Latest education updates from around the world
VR Adventure ‘Retropolis 2’ Now in Early Access on Quest App Lab
Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye is the next in the Retropolis miniseries, offering up more extendo-arm puzzling and neo-noir narrative goodness. The first episode is now available in early access on Quest and Oculus PC.
Much like the original The Secret of Retropolis (2021), Retropolis 2 is said to combine classic point-and-click adventuring with immersive cinematography.
Like the first, players use Philip Log’s patented extendo-arms to collect items from afar and overcome obstacles. This time around though you’ll do have more to contend with, including logic puzzles, rotation mechanics, and movement between different environments. Developer Peanut Button says the new […]
4 Best Race Car Typing Games
Race car typing games are refer to a form of interactive games designed to improve typing skills. They are so much fun to play and I definitely recommend them for use with kids and teens, and anyone else interested in developing their typing skills in fun and engaging ways. In this post, I share with you some of the best race car typing games out there.
How do race car typing games work?
While each game has its own defining mechanics and game design, generally speaking, race car typing games following more or less […]
Meta to Reduce Quest’s Minimum Age Restriction to 10 Years
Meta announced it’s reducing age requirements for Quest users, bringing the previous 13+ minimum down to 10+. The company says the policy change will come alongside new parent-managed accounts for Quest 2 and the upcoming Quest 3, which the company says will help keep preteens safe.
As anyone who has dipped their toes into social VR apps such as Rec Room or VRChat can probably attest, young kids are broadly already using VR headsets. Now Meta is introducing a scheme that will allow 10, 11 and 12-year-olds to have their own parent-managed accounts for the first time.
Slated to launch later this year, […]
15 Great Books for Summer Reading List 2023
As an educator, I’ve had the pleasure of exploring a diverse array of books, each one shedding a unique light on the fascinating realm of education. From classroom management to promoting authentic engagement, from understanding the power of habits to diving deep into the mechanics of our thinking, and from comprehending the gravity of grit to the joy of turning a classroom into an adventure – every book I’ve read has left an indelible mark.
After careful consideration and reflection on these enlightening experiences, I’ve curated this list of 15 inspiring and insightful books for your
Answers to Most Frequently Asked Questions about Father’s Day
As we look forward to celebrating that one person who, for many of us, is our first hero, we feel it’s time to enrich our understanding of the event that honors him: Father’s Day.
Fathers and father figures play pivotal roles in our lives. They’re our guides, supporters, role models, and, at times, superheroes. So it’s only fitting that we dedicate a day to acknowledging their love, sacrifice, and influence on our lives. But how much do we really know about this special day?
In this post, we will be taking an insightful journey through the […]
Summer Camp Ideas for Teachers
As an educator, I firmly believe that personal and professional growth should not be confined within the walls of the school or the limits of the academic year. In fact, some of the most enriching learning experiences often occur outside of these traditional contexts.
Summer camps, usually seen as avenues for student development, can also be transformational platforms for teachers. These spaces allow us to step out of our usual roles, gain fresh perspectives, acquire new skills, and even reconnect with our love for teaching in unique and rewarding ways.
In my own journey, […]
20 Amazing STEM Camp Activities for Students
As a dedicated language teacher with a deep love for words and the stories they weave, I’ve always believed in the power of broadening one’s horizons. I’ve strived to impart to my students not just the magic of language, but the importance of being multifaceted learners. While my specialty lies in linguistics, my heart has always held a fascination for the interplay of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – the essential domains of STEM.
Despite my formal background in language teaching, I’ve always found myself drawn towards the practical, hands-on approach of STEM education. […]
Milk, Images, and Logo – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where we’re having another overcast morning. For the last month we’ve been stuck in a pattern of having rain for at least part of every day. Fortunately, there have been enough breaks to get outside to ride my bike alone and with my kids. We’re hoping that happens again today and tomorrow. I hope that wherever you are, you get to do something fun this weekend too.
This week I worked on developing materials for a new online course, 25 Search Strategies You Need to Know. The course begins July […]
25 Search Strategies You Need to Know – A New Course Starting July 1st
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One of the most popular webinars and courses that I’ve hosted over the years have been about search strategies and how to teach them to students. This summer I’m offering a new Practical Ed Tech course on that topic.
25 Search Strategies You Need to Know is a five-part course in which I’ll teach you my favorite search strategies. More importantly, I’ll teach you how I teach these strategies to students in grades three through twelve. The course includes written lessons, video tutorials, and handouts that you can use with your […]
28 Exciting Summer Camp Crafts for Kids
Throughout my enriching journey as an educator, I’ve learned that the joy of learning often lies beyond the textbook, beyond the whiteboard, and often, within the playful stroke of a paintbrush or the delicate fold of a paper crane. A sheet of blank paper can become a canvas of limitless possibilities to a child, a space where ideas take shape and creativity truly blossoms.
Despite the predominant focus of my career being language teaching, the undeniable excitement and energy that radiates from children engaging in hands-on craft activities have captivated me time and again. […]
30 Fun STEM Activities for Preschoolers
As a former teacher and a lifelong educator, I have always marveled at the endless curiosity and boundless imagination that preschoolers bring to the table. Their world is one of constant exploration, where every day offers a new adventure, a new question, a new discovery.
While traditional classrooms offer many opportunities for learning, there’s an entire universe of lessons waiting just outside those four walls, especially during the carefree, sun-filled days of summer.
Summer is a time for children to step out of the structure of the school year and into a world where […]
30 Survival Skills Activities for Kids
From the cozy confines of the classroom to the unbounded embrace of the great outdoors, my journey as an educator has traversed diverse landscapes. Each step has brought a wealth of learning, not just for the young minds I have been privileged to guide, but also for me.
In each laugh of discovery, each spark of curiosity, I’ve seen a reaffirmation of why I chose this path – the exhilaration of learning, the joy of growing, the adventure of stepping into the unknown.
While my forte lies in language teaching, I have always been fascinated […]
10 Key Camping Skills for Kids
As a former classroom teacher and a lifelong educator, I’ve had the joy of witnessing countless instances of learning. I’ve seen the spark of understanding ignite in a child’s eyes within the traditional classroom, but perhaps some of the most profound moments of discovery and growth I’ve observed have occurred outside the four walls of a classroom – in the vast, open classroom of the great outdoors.
Camping, in particular, has the potential to be an immersive, multifaceted learning experience for children. It’s not merely about leaving the comforts of home and spending […]
20 Engaging STEM Activities for Toddlers
From my earliest days in the classroom to my most recent endeavors as an educator, I’ve always held a deep belief in the power of hands-on learning. Nothing quite compares to the spark in a child’s eyes when they make a discovery, when a concept clicks, or when they realize they’ve created something entirely on their own.
These moments of understanding, of connection, are what education is all about. They are the milestones that mark not just academic growth, but also the development of a lifelong love of learning.
The importance of these experiences […]
Comfort Words for Someone Who Lost a Loved One
Grief is a journey that each person navigates differently. I’ve learned this from my own experience, living with the pain of my dear mother’s brain injury that has left her in a coma for three years. This journey of grief is an uncharted territory that looks different for everyone, filled with emotional turmoil, moments of disbelief, and a profound sense of loss.
Understanding grief, in my eyes, is about acknowledging its complexity. It’s not linear, it doesn’t follow a set of stages or a specific timeline. Sometimes, it feels like an overwhelming wave of sadness, […]
PlayStation Announces 4 More PSVR 2 Games Coming This Year
Just a month after PlayStation’s big gaming showcase, the company announced it’s bringing four more titles to PSVR 2’s library of games, which includes an upgraded port, a remake, and two brand new titles.
There is already a good swath of games on the horizon we can’t wait to play on PSVR 2, such as upcoming sci-fi shooter Synapse coming in July, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 in late 2023, Arizona Sunshine 2 later this year, and Resident Evil 4 VR coming hopefully at some point this year.
Now PlayStation says we can add […]
‘INVERSE’ is a 4v1 Survival Horror for Quest, Free Early Access Now Live
INVERSE, a multiplayer survival horror unveiled by MassVR, has launched into early access on Quest. Be the monster, or the agents working together to restore power to the facility.
In this 4v1 asymmetric game, players can choose to be the Agents, working together to restore control terminals, or take on the role of the Nul monster, seeking to corrupt and disable unsuspecting victims—so basically Dead by Daylight, but for VR.
During its early access period on Quest, which is now available for free through Quest App Lab, there are currently two multiplayer maps and […]
‘Contractors Showdown’ Battle Royale Coming to All Major VR Platforms Next Year
Caveman Studios, the team behind the tactical VR shooter Contractors (2018), announced a new competitive battle royale called Contractors Showdown.
As first shared during UploadVR’s Summer Showcase, the game is set to launch on all major VR platforms in 2024, which is also slated to include crossplay.
Here’s how Caveman Studios describes the action:
Explore the uninhabited, rugged land that has remained ungoverned for decades. Survive, loot, upgrade, engage, and use your tactics against relentless enemies and dangers on the desolate island. Enter the combat solo or engage with allies to fight against all odds as a team.
The game’s map is […]
Tips for Tech-Savvy Professional Development
An award-winning Director of Instructional Technology shares how he’s led successful professional development in his district through collaboration, edtech partnerships, and teacher empowerment.
Why We Have to Wear Sunscreen – Another Lesson Inspired by My Daughters
A couple of days ago I shared 22 lessons that have been inspired by my daughters’ questions. Here’s another one that popped-up yesterday, “why do we have to wear sunscreen?” It’s the question both of my daughters asked when I told them they had to wear sunscreen to play outside yesterday afternoon.
The answer of “because I don’t want you to get sunburned” didn’t pass muster with them. They wanted to know why they would get sunburned if they didn’t wear sunscreen. The short answer, they have very fair skin and blonde hair. And […]
80 Learning Reflection Questions for Students
As a seasoned educator, I’ve always sought effective ways to enrich my students’ learning experiences. One method that has consistently proven successful is the use of reflection questions. Throughout this post, I’ll share the insights and techniques I’ve gained from my years in the classroom, with a focus on the power and purpose of reflection questions in fostering deep learning.
What are reflection questions?
Before we define reflective questions, let’s first discuss what reflection is. Citing ASCD, Purdue defines reflection as “a process where students describe their learning, how it changed, and […]
How to Use the New Adobe Express Video Editor
There is a new version of Adobe Express. The new version is still in a beta phase, but you can try it out right now and go back to the old version if you want to. I’ve been trying out the new version for about a week. My favorite aspect of the new version of Adobe Express is the much improved video editor.
The video editor in the new version of Adobe Express gives you much better and finer control over each frame of your video. The new version also gives you better control […]
Asymmetric Co-op Game ‘VR Giants’ is Another Great Fit for Steam Remote Play Together
Being able to get your non-VR friends in on the VR fun is often a challenge, especially if you’re trying to play with them remotely. Luckily VR Giants brings another rare opportunity to do so, offering up a fresh dose of asymmetric ‘VR + PC’ co-op gameplay that works just as well online as it does with local play.
We love a good asymmetric VR game that gives a VR player and a non-VR player two totally different roles. Unfortunately these games are a rare breed, surely not helped by the fact that they require both the VR player and […]
Long-awaited ‘STRIDE’ Story Mode Coming Later This Year, New Trailer Here
STRIDE: Fates, the upcoming story mode to the high-flying parkour game, was supposed to arrive late last year, although developer Joy Way delayed it in favor of fleshing out what promises to be a full-featured campaign.
Originally slated to launch in December 2022, STRIDE: Fates is set to introduce new parkour mechanics, new physics, and a narrative told from the life of a chaser in what at the time was said to be a 5+ hours solo adventure.
During the UploadVR Summer Showcase, the studio revealed new gameplay footage showing off the upcoming ‘Slums’ area, something slated to be a large open-world location that will […]
TypeStudio is Now Streamlabs Podcast Editor
TypeStudio was one of my favorite new tools to emerge in the last couple of years. Unfortunately, this morning I learned that it has pivoted and is now focused on podcast editing instead of video editing. Part of that pivot comes with a new name, Streamlabs Podcast Editor (now owned by Logitech).
I have yet to try Streamlabs Podcast Editor. Trying it is now on my list of things to do this week. My initial impression is that Streamlabs Podcast Editor is focused on making it easy to repurpose your existing […]