Episode 14
Improving Collaborative Learning Through Technology
Brief description of the episode
In this episode, Michael Lombardo, Founder and CEO of BookNook, talks to Dan Gizzi about how learning has been changed forever by the pandemic and why collaborative learning is the way forward. He enumerates how edtech companies, educators, caregivers and parents, and districts can use collaborative learning solutions to solve the today’s challenges in education.
Key Takeaways:
- We need to try new things and push the frontiers further as we think about creative new ways to support students.
- Our thesis, at BookNook, started with the workforce problem. The mission is, with technology, to help districts deal with teacher shortages.
- Things like high-dosage tutoring are generating interest among educators because when students are looking to accelerate learning, small group or one on one instruction is, hands down, the most effective thing we can do.
- As edtech companies, our job is to use online collaborative technology to help make these research-proven concepts scalable.
- Urgency and adaptability need to be a long-term outcome of what education experienced during the pandemic.
- Collaborative learning solutions must be based on real student and teacher needs that are observed and understood from a student, teacher, or caregiver standpoint.
- Overall development in the EdTech space should begin with empathy, humility, and understanding of what it is like for a classroom teacher or what is it like for a student struggling academically.
- Experimenting with technologies can lead to a more gradual evolution of a hypothesis rather than a pivot to something new.
- Recognize the digital divide in the classroom – there are vast differences in technology and device environments between different schools, as well as between childrens’ homes.
- Fight for creating equity of access to make sure every student has a device and internet access.
- Give caregivers and families a firsthand experience of their child learning reading or learning foundational math skills. So that caregivers gain insight into the challenges teachers face and vice versa.
- Personalize learning and teaching and embrace online collaborative learning as a path forward.
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