In this blog, we will explore how the way students learn has evolved with the advent of virtuality. We will analyze the educational strategies that have emerged to make the most of the opportunities provided by this digital era and how the CloudLabs Virtual STEM ecosystem can contribute to the development of meaningful learning in students.
Education over time
The school has been a successful institution throughout history, conceived as a space where multiple agents work to achieve set goals. Although education has existed since ancient times due to the human need to transmit knowledge over time, it was only in the 19th century that we talked about a school with a solid and well-founded structure.
During this journey, the principles that govern the school have been modified and questioned since it is natural that things change, evolve, and transform. In this process, education cannot lag behind, so there is constant talk of change. One of the fundamental changes that have taken place in this process refers to the objectives of learning. In the past, conveying important matters for students to learn was different from the current situation, where students have access to knowledge everywhere they go, both in their personal and educational environment.
Learn more about→ How to integrate ICT in the classroom?
Technologies, the internet, and accessible resources have become an accompaniment to schools and the academic training process. Therefore, the importance of generating learning with meaning and personal value is based on the student’s interests and on giving them the possibility of making decisions within their process.
CloudLabs creates meaningful learning experiences
In this rethinking, several strategies have emerged to address this immediate need to re-create interest and motivation in students to attend school. These strategies will only bear fruit if we understand students as unique and unrepeatable beings with particular needs and interests.
In this search for strategies to strengthen education, CloudLabs Virtual STEM proposes an ecosystem that captures what is necessary to create meaningful learning in students and understands that each student must be the protagonist of their learning, allowing them to explore, think, propose, and above all challenge themselves in real situations, thus creating meaningful experiences that strengthen their skills.
Teachers play an indispensable role in the whole learning process of students when implementing CloudLabs, as they are in charge of guiding through guides and structures that help them develop lessons and activities in the classroom, allowing them effective integration of technology.
You might be interested → Learn about CloudLabs Virtual STEM implementation experience in Elizabeth District schools!
Initiatives and policies to promote personalized learning
It is important to note that ministries of education always establish guidelines for personalized learning in the classroom. For example, in Chile, the Enlaces Program aims to integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) in education to promote personalized learning. This program provides digital resources, teachers’ training programs in ICTs, and the encouragement and creation of flexible learning, where students can personalize their learning process. It is considered fundamental not only for inclusion but also to address the specific needs of students, which implies an additional effort for teachers to get to know their students more precisely.
In many U.S. states, initiatives and policies have been implemented to promote personalized learning in public schools. For example, in New Hampshire, the Department of Education has supported the implementation of personalized learning programs in schools, where the use of technology, the personalization of curricula, and the active participation of students in their learning process are encouraged.
CloudLabs, an ally of educational institutions and educational trends in the world
There are different strategies that educational institutions, with the support of their teaching staff, can implement in classrooms, such as flexible groupings, continuous feedback of processes, flexible curriculum, and the use of educational technology. Within CloudLabs Virtual STEM, there is an ecosystem that supports students’ learning process involving real situations with gamified simulation environments that allow strengthening skills in students.
This pedagogical ecosystem has conceived education based on the interaction between virtuality and reality (gamification as a learning technique), which allows showing the concepts in a didactic way, posing challenges in real-life contexts, and involving students actively in decision-making and their knowledge construction. CloudLabs gamified simulation environments present a possible solution that enhances coherence and cohesion in education by providing students with different resources that allow them to appropriate concepts.
In conclusion, strategies in the educational field have evolved over time in response to existing changes and needs. Nowadays, people recognize that education must incorporate virtuality as a complement to support the educational process since it offers the necessary information to provide students with the right foundations to face labor challenges. CloudLabs is a comprehensive learning ecosystem that provides the different resources needed in one place.
References:
Colombia aprende. Inclusión y equidad para trayectorias completas. Módulo 3. Tema 2. https://especiales.colombiaaprende.edu.co/emociones-conexion-vital/pdf/Tema2_L2R2_Mod.3.pdf
Gallardo y Nieblas (diciembre 2020). Conferencia “Personalizar el aprendizaje: Implicaciones para la organización” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfovJM6wVIw
Ministerio de educación Nacional. Por el cual se reglamenta la atención educativa a la población con discapacidad bajo un enfoque inclusivo. articles-360513_recurso_1.docx.
