Now is the time for educators to take stock of what they’ve learned over the past year. The pandemic brought new teaching models to the forefront and put a microscope on learning loss. All students learn differently. So this is a great time for educators to take what they learned and prepare classrooms for a hybrid and blended learning environment that works for as many students as possible.

Education Stabilisation Fund

In 2020 and 2021, US Congress passed three stimulus bills that provided nearly $279 USD billion as relief aid for education through the Education Stabilisation Fund. And recipients have a limit on the time they have to spend it. What educational technologies are best for your school? Marcia Kish, Blended Learning expert, discusses some of the latest classroom initiatives.

What Technology Should Your School Purchase with Stimulus Funds?

As Marcia points out, some of the biggest challenges for students and teachers this past year involved student engagement. How do we engage students when the classroom is divided between in-person students and virtual students? What is the best way to make this work? Blended and hybrid learning is here to stay. 

Features of High-engagement Education Technology

1. How easy is it for teachers and students to use? Devices shouldn’t be clunky or hard to log into for students. For teachers, they shouldn’t require new workflows or changes in curriculum. 

2. Does the product boost student engagement? These new tools should align with the curriculum but also facilitate engagement. 

3. Does the tech utilise gamification? Students love to challenge each other! For new websites, is there a fun game that’s tied into it? Can students battle their buddies and practice their multiplication table at the same time? Making learning fun is a sure way to increase engagement.

Ohmni Telepresence Robot for Student Engagement

Among Marcia’s recommendations for hybrid and blending learning technology is Ohmni telepresence Robot, which she describes as a “remote control car for students.”

Unlike video conferencing, Ohmni telepresence robot gives students mobility so they are not tied to one view from a laptop sitting on a desk. Students can drive Ohmni remotely from their home or hospital room and feel like they’re in class with their friends. You can see it in action here.  With freedom to move, students are able to join small peer groups, participate in a science lab, attend a private meeting with the teacher or simply talk to their friends. 

Plus, Ohmni telepresence robot integrates with popular video conferencing platform Zoom so students can share their Ohmni video and audio with everyone on a Zoom call. Ohmni + Zoom take blended learning to a whole new level! 

Watch the video to learn about Marcia’s other tech recommendations to boost student engagement.