May 3, 2024 9:00 am
Published by: Forbes
As the post-industrial world undergoes rapid transformation, it is imperative to adapt our educational approach to align with this dynamic change.
May include subscriber-only content
April 30, 2024 5:40 am
Ever thought that studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is only useful for students considering careers in science or tech? If so, then you wouldn’t be alone — but it’s time to change that perspective.
The truth is, workplaces are changing fast, and some traditional skills are becoming less relevant today. Growing digitalization of roles, AI technologies, and new communication methods demand a totally different set of skills fit for the modern workplace (Thornhill Miller et al., 2023).
This is where STEM subjects come into play. By studying STEM at schools, students pick up the soft skills that are exactly what employers look for today. Not only do these soft skills make the transition from education to the workplace smoother, they also open the door to any career — whether that’s a STEM-related role or not. These soft skills are commonly referred to as 21st-century skills, or the 4Cs: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.
“Embrace the opportunities to learn and apply STEM skills, and you’ll find yourself well equipped for a future full of fun and exciting possibilities.”
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Two heads are better than one.” It’s true — no one person can do everything. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and if we work together, we’re much more likely to solve a problem than if we’re working alone. But learning to collaborate doesn’t just mean learning how to work with others. It’s learning to delegate, resolve conflict, manage time, set goals, make compromises, and be empathetic — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In short, collaboration isn’t only important for college and careers — it’s necessary in every aspect of life.
Fun fact: more than 7,000 scientists, engineers, and technicians collaborated when designing and building the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most powerful particle accelerator. It’s a great example of how STEM is a playground for collaboration — and how groundbreaking discoveries are made when many minds are brought together. In a STEM classroom, there are plenty of opportunities to practice this skill. From working on collaborative projects and conducting and sharing group research to providing peer-to-peer feedback and engaging in class discussions, every student has the chance to engage, regardless of learning style. But as chemist Noby points out in the video above, lots of students are apprehensive when it comes to group assignments. And often, that apprehension isn’t entirely unfounded because there are lots of potential conflicts that can arise. A common worry is unequal participation (Murray, 2017), but there are many strategies to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate — and therefore, get the most from their collaborative group work.
A great way to promote equitable collaboration in a STEM classroom is to assign students different roles during science and engineering investigations. This can give them buy-in, a reason to participate, and simulates various collaborative situations they’re likely to encounter in the workforce — whether in a STEM-related role or not.
Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4Cs.
April, 2024
Educators with the Academic Integrity add-on can now see Speed Radar violations on student activities. This feature is a part of our commitment to identifying potential academic dishonesty by alerting teachers when students complete activities unexpectedly quickly.
IP Registry for Students is now available in Imagine EdgeEX. These settings restrict students from accessing course content based on district-configured rules. Any current settings will now apply to Imagine EdgeEX.
April, 2024
In addition to all the amazing new and updated features released for the 20th anniversary, Imagine Language & Literacy is getting an updated and streamlined Growth Report.
April 2024
This fall, you will be able to measure the impact on learning and gain insights to guide classroom instruction and intervention with new benchmark assessments given three times per year — then measure results with a new Growth Report.
Learn more about this exciting new addition!
April 2024
From a secure online platform, students will now be able to access real-time, one-on-one support from live math teachers at the click of a button. Equitable access to one-on-one support gives students the guidance they need to successfully complete lessons and move forward in their personalized learning paths with confidence.
On-Demand Tutoring in Imagine MyPath Math includes:
April, 2024
For security reasons, passwords are no longer displayed in the Imagine Math educator portal. Educators can still change a student’s password to a new password, but they can’t view the student’s current password. Note that we’ve kept the word “password” on student start cards with a blank space underneath for educators to write it in.
Due to this important security enhancement, 22 Help Center articles, including Printing student start cards and Finding your student’s Math Suite username and password, were updated to replace screenshots showing passwords on the start cards and in various pages of the Imagine Math program.
We’ve added a suite of English and Spanish printable resources in Imagine Math Teacher Resources under the “Live Teaching” category filter to support student success in working with Imagine Math Live Teachers. Learn more about Imagine Math Live Teachers in the Imagine Math Help Center, including student-facing how-to videos and more!
Live Teaching will have updated operating hours for the 2024-25 school year.*
Imagine Math Live Teaching Hours 2024-25 (All times local)
Monday–Friday: 8:00am–10:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am–4:00pm
Sunday: 6:00pm–10:00pm
*Live Teaching hours for the current 2023-24 school year can be found in the Imagine Math Help Center.
April, 2024
Elementary Fast Track updates continue with Grade 6 elementary, including Fast Track-specific pacing guides, slides, assessment summaries, kit lists, and teacher-supplied materials lists.
Additionally, broader Fast Track updates were made, including Spanish pacing guides and slides for Twig Science Elementary K–6.
April 2024
The newly updated Skills Block Curriculum Guide makes preparing for implementation easier than ever before!
This update includes a fresh new look and feel, new sections to provide clear learning pathways for new and returning teachers, improved navigation, enhanced research and design sections that highlight alignment to reading science research, and centralized key resources to help prepare for the year.
Get to know Anak, Watota, and Jeffi as they explore the world of letters and sounds, encountering a wild array of animals and experiences along the way.
In our brand-new Letter Stories video series, these engaging characters help reinforce letter names, sounds, and formations in students’ memories as they guess the identities of each creature or object. This series will contain videos for all vowel sounds and digraphs.
Check out the Letter “e” and “i” videos on our Learning Letters page and in Skills Block Kindergarten, Module 2, Cycle 11, Lesson 56 (for “e”) and Skills Block Kindergarten, Module 2, Cycle 6, Lesson 31 (for “i”).
April 2024
We are thrilled to share that the Inspire Math videos in grades 6–8 are now available in both English and Spanish!
These short, engaging videos showcase the math for each unit in a relevant and often unexpected real-world context to help spark student curiosity. You can find the Inspire Math videos linked within the sequence of lessons on a unit landing page.
