Category: Education
How To Prepare For The First Year Of Your Teaching Career
Preparing for the School Year as a First-year Teacher
Congratulations – you’ve got your qualifications, and you’re ready to begin your teaching career in the classroom. Whilst you may be raring to get started, there are some key considerations to bear in mind to make sure you are fully prepared for your first year. Many teachers often move into their first classroom feeling unequipped and unsure of the challenges they will face.
This doesn’t need to be the case though, and with just a small amount of research you can get up to speed with what you can expect from your opening 12 months. Here we will give you the guidance necessary to ensure that you feel confident and prepared for the first steps in your teaching career.
Transitioning To First-year Teacher
Get to Know Other Teachers
There is no better way of transitioning into a new job than getting to know as many of your work colleagues as you can as quickly as possible. Try your best to form strong professional relationships right from the get-go and don’t be afraid to ask other teachers for a quick coffee.
Not only will this help you settle in faster, but you’ll also have a great opportunity to learn key pieces of information that will make your job easier. Ask about lesson planning, time management, how to deal with difficult students, or anything that you might be unsure of. Professional relationships like this will act as a valuable support during the first year of your teaching career.
Ask for your Relevant work Documents Before Starting
Showing up to your first day without everything you need is a surefire way of making things harder for yourself. If you’re not sure you have everything you need, it’s a good idea to contact the school before your first day to make sure you’re fully prepared.
You should have your work contract with all of the terms and conditions and job expectations clearly defined. Your timetable should also be sent to you so you can begin planning your time long before you start. Other documentation may be given to you in the first week but always contact the school if you’re unsure.
Organise your Workload and Calendar
Managing workload is one of the main difficulties of a first-year teacher and at the beginning it might seem impossible to juggle all of the different tasks. Teaching, lesson planning, event planning, school trips, parents evenings and marking – the list goes on and you need to be able to deal with it all very quickly.
The key is planning and organisation and knowing how to prioritise your workload efficiently. Failing to manage your time effectively will result in burnout and can affect your mental health as you begin to feel overwhelmed. Arrange tasks in order of importance and work through them accordingly. It’s also a great idea to buy a calendar if one is not already supplied and note down all the key professional dates for the year ahead.
Read the curriculum and standards
Full curriculum overviews should be made available to you before your starting day to allow you to begin lesson planning. Read the curriculum fully and get a feel for the topics and subjects you will be teaching. The more time you spend preparing for this the faster you will get comfortable with the information. Make sure to also read over your teacher manual so that you know exactly what is expected of you as a teacher.
Communicate with Parents
Teaching can be a difficult profession and it can quickly be made harder if you don’t have parents on your side. For first-year teachers it’s a great idea to begin building relationships as quickly as possible. This will help you get a clear indication of what is expected of you and allows parents to see that you are a reliable, organised professional right from the get-go.
Set regular dates where you communicate with parents to keep them updated about their child’s progress. Also consider how you want to communicate with them going forward – Emails, blogs or newsletters are all popular mediums. This doesn’t need to be complicated but it’s an effective way of showing that you’re taking their child’s education seriously.
Mentoring
When you start your career you will most likely have no classroom experience and will be relying on information learned from your courses. Whilst still useful, sometimes the best way to learn is by shadowing someone who already has the experience. Mentoring is a great way of learning the intricate, finer details that make up the teaching profession.
Senior teachers will be able to support with work related issues and ease the transition to full-time teaching. They hold valuable information on the key skills needed such as coping with everyday challenges, lesson planning and developing the right mindset for success.
Many schools will set you up with a mentor as you find your feet, but you’re not don’t be afraid to ask for extra guidance. Nurture your professional relationships and always ask if you are able to get extra help where necessary. The majority of teachers will be happy to help and share their knowledge.
Training
Training is the key to a successful career in teaching, especially when you’re just starting out. You must quickly develop the skills and knowledge you need in your first term to ensure you feel confident in your work. Training will most often be included during your first weeks in your new role, but if you feel like you need extra support there are plenty of options available.
Educational recruitment specialists such as LTF Recruitment have a wide range of free teaching courses that can be accessed to assist in further learning, even after you’re qualified.
Looking For Your Next Teaching Position?
If you’re looking for teaching jobs in derby, Nottingham, London, Birmingham and surrounding area, contact LTF Recruitment. They’ll support you and help you to make sure you stand out from all the other teachers you’ve graduated with! This means showcasing your interpersonal skills, extra curricular activities, and any experience you’ve had outside of the classroom that will put you in good stead when you’re in it.
You can call East Midlands (0115 7866 244) or London (020 7993 2461) to talk to one of our team members.
What Makes a Good Tutor?
Because of the expanding significance of instruction, numerous guardians and schools contract coaches. Guardians employ consultant mentors and work with private coaching administrations. Guardians enlist educators for assignments, for example, math mentoring, and SAT prep. Be that as it may, numerous guardians don’t precisely comprehend what makes a decent guide.
Coaches regularly feel that they are all around qualified in light of the fact that they have satisfactory comprehension of the topic. Numerous individuals say that one has satisfactory learning of a subject when he can address in the subject. Be that as it may, there are numerous different angles to being a decent guide and having satisfactory information in the subject won’t as a matter of course make the coach a decent mentor.
A decent mentor comprehends the educational programs and school syllabus
School educational modules can differ and you need to pick a mentor who will instruct inside the right educational programs and syllabus to abstain from confounding your tyke. A mentor that offers irregular instructing won’t yield the normal results with your youngster and ought to be maintained a strategic distance from no matter what. Discover previously how recognizable the guide is with the school educational modules and the present syllabus.
A decent guide offers an individual methodology
At times the main thing that could keep your tyke down is a demeanor towards the subject or his capacities. Coaching that offers more than simply book work and rather likewise concentrates on the root issue sources can be all the more remunerating. A coach who knows the best way to deal with use on a learner can without much of a stretch change their state of mind towards the subject and enhances self-regard which enhances learning at a general level.
Before hiring the services of a tutor, ensure that you are sure of their qualification. He should show prowess in the subject he is tutoring and you can check his academic credentials just to be sure that he is the right person to handle your child. The profession of your tutor can also tell a lot about how suited he is for the job so don’t be scared to check before hiring.
A decent mentor is a decent evaluator of the understudy’s execution. Frequently, understudies don’t see precisely what their issues in a course are. They regularly simply realize that they are battling or that they are getting terrible evaluations. A decent guide can comprehend what crevices and misconceptions the understudy has and can give survey of these specific branches of knowledge.
Ways to Find the Best Life Coach in Melbourne, Australia
A life coach can be one of the most important people in your life. She or he can tell you how to find your way forward through all stages of life. The coach can create a vision and lets you move ahead despite all adversities. A life coach who has an adequate understanding of your goals and wishes can help create a significant difference between your present and future.
People in Melbourne may confuse a life coach and a therapist but there are considerable differences between the two. A therapist focuses on the past and resolves present issues while a life coach focuses on your future and helps you shape it the way you want.
A life coach connects with you by asking relevant questions about yourself. He or she will identify the elements holding you back from achieving your goals or vision. You will be developing an action plan together to achieve your goals. A life coach will not tell you what you should do with your life but they will tell you how to accomplish particular objectives.
The choice of a life coach will be different from person to person since it depends upon creation of an innate level of understanding between the person and the coach. You may be comfortable talking to someone or may decide not to confide in her or him. It all depends on your comfort level. To find a suitable life coach for you in Melbourne, you should focus on these pointers:
Do Your Research: Like all other aspects of life, one should search properly for the options available. It is often a choice between the best alternative available and gut feeling. In the best scenario, the gut feeling should go with the appropriate choices available. This is possible if you do your research. You can ask for references from your friends. They can give you the information you need based on their personal experiences. Making a good choice depends on how well informed you are.
Look for Qualifications: Life coaching requires professional work. Anyone can be a life coach but you should look for the one who has sufficient qualification. Someone who has completed her or his education from an accredited school is a safer bet.
Make an Informed Selection: A life coach with relevant qualification is a good choice but consider it with referrals and personal experiences of others. All these factors will help you in choosing the right life coach. These aspects will narrow down your search and help you choose the one you need without any confusion.
Personal Choice: When you are done with all these above steps, you can decide on the one who is suitable, and who you think and believe has the ability to understand your life and its circumstances. Instead of choosing the most qualified and experienced one, opt for someone with whom you feel comfortable – a person with whom you can discuss all issues without any hesitation or second thoughts. Such a person will be the best life coach for you.
The Importance of Preschool
While, in past years, preschool was more of a giant playdate, in recent years it has become a more essential part of a child’s education. There are countless benefits to a parent enrolling their child in a Laguna Hills preschool, as doing so gives a parent peace of mind that their child will be prepared for elementary school.
Learn Basic Skills
There is nothing more important than a child’s education, and in a world that is constantly advancing, it is important that a child has the skills necessary to keep up. In preschool, most children learn the alphabet, how to count to 20, and even how to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Knowing that their children already have this basic knowledge when starting kindergarten is comforting to most parents who want to make sure their children are set up for success.
A Chance to Socialize
In addition to gaining book smarts, children who attend preschool are able to develop their social skills. While many young children are exposed to other kids their age through playdates, attending preschool gives them a chance to interact with a whole new group of children they don’t already know. Social skills are important in a child’s development, and gaining these skills at a young age can have a large impact on the social interactions children have throughout their lives.
Routine and Structure
Children who attend preschool are given an early introduction to a structured classroom schedule. Adjusting to this routine and structure is beneficial in paving the way for the elementary school routine. When a child attends preschool, they are able to take their time getting used to this new routine without the worry of getting in trouble if it takes a while to catch on.
A Chance to Gain Independence
One thing every young child desires is independence. At preschool, children are able to gain some independence as they take on more responsibilities and spend time away from their parents. Preschool children are able to choose the activities they want to participate in, the children they want to play with, and ultimately decide whether or not they will follow the rules and do what is expected of them. Proving that they are capable of doing tasks themselves helps a child gain a sense of self-worth that they will carry with them throughout their lives.
These days, preschool has become an essential part of a child’s education. Preschool can help children learn basic skills, socialize, gain independence and self-worth, and adjust to the structure and routine of school, ultimately setting them up for success in their educational careers.
How to Encourage Your Child to Join the Dance Classes?
Dance is innate in every child and it can also become a hobby or even a profession. Every child enjoys their dance, whether they do good or bad. However, if you want to ensure that your children make their profession in the dance field or learn dance perfectly, then you can enroll them in kids’ dance classes. Because, during childhood, the brain learns things better than at a younger age. Through dance classes, kids learn many types of dance techniques, forms, dance movements, and more. The kids dance classes are also a good summer holiday activity, during these holidays your child can do exercises and learn how to dance. However, all these things are possible when your child shows interest in that. Because the main problem of the new generation is, they spend their most of time in front of TV, smart phones and tablets that are really unhealthy for them. Because of these unhealthy habits, their eyesight becomes weak, their bodies wouldn’t get necessary exercise, they don’t able to socialize and make new friends, and last but not the least they become physically unhealthy.
One good habit and activity can make your child physically healthy and fit. That one habit can be a dance, swimming, exercising, and playing any game or so on. In now days, dance and music are very famous and it can be good for your child. For your child’s physical activity, you should enroll them into dance classes. These classes will enable to develop and showcase the kid’s talent in dance performance. They can properly use their strength and enhance their dance style with the help of professional dance teachers. Through dance classes, kids will also be able to get the enough workouts they need. There are many types of classes to choose for your child. You can also combine the dance classes with gymnastic classes for better flexibility of your child’s body, but it is necessary that you can select the best institute for your child.
Unfortunately, encouraging your child for these activities is very difficult task, but you have to do it for your child’s better health and future. If you have this kind of problem, then show them pictures of other kids’ who learn and having fun in dance classes. Most of the websites having galleries, where they can post pictures of the classes, performance and recitals. When your child sees these pictures, maybe they become interested to join these classes. You can do the same thing during watching the move highlight of great and fun movements of kids who join the dance classes.
Whose knows at what movement, they like and say yes to join the dance classes. You can take your child to these academics which are totally inspired by dance and physical activities. Through these movies, they can observe how the children having fun with their teachers, and they also observe that teachers are really nice and patient with their students. These all tips are very helpful for you and your child.
Using Quizzes for Better Assessment System
The assessment system is one of the most important factors in learning. You can motivate your students and at the same time disappoint them. So having a good assessment system is one of the main things you should work on. An accurate assessment is important not only in schools and universities but also in the workplace. Of course, the assessment here is different, but it is very important to correctly assess persons’ abilities, work, knowledge, etc. So to develop a better assessment system, you need to use as many quizzes as possible.
What are assessment quizzes?
To sum up a course or just the lesson you can use assessment quizzes. In assessment quizzes, you should usually involve open-ended questions and also fill-in-the-blank questions for typing in the short answers. Creating assessment quizzes has too many benefits.
Assessment Quizzes are very useful, especially for students. These types of quizzes include almost all the advantages of quizzes. It makes it easy and fun for your students to take the test. It’s a perfect lead-generation tool as well. You make learning new things easy and fun. Learning new things is not a pain for students, but a pleasure.
Let’s understand in which case you can use these quizzes. You can make these quizzes when you want to test your students’ general knowledge. You can also use them to make the sphere more specific. By choosing only a few topics and making quizzes only on them or focusing on just one topic. We do not forget about languages. You can use these quizzes to understand your user’s language level and also help them to learn new words in the language easily. Now let’s understand how you can create an assessment quiz.
With this quiz, your grading system will be more accurate. By avoiding cheating, you will clearly know the extent of your student’s knowledge and will be able to correctly assess his expertise and allow them to understand what he does not know and learn quickly.
How to Create an Assessment Quiz in WordPress
As we already understand how beneficial are assessment quizzes, let’s now learn how to create them with the WordPress quiz plugin. So as the WordPress quiz plugin is already installed and activated let’s just turn to create the WordPress quiz.
Step1
WordPress dashboard > WordPress quiz plugin > Questions > Add New
Go to your WordPress dashboard. Head to the WordPress quiz plugin from the left sub-menu and click on “Questions”. To create assessment quizzes no matter it is a job assessment quiz, leadership style self-assessment quiz, or just any type of quiz you should start creating the questions of the quiz, so click on the “Add New” button.
Just type in the question in the “Question Field” and turn to question types. WordPress quiz plugin provides you with 9 types of quizzes. You can choose between the
- Radio question type,
- Checkbox (Multiple),
- Dropdown,
- Text,
- Short Text,
- Number,
- Date,
- Custom (Banner),
- and also the True/False question type.
Now let’s type in the answers, you can add unlimited answers to the questions. The important part of the questions is not to forget to choose the correct answer by ticking its checkbox, otherwise, you cannot continue the process of creating. From this go to the “Settings” section and by ticking on the “Show correct answers” checkbox just enable it. Now click on the “Result Settings” section and choose the “By correct answers count” variant for displaying the score of the result.
You can reorder the answers and add an image if you wish. Click on the “Save and Close” button for saving your question with answers. Repeat just the same steps with the next questions. If everything is understandable with questions with answers, let’s turn to the quiz.
Step 2
WordPress quiz plugin > Quizzes > Add New
Head to the WordPress quiz plugin from the left sub-menu and click on “Quizzes”. By clicking on the “Add New” button you can start the process of creating your WordPress quiz.
Here you should add the title of your quiz and also the image and description if you wish.
Let’s turn to select questions. As you already created your questions with answers just click on the “Add Questions” button and by ticking on the questions checkbox choose the questions that you need. Click on “Select Questions” for adding the question to the quiz. If everything is ready just click on the “Save and Close” button.
The WordPress quiz plugin ensures you with too many useful features. So you can set the style of your quiz. Here you can see 6 more sections, such:
- “Settings”,
- “Result Settings”,
- “Limitation Users”,
- “User Data”,
- “E-Mail, Certificate”
- and also “Integration” sections.
Here you can find the best features for creating an assessment quiz and any type of quiz.
The “Settings” section is full of great features. Using its feature will be beneficial for you. For example, you can avoid cheating during the assessment test by enabling the “Enable Copy Protection” feature. From this the examinee cannot copy the question, so searching for it will be impossible.
In the “Settings” section, you also have an “Enable Timer” feature. So by ticking on it you will have a timer-based quiz and provide your examinee or just the quiz taker with the timer. They will exactly know how much time they have.
Explore other features and use the ones that you need to create the best quiz for your users.
Quizzes and the benefits of using them
The short tests of knowledge are already known as quizzes. Nowadays quizzes are too popular among people, such as teachers, employers, etc. are using quizzes for different purposes. So let’s understand together what are the benefits of using quizzes in different spheres as it is beneficial for students, teachers, employers, employees, and so on.
- Don’t stress, be confident
In general, the entire test-taking process is stressful for students. As you know, it is very easy to forget important information due to stress. This is where quizzes come to the rescue, with the help of which it becomes much easier to pass tests. The whole process is interesting and fun, so there is no need to stress or worry too much. Students pass the quiz with success, interest, and great love and derive several benefits from it.
- Self-learning
Quizzes are also beneficial for self-learning. As students know the gaps in their knowledge and start to learn themselves. So provide your students with a quiz before the formal test. Your students will be aware of their knowledge gaps and they will start to work on them. They will study more, they will be concentrated on the themes they do not know well, and they will ask many questions. Also, you as a teacher will see the whole result of your course, and if the students do the same mistakes or mistakes connected with the same theme you can once again explain it to your students.
And what about the employees? Create annual tests for your employees to test their knowledge. Allow them to understand their own mistakes and try to self-correct their mistakes, through continuous learning.
- Make sure your teaching methods are good
Provide your student with the quizzes before, during, and after the course. Using the quizzes before starting the main program of standing can assure teachers what students already know and what not. So building the lesson plan became more simple, as teachers know information about the student’s knowledge. Also, make quizzes in the middle of the course. For being sure that you are in the right way and your learning method is the good one. In case of bad results, you can learn from your mistakes and make your subject more understandable and easy-learning for students. So at the end of the course when your students pass the quiz you will see great results. So as a teacher, you will be sure that your teaching methods are good, otherwise, you can change them.
- Teacher-student, employer-employee relationships
It is too important to be in touch with your students. To know the cons and pros of your methodology, to know their opinion about your subject. So quizzes are the best way for collecting feedback. Allow your students to help you to become the number one teacher.
The same happens between the employer and the employee, when you are aware of your employee, allow them to express themselves, and give feedback about your work style and their work in general. Only then will both the employee and the employer be satisfied.
- Collect data
Quizzes are a very easy way to gather the data of your users. All we need to do is to make it required for quiz takers to fill in their first name, last name, and even email in the corresponding fields before or after taking the quiz. In this case, you can get any information you want.
- Entertain your users
Entertain your users by creating interesting and fun quizzes for them. So, when gathering with friends, your users will definitely remember the funny quizzes on your website and will start to find out together which character of the Friends series they correspond to, or which of them knows the Harry Potter movie better.
- Generate Leads
So, by using quizzes, you can increase website traffic as well as generate leads. How? Very easy. Try to understand what type of quizzes your followers like the most and start making more of them. Try all types of quizzes, and find some of your users’ favorites that they share with their friends. Thanks to quizzes, the interest of their friends increases, they visit your website, and they start taking your quizzes. Your website growth is guaranteed.
So as you understand quizzes have too many advantages. Just decide what type of quiz you need. There are too many types of quizzes, such as:
- Scored Quizzes,
- Multiple-choice Quizzes,
- Knowledge Tests,
- The True or False Quizzes,
- This or That Quizzes,
- Diagnostic Tests,
- Yes or No Quizzes,
- IQ Tests,
- BuzzFeed Quizzes,
- Trivia Quizzes,
- Personality Quizzes
- and finally the Assessment Quizzes.
Each type of quiz is unique and has some advantages. So choose the best variant for you and start to create it with a WordPress quiz plugin.
Top Array Coding Problems for Interviews
Have you just graduated from your college recently, looking for a job or are you trying to switch to another job?
Whatever the reason is, you need to always prepare for your interview in a smart way. Moreover, if you are preparing for a coding interview, an array is one of the important topics that you can never miss!
An array is a quite more extensive topic than you have anticipated and this is why going through each and every topic is not easy.
Therefore, we have listed some common array coding questions that you must prepare before appearing for your interview.
So, let’s begin with all the questions and solutions for the array coding questions!
List of All Important Questions
1. How to merge two sorted arrays?
In this problem, you will be given two sorted arrays and you will have to merge all their elements and contents. To merge two sorted arrays, you can follow two methods including the naive or brute force method or you can use dynamic programming. Generally, dynamic programming is preferred over any other method because of its time and space complexity.
For example, there are two arrays, A1={ 1, 2, 3, 4} and A2= { 5, 6, 7}.
The output should be A3= {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}.
2. How to count the frequency of an element in the array?
This question is generally also asked as a dynamic programming interview questions. In this question, you need to analyse the frequency of the elements appearing in the array. For this, you will have to create a function or you can use hashing for the same.
For example, the given array is A1= {1, 3, 5, 2, 1}
The output will be like this:
1: 2
3: 1
5: 1
2: 1
3. How to move all the zeros at the end of an array?
This is one of the medium-level array coding questions that you will encounter which may use a bit more logic. In this problem, you will have to write code to move all the zeros at either the beginning or the end of the array. For this, you can use two markers and run them to swap locations.
For example, if the given input array is A= { 1, 0, 5, 0, 0, 3}
The output of the program will be A={ 0, 0, 0, 1, 5, 3}.
4. How to rotate an array?
Rotating an array means that you will have to shift the location of all elements in the array by d positions. For this, either you can use a temporary array or you can rotate the elements one by one.
For example, if the given array is A={1, 2, 3, 4} and d= 2
The output of the program will be A= { 3, 4, 1, 2}.
5. How to find the median of two sorted arrays?
In this problem, you will be given two arrays of sorted order. You will have to find the median of these arrays considering that there are N elements in the first array and N elements in the second array. To do that, you can also follow a simple mathematical approach in your code.
For example, you are given two arrays, A1={ -5, 3, 6, 12, 15} and A2= {-12, -10, -6, -3, 4, 10}
The median of these arrays will be 3.
6. How to find the longest increasing subsequence?
In this problem, you will have to find the subsequence in which all the elements are present in sorted and increasing order. For this, you can either use recursion or dynamic programming depending on the requirements.
For example, the given array is A= { 1, 2, 4, 3, 2, 6}
The length of the longest increasing subsequence of this array will be 4.
7. How to resolve the shortest unsorted continuous subarray?
Here, you will be given an unsorted array and you will have to find the subarray of minimum length in such a way that sorting all these arrays will create a complete sorted array. To resolve the problem, you will first have to find the required subarray and then check if sorting the found array sort the complete array or not.
8. What do you mean by the maximum product subarray problem?
In the maximum product subarray problem, you will be provided with an integer array and you will have to find the subarrays containing the product of all its elements. The output of the program must return the maximum product of the numbers possible with all the subarrays. Generally, two approaches can be used to do this.
Either you can consider all subarrays and then find the solution or you can simply use two variable to manage the current minimum and maximum product.
For example, if the given array is A= { 6, 4, 5, 10, 8, 0}
The maximum product will be 1600.
9. How to search for insert position?
You will be given a sorted array and integer N. Here, you will have to check if K is present in the array or not. In case it is not present, you need to find an index where you can enter k and keep the array sorted. You can use binary search to resolve the problem.
For example, if the given array is A= { 1, 3, 4, 5, 6} and K= {3 }
The output will be 1.
10. How to convert a sorted array to the binary tree?
In this problem, you will have to create a binary tree from the sorted array. For this, you can create a binary tree by finding elements of the array.
Conclusion
An Array is one of the fundamental topics that a programmer must be well-versed in to crack the toughest coding interview. However, going through all the concepts from the beginning to advanced every time is not feasible for anyone.
Therefore, we have listed all important array coding questions to save all your efforts of going through every concept individually and revising each of them.
We have also provided you with the solutions to ensure that you do not have to go any further to find solutions. So, keep practising and crack your next interview with ease.
Colleges vs Universities: Which is Better to Study in Canada?
Providing excellent education at affordable costs and a high standard of living, Canada is a sought-after study destination for students worldwide. One of the features of higher education in Canada is the equal popularity of colleges along with universities.
The provincial government in Canada dedicatedly takes care of the educational sector, thus ensuring the quality of education between colleges or universities in Canada is maintained. To know the right institution best suited for your career goals, you need to be aware of the specifications between both. The eligibility criteria and admission requirements are also to be considered here.
This blog will discuss the various differences between Canadian Colleges and Canadian Universities to help determine which is best suited for you.
Benefits of a College & University Education in Canada
Canada is home to some of the best universities in the world, including University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, etc. But this is not it. Canada is equally known for its colleges like George Brown College, Seneca College, Centennial College, and so on. With so many institutions providing high-quality education in Canada, it gets difficult to pick the perfect option. There are certain merits to university and college education, so your choice depends on your needs and preferences.
Before we move further into the differences between a Canadian college and a Canadian university, let us take a deeper look at the benefits you will reap if you study in one of them:
Benefits of a College Education in Canada
- Students get the training and knowledge required to advance their careers.
- With small class sizes, it becomes easier for teachers to pay attention to each student.
- The course duration is shorter than the duration of acquiring a degree from a university.
- It is cheaper as compared to the fees of a university.
- Short-duration courses help students join the workforce almost immediately.
Benefits of a University Education in Canada
- The degree provided by a Canadian university is recognized worldwide.
- They provide all kinds of research facilities students may require during their studies.
- The multitude of degrees offered by universities is vast.
- Universities help students reach academic excellence.
- The areas of studies provided is vast; education related to all types of topics/fields is provided to students.
- There is a plethora of scholarship opportunities for students.
After examining the benefits of attending colleges and universities, let’s look at the differences that cause the educational standards to vary:
College VS University: Which to Pick?
A student’s education at a college greatly differs from that of a university in Canada. Both of them aim at different aspects of academic qualifications. Fundamentally, colleges focus more on the career aspect of education; they are more concerned about making you job ready and providing you with training. Let us have a comparative discussion about colleges vs universities in Canada below:
| Factors | College | University |
| Type of Institution | Most of them are privately funded. | Most of them are Publicly funded |
| Educational Focus | They are more focused on proving practical or career-oriented. | They are more concerned with providing students research opportunities and academic excellence. |
| Training | They provide students with training that will help them in their job prospects. | They do not provide career-related training. |
| Degree | Colleges offer students with Certificate, Diploma, and Graduate degrees. | Universities offer students with undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. degrees. |
| Courses | It covers specific areas/topics that a student wants to study as it helps students develop skills required for a job. | It encompasses all areas of study. |
| Fees | 5,000 CAD -15,000 CAD | 7,000 CAD -58,000 CAD |
| Class Size | Small class size | Larger class size |
| Scholarships | There are not many scholarship opportunities available for students. | There is a plethora of scholarship opportunities. |
| Duration of the Study | 1-2 years of study | Undergraduate- 3 to 4 years
Graduate- 1 to 2 years |
| Work Opportunity | Work permit is given for 1 to 3 years according to the training. | Work permit is given for 3 years after course completion. |
After illustrating the different factors that influence the choice of education offered in Canadian colleges and universities, it’s up to you to choose the best course of action in accordance with your educational or professional needs. Get in touch with one of the best overseas educational consultants for a smooth admission and study abroad journey.
10 Best Computer Classes for Kids: Learn to Code, Create Games & More
Do you want your kids to learn the basics of coding? Or maybe how to play games on a computer?
There is something for your kid, from online courses that teach coding to gaming classes that help them master their favourite titles. Computer classes for kids are becoming popular as parents seek to give their children a leg up in the ever-changing job market. This course can help foster a love of technology and set the foundation for a future in coding or gaming.
Here’s everything you need to know before enrolling in computer-related courses.
The Benefits of Enrolling Your Kids in Computer Classes
The world is becoming reliant on computers. That’s why kids need to gain early experience in game development.
Here are a few reasons why a computer science course can be beneficial:
- Kids learn how to use computers and technology at an early age, which will help them in the future.
- Students learn problem-solving and computer skills.
- The collaborative environment helps kids develop social skills.
- Students often have great fun learning about computers in a class setting. This includes a video tutorial, screen sharing, or even face to face.
Read More : Pacman 30th Anniversary
10 Fun and Educational Computer Classes for Kids
A computer is a part of everyday life, and kids need to learn to use them early.
Here are 10 of the best courses that your little ones may enjoy during school holidays:
1. Scratch Coding
Scratch is a programming language that helps kids to create unique projects. With Scratch, students can build their own interactive stories, games, and animations.
Scratch uses drag-and-drop command blocks which stack together to create code. Best of all, this program is free and can be used on any computer or mobile device.
2. Java Programming
Java programming is also a great way to learn code and instil good habits in young programmers. With Processing, students can learn the basics of writing.
Additionally, they can learn how to debug java to create their games. They can also explore other areas of computer science, such as data mining.
3. Minecraft Modding Class
Minecraft is a game that encourages exploration and creativity. Kids can spend one-hour Minecrafting and building elaborate worlds with tools. But for some kids, the Minecraft experience can be enhanced by learning how to mod the game.
Minecraft modding classes teach kids how to create custom content for the game. This includes new blocks, items, mobs, and more. In addition, they can share their mods and even collaborate with other modders to create larger projects.
4. Python Programming
One of the most popular courses online is Python. This platform can be used for apps like Instagram, Netflix, and Spotify.
Python coding is a language for web development, scientific computing, etc. The class starts with the basics of Python syntax and moves on to more complex concepts.
5. 3D Printing & Modelling
3D printing and modelling is an excellent way for kids to learn about technology and engineering. In this course, kids aged 6 and up will 3D print and model their creations. They will learn how to use 3D printers and software to create their models.
By the end of the program, your kids will have created their own 3D printed models that they can take home with them.
6. Robotics with Edison
Robotics with Edison is a course for kids utilising an educational robot called Edison. With this, students instruct their robots with code to communicate with other robots. If you’re looking for an innovative one, this is great for young people at age 7 to up.
7. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is an exciting field of computer science that is constantly evolving. In this online class, kids will learn about AI and how it works. By the end of the course, your kids will have a strong foundation and hands-on experience with AI.
8. Data Science Course
What if your child learned how to think like a data scientist?
Data Science is an exciting and new field of study. In this program, kids will learn all aspects of statistics through programming to create their own algorithms for video games or YouTube videos. Plus, boost their confidence- knowing that what kids are doing has real-world consequences.
9. Graphic Design
We all know how much kids nowadays love to draw. So why not give them the chance of a child’s experience by letting them create their own graphics?
In this course, kids whose age range is 12 up can create logos and movie posters like pro artists. There’s no need for expensive programs because there are plenty of free ones on the internet to allow children to enjoy learning new skills.
10. 3D Game Design
In this course, students learn how to design and create their platformer games. Unity is a powerful game design platform that students use to build 3D pre-designed levels. These budding rockstar developers can create custom stages for their newly created simple games as they learn the basics.
In Conclusion
So, what are the best weekly coding classes?
From learning to code to playing games, there’s something for everyone to teach your child about computers. With these resources, they will be able to learn new tech skills and have a blast doing it.
Project-based Learning: Is it a learner’s main course yet?
With everything evolving in the education landscape, we can adapt to newer pedagogical strategies like project-based learning (PBL) in our curriculum planning!
Tons of surveys and research are pointing to the gaps that exist in our education system and the lack of job-readiness and employability skills. As educators, how then do we make way for our learners to become problem-solvers, innovators, and critical-thinkers?
We take the PBL route!
This blog focuses on Designing Instruction and how educators can embed projects in their curriculum, and not just at the end of it.
Make PBL your main course, not just a dessert
Tracing back to when we were students, project work formed a part of holiday homework, CCE evaluation, or an end-of-the-chapter real-life application! But things are changing and we are adding newer ways to achieve learning outcomes effectively.
PBL is the answer to all our checklist bullets of a high-quality lesson plan—21st century skills, student choice and voice, and ownership of learning.
This gold standard PBL graphic shows the key focus areas of inculcating the pedagogy in our learning experiences. The first step is to keep the learning goals at the center of every project: understand the academic outcomes we want from the lesson, conceptual understanding of learners, and skills that we can develop using the project.
Use a challenge to nudge learners towards deeper questions and more inquiry. One good way to begin, while making your next unit plan, is to revisit your curriculum and think how you can execute it through projects. If you can make it interdisciplinary across subjects, even better!
Take Note: Project or PBL? Ask yourself if you are doing proactive research to make learners understand concepts through a project, or just tagging one at the end? Did your students have a say in the project, or in what they wanted to know more about?
Where to start?
Take a unit that you have already taught, maybe in the previous academic year, or something you are familiar with, and remodel it into a project. Another way is to introduce the unit with a quick shoutout of big ideas of what students think, know and want to learn more of. Educators can use tools like Toddle and Flipgrid to make students’ learning visible in remote scenarios.
Put on your research hat and find out what’s happening in the world that interests your students; teach from the headlines! PBL is when students understand the WHY of a project, feel passionate about finding it out, speak to the experts in the field, and make proposal pitches to them. What a beautiful example of student ownership!
These projects make an important part of formative assessments. Look beyond grades and tune in to how students are learning as the project unfolds. Educators must also encourage group projects and peer feedback mechanisms to make our learners ready for working in teams and taking constructive criticism well.
Harness the natural creativity of the little ones!
Have you ever observed a young one when they are just figuring things out on their own or the kind of curious questions they ask?
A NASA study finds that 98% of 4-5 year olds scored at a ‘creative genius’ level. Five years later, only 30% of the same group scored that title. For adults, it was a mere 2%. As we grow older, the systemic spirit of our education curbs our divergent thinking and WHY questions.
PBL is the best way to stop turning our learners all mechanical!
Begin with co-constructing ‘What good looks like?’ with your teacher colleagues. Use the four Cs framework of Create, Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking to design your project plan. Inculcate visible thinking strategies for engagement and CFUs, like KWL charts. These strategies also inform your project’s driving questions well.
Before moving ahead, here’s the trick! Don’t converge your learners’ thinking to make your lesson successful. Divide them in groups with common ideas, differentiate, and let your students have their own explorative journey! Inching closer to a real research-based project, curate a resource bank of relevant reads and encourage students to add to and leverage it. To extend peer learning, students can also upload their videos or presentations on a platform like the Student app of Toddle and receive feedback in comments.
After every lesson, assess them through reflection exercises and exit tickets. Click HERE to explore more techniques of online assessments. Thinking about assessments, you may be wondering how PBL can replace our pen-and-paper tests? With huge amounts of syllabus, how to include PBL and cover it all?
Reminder: PBL is not just one project, it becomes your curriculum. When you are unit planning, map HOW projects will help build WHAT knowledge, skills and mindsets. And also remember, PBL makes learning stick! Because learners, from start to end, are asking their own questions and finding answers themselves too!
Expand your collaborative horizons with Toddle
Toddle offer educators ready-made lesson plans and questions to discuss, and lots of resources to learn from and step up their game. It provides teachers from a school the space and opportunity to interact and collaborate in planning and assessment. Visualize a smooth interface that allows learners to own their projects and get peer and educator feedback. educators can invite parents to share students’ work and be proud of them. Through this platform, educators can see what the students are doing, co-assess their work and give feedback. From writing and comprehension skills to digital citizenship, our learners are taking it all in through PBL!
Make learning through projects the main course and enjoy the dessert of your effort on effective learning outcomes…
