mentorship and even the possibility for grant or university funding. Find a professor specializing in a design field you find interesting (computational design, housing, sustainability, acoustics, biomimicry, etc.) and offer your assistance. Completing research can result in awards, publication and other resume-boosting accolades. But most importantly, being involved in this process will undoubtedly improve your student-professor relationship.

4. Network

Lastly, this step proves the old adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Yes, design software and construction knowledge are notable and important in the job search, but even more important is the network you develop within the building industry. Many students miss the fact that the closest connections they have in the professional world are their professors. There are a number of instructors that maintain a practice while teaching, and as part of their investment in your success, they are prepared to share their connections. Internships are a vital part of your education, and if you take the time to help out your professors, they will undoubtedly return the fav

Sir Ken Robinson, an internationally acclaimed expert on creativity and innovation, and the author of several bestsellers on creativity in education, passed away this August at the age of 70 after a battle with cancer. His TED Talk “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” is the most watched in history, with 66 million views by people in over 150 countries. We are sure that his influence on the thinking of educators around the world will have a lasting and profound impact for decades to come. We offer everyone in the field of education to honor Sir Ken by reflecting on his ideas of ‘learning revolution’.

According to Sir Ken Robinson, reforming education is rightly seen as one of the biggest challenges of our times. He argued that the challenge is to transform education from a 19th century industrial model into a 21st century process based on different principles.

“Universities have important roles in bringing about the changes that are now needed in education as a whole. Some universities have long been centers of innovation and radical thinking.  The cultural and economic circumstances we’re now living in require a radical rethink of how universities work as a sector and of what they’re really for.”

End of industrial system of education

Mass systems of education mainly came about in the 19th century in the context of the Industrial Revolution. Designed to meet the social and economic needs of industrialism, these systems are rooted in a relatively narrow conception of subjects, and consequently, narrow view of intelligence.

The industrial character of these educational systems is expressed through two main principles. First, they emphasize conformity and standardization, which s rooted in the need to inculcate certain skills in the people who were destined to take on certain roles in the industrial economies. At the same time, they are linear: they are designed around various ‘gateways’, which students need to get through to progress to the next stage. Within this approach, vocational programs are generally seen as a lesser species than academic degrees, which is why going to college to do an art course or a dance program is commonly seen as less demanding than studying for academic degrees in universities.

Despite the fact that such systems based on the manufacturing principles of linearity, conformity and standardization have long been out of date, they still exist, even in universities. However, human development is not linear and standardized, it is organic and diverse. “People, as opposed to products, have hopes and aspirations, feelings and purposes.” That is why the existing system often fails both students and teachers. “We have created artificial learning environments for the kids,” Robinson wrote. “We have them in classrooms, in desks, day after day and hour after hour, and then we wonder why they fidget and why they get bored. Because (school is) boring.” He believed education in the classroom should shift away from this kind of an environment to a more diverse one, which would accommodate all types of student learning.

Moving away from the standardized to the personalized

“Education is a personal process,” Sir Ken insisted. Addressing the 2010 TED Conference, he delivered a funny and refreshing look at education today, making a reference to fast food.

According to him, there are two main methods of quality assurance in the catering business.  The first is standardizing. If you have a favorite fast food brand, you can go to any outlet anywhere and know exactly what you will find: same burger, fries, cola, décor, and attitudes. Everything is standardized and guaranteed.

Another quality assurance method is the star ratings guides, like Michelin. They set out criteria of excellence and each restaurant is free to meet them in their own way. Institutions can be French, Mexican, Italian, Indian, American, they can open when they choose, and hire anyone they want. Customized to local markets and personalized to the people they serve, such restaurants appear to be much better than cheap impersonal fast food and they surely offer a higher standard of service.

Sir Ken offered educators to address the reform in education system in the following way. “We have built our education system on the model of fast food,” he said – that is, on standardization and conformity.  In his opinion, what needs to be done is not to take a single model to scale but to offer a much higher standard of provision based on the principle of personalized learning and to encourage schools and universities to develop their own approaches to the unique challenges they face in their own communities. Robinson said he believes every school should be different because the world is a community of learners, and diversity is an important base to facilitate learning.

“Standardization tends to emphasize the lowest common denominator. Human aspirations reach much higher and if the conditions are right, they succeed. Understanding those conditions is the real key to transforming education for all our children.”

Agile teacher

Robinson saw the main task in facilitating the learning process. Education should be ‘active, nimble and responsive’, while the teacher in it should be an example of vitality rather than passivity. Many forms of understanding that education has to cultivate include factual information, practical skills, and knowledge about the nature of human experience. These all require different strategies in teaching and learning. For example, to learn a foreign language, it would be better to practice with a native speaker rather than just doing grammar exercises. If you are learning to repair an engine, reading the manual is not enough; it needs to be supplemented with stripping an engine down and putting it back together again.

So, what does it mean to be an agile teacher? “People learn in different ways and at different rates… Good teachers are sensitive to those differences and tack and weave accordingly. They draw from a wide repertoire of activities, techniques, and strategies, and adapt them to the needs of the learners and the material.”

The challenge is in knowing how to use the tools

Robinson considered technology as ‘the design and use of tools’. “A pencil is technology. So is a piece of paper or a book or a laptop.” He believed, that good tools can do two things – just like they extend our physical abilities enabling us to do things that would be physically difficult or impossible, they aim to extend our mind: they enable us to think things that might otherwise be inconceivable. The bow and arrow enabled early hunters to capture prey which they couldn’t have done unassisted, while the telescope helped astronomers rethink our place in the cosmos.

“Technology has always gone hand in hand with human culture and innovation. The challenge is in knowing how to use the tools. Faced with the immense capacities of a desktop computer, some people just use it as a fancy typewriter. Others compose symphonies and elaborate works of visual art. The machine doesn’t have the ideas – at least not yet – the users do.” Notwithstanding the fact that digital tools today offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance education in ways that we could not before, they do not replace the need for teachers to understand how learning works and what their roles as teachers are.

Teaching is a conversation, not a monologue

When asked what one quick change that an instructor or professor could make to the way that they teach could be, Robinson opted for turning teaching and learning into “a dynamic process, rather than a one-way channel of transmission.”

Learning is a social and a cultural process, he believed: we learn with and from each other. It can be immensely valuable to stand in front of the class delivering the knowledge to students, but even more important is to engage their minds and hearts in the ideas and materials delivered.

Passion is essential in education. What and how young people are taught has to engage their energies, imaginations and their different ways of learning. “If you are doing something you love, an hour feels like five minutes. If you are doing something that doesn’t resonate with your spirit, five minutes feels like an hour,” Sir Ken said.

Creativity now is as important in education as literacy

This year, the top in-demand soft skill according to LinkedIn, is creativity. It has been at the top of the list for the last few years in terms of what employers are seeking most, and it is understandable. The world’s most pressing problems are not likely to be solved by applying a fixed set of rules to arrive at a single correct answer. They will rather be solved through creativity and divergent thinking with our imaginations running unfettered and any number of potential solutions generated.

The current system of education teaches us that there is always one correct answer, which instills in children the fear of taking risks. Robinson warned us against that. “We stigmatize mistakes. And we’re now running national educational systems where mistakes are the worst thing you can make – and the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities.” However, “if you’re not prepared to be wrong, you are not prepared to think of something original.”

“Creativity is about new ideas. New ideas are challenging,” Sir Ken said. “They can disrupt the status quo; they can involve taking risks; they can make people nervous.’

“Creativity, and its good friend innovation, depend on collaboration,” he went on. Innovation usually results from people working across disciplines or connecting with people in different fields. “We live in highly complicated urban settings and our global systems are deeply intricate, and they all work through collaboration,” Robinson said. Collaboration is at the very heart of the sustainability and nature of human societies and we should have these practices being cultivated in our education systems.

The luminary passed away but his call for creativity caught on, as many educators around the globe start on their long and winding road to the personalized learning environment, with its diversity and collaboration, divergent thinking and agility in the classroom, teaching the people of tomorrow to shape the world they live in.

For those considering their study options, university rankings might seem to be the best way to find the course that gives them the highest chance at a bright professional and personal future. Whether it’s international university rankings like THE – World University Rankings by Times Higher Education, ARWU – Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai University, QS Rankings by TopUniversities, or local ones, these lists of the most prestigious institutions have their place in the education world, but they have their limitations as well.

If you take some top universities and see how they score on various rankings, you will be surprised. The difference can be huge, the rank given to the same university in different lists can vary between the 25^th place and a 100-something. Who are you supposed to trust?

The truth is that each university ranking uses its own criteria. If you know how to interpret them, you can really benefit from the significantly differing outcomes of these tops.

Among the aspects considered by the major rankings to come up with the final score of a university there are academic reputation, graduation rates, research citations and papers published, internationality of faculty and students, and employer reputation. Student to faculty ratio, industry income, award winners among academia and alumni and funding offered to students also count. However, no ranking includes all the markers mentioned above. This suggests some rankings may be more appropriate for certain types of students. Based on the categories each ranking prefers, you can find out if what you are interested in is better represented by a certain ranking.

ARWU, also known as the Shanghai ranking, originated in 2003 with Chinese government backing to provide a global benchmark against which Chinese universities could assess their progress. As the ranking relies on long-term factors such as the number of staff affiliated with an institution who have won Nobel Prizes, number of highly cited researchers, as well as number of articles published in influential Nature and Science journals, it is a rather stable list. High-achievers and Ph.D. students may find the ranking useful, given the emphasis it puts on institution reputation and “raw research power.”

Those interested in teaching quality, however, could benefit more from the THE and QS rankings that have their peculiarities too. Before THE broke away to form its own table, the two ranking were one and the same. The reason for the separation lies in the preferred methodology and the ways the two metrics collect their data. Although both target students interested in an international environment, QS ranking is largely based on a global survey of academics, who are asked to identify the leading institutions in their field, while THE ‘stand up to more academic scrutiny’.

“We produce high-end rankings which are used by governments around the world,” says THE rankings editor Phil Baty. “And we’re the only global rankings that take teaching seriously.” All in all, THE has five different measures of teaching quality – a reputation survey, staff-to-student ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio, doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio, and institutional income.

According to the Telegraph, both rankings use surveys to collect data, but while THE does some reputation surveying, sending invitation-only questionnaires to a limited number of institutions around the world, QS opts for quantity to achieve reliability, mass-mailing some 46,000 academics before weighting the results to preclude regional bias.

Reputation factors can be rather subjective, as academics participating in the surveys the rankings are derived from are asked to identify what university they consider being leading in their field. The answers they give may just reflect what institutions are already considered famous. Moreover, differences between ranked universities are not always obvious. In rankings, many universities have very similar scores, with only minor differences. That is why institutions that are ranked lower shouldn’t be immediately dismissed, for the difference is more likely just a perceived one.

However, higher education is not only about the best reputation, research, salaries, and internationality. Some important factors appear not to be taken into consideration by the major rankings, and some of them cannot even be measured. For rankings to be meaningful, it should incorporate factors like student experience, says the University of British Columbia’s professor Michelle Stack, who does not believe rankings to be the best barometer to use selecting a university. She points it out that many of the rankings are owned by businesses, thus their aim is on profits, not education. Stack finds methodology behind such rankings as THE, QS and ARWU problematic as well – in her opinion, the way they collect data changes too frequently.

Stack explains that most university leaders agree that the rankings are flawed, however, they know they need to be visible in order to attract international students, which the institutions need to make up for the state funds that have been on the decline for years. They cannot afford to lose international students.

Still, more and more international students set aside rankings to look and rely on more representative indicators instead. A survey by student recruitment company Hobsons shows they are now placing top priority on teaching quality, staff qualification and student satisfaction instead of rankings.

The experiences you gather during your study years, finding and connecting with people you share passions with, peers and academics who inspire you to continue on the path you have chosen, emotional support and campus diversity – all this results in a mix that is very personal, and often unique for each prospective student. An all these subtle elements are impossible for any ranking to capture.

“It really depends on what the student wants, and what kind of experience they want. That’s more important than a ranking,” Stack adds.

This is echoed by educators Richard Ashford, Shampa Biswas and Mohan J. Dutta. They point out that the popularity of alternative rankings such as Forbes’s America’s Best Value Colleges or the existence of metrics such as Princeton Review’s “Happiest College Students List” suggest that such tables operate like market signals. In a context of rising tuition fees, they communicate to potential customers – parents and prospective students – within an increasingly corporatized academy a very different vision of a higher education.

The authors are concerned that none of the major university lists includes academic freedom considerations in calculations of rankings, while free inquiry, creative practice and innovative thinking that are implied by this important educational aspect are “the hallmarks of sound education on any campus.”

A truly rewarding study experience is difficult to rank. Some lesser-known universities that do not have a budget to promote themselves or do not meet all the criteria set by the major rankings can be equally satisfying as far as the study experience is concerned. Educators warn students not to be misguided by the global rankings, for they are certainly not the only way to choose a university. Comparing study options, checking subject-specific rankings targeting a discipline you are interested in, and asking questions on forums and other platforms can also help.

“Rankings are a useful source of information that wouldn’t otherwise be available – but they don’t make your decision for you,” says Danny Byrne of QS. “It’s about knowing what they do, and applying them intelligently. More is more.

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the education sector by providing a secure, transparent, and tamperproof platform for storing and sharing academic records. As blockchain adoption continues to grow, we will see new and innovative use cases emerging in the education sector.

How Blockchain Is Poised to Disrupt the Education Sector

Education has undergone tremendous changes, from traditional classroom settings to eLearning, and now we have progressed to blended learning. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital learning, and schools worldwide began using online platforms and Learning Management Systems (LMSs) to teach students. Blockchain technology is also poised to revolutionize the education industry. Blockchain has the potential to transform how academic data is managed, and how teachers and students interact. Let’s look into how blockchain technology might affect education in the future.

6 Ways Blockchain May Affect Education

1. Smart Contracts for Courses and Assignments

Smart contracts on blockchains could also make educators’ jobs easier. A smart contract comprises lines of code that are programmed into a blockchain and executed automatically when certain conditions are met. Smart contracts can also be used to manage course content and distribution. They can automate the delivery of course materials, such as readings, videos, and quizzes, and track student progress and completion of assignments. This can help to reduce administrative workload and improve the overall organization of courses.

2. Student Record Keeping

The market for fake degrees (certificates) is increasing along with online learning. This is becoming a major concern for many businesses and educational institutions worldwide. So, a blockchain can easily solve this problem with certification management, where the universities can store the certificates on the blocks as immutable entries. Students may readily share these credentials using exact URLs in their email signatures, social media profiles, and resumes. Many blockchain development companies provide such certificate and identity management services. Since blockchain is decentralized, all the documents are stored in the blockchain and are immutable and verifiable since it is transparent.

3. Cryptocurrency for Rewards

Transferring documents and having them verified when a student changes schools is a laborious procedure that takes a lot of time for the student, the teacher, and the administration. Blockchain technology can be used to streamline the verification process in schools and universities. We are awarded scholarships, trophies, and rewards for our outstanding performance in extracurricular and academic activities, but blockchain technology also enables us to provide kids with tangible prizes in the form of cryptocurrencies like bitcoins. Teachers can use gamification to reward their students in online learning environments for finishing modules or other assignments. Learning Management Systems’ gamification features aid in tokenizing all rewards as a digital currency.

4. Digital Badges and Credentials

One of the most important applications of blockchain in eLearning is the creation of secure digital badges and certificates that can be easily verified and displayed on one’s digital portfolios. Smart contracts can be used to incentivize and facilitate peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. They can be programmed to reward students for contributing to online discussions, or for providing feedback on their peers’ work. This can help create a more engaged and interactive learning environment, and help students develop their critical thinking and communication skills.

5. Ease of Certification Authenticity

Blockchain’s distributed ledger technology can enhance transparency and accountability in the educational field. It can create an immutable record of educational data, including transcripts, degrees, and certifications, that is verifiable and tamperproof. This means that academic achievements can be validated with complete accuracy, and employers can be confident in the skills and knowledge of job applicants.

When a student transfers from one school to another, the transfer of documents and their verification is a time-consuming process. The verification process can be streamlined by introducing blockchain technology into schools and colleges. When a student transfers from one institute to another, the student records can be easily transferred to the new institute by granting access to the blockchain. Some blockchain development companies develop and issue certificates that are immutable and non-forgeable, but easily verifiable for authenticity.

6. Reduced Cost

This can also be extended to situations in which the grades of students, who travel to other institutes as part of exchange programs, can be easily shared across institutes by providing necessary access, which reduces the administrative costs.

Conclusion

The convergence of the physical world with Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality has accelerated, causing disruptions in various economic sectors worldwide. Blockchains, a newer technology when compared to traditional centralized databases, provide increased efficiency and storage capacity. Cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and metaverse initiatives are already changing the financial industry. Thus, incorporating these into an academic curriculum will not only provide more opportunities to the youth, but will also establish a framework that is effective, economical, and easily serves all strata and provides more outreach for all students. while making learning a pleasant journey. Overall, a blockchain development company can help education institutions streamline their processes, reduce costs, and enhance the quality of education through blockchain technology.