transcript taken from Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE’s talk – details below
Einstein’s definition of insanity, which is something like, you continue to do the same thing but expect different outcomes, for me, reflects the story of education over the last two hundred, or perhaps a hundred years. Why (and actually we need again to distinguish between schooling and education) did we start to school people, little people? We started to school people, because the economy that was growing as part of the Industrial Revolution needed certain skill sets. It needed workers, rather than having little cottage industries. It needed lots of people in one place to produce and it needed those people to have certain skills.
So we built little buildings, we called them schools, and we put people in there, and we taught them what they needed to know to do those jobs. And it worked! I mean you might argue there was still poverty and all those things, but in terms of the schooling process leading to economic success, it worked. Today, we use the same model. See, children used to get six weeks of summer holiday. Why did they need six weeks of holiday? Because they needed to help their parents in their gardens and on their farms with a harvest. It was important, the family had to work together to secure much of the food for the next ten months or so, certainly for the winter: All hands on deck.
Move forward two hundred years and we still have schools, and the children still sit in those rooms (they are probably fewer in the classroom now than they were then). They are still facing the front, because they are being told things, so they have to listen, they still work like office hours, they start at nine in the morning and finish at four in the afternoon, they still have six weeks in the summer.
We still test not what they learned, we test the knowledge they have acquired, we test what they remember. So actually, you just hang on to that picture, and then think of the world, how it’s changed.
The text you have read is taken from The Heart of Science Talks, a series of opinion pieces in video format, with renowned educators, scientists, specialists, and everyone who carries within themselves the heart of science. Topics range from education to robotics, life skills and conscientious thinking. On our Youtube channel, you can watch a new installation every Saturday. These are bite-sized videos & essays, great to accompany your morning coffee. In the next 8 weeks, Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE will take us on a journey through schooling, education, learning, aspiration, and inspiration!
Today, teachers focus on growing kids with a social responsibility to build better futures. Twin is a great tool to integrate into your lectures in order to grow kids with a technology know how and an urge to solve world’s problems. How can you use Twin in classrooms? We came up with 5 tips for you to use Twin as a complementary tool for your ongoing curriculum.
Students love learning interesting facts about science. It would be great to learn about these facts in an exciting competition, wouldn’t be? STEM Quest Show is a Youtube show designed by Twin in collaboration with Creative Futures Imperial College London and Royal Academy of Engineering. The shows welcome students from all over the world. It is a one hour of science discussion with interesting and funny facts about science!
Twin Science Kits give kids the opportunity to design many projects from autonomous cars to robots, art projects to flashlights. Divide the classroom into groups and assign a project for each theme of the lecture. Students can develop their soft skills when they are part of a team. They will also learn a lot about science behind the daily technologies while having fun.
3- Recommend one activity from Twing App everyday.
Twing is a free application designed for kids to discover their talents. The app includes hundreds of experiments and teaches science in the funniest way. With 138 skill set and 6 different character journeys, kids can focus on their favorite fields from robotics to art. You can choose one experiment that fits your topic of the day and recommend your students to complete it. Do not forget to share your experiences in classroom!
4- Let your students design their own game with Twin Code Lab.
Coding might seem tough when you first meet. Twin Code Lab makes it easier for you with block coding experience. It is an online platform that students can use on their desktop. Its simplified features make it fun to learn programming step by step. With coding, students can design thousands of creative projects. You can divide the classroom into groups and ask each group to design their own games. Then, you can play these games all together.
5- Integrate 100 weeks Twin Robotic Curriculum to your lectures.
Artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and many more… They look complicated at the beginning but actually they are very easy to develop. The Twin Robotic Curriculum aims to teach daily technologies with connections to daily life challenges. Geliştirdiğimiz Twin setleriyle uyumlu 100 weeks curriculum is compatible with Twin Science Kits. It engages students with basic engineering concepts besides a socially responsible mindset. Your students can upload their codes into Twin Coding Module and create infinite number of projects!
How do you think it would be if you had to go to school with a mask on your face in your childhood? Probably most of you will answer this with a clear “No.”. Just like you imagine, kids can be sad and nervous about the new normal period. Making sure that they can get through this period properly, parent-teacher relationships are crucial.
Understand each other’s perspectives of education
It might be tough for parents to start school this year. The risk of getting the disease and concerns about their children’s growth might be issues that take their time a lot. Such questions directed to teacher might also keep you busy for hours.
For teachers, a similar situation is valid. They did not know what a pandemic is when they were younger. It is a new experince for them as well parents. Besides, we know that they all missed their students a lot. They miss you too!
Now, it is time to cooperate in order to get through this situation as well as possible. The main idea is to understand how both parties think about the hybrid education system. This way, you can make sure that kids get the proper education besides developing themselves. We came up with 10 suggestions to guide you on this journey.
What can you do as a parent?
Share the information about your kid with his teachers.
Clearly state how you have been through the online education period. Tell them what you failed at.
Express how your kids seem to feel with online exams and homeworksç
Share your concerns about the whole period with them.
Never forget to make sure that you appreciate and respect the efforts of the teacher 🙂
What can you do as a teacher?
Ask the families and students about their concerns.
Share your experiences with them. Tell them what worked before and what didn’t.
Inform the parents with the true information you get from government officials.
Share online platforms that can encourage kids’ mental and emotional development with them.
Make sure you appreciate parents’ contributions to understand and help during this period.
You will go through a unique journey that no one has been before. Try to understand that it’s in your hands to make the most of it. Get as much learning from this period as possible. Twin is always here to guide you in good times and bad times. You can have a look at Twin Science Kits to add up a little bit of color to your homeschooling!
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education is rapidly gaining recognition for its role in shaping the future of education and the global economy. In an ever-evolving world, STEM equips students with essential knowledge and vital 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
However, for STEM education to truly empower students and prepare them for the challenges ahead, it must go beyond its core disciplines and embrace sustainability and environmental education. This integration allows students to tackle real-world issues and contribute to a sustainable and inclusive future guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At Twin Science, we believe in the transformative power of STEM education and its potential to shape young minds. As a leading provider of educational resources, we strive to support teachers and students on their STEM journey. While we don’t want to take the spotlight away from the exciting topic at hand, we encourage you to explore our platform to discover more about our commitment to quality STEM education.
Our user-friendly platform offers a wealth of resources, including free lesson plans, interactive tools, and an AI-powered teaching assistant, designed to enhance student learning outcomes and streamline teachers’ lesson planning process. Join us on this educational adventure and see how Twin Science can help unlock the full potential of STEM education in your classroom.
Now, let’s dive into the top 10 benefits of STEM education that highlight its profound impact on children’s development:
1. Igniting Creativity
STEM education fosters a spirit of innovation, encouraging students to think outside the box and develop unique ideas by taking an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving.
2. Cultivating Collaboration
By prioritizing collaboration and teamwork, STEM education equips students with the skills to effectively work in teams, promoting communication, leadership, and the pursuit of common goals.
3. Developing Strong Communication Skills
STEM activities facilitate communication among students, allowing them to articulate complex concepts, actively listen to others, and provide constructive feedback, all essential skills for success in life.
4. Nurturing Critical Thinking
STEM education stimulates critical thinking by engaging students in actively analyzing, evaluating, and applying knowledge to solve problems. This approach prepares them for future challenges where logical reasoning and problem-solving skills are paramount.
5. Fueling Curiosity
STEM empowers students to ask thought-provoking questions, explore their imaginations, and develop a lifelong love for learning. Curiosity drives innovation and paves the way for new discoveries.
6. Strengthening Cognitive Skills
STEM subjects enhance cognitive abilities, such as thinking, reading, and learning, by challenging students to engage in analytical thinking, coding, and engineering principles from an early age, promoting problem-solving proficiency.
7. Opening Doors to STEM Careers
Introducing STEM education at an early stage exposes students to a wide range of exciting career possibilities, preparing them for a future where STEM knowledge and skills are in high demand.
8. Fostering Initiative
STEM education empowers students to take initiative, approach challenges with confidence, and develop a positive attitude towards learning. This mindset lays the foundation for a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and personal growth.
9. Cultivating Media Literacy
In STEM education, students learn through research, inquiry, and active learning. This approach enhances media literacy skills, empowering students to critically evaluate information and apply their knowledge to real-life situations.
Promoting Social-Emotional Learning
STEM education supports the development of social-emotional skills, such as self-awareness, empathy, and responsible decision-making, ensuring students’ holistic growth and preparing them to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
We hope this overview of the top 10 benefits of STEM education has inspired you to explore the endless possibilities that STEM offers for your students. To embark on an enriching educational journey with Twin Science and discover how our platform can enhance your STEM teaching experience, we invite you to visit our website and unlock the power of STEM education today.
Technology is in every part of our lives including schools. There are many devices that can enhance the education for students. Such tools make it fun and more engaging for kids to learn while making it easier for teachers to teach and track their lessons. We came up with 5 classroom technologies you can adopt to your own lectures.
1- Smart Boards
The smart board technologies are evolving day by day and they are getting more popular. It is for sure that using smart boards is easier than white boards. With one click, you are able to clean the whole page in one second. The amazing feature that these boards have is the recording. Whatever you write or draw, you are able to record it and send it to your students or keep for yourself. Some boards are even able to turn a digital market line into a tangible visual element. For teachers, these smart boards are incredible tools for an easy, fast and colorful teaching experience. Students also enjoy these digital boards a lot.
2- Tablets, Laptops
The students of the 21st century live with their tablets and laptops. They play games or complete their homeworks with them. Many countries let students use their electronic devices in classrooms. Kids use them in order to take notes or to find the answer of a question that comes to their minds. These portable devices are easy to use compared to carrying 4-5 notebooks. These devices and apps are developed to function better regarding educational purposes.
3- Online Tools
With the growing edtech trends, many online tools are developed to make the classroom experience better. These apps or websites serve gamification to prepare a fun and fruitful learning environment. Quizzes are quite boring for children. You can use Kahoot to enhance competition and enjoy them more! Additionally, it might be tough for kids to ask questions during lectures. Use Google Forms and let them ask their questions anonymously.
4- Cameras
Cameras might be really useful devices for teachers. A camera that records the lesson can give a teacher an idea about how he performs. While teaching, it might not be easy to evaluate which words, which topics or which behaviours attract kids’ attention. A record of the lecture is a good tool for teachers to do self assessment.
5- Activity Kits
For kids of the Gen Z, reading and writing are not enough to engage with the concepts they learn. They want to discover these concepts with hands-on experiments. The best tool to enhance their learning is to provide them activity kits. For arts, you can buy a small but comprehensive instruments kit or a painting set. The whole class can share and enjoy being the owners of an artwork. For science, you can buy a robotics kit and develop your own cars and robots easily. Twin Science Kits have different options that might appeal to your students’ interests.
If you want to enjoy this summer with your kids, keep reading! Even though it is holiday time, you can still learn and have fun with your kids. We have 8 different activities for you.
Twing prepares unique journeys including hundreds of activities for kids. They can discover their talents, design infinite number of projects or go for an adventure. With 138 skills and 6 different character journeys, they can develop themselves in their favorite fields. New activities are introduced each week so that they can go beyond their imagination.
2) Code your game together.
Coding might seem a little bit challenging in the beginnig. Twin Code Lab makes it easier for you. Twin Code Lab is a block coding platform that works on computers. It is simple and easy to use for a better learning. You can learn how to code with your kids and design your own creative games as soon as possible!
3) Design a robot that waves hand.
Building a moving robot or a car is exciting for all kids. Making their own projects enhance their curiosity and build self esteem. Twin Science Kits have electronic modules and craft materials with a guidebook with pilot projects. You can design your own robot at home and learn about basic engineering concepts while having fun.
4) Autonomous car racing time!
We know many kids love car auto racing! It would be great to make your own race with the autonomous cars you designed, wouldn’t be? Building an autonomous car might seem tough at the beginning. However, Twin Autonomous Car Kit gives you the opportunity easily design your own car. You can learn coding step by step and control your car with your own codes. First build your own autonomous car then arrange a competition. May the best one win! Let us know who wins, send us a message on Instagram.
5) Make your artwork with Spin Art project.
Coding, robotics and now it is time for art! Kids have interest in many different fields of art at early ages. It is very important to enhance their interest and give them a space to try. Summer holiday is a great opportunity to discover their artsy souls and combine it with science. Spin Art project is an introduction to robotics. You can design your own piece of art while discovering the science behind it. Buy Robotic Art Kit now and start discovering Spin Art and many more.
6) Design your first cartoon.
We all have at least one favorite animation. Have you ever wondered how it works? Thaumatrope project is the way to it. This summer, you kids can design their own cartoons easily with Robotic Art Kit at home. You just watch and enjoy!
7) Build a fruit piano.
Combine art and science in a very creative way! Choose your favorite fruit: Banana? Apple? Can you make a piano with these fruits? With Twin Coding Kit, kids can design inspiring projects and build their own music instruments. You can learn basic coding and design your own piano with Twin Control Center.
8) Give a secret message to your friends with Morse Code.
A code special for you! Sounds great, right? You can design your Morse Code project with Twin Coding Kit and send a secret message to you peers. By the way, we also have a secret message for your on Twin Curiosity Kit box. Let’s see if you can solve it!
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