Walk into an early education classroom and you might see children exploring sensory-focused items (blocks, sand, water), hear singing with repetitive words and lines, and you will feel the joy and wonder that these young ones experience as they discover something new. You might also see technology playing a larger role in their learning environment. From tablets and robotics to interactive displays and 3D printers, educational technology is transforming how our youngest students learn new skills.  

What do you remember doing when you were 4 years old? Maybe it was playing with blocks, sorting shapes, coloring inside and outside of the lines, or making mud pies. This was certainly my experience! But for my daughter and many children like her, technology played an influential role in their early development. In fact, it is not uncommon to see toddlers walking using smartphones to watch videos or play games. As we progress through the 21st century, there is a significant focus on integrating more technology to maximize the teaching and learning experience, including for our youngest learners (i.e., pre-K, ages 4 and up). But does concentrated use of educational technology benefit their learning development? 

New goals help bring the start of any new year to focus, and our education webinars are no exception. Our main goal is to help more teachers implement educational technology with confidence so that they, in turn, support their students through consistent and competent use of tools to engage learning. We realize that teachers have a lot on their plates so our webinars are short, straightforward, and designed to provide strategies that can be implemented right away. 

Boxlight had some amazing experiences this year, such as addingFrontRow, a leading audio solutions company, to our family of brands and winning multiple education technology awards* including Overall EdTech Company of the Year. While our expansion and wins are noteworthy, what keeps us going are the partners, customers, and educators we engage with. Some of our Boxlight family shared their favorite experiencesfrom this past year. 

With the increase of education technology implementation comes the demand for information and resources on how to best use ed tech for instruction. The Mimio Educator blog aims to provide content that benefits educators in any learning environment. This year, our blog topics ranged from engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) lesson experiences to ideas for increasing student collaboration during instruction. Our most-read Mimio Educator blogs include resources like videos, sample lessons, and ideas that educators can apply right away. 

Boxlight has earned a total of five awards in this year’s THE Journal and Campus Technology awards - four New Product Awards and one Campus Technologyaward! 

The mission to implement educational technology in classrooms has grown substantially over the last few years. Districts are driven to invest in ed tech solutions that are comprehensive, integrate with current learning management systems (LMS), and are turnkey. While having the technology is wonderful, not using them properly or to their full potential is still a struggle. This is where the SAMR model can help teachers maximize what they can do to enhance teaching and learning. 

Good communication is essential between teacher and student. When teachers communicate effectively with their students, the impact on learning is clear – students have a better understanding of what’s being taught. Of course, the flip side is that when class communication breaks down there is misunderstanding and frustration by both teacher and students which can impede learning. If you’re a teacher and you’ve felt this frustration because your students couldn’t hear you or misunderstood what you said, here are four steps to try to improve communication. 

We are excited to announce that the Mimio K-12 Ed Tech solutions suite has earned recognition as one of Christian School Products’ 2022 Top Products of the Year. Each Mimio solution is comprehensive and user-friendly so that teachers and students at any competence and confidence level can engage in worthwhile and interactive educational experiences. From feature-rich interactive displays and powerful audio systems to turnkey STEM solutions and high-quality professional development, Mimio products promote active learning and engagement in a Connected Classroom. 

Technology continues to change the face of education, including how teachers and students interact in the classroom. Even after a swift move to greater technology implementation in the past two years, managing the use of laptops, tablets, a front-of-class display, and students remote learning can be exhausting for teachers. Add to that the expectation for personalized learning that meets each student’s needs and frustration can grow for both the teachers responsible for planning and facilitating instruction, and the students who may not feel motivated or focused to engage. What support can be offered to help alleviate the challenges being felt?