March 18^th is Global Recycling Day and this year’s theme is ‘Recycling Heroes’ to recognize those who demonstrate the critical role that recycling plays. This includes what these recycling heroes do to help keep the environment clean and balanced. By recycling, we help decrease the need for collecting and processing non-renewable resources like coal and oil, and raw materials like trees. All these activities contribute to the pollution of our air and water, as well as increase greenhouse gas emissions thus affecting the climate. Recycling saves energy and reduces the hazardous effects of greenhouse gases such as the continued rise of global temperatures, melting ice caps, and the increased danger of wildfires. Really, we all could be recycling heroes by the actions we take. Here are activities to try with your class, even in a hybrid learning environment:

Engaging students and keeping them interested in what they’re learning is among the list of things teachers are perpetually working at improving. Each school year brings a different group of young minds with abilities, experiences, and levels of confidence. With many schools facilitating instruction within hybrid learning and remote learning environments, teachers are faced with the added challenge of engaging students who are spending an increased chunk of time in front of a screen without in-person interaction. Inquiry-based learning strategies can prove to be just what is needed for students to become excited about what their learning, while also giving teachers a clearer picture of how and what their students are understanding.

The British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences and is committed to using their institution to support and promote equality, diversity, and inclusion in all that it does. To best further this aim, they decided to refurbish dedicated workspaces to include modern technology. They wanted to include large displays that were interactive, simple to use, wireless, and could support Zoom and Microsoft Teams video conferencing.

Tip 1 – Plan Out the Year

To celebrate the opening of the Boxlight Virtual Classroom, we have a special promotion combining the virtual classroom experience and multi-award winning MimioConnect® Blended Learning Platform. For any school team (minimum of four educators) that schedules a virtual learning session within our Virtual Classroom, the entire school will gain access to MimioConnect! The Get Connected, Stay Connected promotion is only for the month of March and a maximum of 30 schools will be chosen so register ASAP!

On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, we announced the launch of the Boxlight Virtual Classroom. The Virtual Classroom was designed to help educators and education partners experience real-classroom scenarios using our education technology solutions such as interactive displays, classroom software and web-based learning platforms, and STEM products. The room was designed in response to the move many schools made to remote and hybrid learning environments. The goal of the Virtual Classroom is to provide educators with Best Practices for facilitating engaging and interactive lessons for their students.

Dr. Don Gemeinhardt joined the Boxlight family late last year as Director of Strategic Funding. He is a grant and proposal subject matter expert who has worked with various companies involved with education, compliance training, and student, faculty, and police officer development. His role at Boxlight is focused on helping schools and districts identify funding opportunities for education technology, STEM solutions, and professional development.

Teachers are busy searching for and creating collaborative, interactive lessons that will motivate and engage their learners. But time is essential, and teachers need an easy-to-use software that can help them build dynamic activities and lessons in a matter of minutes. The software should be compatible with any of a variety of education technology hardware such as document cameras, interactive flat panel displays, projectors, and interactive whiteboards. When looking for teacher-friendly software that can be customized for a variety of learning situations, make sure these four features are included:

Holy Trinity Parish School, located in Louisville, KY (U.S.), was looking to replace their aging technology with interactive flat panels. A recipient of the 2004 Catholic Schools of Tomorrow Innovations in Education Award, they prided themselves on providing state-of-the art technology for teachers and students to boost interactive learning and collaboration. Previously, classrooms were outfitted with SMART interactive whiteboards and ceiling mounted projectors with some of classrooms having SMART interactive flat panels. They were now looking for panels that would really set them apart and engage their students in 21^st century learning.