It’s easy to use Legends of Learning’s new

But beyond an on-topic video, did you know there’s even more you can do with this feature?

Here are five ways to integrate videos into your Legends of Learning assignment:

1. Mini-Lesson Introduction – Record yourself giving a mini-lesson as an introduction to the topic. Then, have students play an instructional game to extend their learning and apply their knowledge.

2. Remote Demonstrations – Have students complete a Legends of Learning instructional game to build background knowledge on the topic. Then, include a video recording of a teacher-led experiment that applies what they learned in the game. End the assignment with a custom assessment to the students on their findings. 

3. Homework or Asynchronous Lessons – Found a great video that you want students to watch on their own time? Include the video in a Legends of Learning assignment. Then, create a custom assessment to ask students questions about the video they watched.

4. Extending Viewing – Have a long video for students to watch? Break up the YouTube video into separate segments with a Legends of Learning game between segments. Simply save the video as different time stamped sections and include each segment in the assignment. (Reminder: this can only be done with YouTube videos and not with Vimeo.)

5. Game Previews – Include the game preview video, when available, before a game in your assignment. This will give students a sneak peak into the game before playing it themselves and provide additional context to the game instructions for better playing and learning.

Do this in a few easy steps:

• Open the game information and select “Watch Preview”
• In the video viewer, click on “Copy link” in the upper right hand corner
• Go back to the assignment and add video. Paste that copied link when prompted.
• .  Ta da! The preview video is now part of the assignment.

The post There’s More to Video Than Meets the Eye 👀 appeared first on Legends of Learning.

There is a lot of debate in the world of education about which learning model is better for students. Some people firmly believe that the tried-and-true traditional classroom instruction is superior to all other models, while proponents of online learning cite its flexibility and convenience as major advantages that allow it to bring education to people who would struggle to attend classes in person for some reason.

However, these days, there are a lot of middle-ground offerings that offer students many of the advantages that modern technology brings while preserving some of the aspects of traditional classroom learning that make it such an enduring and valued approach.

Top 5 Benefits Of The Hybrid Learning Model

Hybrid learning is a teaching and learning style that gives students the best of both in-person and online learning. It combines traditional classroom instruction with the flexibility afforded by doing classwork online.

In many cases, the students will attend some of their classes in person while having the convenience of being able to complete their work online, at home, on a schedule that makes sense for them. Here is a look at five of the biggest benefits of instituting the hybrid learning model.

Increases Student Discipline & Focus

With hybrid learning, students have a lot more freedom to choose when they do their coursework as they are free from the rigid schedule of a traditional classroom. However, with this freedom comes the responsibility of ensuring they work at the right pace to get everything done on time. This is a valuable skill that can prove useful throughout the student’s lifetime.

In addition, because there are so many distractions at home, students will find that they need to focus to be successful and meet their deadlines. Moreover, the prospect of being able to enjoy the comforts of home when they are finished rather than having to stay in the classroom until the final bell rings at a set time may motivate them to focus harder so they can move on to other activities faster.

Students’ Ability To Interact With Other Peers & Their Teachers

Although learning completely online might be great from a flexibility standpoint, one big criticism of it is that it lacks the opportunity for collaboration with peers and interaction with teachers. With a hybrid model, however, this valuable aspect of learning is not lost. Discussion boards can be used to talk about course material and exchange ideas, and video conference calls and chats can be used to help form connections from wherever is most convenient for the students and their teachers. In addition, many introverted students are more comfortable participating in discussions online than they would be in person.

More Freedom & Flexibility For Students

The flexibility that comes with hybrid learning gives students a chance to practice prioritizing and planning. If they know an assignment is due on Friday, for example, they can break it down into smaller chunks to tackle each day. If the student knows that Thursday is going to be full of family commitments, they will have the flexibility to work ahead on Wednesday and still meet their deadline.

Enhanced Personal Support

Even though they have a lot more freedom, students are never truly alone when they are studying online. Interactive video chats, phone calls and emails can help them get the attention they need from their instructor at a time that is convenient for all parties involved. In a traditional classroom setting, in contrast, teachers may not be able to devote very much one-on-one time to the students who need it.

Fun & Learning With Online Educational Games

Hybrid learning presents the opportunity to make use of online educational games. These serve as a fun and highly engaging way to get students interested in the material that is being studied and drive home the important points in a memorable way. They also provide the opportunity to review material until it is retained without ever truly feeling like work.

For A Game-Based Learning Curriculum, Try Legends of Learning

If you would like to learn more about how online games can support your hybrid learning efforts, get in touch with Legends of Learning. They offer more than 2,000 curriculum-aligned games in the math and sciences fields to reinforce material in a way that is fun and interesting to students at each age level ranging from grades 1 through 8.

Students see a rise in test scores by half a letter grade on average when they play Legends of Learning’s games, and 92 percent of teachers who have tried them report that they wish to keep using them as part of their lessons.

Parents and teachers can keep track of the students’ progress, and it is easy to identify areas where more attention is needed. Best of all, students can enjoy Legends of Learning’s online learning games with a free trial on their site. Find over 2000 fun and curriculum-aligned games that engage students on their website and learn how parents, teachers, and school officials are super-charging their students with Legend of Learning games.

The post Benefits Of Hybrid Learning appeared first on Legends of Learning.

The widespread school closures and lockdowns represented many people’s first experience with distance learning. Although technical readiness and school and teacher preparedness presented many challenges, certain benefits of distance learning became clear: if schools can successfully implement online and hybrid learning environments, they will be better prepared to handle all sorts of school closures, such as from extreme weather events, and better serve individual students staying home for illness in the future. Additionally, many districts were able to leverage CARES Act money to purchase chromebooks and other devices for students and expand internet capabilities. These changes will have benefits for years to come.

This has led to a renewed interest in online learning. Although no one can say for certain how many schools will be open and in-person this academic year, one thing is for certain: the increasingly widespread availability of device and internet access enables a lot of effective ways to engage students in non-traditional learning environments.

Distance Learning vs Online Learning

The terms “distance learning” and “online learning” are often used interchangeably, but there are some important distinctions. Both types of learning require the use of similar online learning tools, but the place where the learning takes place differs. In online learning, students might be in a classroom with their instructor while working on digital lessons. With distance learning, students work online at home while their teacher assigns work and checks in with them digitally.

There are also differences in the way teachers and students interact. Online learning entails in-person interaction between teachers and students on a regular basis. With distance learning, learning may be largely asynchronous, with fewer direct interactions among students and teachers, utilizing digital forms of communicating such as video calls, discussion boards and approved messaging apps.

Tips For Teachers To Succeed With Distance Learning

Many teachers were not familiar with distance learning prior to the spring closures. Distance learning presents its own set of challenges. Here are some tips for success in teaching students remotely and making the most of the potential advantages it offers.

Focus On The Needs Of Each Individual Student

Educators recognize the value in focusing on the unique learning needs of each student. Asynchronous learning opportunities presented by distance learning can enable teachers to better customize lessons for groups of students with differing needs. Check-ins with students needing attention can be conducted while other students are working on their assignments without the effect of disrupting the entire class.

Understand Each Student Has Their Own Unique Home Situation

Students’ home situations can vary greatly. Parents and other caregivers may or may not be available or able to assist students with technical concerns and ensure they are staying on top of their assignments. Many students require additional attention and support to stay on top of their work without the structure of the classroom.

In addition, technical barriers associated with devices and internet connectivity can make it harder for some students to meet deadlines. Many successful teachers provide additional flexibility when teaching remotely, while still holding students accountable through empathetic outreach for those struggling to keep up.

Continue To Provide Meaningful Academic Feedback

Teachers successfully deploying distance learning maintain connections with their students and provide them with meaningful academic feedback beyond grades and scores. Distance learning also presents a great opportunity to ask students to give feedback and demonstrate learning in flipped-classroom models.

Utilize Engaging Tools Such As Online Educational Games As A Resource

Over 90% of school-age kids play video games regularly. Weaving online educational games into lessons can be a great way to boost engagement and maintain student attention while learning remotely.

Group games can also be a great way to build community and offer students an opportunity to socialize with their peers. Many companies offer games that are aligned with curriculum so students can learn essential material in ways that maintain their engagement.

Reach Out To Legends of Learning For More Information

Legends of Learning is committed to helping teachers make diverse learning environments productive for their students. If you would like to learn more about exciting new ways of engaging your students in remote learning, reach out to the experts in online educational games at Legends of Learning for more information by contacting them here.

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