Learning Science & EdTech

A well-designed classroom website can be a powerful bridge between teachers, students, and parents. After reviewing five educator websites, I’ve identified what works, what doesn’t, and key takeaways for improving school-home communication. 1. Mr. Brown’s Class ( link ) Strengths: Rich multimedia resources: The site offers abundant teaching materials, especially for history, neatly organized in the navigation bar Transparent classroom culture: Photos of students in class help parents visualize their child’s learning environment. Weaknesses: Outdated content : Many resources are inaccessible due to infrequent updates. Key Takeaway: Regular maintenance is crucial. A simple "Last Updated" date or automated reminders could help. 2. Mrs. Edge’s Blog ( link ) Strengths: Chronological clarity : The blog format neatly displays class activities in reverse order, making it easy to track recent events. Weaknesses: Missing critical info : No course schedules or syllabi are provided, leav...

  As an instructional designer, I think most readers have studied educational psychology as I have. But what happens to our brains during the learning process? And how can we as instructional designers utilize the mechanics behind it? This post will take you through the neuroscience in education. Before we get started, I want you all to watch this three-minute video. If you cannot see the inserted video, click here for it. You'll notice that when we learn, our brain actually generates its own electrical current. That current not only activates our neurons but also awakens new ones even more. What this teaches us is that if we don't learn something new, that part of our neurons will never be awakened. In other words, keep learning so that we can keep our brains functioning healthily. Of course, this is the most basic theory. Neuroscientists will also be looking at the role of different brain regions and how memories are created, which we as instructional designers can learn lat...