Category: Education

These days you don’t need a full laptop for the purposes of education. A lot of the educational software that your child will use is delivered over the Internet as Software-as-a-Service, meaning all they need to access it is a browser. As a result, the lighter, smaller form factor of a tablet makes a lot of sense as the companion to their classwork.

The excellent battery life and comfortable user experience of tablets make them an easier choice for education. However, there are a number of considerations to make when shopping for a tablet for school use – cost, durability, performance, and versatility are all core considerations. With that in mind, here are some of the top tablet picks for Australian students moving into the new year:

Amazon Fire HD 10

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a few years old now – the model was first released back in 2019, but it remains one of the best choices for any application. It offers solid performance, a good battery life, and a high-quality screen, which makes it ideal for reading and the kind of lengthy study sessions that students get up to.

The only downside is that the device has a mediocre speaker and camera – which can be an issue for video calls – especially if your child is working from home, or in group projects with their classmates – and has a limited app selection (though that’s less relevant into the device’s value as a study device).

It’s important to note that if you purchase a tablet that has an operating system that is specifically for kids, then you may not be able to run apps like Netflix or Disney Channel for their after work entertainment. However you could solve this issue with a streaming device if you wanted to.

Apple iPad/iPad Mini

The gold standard in tablets for a reason, the Apple iPad and iPad Mini have it all-powerful processors, pristine displays, excellent security, a massive range of apps and they’re incredibly easy to use and well-supported with accessories like pens and keyboards. The iPad Mini in particular is also as light as a feather.

The only downside to all of this is that these devices are expensive and, depending on how rough your child is with their school equipment, you might not want to be replacing these frequently.

Lenovo Tab 4 8

Lenovo is a brand synonymous with work computing, and Tab 4 8 lives up to those expectations. It’s not the most flashy device, but it is affordable, offers good performance, and, most critically, has excellent battery life. Students need their devices to be genuine all-day workhorses, and Lenovo has focused on delivering that in its products. The cons to the Tab 4 8 are that it has poor camera quality and lacks dual-band Wi-Fi, so it’s not up to the most demanding online applications, but then again, your child won’t likely need to worry about that.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1

Samsung is running second only to Apple as the prestige brand for tablets, and the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 is a good example of why. It’s much more affordable than Apple products, but features a long-lasting battery, makes use of lightweight metal to keep the weight down, and has a luxurious 10.1-inch HD display.

Additionally, unlike many other tablet manufacturers, Samsung knows its cameras, and the Tab takes excellent photos. The only downside is that it only has 2GB of Memory, which will make higher-end applications like video editing a challenge for your child.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro

Another Lenovo! This one makes the list because its unique features are almost perfectly aligned with school work. The big “trick” of the Yoga Tab 3 Pro is that it has a projector integrated into it. That means that your child will be able to do classroom presentations directly from the tablet.

It’s also a robust device designed around multimedia, which is useful in modern classrooms with the amount of video and imagery they work with. The only downside is that it is quite heavy thanks to all that technology built into it.

Microsoft Surface Go 2

Microsoft’s tablet is an expensive one, but that makes sense when you consider what it offers. It’s the full PC experience with a tablet form factor, and even has a “cover” that doubles as a keyboard.

The Surface Go 2 has all the power that your child will need for work and for play (just watch the hours spent gaming instead of working!), comes combined with pristine clarity on the screen, and has some powerful chips underneath that can handle any task thrown at them. It’s also built by Microsoft for the working environment, so has all the collaboration and cloud tools that your child will need to succeed.

Final thoughts

There is an almost endless range of tablets to choose between, to suit every budget, however, it’s important to find the right one that will help your child with their own specific educational outcomes. It’s a good idea to talk to teachers to learn exactly how computers are used in the classwork and then, armed with that knowledge, search out a tablet with a feature set that best matches those workloads.

• Explore how to introduce laptops to children to ensure proper usage.
• Discover resources focused on a safe internet for schools and at home.

We are excited to share two new learning apps in development for teachers. These educational apps are available for use now through any browser and have been created to assist in developing critical thinking in students. They are also ideal for parents, or anyone interested in learning about logical fallacies.

The apps are Foolacy and FactOpy. Both apps are in Beta Preview to get suggestions, find bugs and expand content.

As an early adopter you can contribute while teaching kids critical thinking.  Before we present these educational tools and resources, let us first review why teaching these concepts to kids is so important. The study of critical thinking and logical fallacies equip anyone of any age to ask questions before they make a statement of fact or form an opinion about a subject.

It’s easy for us to look at the world five hundred years ago and ridicule a societies lack of knowledge about science, the world and our place the universe. But let’s not be too hasty to look down on past cultures for their naivety.  We have enough problems of our own.  Our world today is very polarized and divisive. One could argue that this is due to a lack of training in critical thinking and even less teaching about logical fallacies.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is essential for research to make an informed decision. It evaluates multiple sources of information objectively. Critical thinking is vital to make kids better global citizens. It empowers them to be sounder in their thinking and strong in their ability to distinguish between what is proven and that which is unfounded.

Logical Fallacies

Separate from critical thinking, but still related, logical fallacies are mistaken beliefs based on unsound arguments. While critical thinking equips one with the necessary tools to evaluate information, a study of common types of logical fallacies can enable those who wish to persuade an audience.  This is done by using the appearance of logic, which ends up in an incorrect conclusion.

Educational Tools that Engage Students

The new educational apps we’ve referenced were born out of a need to fill the gap for educators. There just isn’t much out there within this area of teaching.  The goal is to reach young minds before they develop insufficient methods of forming opinions about especially critical issues.

One  issue is that people do not read enough. This includes a lack of discipline by most to not gather information from multiple news sources when researching subjects. Beyond reading, we also need to develop critical thinking skills to properly reason for ourselves when facts to not seem clear.

These apps are safe and free to use.  Anyone can access them to educate themselves.  At the very core, they teach skills that provide proper thinking to solve any problem. Each app features a teacher login in order to assign tests.  There is no need for students to login to take the tests.

1. Foolacy

The first one is Foolacy. It teaches logical fallacies. The app has quizzes and drills to practice analyzing arguments. It has over seven hundred sample arguments. Foolacy solves the problem to the question:  Why Change Fallacies? It offers various levels of difficulty and includes themes such as Cherry Picking, Out of Context, Common Sense, Herd Mentality and Scare Tactics.  There are many more areas to explore.

2. FactOpy

What is fact and what is opinion? FactOpy provides a straightforward way to quiz your brain about how easily you can determine fact from opinion. One might think that FacOpy would not be a challenge for adults.  However, in today’s world of divided opinions and conspiracy therapies it is a good test for any age. It is a simple, yet powerful tool to help us develop our critical thinking skills, as well as teach younger minds.

While brain games are common for the development of children of all ages, it is not so clear how to teach critical thinking.   There are limited resources in this area, so these apps fill a great gap for teacher, as well as parents. It may also be beneficial to know what a child’s IQ score is, but a child’s IQ, even if lower than other, does not preclude anyone from learning critical thinking skills.

These learning apps were created by David Hundsness from Jupiter Ed.  He is also the founder of the Critical Thinking Project.

The Critical Thinking Project

Critical thinking is very important to make better decisions and to tell when someone is trying to manipulate us, such as a politician, salesman or ads in apps.  But how exactly do we teach that?  Skills in other subjects are clearly defined.  For example, in math you start with counting and work your way up.  However, the building blocks for critical thinking seem unclear. It’s not as simple as starting with a discussion with the goal of arriving at critical thinking, especially when you have a classroom of students – all with their own unique sets of preconceived notions.

The critical thinking and logical fallacies teaching featured in the Foolacy and FactOpy apps feature specific skills to help teach these concepts.

Critical thinking skills include;

• Correlation versus causation
• Assessing credibility and bias
• Understanding logical fallacies
• Detecting deceptive use of statistics
• Knowing the experimental method versus anecdotal evidence

For more information about critical thinking skills, visit criticalthinkingproject.org.  You’ll find more detail and data about critical thinking, as well as the development of free curriculum apps for specific skills.  The mission of this project is to improve K-12 instruction of critical thinking and logical fallacies. The launching of the learning apps introduced are an excellent way to begin for teachers in school and parents at home.

Kahoot

Kahoot is another free learning app designed to empower children at home or students in school. Teachers to engage children in a classroom by creating quiz questions. Up to 50 players can join in on the group game.  Paid versions offer additional tools, such as polls, puzzles, multi-select answers and personalized learning options.  Users can also access more learning apps.

Teachers using Kahoot are able to save combine progress monitoring with powerful play using technology that saves time. Simply find a Kahoot on the Discover page to use with students.  From there you can customize for your classroom.

There are also apps on the platform to advance math learning, learning to read through play, as well as language learning. Critical thinking skills can also be developed when students are allowed to create their own Kahoots.  Want to learn more about additional learning games.

Facts and Opinions

This video helps us understand the difference between facts and opinions. It’s also important to learn how to apply this knowledge.

Whether you’re a teacher working in a traditional classroom setting, conducting classes via Zoom, or a parent who is homeschooling your children, you know that keeping students motivated can make a huge difference in the way they perform academically.

Telling your students that they’re doing a good job can encourage them to continue doing well in class, but there are some creative ways to show them that you notice their hard work and the progress they’ve made. If you have middle school students, your motivational tactics will likely require a mixture of prizes and memorable gifts.

Rewarding Student Achievement

It’s important to let students know that their academic diligence doesn’t go unnoticed.  Affirming a student’s achievement is an essential aspect of effective classroom management. Teachers can reward students for a variety of accomplishments and provide students with a tangible reminder of their accomplishments, including an upcoming transition from middle school to high school. This can foster a positive and supportive learning environment.

Here are five ways to reward your middle school students for a job well done.

1.  A Handwritten Note

This simple gesture will stay on your middle schooler’s mind for years to come. Instead of simply emailing your student to let them know you’re proud of them, give them a note written by hand to express your gratitude for their hard work and diligence. If you’re homeschooling, you can give a handwritten note each semester and put them in a scrapbook for safekeeping.

2.  Lunch or Dinner On You

Give your middle schooler a tasty treat as a reward to congratulate them on their academic success. You can purchase a gift card for a popular fast food restaurant and send it to your student for making a good grade on a test or turning in an informative and well-researched report. If you’re homeschooling, you can finish up the school day early and take your student to their favorite restaurant as a reward.

3. Custom Badges

Custom badges are a powerful tool for motivating and engaging students in the classroom. By providing students with a tangible and visible reward for their accomplishments, teachers can help to create a sense of accomplishment and pride, and can also serve as a reminder of the progress that students have made. This can be done by awarding a custom badges from 4inlanyards for reaching specific milestones, such as completing a project or earning a high grade on a test.  It may be to recognize student participation in school events or clubs, or to acknowledge leadership roles or other contributions that students make to the school community.

4.  Tickets to a Local Sporting Event

If your middle schooler has spent most of the school year at home learning virtually, tickets to a local sports game are a great way to provide an outing they’ll enjoy. Find out when your local basketball, football, or baseball team is playing and purchase tickets as a surprise for your student. Or, you can promise the tickets at the start of the school year to motivate your students to work hard and make the best grades possible throughout the year. If you can, arrange for the student to take pictures with their favorite athlete or receive a signed jersey or ball from the team so they’ll have a souvenir to remember this special day.

5.  A Trophy or Award

Even though some middle-schoolers may not show it, they may be excited to receive a trophy as a reminder that they’ve worked hard and accomplished their academic goals for the year. You can present the trophy with your student’s name engraved on the front of the trophy along with the reason for the award, i.e. perfect attendance or highest grade point average in a particular subject. Be sure to include the month and date on the trophy to serve as a way for the student to remember how well they did that school year. Visit your local trophy store to choose creative designs for the trophy or to purchase a wall plaque or desk placard for your student depending on their style.

6.  An Appreciation Video

Middle schoolers will likely appreciate a video compilation of all their accomplishments throughout the semester or the school year. You can present the video to them as a gift at a virtual honors ceremony. Or, you can create a video for one of your children to congratulate for doing great things during the year while you homeschooled them or supervised their virtual schooling. You can add your student’s favorite songs and even edit some of the pictures in the video to feature the student’s favorite colors or video game characters. End the video with a message telling the student how proud you are and how you’re looking forward to seeing great things from them in the coming year.

Motivating Students

There are many times throughout the school year a students can be recognized for their achievements, such as;

• Awarding badges for specific milestones
• Creating a sense of community and belonging.
• Recognizing student progress over time
• Creating a sense of competition
• Creating a sense of achievement

Conclusion

These are just a few of the ideas you can use to motivate your students and reward them for their hard work. Congratulating your students should be a year-round practice but rewards are especially important with all the other challenges children face in school. Whether your students are homeschooled, attending school in person, or virtually, they’ll likely be elated that you noticed them and want to encourage them to excel academically.

We all want our children to grow up and be successful. We want to see them become confident, motivated, and resilient adults. Raising children with an entrepreneurial spirit can help to give them a can-do attitude. It can teach them analytical skills and leadership qualities.

An entrepreneurial spirit will help kids thrive in all situations as they explore what they want to do when they grow up.  Some will be more apt to move in this direction of independence that entrepreneurs have. At the very least, teaching these skills to children will give them many skills to thrive throughout life.

Why Is It Important To Encourage Entrepreneurship?

An entrepreneur has vision, drive, confidence, determination, and persistence. They can adapt, grow and change their approach according to shifting markets. As you nurture your child’s entrepreneurial spirit, don’t forget to emphasize the importance of a strong legal and organizational foundation for their future ventures, using resources like LLCBuddy to help teach them about the value and process of forming a well-structured business entity.

Raising a child with this entrepreneurial spirit doesn’t mean they have make owning a business their lifelong career.  However, it will give them the qualities they need as they develop a growth mindset to follow their own dreams and be self-starters.  Entrepreneurship can also teach many practical skills, such as customer service, finances, and marketing. It will teach children that hard work is essential to success.

Teach Your Children Basic Financial Skills

Cultivating entrepreneurship in children can help them to become financially savvy. When they earn their own spending money, it will likely mean a lot more to them.

They can learn how to meet the community’s needs and how this can lead to financial compensation. Do people need dog walkers or animal care? Providing solutions for people will always pay off.

Children are likely to learn from watching you, so it is imperative that you display good financial habits in your own life. You can get young children a piggy bank and encourage them to save as a good starting point.

Giving commission can be more beneficial than providing an allowance. Make them earn their money around the house by doing chores. You could also open a bank account for your child and look at kid debit card choices. This will give them a sense of independence and responsibility.

You could make a budget list with your child, looking at ingoings and outgoings. You could also encourage them to give some of their earnings to charity or those who are less fortunate.

Help Your Child Set Up Their Business

There are so many ways a child can earn money outside of the home. This can include neighborhood services or online products and services. Your child can place ads in local newspapers, online forums, or social media.

Babysitting and petsitting can earn a good income if your child advertises and has several clients. There are likely to be people in most neighborhoods who will require a dog walking service, lawn mowing, or odd jobs.

Other jobs could include collecting lost golf balls and reselling them or teaching something like music or computer skills. Children could also make their own candles or jewelry and sell them in online stores.

It is important that your child is interested in whatever they choose to do. You want them to enjoy the experience. If they don’t have a specific idea in mind, help them to create a list of things they enjoy that could provide financial compensation. As kids get older they may be interesting in developing an online business.

Have them think about the steps they will need to take to bring their idea to life. Will they need any equipment or training? If they are going to mow lawns, they will need a lawnmower. If they are going to be babysitting, they may want to take a first aid course.

You can also have them think about financial goals. Teenagers could think about income and expenses. They could learn about the legalities associated with starting a business. Younger children could add up totals and count change. You could even hold an investor meeting and ask them to pitch their idea to you and outline what financial help they will need to get started.

Make sure you stress the importance of customer service and communication skills. You may need to look into any licensing or permits your child may need. You may also want to think about liability and legal protection for your child.

Life Lessons Learned From Their Business

First of all, it’s important that you allow your child to make mistakes. Encourage them without being overly interfering. You may feel like you want to take over more complex tasks, such as legal forms. However, they are likely to gain a lot more if you let them handle some of these responsibilities.

Children can learn other vital life lessons from starting a business.

• They will have to be organized and learn to manage a diverse set of responsibilities.
• They will have to develop time management skills and develop a schedule that works.
• They will learn money management. This can include income, expenses, and even paying taxes.
• They will learn valuable communication skills. Learning how to interact professionally will massively increase their skills when connecting with others.
• They will learn endurance and resilience. You can help them to see setbacks as temporary and encourage them to keep going.

If they work through challenges, they can gain tremendous confidence. They will also be continually learning. There is nothing that teaches quite like firsthand experience. We have all heard the stories of famous entrepreneurs who started young.

Finally, they will learn some of the realities of running your own business. It isn’t all plain sailing. Most successful entrepreneurs work really hard to get where they are. The payoff is worth it, but it doesn’t come easy. Being a business owner can help you to forge your own identity. It can give you skills, knowledge, and experience that will help you to succeed in all areas of life.

In Summary

Being an entrepreneur requires the ability to think for yourself, take calculated risks, and reach for big dreams. You must love a challenge and be able to think of creative solutions. Helping your child to start their own business could be one of the most valuable lessons you ever teach them.

Children and teens can learn how to overcome hardship, get through challenges and take on responsibility. The skills they gain can stand them in good stead for the rest of their life. They are sure to enjoy the money that comes in and the sense that they earned themselves.