Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative: Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM

By Matthew Rhoads and Becky Lim

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative is a book series about integrating instructional strategies with EdTech tools to amplify learning written and compiled by educators throughout the world. Compiled and edited by two EdTech experts, innovators, and coaches, Matthew Rhoads and Becky Lim recruited K-16 educators from across the world

• Language: English
• Publisher: EduMatch
• Release date: Sep 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781959347330

Book preview

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative

AMPLIFYING STUDENT INQUIRY IN ROBOTICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND STEAM

#AMPGLOBALEDU

BOOK THREE

MATTHEW RHOADS

BECKY LIM

EduMatch

Copyright © 2023 by Matthew Rhoads & Becky Lim

Published by EduMatch®

PO Box 150324, Alexandria, VA 22315

www.edumatchpublishing.com

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact [e-mail].

These books are available at special discounts when purchased in quantities of 10 or more for use as premiums, promotions, fundraising, and educational use. For inquiries and details, contact the publisher: [e-mail].

ISBN: 978-1-959347-29-3

We dedicate this book to educators around the world. You inspire us as lifelong learners and as educators to continue to improve and learn so we can amplify student learning!

Contents

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative Series

Introduction - Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative

1. Amplifying Student Inquiry with Computer Science

Meredith Thomas, United States of America

2. Amplifying Student Inquiry with Robotics

Meredith Thomas, United States of America

3. Amplifying Student Inquiry with STEAM

Vanina Sandel, United States of America

Conclusion - Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative

References

List of Tables

List of Figures

Contributing Author Biographies

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative Series

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative is a book series about integrating instructional strategies with EdTech tools to amplify learning written and compiled by educators throughout the world. Compiled and edited by two EdTech experts, innovators, and coaches, Matthew Rhoads and Becky Lim recruited K-16 educators from across the world to write a chapter of their area of expertise in integrating instructional strategies with EdTech tools to amplify their instruction and student learning. To learn more about the book series, check out www.AmpGlobalEdu.com for information.

BOOK 1 - AMPLIFYING INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

Within the first book of the series, Amplifying Instructional Design covers an assortment of engagement, collaboration, assessment, and feedback strategies integrated with EdTech for any classroom setting. By reading through each of these strategies and EdTech integrations, you will have a toolkit and repository of strategies that you can use to create any type of lesson within any classroom setting. Amplify your student learning and instruction by taking these practical and applicable strategies and integrations into the classroom and school by tried and true integrations from educators across the world.

BOOK 2 - AMPLIFYING AUTHENTIC READING, WRITING, AND MATHEMATICS

The second book of the series, Amplifying Authentic Reading, Writing, and Mathematics covers several instructional strategies integrated with EdTech tools to amplify student learning in these key content areas. Teachers will be provided with a toolkit of practical and applicable instructional strategies that can be utilized across any grade level to build student skills within in-person, online, and blended learning classroom settings. Strategies in this book will be illustrated utilizing a wide range of EdTech tools that are available in classrooms from around the world. Readers will be able to come to this book, again and again, to build their instructional toolkit to meet the needs of their ever-changing classroom and student needs.

BOOK 3 - AMPLIFYING STUDENT INQUIRY IN ROBOTICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND STEAM

The third book of the series, Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM provides teachers with a toolkit of strategies to teach Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM using a variety of EdTech tools. The instructional strategies and EdTech tool integrations illustrated in this book meet the needs of growing student skills across content areas that help power our modern world.

Teachers will see examples of how they can conduct cross-curricular lessons as well as put students in the position to learn the foundations of coding to create, empower, and even control robots. Readers will be able to see examples of the strategies provided in action as well as be provided with additional resources to help them plan and execute the lessons.

BOOK 4 - AMPLIFYING DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS

The fourth book of the series, Amplifying Diverse Learning Needs, provides teachers with a toolkit of strategies to differentiate and personalize instruction while integrating EdTech tools to amplify student learning for diverse and multilingual learners. Strategies and EdTech integrations discussed in this book are geared towards providing teachers and diverse learners opportunities to provide optimal instruction within online, blended, and in-person classroom settings to meet students individual learning needs. Teachers will be able to take a multitude of strategies discussed back to their classroom to help further differentiate lessons through multiple modalities and EdTech supports and personalize them to meet each student where they are at.

Introduction - Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative

Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM

A Global Collaborative takes intentional planning, creativity, and redefining how traditional books initially come together. Thanks to today’s technology, the voices of teachers are able to be amplified and shared at a rapid pace. Each contributing author in our collaborative series came together to share their work without ever meeting face-to-face. We are now able to share best practices and tried-and-true instructional strategies on a global scale.

Education continues to be a fast-paced, growing profession where teachers are expected to keep up with trends, strategies, and best practices at a rapid pace. A key tool in helping educators with bringing in meaningful technology in the classroom is the SAMR model. Educators can focus on progressing their classroom instruction from enhancing with technology to transforming student learning with EdTech. The integration of EdTech takes intentional planning and learning from expert educators. Throughout this book, take the strategies shared from the expert educators and see how they can be implemented into your classroom. Also, focus on whether or not the strategies are enhancing your classroom instruction or transforming your students' learning.

As students are given more opportunities to transform their learning, creativity and collaboration will become a norm in their day-to-day learning. Educators can become the facilitators of student learning while students take ownership of their work. Student inquiry after opportunities to build their skills and content knowledge brings about transformative learning and the integration of EdTech amplifies student understanding of new concepts through problem-solving skills. It is time for educators to bring in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM skills and strategies into all content areas!

Books are a uniquely portable magic.

STEPHEN KING

WELCOME TO THE AMPLIFY LEARNING: A GLOBAL COLLABORATIVE SERIES

The Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative Series is a set of four books that make up an incredible instructional toolkit for teachers, coaches, and school and district leaders that can be utilized to amplify the learning occurring within their classrooms, schools, and districts. Additionally, the vast majority of the strategies and EdTech integrations discussed in this book, as well as the book series, can be implemented within almost every classroom setting imaginable. Overall, each book within the series focuses on integrating instructional strategies with EdTech in a multitude of different areas that span much of the skills and content that are taught to students in school.

Book 1: Amplifying Instructional Design

Book 2: Amplifying Authentic Learning in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

Book 3: Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM

Book 4: Amplifying Diverse Learning Needs

PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK SERIES AND BOOK

Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative series came from the ideas and connections generated from a Global Professional Learning Network (PLN). The hashtag #bettertogether comes to mind because as a collection of educators, we can work together across the world to amplify the learning of our students. As a result, both editors, Matt Rhoads and Becky Lim, decided to come together and take this idea and crowdsource what we felt is a pivotal area in education: integrating instructional strategies with EdTech to amplify student learning. This manifested into Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative book series, which is a collection of crowdsourced books on this topic from educators across the world who are teachers, instructional coaches, and instructional leaders. We feel we can make a positive impact by bringing together our expertise to navigate and thrive in our ever-changing world of education through the work we are doing in this book series.

Specifically, book three of the Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative series is on Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM. This book focuses on Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM as individual subjects or cross-curricular subjects that can be integrated with EdTech to amplify student learning. The instructional strategies and integrations provided in each of these focus areas can be integrated with mainstream EdTech tools to provide top-of-the-line instruction within online,