Posted on August 28, 2024September 17, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

August 28, 2024 8:52 am

Taking a Leap of Faith Toward Inquiry

Explore how taking bold steps toward inquiry-based learning can ignite curiosity and deepen student engagement. This blog post delves into the power of inquiry to transform traditional classrooms into dynamic spaces of discovery, fostering critical thinking and lifelong learning skills.

In the iconic movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy is in search of the Holy Grail and must complete three tasks in order to save his father and secure the ever-elusive cup. My favorite scene is when he must take a leap of faith across a deep, dark canyon to reach a doorway on the other side of the chasm. Passage seems dangerously impossible.

He consults his guidebook for directions, and he reads, “Only in the leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth.” Indy then takes a breath, raises his left foot, and takes a brave step into the unknown. Instantly, a camouflaged bridge appears, and he is able to cross the void and retrieve the Holy Grail.

Social studies teacher reading from text to class

Teaching with inquiry can feel like this scene — especially in the back-to-school months of August and September. Social studies teachers look out into the eyes of a new group of students petrified that the inquiry bridge might not appear.

After all, inquiry is filled with unknowns. Teachers may have a solid inquiry curriculum stocked with compelling questions, sources, and tasks, but that is no guarantee that students will care about or engage with the material. And even if they do, there can be a palpable fear of losing control — what might students say in response to a question? Could the interpretation of a source land the teacher in an uncomfortable place? What if students get heated or offended by another student’s argument?

And then, if teachers are able to pass the first two “tests” of inquiry-based curriculum and instruction, there is always the leap of faith required to help students take informed action and participate civically. Inquiry teaching is fraught with instructional challenges, and fear can often get the better of us.

On the other hand, committed inquiry teachers loudly proclaim, “Inquiry is totally worth it!” They liken inquiry-based teaching to a holy grail of social studies where they reap exponential rewards. In writing this blog post, I polled some of my closest teaching colleagues and asked them to summarize the benefits of inquiry instruction, which I have coded and summarized below.

Teacher overlooking device with students

Teaching with inquiry provides more:

Curricular coherence: Inquiry truly binds content, historical thinking and practices, and critical thinking/writing into one pedagogy.

Student agency: Students have autonomy in learning (not in a silly choice board sort of way but in a “my teacher trusts my judgment and conclusions” sort of way).

Deeper learning: We talk about critical thinking a lot, but inquiry is that process, and it pays off for students outside of the social studies classroom.

Interdependence: Even more so than other methods of teaching, since inquiry is a “process,” it forces students to collaborate in meaningful ways — not “what is the correct answer?” but in a “well, what about this idea?” sort of way.

The power of questioning: How questions are phrased expands how content can be approached. Inquiry also welcomes the idea that questions can be changed and challenged. Even asking a particular question can help students consider perspectives they hadn’t before.

Opportunities to consider multiple perspectives: Invite meaningful classroom discussion where students can share and investigate multiple perspectives.

Deliberation: Students have more opportunity to deliberate when considering the various perspectives, costs, benefits, problems, and solutions faced by humans past and present.

Complexity: Inquiry gives students experience with the realistic messiness and complexity of human interaction.

Curiosity: Learning through inquiry stokes a culture of curiosity, giving students agency to think, wonder, and question.

Application/transference: Being expected to craft evidence-based claims regularly may transfer to students expecting the same of friends, family, and media.

Community building: Engaging in inquiry builds trust and reciprocity between students, their peers, and the teacher.

This is inspiring for sure, but may not be enough to overcome fears even if it promises to transform us or our students. For example, I know the transformative benefits of daily exercise, yet I often opt for a comfy binge watch of my favorite tv show instead!

What, then, can move a teacher to take that leap of faith toward inquiry? I would argue that we take a page from Indiana Jones by consulting a guidebook and afterward taking a first (often scary) step forward.

One of the best sets of directions comes from John Dewey. In 1916 (that’s right — over 100 years ago!), Dewey provided this direction on teaching and learning:

“Only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem first hand, seeking and finding [his or her] own way out, does [he or she] think.”

That is, if we want students to know stuff, they need to do stuff. They need to wrestle with thorny human questions, and they need enough time, space, and support to make their own headway toward an answer.

In the meantime, teachers need to step back and help students in this messy and unsteady process — not too much help, not too little help, but just the right amount. That’s the part that can feel like leaping from a lion’s head! Watching students intellectually struggle is really hard, and knowing when and how to help them is even harder.

If inquiry feels like an impossible leap of faith, I recommend starting with a small step that revs your students’ curiosity engines.

Here are three ideas:

1. Take a traditional lesson and reframe it with a question

For example, take a lesson about Thomas Jefferson and frame it with the question, How should we remember Thomas Jefferson?

Try posing that question at the end of a short lecture or after they have read a biography of him. Ask students to answer it in the form of a short epitaph that captures his complexity, contributions, and contradictions in American history. Then, notice what happens when you change from teaching about something to answering a question.

2. Take time interrogating an interesting source

Show students a source — a photograph, a map, a political cartoon — and ask them, “what do you make of this?” Then see what happens.

For example, I have used this image below featuring students protesting in Virginia in the 1960s. I find it irresistible because it immediately begets a series of questions:

Who are these women?
Why are they carrying signs?
Why do the signs say they have lost years of education?
When does this photograph look like it was taken?
If you had to write a caption for the photo, what would you need to know?
How were people impacted by massive resistance?

There is nothing like a juicy compelling source to get you off to the inquiry races!

students protesting massive resistance in Virginia in the 1960s

Source : Neh.gov

3. Take time to bring the past into the present

For example, flip a lesson on ancient Egypt and focus on the current controversy over the repatriation of stolen artifacts.

Here are a few articles that feature these modern issues about preserving and owning the past:

U.S. returns looted 2,500-year-old sarcophagus to Egypt, PBS NewsHour, January 2, 2023
Egyptians call for the return of the Rosetta Stone and other ancient artifacts, NPR, October 2, 2022
ICE makes arrests and seizes cultural artifacts stolen from Egypt, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, July 14, 2011

Students could engage in small group discussions on historical and archival preservation and how people have fought to own history. For homework or if they have in-class devices, students could find additional examples of stealing artifacts and repatriation (e.g., Jews during Holocaust, Native Americans in American history, Africans during the era of European imperialism) and the challenges of returning these precious items to their rightful owners.

As a final note, take heart knowing that perfection can be the enemy of good. For new-to-inquiry teachers, don’t worry about being the perfect inquiry teacher, just try taking a small step like the ones described above and then pay attention to how the students, the classroom culture, and you begin to change. Next, keep taking more (maybe larger) steps. For you veteran inquiry teachers, leap onto that inquiry bridge and show us why we need to continue crossing it.

In the words of the Grail Knight, “You have chosen wisely.”

Rear view of large group of students listening to their teacher

About the Author: Dr. Kathy Swan

Professor, University of Kentucky; C3 Framework Lead Author; Lead Consultant on Traverse

Kathy Swan is a professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Kentucky. Kathy was awarded UKY’s Great Teacher Award in 2021 and has been a four-time recipient of the National Technology Leadership Award in Social Studies Education, innovating with inquiry-based curricula. Dr. Swan served as the project director and lead writer of the College, Career, and Civic Life Framework for Social Studies State Standards (2013), the national standards for social studies. She has co-written a number of best-selling books, including Inquiry-Based Practice in Social Studies Education: The Inquiry Design Model (2017), The Inquiry Design Model: Building Inquiries in Social Studies (2018), and Blueprinting an Inquiry-Based Curriculum: Planning with the Inquiry Design Model (2019).

Posted on June 14, 2024June 12, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

June 14, 2024 5:00 am

Navigating Academic Intervention in Grades 6–12

Supporting students in grades 6–12 comes with complex challenges. Intervention strategies can bridge gaps and boost graduation rates, but only if you have your school community’s buy-in. See what we’ve learned.

As school administrators dive into the recently released state assessment scores, a familiar challenge re-emerges: supporting middle and high school students who are behind grade level. With the 2024–25 school year approaching, it’s crucial to devise effective intervention strategies to bridge academic gaps and ensure students are on track for graduation.

To provide a ground-level perspective, we spoke with three of our Professional Development Specialists who work with educators implementing Imagine MyPath, focusing on their insights into successful intervention practices for grades 6–12.

The First Hurdle: Engaging Students

One of the biggest challenges in middle and high school intervention is getting students’ buy-in. Students who have had negative experiences with other intervention strategies — maybe the material was too advanced and prevented them from progressing, or it was so juvenile it stigmatized their learning gaps — can be reluctant to engage.

Senior Professional Development Specialist Derek Sarver calls lack of engagement and motivation “critical barriers.” He appreciates that programs like Imagine MyPath address this with built-in motivational and celebratory opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of hands-on experiences and modeling during professional development sessions to support teachers in keeping students engaged.

For Jenny Singletary, the compounded issue of low engagement plus competing for students’ time is the “number one enemy,” particularly for high school intervention. “It’s a huge obstacle,” she says, stressing how full students’ schedules are. “Students who are struggling don’t want to put forth the time in their coursework, much less an intervention program.”

Stacey Cleveland points out that, in addition, “high school teachers often lack training in small group instruction and intervention strategies, which are essential for effective engagement.” She stresses the need for structured models that demonstrate how to integrate intervention into the classroom.

Effective Strategies in Action

Middle and high school students’ learning needs are complex, so successful intervention strategies need to be multi-tiered. Derek observes that the most effective techniques include “consistent usage opportunities, active monitoring of student engagement, and meaningful student-teacher conversations.” These strategies help students take ownership of their learning, a crucial component for sustained improvement.

Stacey shares a successful pilot program where a station model was implemented in a 10th-grade English class. “We capped the teacher’s direct instruction at 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of hands-on practice and 30 minutes of using Imagine MyPath or Imagine Edgenuity,” she explains. This structured approach ensured consistent and effective use of intervention tools, leading to better data and meaningful insights. “You’re getting that use with fidelity over time,” she says, “so the data is more accurate, and the teachers are starting to see the value.”

“Student data chats, when done consistently, can significantly impact students’ ownership of their learning.”

Derek Sarver

Senior Professional Development Specialist

Building a Culture of Data-Driven Intervention

Everyone agreed that effectively utilizing data was critical to daily efforts and to achieving the long-term goals of grade-level learning and graduation rates.

Derek cites two key components of data-driven intervention: educators actively monitoring student engagement and progress and students self-monitoring their learning. He wishes more educators understood the importance of using reporting features to facilitate student conversations. “Student data chats, when done consistently, can significantly impact students’ ownership of their learning,” he says.

For Stacey, educators’ ability to efficiently respond to data is key, especially “stopping to look at what is going to be the best use of [the teacher’s] time to help the students in their room. We have to recognize, A, where are our students? And B, give ourselves the space and permission to take the time needed to bring them closer to grade level.” She loves that Imagine MyPath provides reteaching worksheets and a class summary report. “It tells the teacher, ‘This student is struggling. Here is the resource you can use with her.’”

Jenny worked as a Teacher Specialist for the South Carolina Department of Education before joining Imagine Learning and understands how assessment data drives decisions at the administrative level. She underscores the importance of aligning formative assessments with state standards and notes that Imagine MyPath’s assessments do just that, helping teachers accurately gauge student progress and needs. “I know the depth and rigor that you’re going to find in [state assessments],” she says, “and I see that same depth and rigor in formative assessments for Imagine MyPath.”

“We have to recognize, A. Where are our students? And B. Give ourselves the space and permission to take the time needed to bring them closer to grade level.”

Stacey Cleveland

Professional Development Specialist

Planning for Success

For Derek, these approaches to intervention with older students aren’t just theoretical. “I had a large district opt-in to an Imagine MyPath pilot for their middle school math intervention students,” he says. “We focused on student data, reporting functionality for educators, and student engagement with the program. What we saw district-wide after the EOY assessment window closed was a 12% increase in students performing ON grade level and a 742% increase in students performing ABOVE grade level! The numbers sound extreme, but this happened, in large part, because of student and teacher buy-in and increased motivation.” 

No matter what program tops your list for intervention in 2024–25, consider how to activate students’ ownership of their learning and explore data-driven strategies everyone can embrace. Your graduation rates will reflect these efforts in 2025 and beyond.

About the Author — Kallie Markle

Kallie Markle lives in Northern California with her family of humans, house plants, and dogs. The humans take up the least amount of space. Before joining the education world, she wrote her way through national parks, concerts, tourism, and brewing.

Posted on May 28, 2024May 28, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

May 28, 2024 4:58 am

Open Any Door with Creativity

In our final blog post on the 4Cs, we unpack how STEM learning fosters creativity. Discover how innovative thinking drives scientific breakthroughs and engineering solutions, proving that creativity isn’t just for the arts — it’s essential for progress in every field.

Ever thought that studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is only useful for students considering careers in science or tech? If so, then you wouldn’t be alone — but it’s time to change that perspective.

The truth is, workplaces are changing fast, and some traditional skills are becoming less relevant today. Growing digitalization of roles, AI technologies, and new communication methods demand a totally different set of skills fit for the modern workplace (Thornhill Miller et al., 2023).

This is where STEM subjects come into play. By studying STEM at schools, students pick up the soft skills that are exactly what employers look for today. Not only do these soft skills make the transition from education to the workplace smoother, they also open the door to any career — whether that’s a STEM-related role or not. These soft skills are commonly referred to as 21st-century skills, or the 4Cs: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

Gif of 4Cs of STEM, zooming into the STEM skill: Collaboration

Creativity: The Last C Unveiled

Creativity in STEM

When you imagine a “creative” person, who do you see? An artist, actor, or a musician, maybe? Likely a scientist or a mathematician wouldn’t be the first to spring to mind — but they should. It’s a common myth that the arts are creative disciplines and STEM subjects are not. But this must be challenged because such a mindset creates a false picture of what it means to work in STEM — and the skills students stand to gain when engaging with STEM subjects. The fact is, STEM is inherently creative. Think about it — every scientific discovery, every engineering solution, was born from innovative thinking and creativity. The Wright brothers didn’t happen upon the first airplane — their breakthrough was a product of some serious out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem-solving.

Why Creativity is a Key Skill

Creativity has long been included as a core competency on job adverts across every field. It’s clear why — what job doesn’t require some level of creative thinking? And looking forward to the future, it’s unlikely that this is going to change.

By 2030, it’s estimated that up to 800 million jobs will be displaced by automation and artificial intelligence (AI). In such a rapidly changing job market, creativity will be crucial for adapting to new roles and driving progress in fields that machines cannot easily replicate.

“Sometimes those things don’t always work out, but it’s still enjoyable to go through it because at the end you’re going to come out with something that you never thought you would.”

Noby Leong

Chemist

Fostering the Next Generation of Creative Thinkers

Here are just some ways STEM can help foster the next generation of creative thinkers:

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Through STEM exploration, students tackle complex, real-world problems that require innovative solutions — they develop and test hypotheses, analyze data, refine their ideas, all while working within specific constraints. It’s a process that requires immense creative thinking.
Hands-On Learning: By engaging in practical tasks — such as science investigations and engineering challenges — students apply their creative thinking. They learn through trial and error and explore multiple solutions, and in doing so, they enhance their ability to bring creative ideas to life.
Collaborative Learning Projects: We’ve already delved into how STEM fosters collaboration — but did you know that collaboration also fosters creativity? When working together to solve problems, students bounce ideas off one another, leverage each other’s strengths, and create innovative solutions that they may not have found alone.

Imagine Learning STEM

Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4Cs.

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Posted on May 17, 2024May 17, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

May 17, 2024 12:55 pm

Empowering the Next Generation: How CTE Fosters Career Confidence

CTE programs equip students with not only essential skills and competitive credentials but also with the confidence they need to excel in today’s competitive job markets.

The decision of what to do after high school can feel overwhelming for many high school students. They’re coping with academic pressures and personal stressors, which can make every decision feel weighted.

Here’s where career and technical education (CTE) programs come in.

They’re more than just vocational training to connect high school students to viable careers; they also help boost students’ self-confidence and build real-world competencies. As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, CTE programs play a crucial role in preparing the next generation for successful and fulfilling careers.

Here are 3 ways CTE programs alleviate student anxieties, helping them enter the “real world” with confidence:

Real-world anxiety: my classes aren’t preparing me for life after high school

CTE’s answer: pathways that build competencies for the modern world

Students learning together to build electronic circuits

We’ve all heard it: “I don’t use anything I learned in high school.” While that’s hyperbole, the sentiment is important. Students worry that they won’t be prepared for the real world — whether that’s college or career — after high school. CTE programs are changing that.

CTE programs are uniquely designed to align academic goals with the economic realities of high-demand industries. By integrating core academic skills with technical, job-specific skills, these programs prepare students for a smooth transition from the classroom to the workplace. Whether their interests lie in healthcare, engineering, digital arts, or even agriculture, CTE courses equip students with a versatile toolkit of skills that don’t just look great on a resume — they also help students succeed in their chosen careers.

CTE programs stand out as an essential educational pathway that empowers students to reach their full potential.

Real-world anxiety: today’s jobs are looking for more than a diploma

CTE’s answer: certifications that open doors

A group of students working on a project together

In a world where entry-level roles somehow still require experience, students are understandably worried about their prospects when entering the workforce. CTE programs set students up for success by preparing them for industry-recognized certification exams.

Not only do they help them prepare, but CTE programs allow students to earn recognized certifications while they’re still in high school. These certifications, often endorsed by industry leaders, can provide a substantial advantage for students entering the job market. They signal that students are ready to work, which can help reduce the barrier to entry into competitive fields.

Real-world anxiety: the idea of a career is big, unknown, and possibly scary

CTE’s answer: real-world experience builds confidence and familiarity

Daydreaming in a freshman year English classroom, the idea of a career seems like just that: a distant fantasy. As students enter their final years of high school, they start to feel that post-graduation life getting closer and closer — but that doesn’t make it any less intimidating.

To alleviate these fears, CTE programs frequently incorporate internships, apprenticeships, and real-world projects that provide hands-on experience. Direct engagement outside the classroom not only reinforces the theoretical knowledge learned in class but also helps students develop confidence in their ability to perform job tasks effectively. This experience transforms uncertainty into assertive self-assurance, as students realize they can apply knowledge to solve real-world problems.

A pathway to sustainable careers

By providing clear pathways to in-demand careers, CTE programs help students see the direct correlation between their efforts in school and their future success. This visibility enhances their motivation and encourages them to envision their future beyond high school. And, knowing that they are on a direct route to a viable and sustainable career can significantly alleviate the anxiety and uncertainty that many students face regarding their future after high school.

Career and technical education programs don’t just teach students a set of job-specific skills; they also build confidence, alleviate anxiety, and encourage personal and academic growth. As the demand for skilled professionals grows, CTE programs stand out as an essential educational pathway that empowers students to reach their full potential.

Posted on May 13, 2024June 4, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

May 13, 2024 10:19 am

Open Any Door with Communication

As the demand for skilled communicators rises across all fields, it’s vital that our educational approaches keep pace. In this third entry of our 4Cs series, we show how STEM education boosts students’ communication skills, equipping them with the tools necessary for success in any career.

Communication: The Third C Unveiled

In the world of STEM, mastering technical skills like coding, data analysis, and engineering design are often viewed as the usual pillars for career success. Equally crucial, and sometimes overlooked, is the role of effective communication. The ability to explain complex concepts clearly and collaborate empowers students to thrive in any professional environment, not just in STEM fields.

STEM subjects naturally integrate communication through things like collaborative projects and problem-solving. These involve more than just talking and writing — they’re about learning to convey ideas clearly and effectively in a variety of ways. Students may need to present their scientific findings, defend their reasoning, or document their processes. Each of these tasks strengthens verbal, written, and digital communication skills, which all contribute to career-readiness.

“Whether you decide to try for a job in science or not, investing time in developing scientific thinking and skills will positively impact your future.”

Drew Barrett

Director of Efficacy Research at Imagine Learning

Build Effective Communicators with STEM

When we really think about it, communication and STEM go hand in hand. STEM professionals need to effectively communicate findings to help drive progress in their field — which is where studying STEM subjects come in. Here are just some ways STEM helps build strong communicators in any field:

Data visualization: Students learn to take complex data and transform it into clear visual aids that form the basis of sound decisions — valuable for careers ranging from business analytics to public health.

Technical writing: In math, students prove theorems or solve problems where each step must be documented. By learning how to make cases for findings and articulate their thoughts, they pick up useful skills for workplace tasks — whether it’s preparing project proposals or writing code for software development.

Interdisciplinary communication: Many STEM fields encourage interdisciplinary projects that require collaboration. By taking part in projects, students learn to speak the language of other disciplines, make room for opinions, and adjust their communication styles.

Presentation skills: Whether through academic posters, group presentations, or team updates, students are expected to present research and findings. Think of it as the ultimate confidence booster, preparing them for fields like marketing, education, or business!

In our final 4Cs blog post, we explore how creativity opens exciting possibilities across all disciplines.

Imagine Learning STEM

Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4Cs.

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Posted on April 30, 2024May 28, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

April 30, 2024 5:40 am

Open Any Door with Collaboration

“Embrace the opportunities to learn and apply STEM skills, and you’ll find yourself well equipped for a future full of fun and exciting possibilities.”

Simone Jennings

CEO and marketer

Collaboration: The Next C Unveiled

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Two heads are better than one.” It’s true — no one person can do everything. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and if we work together, we’re much more likely to solve a problem than if we’re working alone. But learning to collaborate doesn’t just mean learning how to work with others. It’s learning to delegate, resolve conflict, manage time, set goals, make compromises, and be empathetic — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In short, collaboration isn’t only important for college and careers — it’s necessary in every aspect of life.

From STEM Classrooms to Any Career

How does STEM promote collaboration?

Fun fact: more than 7,000 scientists, engineers, and technicians collaborated when designing and building the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most powerful particle accelerator. It’s a great example of how STEM is a playground for collaboration — and how groundbreaking discoveries are made when many minds are brought together. In a STEM classroom, there are plenty of opportunities to practice this skill. From working on collaborative projects and conducting and sharing group research to providing peer-to-peer feedback and engaging in class discussions, every student has the chance to engage, regardless of learning style. But as chemist Noby points out in the video above, lots of students are apprehensive when it comes to group assignments. And often, that apprehension isn’t entirely unfounded because there are lots of potential conflicts that can arise. A common worry is unequal participation (Murray, 2017), but there are many strategies to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate — and therefore, get the most from their collaborative group work.

A great way to promote equitable collaboration in a STEM classroom is to assign students different roles during science and engineering investigations. This can give them buy-in, a reason to participate, and simulates various collaborative situations they’re likely to encounter in the workforce — whether in a STEM-related role or not.

In the next installment of our series on the 4Cs of STEM, we’ll explore how STEM fosters communication skills.

Imagine Learning STEM

Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4Cs.

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Posted on April 12, 2024May 28, 2024 by Imagine Learning Corporate

April 12, 2024 10:38 am

Open Any Door with Critical Thinking

Workplaces are changing fast. Jobs with “routine” work have decreased and there’s a much bigger emphasis on soft skills like the 4Cs. In part one of our four-part series, discover how critical thinking unlocks future pathways for students and how STEM in particular fosters it.

This is where STEM subjects come into play. By studying STEM at schools, students pick up the soft skills that are exactly what employers look for today. Not only do these soft skills make the transition from education to the workplace smoother, they also open the door to any career — whether that’s a STEM-related role or not. These soft skills are commonly referred to as 21st-century skills, or the 4Cs: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

“The world is incredibly complex. It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and I use those fundamental [STEM] skills to find all of the puzzle pieces and put them together in a way that makes sense to me.”

Noby Leong

Chemist

Critical Thinking: The First C Unveiled

What do we mean by critical thinking? And why does it take center stage? Critical thinking is about analyzing and evaluating information to make sound conclusions. It’s more than solving math problems or conducting experiments — it’s about challenging assumptions and seeing beyond the obvious to become an active, engaged problem solver.

In the classroom, this might look like students debating the best approach to solving a problem or designing multiple hypotheses to test an experiment. Ultimately, it’s a skill that prepares students for overcoming real-world challenges in any field.

From STEM Classrooms to Any Career

So how does mastering Pythagoras’ theorem or challenging scientific approaches benefit students who don’t want to pursue STEM? The answer lies in the universal transferability of the critical thinking involved. Whether it’s strategizing a marketing campaign, improving customer service protocols, or writing compelling narratives, critical thinking is woven into the fabric of every career you can imagine.

The message is clear: critical thinking is more than an academic skill. It unlocks potential across all disciplines and all future pathways for students.

In the next installment of our series on the 4Cs of STEM, we’ll explore the power of collaboration and how it shapes the leaders of tomorrow.

Imagine Learning STEM

Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4Cs.

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Posted on October 20, 2023November 7, 2023 by Imagine Learning Corporate

October 20, 2023 9:14 am

Inquiry-Based Learning: What I’ve Learned

Imagine Learning implementation specialist and former social studies teacher Timothy Lent discusses the value of inquiry-based learning for students, strategies teachers can use to create successful inquiry projects, and why Traverse’s huge library saves teachers “a ton of time.”

Engaging Students with Real-World Contexts

Inquiry-based learning involves getting students to actively apply their skills to real-world contexts through problem-solving activities. I use inquiry in my social studies classes because it gets students engaged and topics appear more relevant to them. By exploring problems, ideas, or questions through a range of different media sources and activities, students can draw their own conclusions, and the lesson is brought to life.

For the first three years of my teaching career, I used a more traditional style of teaching. Often, it very much felt like we were just going lockstep through history: this happened, then this, then this, then this. Every once in a while, we would stop to look at a source here or there.

I was lucky enough to attend some workshops and be involved with some training that introduced me to the inquiry design model that Kathy Swan helped to create. When I started to introduce this method into my own classroom, I saw straight away that students became much more connected to what they were learning. We were still moving along chronologically—because that’s usually how you teach social studies—but instead of taking a day to look at a source, you’re really taking maybe three or four classes to breathe a little bit within a time period. Instead of telling kids what happened, you’re providing students with just enough context to get to the inquiry question so they understand what led up to it, and they can grapple with the question.

Inquiry in Action

At the beginning of an inquiry, you present students with the scenario: here’s the big question you’re trying to answer, and here are four or five sources that you’re gonna try to figure out the answer to that question with. And instead of students searching for the right answer to get the points, they now have the opportunity to come up with their own answer. Not only is this more interesting and more engaging, it’s also more challenging and rewarding to have to support a claim with evidence and then try to explain how that evidence supports the claim.

My first inquiry was on the Industrial Revolution, and by at the end of this inquiry, students were involved in a debate where they had roles—so you had students who took on the role of being child workers in factories, there were factory owners, there were labor leaders, and some of the kids dressed up for the roles. They prepared for it for a week and a half, gathering their evidence, from the point of view of their roles: “That testimonial is gonna be perfect for us” or “This piece from Adam Smith is perfect for me as a factory owner to prove that it’s just more efficient.” The students were the ones providing the momentum in the instruction because they really got into the debate and thought it was fun. It was very fulfilling to see as a teacher.

One of the biggest challenges of inquiry is finding the right question or right topic—if the inquiry is flat or the students aren’t so interested in the subject, you can look to implement a range of different sources so the students can draw connections to the subject, whether that be thematic or direct connections. Sources don’t necessarily need to be historical or traditional formats. In an inquiry about Black Lives Matter protests in July 2020, I brought in some tweets from a local reporter, Instagram posts from a student group, and a local news report, and the students had to figure out why the protests took place. They loved it because they could draw connections from people they were familiar with and work with media that resonated with them.

Finding High-Quality Sources

One of the reasons why Traverse is so valuable is because of the sources that have been selected. Most of them are really great quality and they’ve already been pared down. I think that’s incredibly important, not just for engaging students but also saving teachers time. It takes a ton of time for teachers to find sources.

Let’s say I’m teaching about the Whiskey Rebellion and I want to have five sources. I’ll probably pull a little excerpt from the textbook. I’ll look online, type in “Whiskey Rebellion, primary sources,” and then I have to read through all of them, and excerpt them, and they’re probably in PDF format so I need to find a way to copy and paste that. When I’m done with that, I have to actually create questions for the kids. And a lot of what you can find online is public domain, from 1916 or something like that, and written in a style that you need to translate for your students.

With Traverse you’ve got, for each chapter, a source set, a question already developed, activities for each source, additional source information in the Teacher Edition that you wouldn’t know about unless you did some next-level investigation on your own. And it’s so easily customizable, so let’s say there are six sources in the Traverse source set and I know we only have time to look at three or four, I just have to click a button and then those aren’t assigned to the kids. It just saves people a ton of time.

Strategies

Here are some tips and strategies that I’ve found helpful to create successful inquiry projects:

Develop compelling questions—Work closely with your students to guide their inquiry by developing questions that are open-ended and encourage critical thinking and exploration.
Provide scaffolding—Throughout inquiry journeys, provide scaffolding to support your students, including offering background information, modeling the inquiry process, and giving feedback.
Encourage reflection—Encourage your students to reflect on what they have learned and to make connections between their new knowledge and their prior knowledge and experiences.
Assess learning—Formative assessments such as observations, checklists, or rubrics can be used to gauge student understanding throughout the process. Presentations, research papers, or debates are good ways of evaluating learning outcomes too.
Positive classroom culture—It’s important to have an environment that promotes collaboration and open communication. Students need to feel comfortable asking questions, taking conceptual risks, and exploring different ideas and perspectives.

Using these approaches, I have witnessed the transformative power of inquiry-based learning in my classroom. I’d recommend it to any teacher who wants to not only enhance students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills but also help inspire a genuine passion for learning and a deeper understanding of their subject.

About the Author Timothy Lent

Timothy Lent is a social studies educator from New York State. He taught middle school and high school social studies in Brooklyn and Syracuse, NY and has years of experience in curriculum development and professional learning in schools, non-profits, and for-profit companies. He is now a Professional Learning Specialist at Imagine Learning, training educators who use IL’s innovative social studies program, Traverse, to develop the next generation of informed and active citizens.

Inquiry driven. Media powered. A new approach to social studies.

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Posted on September 7, 2023September 15, 2023 by Imagine Learning Corporate

September 7, 2023 10:21 am

Soft Skills with Big Impact: the 4Cs of STEM

Make STEM classrooms a playground for curiosity, a canvas for creativity, a stage for communication, and a hub for collaboration. When students embrace these skills, they’re not just preparing for the future — they’re shaping it.

“Hey Siri, how many rings does Saturn have?”

“Alexa, tell me what the square root of 1089?”

“ChatGPT: give me HTML code to embed a basic calculator on a webpage.”

There was a day when students had to ask their teachers, librarians, or even consult an encyclopedia for this type of information. But those days are long (like really long) gone, and the teacher is no longer the only keeper of information in the room.

Since the teacher’s role is evolving due to new technologies, and certainly students are not motivated to memorize what Alexa already knows, what should STEM classrooms be focused on? What skills are employers in STEM careers looking for if ChatGPT can produce code for free?

A 2018 survey by the Association of American Colleges & Universities showed, “that just 34 percent of top executives and 25 percent of hiring managers say students have the skills to be promoted. Many of those skills are soft skills — communication, team work, problem-solving — that are critical in a quickly shifting job market. Entry-level skills change every few years; it’s the habits of learning to learn and navigating the ambiguity of a career that will prove most valuable to undergraduates in the long run.”

The National Education Association has boiled these soft skills down to the 4 Cs: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration. Let’s explore why these 4Cs are critical to providing a modern STEM education that gives students real career opportunities.

1. Critical Thinking: where curiosity begins

Imagine a classroom buzzing with questions. Except, not fact-based “how many rings does Saturn have” questions. Questions like: is it possible for New York City to become carbon neutral? What would that plan look like? Or: why does the kind of water (fresh or salt) affect how long it takes an ice cube to melt? That’s the power of critical thinking at work. It’s all about encouraging young minds to ask, “Why?” and “How?” Critical thinkers don’t just accept things at face value; they dig deeper. When students learn to analyze information, separate facts from opinions, and spot patterns, they become problem-solving heroes.

Picture a group of students exploring a science experiment. Instead of just following a set of instructions, they’re asking themselves, “What will happen if we change this variable?” That’s critical thinking igniting their imagination — it’s like a spark that lights up their learning journey.

2. Creativity: where imagination takes flight

Creativity isn’t just for artists — it’s a skill that every STEM student needs. It’s about looking at a problem from a different angle and dreaming up new solutions. Think of it as the magic wand that turns ordinary ideas into extraordinary ones.

Take a moment to think about a famous inventor, like Thomas Edison. He didn’t just stumble upon the light bulb; it took him 1000 attempts to find a design that worked. Creativity is what made him keep going, even when things got tough. Encouraging our students to think outside the box, to come up with wild ideas, and to believe that they can change the world — that’s the heart of creativity in STEM education.

3. Communication: bridges between minds

Imagine a world where nobody understood each other. It would be chaotic, right? Communication is like a bridge that connects our thoughts to the world. In STEM, it’s not enough to have brilliant ideas; you also need to share them effectively.

Think about a young engineer who designs an amazing new gadget. If they can’t explain how it works to others, their idea might never see the light of day. Teaching students how to express complex ideas in simple terms empowers them to inspire, collaborate, and bring their innovations to life.

4. Collaboration: teamwork for triumph

Remember the saying, “Two heads are better than one”? That’s the spirit of collaboration. In a world where problems are more complex than ever, working together is key. Collaboration is like a puzzle; each piece has its role, and when they come together, they create something amazing.

Think about a group of students working on a science project. Some are great at designing, others excel at research, and a few are natural leaders. When they pool their talents, their project becomes a masterpiece. It’s the same spirit that built the tallest skyscrapers and sent humans to the moon.

Putting the 4Cs into action

Imagine a classroom where students use their critical thinking skills to solve a real-world problem. Maybe they’re designing a water-saving system for their school garden. They brainstorm creative ideas, like using rainwater and self-watering plants. Then, they work as a team to build the system and explain their design to their classmates. These students are embracing the 4Cs in action: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

Empowering educators for success

As educators, you’re the guides on this exciting journey. You hold the keys to nurturing the 4Cs in your students. Encourage them to question, to dream, to share, and to work together. Make STEM education a playground for curiosity, a canvas for creativity, a stage for communication, and a hub for collaboration.

When students embrace these skills, they’re not just preparing for the future — they’re shaping it.

Imagine Learning STEM

Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4 Cs.

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About the Author – Carolyn Snell

Carolyn Snell started her career in education teaching first grade in San Bernardino, California. A passion for the way technology and stellar curricula can transform classrooms led her to various jobs in edtech, including at the Orange County Department of Education. Her knack for quippy copy landed her a dream job marketing StudySync—an industry leading ELA digital curriculum. Now, as the Senior Content Marketing Manager for Imagine Learning, Carolyn revels in the opportunity to promote innovative products and ideas that are transforming the educational space for teachers and students.

Posted on August 23, 2023October 11, 2023 by Imagine Learning Corporate

August 23, 2023 1:35 pm

Navigating A New Era: The Shift from Teacher-Centric to Student-Centered Learning

The era of information scarcity is long gone, leaving room for a new dawn of student-led inquiry, exploration, critical thinking, and discovery. Are you ready for it?

Technology is radically changing how students communicate, collaborate, and create. Their small devices are an extension of their physical selves and give them impressive control over their daily lives. They stream television shows and movies, build music playlists for every mood, and order food to be delivered. This technology-rich reality stands in stark contrast to my experience growing up. If I wanted to watch Friends, I had to be on the couch at 8 o’clock on Thursday nights. I strategically timed bathroom breaks for commercials. And at the end of every season, I wondered, “Will Ross and Rachel ﬁnally end up together?” As a viewer, I had no control over my experience.

Watching my two teenagers engage with media is radically different. They decide what they watch, when they watch, where they watch, and how much they watch. They have total control over the media they consume. Despite this new reality, young people spend their days in classrooms that operate like network television. Like it or not (need it or not), all students are getting the same information at the same time. This disconnect between their experience at school and their lives beyond the classroom likely contributes to the high number of students who report negative feelings associated with school (Moeller, Brackett, Ivcevic &White, 2020).

Technology is permeating every aspect of society and fundamentally changing how we engage with information and each other. Yet, many classrooms still function in much the same way they did 20 years ago. Even the addition of computers and tablets in classrooms has not radically changed traditional approaches to teaching and learning. Many teachers still spend their days at the front of the classroom disseminating information. It made sense 100, 40, or even 20 years ago for teachers to dedicate signiﬁcant time to transferring information. They and the textbook were the sole sources of information in a classroom. However, students today can access unlimited information in myriad formats online. This should have a transformative impact on our approach to educating young people. The era of information scarcity is long gone, leaving room for a new dawn of student-led inquiry, exploration, critical thinking, and discovery.

The era of information scarcity is long gone, leaving room for a new dawn of student-led inquiry, exploration, critical thinking, and discovery.

A Shift in Teacher Mindset: From Expert to Facilitator

However, to truly transform education, educators must ask themselves, “What is my fundamental purpose in the classroom?” The way they perceive their value shapes their teaching methods. If they see themselves merely as experts, they gravitate toward one-size-ﬁts-all, teacher-led, teacher-paced lessons. This whole group approach to teaching fails to acknowledge learner variability or meet the diversity of needs, abilities, language proﬁciencies, learning preferences, and interests in a classroom. Such a teacher-centric approach also requires the teacher, not the students, to do the lion’s share of the cognitive work. Instead of facilitating active learning, they spend their time at the front of the classroom, presenting information, unpacking complex concepts, and modeling processes and skills in the form of mini-lessons or lectures and relegating students to the role of passive observers.

In an era dominated by technology and advancing AI, teachers must recognize their irreplaceable value lies in their inherent humanness. This includes their ability to listen, observe, empathize, and organically respond to student needs. By contrast, technology excels at disseminating information. One can read a text, watch a video, listen to a podcast, or converse with an AI chatbot to acquire knowledge on various subjects. Moreover, when individuals engage with digital content, they have greater control over their learning experience. They control the pace at which they consume and process information. They can manipulate digital resources in ways that make the information more accessible. For example, students reading an online article can expand the size of a text and look up the deﬁnitions of unfamiliar words. When watching a video, they can pause, rewind, or rewatch as needed and add closed captions. They can even adjust the speed of a video or podcast to ensure the presentation of information isn’t too fast or too slow. If technology excels at transferring information, why would teachers spend their limited time with students talking at them?

Teachers can lean on technology to shoulder some of the burden of “covering content,” so they can spend their precious time with students focused on the human side of this work. If teachers leverage technology strategically and use blended learning models to architect student-centered learning experiences, they can embrace their role as facilitators of learning. As facilitators, their focus is working alongside individuals and small groups of learners, supporting them as they work to comprehend complex concepts and apply speciﬁc strategies and skills. That way, teachers can effectively differentiate and personalize learning for students to ensure they are all making progress toward ﬁrm standards-aligned learning goals.

A Shift in Teacher Skill Set: From One-Size-Fits-All to Blended Learning Models

To free themselves from the front of the room and embrace their role as facilitators of learning, teachers need a more robust and resilient set of technology-enhanced instructional models. Blended learning models combine active, engaged learning online with active, engaged learning ofﬂine. They strive to fundamentally shift the focus and locus of control in the classroom from teacher to learner. Teachers in traditional classrooms can use the range of rotation models (e.g., station rotation, whole group rotation, ﬂipped instruction, and playlist) to design student-centered learning experiences that allow students more control over the pace and path of their learning.

These blended learning models also position teachers to work directly with individuals and small groups of learners to differentiate instruction and modeling sessions, provide real-time process-based feedback as students work, conference with students about their progress, and conduct side-by-side assessments. The shift from whole group to small group or individual interactions allows teachers to focus their energy and talents on meeting every student where they are in their individual learning journeys, which is critical if we want to provide an inclusive and equitable learning experience.

In an era dominated by technology and advancing AI, teachers must recognize their irreplaceable value lies in their inherent humanness.

The Goal: Shifting Students From Passive Consumers to Active Agents

When educators adjust their mindset, recognizing their value not just as fountains of knowledge but as facilitators of learning, a transformative change begins. This transformational shift is bolstered by blended learning models, which allocate time and space for direct, individualized interaction between teachers and learners. These models don’t just alter the way teachers design and facilitate learning; they redeﬁne the student experience.

Historically, traditional education has conﬁned students to the sidelines as passive observers and recipients of information. They were vessels to be ﬁlled rather than explorers charting their own course. However, blended learning models shift control to learners, positioning them as active agents driving the learning. This demands they move beyond simply absorbing facts and work to make meaning in concert with their peers. The shift to student-centered learning signiﬁes a shift from mere retention to reﬂection, application, and creation. As active agents, students develop the skills and conﬁdence to explore, discover, and create. Ultimately, the purpose of reimagining teaching and learning is to produce not just knowledgeable individuals but critical thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners.

The shift to student-centered learning is a gradual one. Navigating such an environment demands a higher cognitive and social investment from students compared to traditional teacher-led settings where the educator shoulders most responsibilities. However, the dividends of this evolution are invaluable. Students emerge as “expert learners,” characterized by motivation, resourcefulness, strategy, and self-awareness. They become adept at recognizing their strengths, limitations, areas of growth, and conﬁdently advocating for their needs. For teachers, this approach reignites passion and provides a deeper sense of purpose. As we face a time where many educators are stepping away from their roles and students are bracing for a dynamic world and job landscape, adopting this paradigm shift becomes imperative. In an era when educators are leaving the profession in droves, and students prepare to enter a rapidly changing world and job landscape, this shift is imperative.

About the Author – Dr. Catlin R. Tucker

Dr. Catlin R. Tucker is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, international trainer, and professor in the Masters in the Arts of Teaching Program at Pepperdine University. She taught for 16 years in Sonoma County, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2010.

Catlin has written a series of books on blended learning including, The Shift to Student-led, The Complete Guide to Blended Learning, UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes, Balance With Blended Learning, Blended Learning In Action, Power Up Blended Learning, and Blended Learning In Grades 4-12 . In addition to her books on blended learning, Catlin writes an internationally-ranked blog and hosts a podcast called The Balance.

Catlin earned her BA in English literature from the University of California at Los Angeles. She earned her English credential and Masters in Education at the University of California at Santa Barbara. In 2020, Catlin earned her doctorate in learning technologies at Pepperdine University, researching teacher engagement in blended learning environments.

Catlin is active on Twitter @Catlin_Tucker and Instagram @CatlinTucker.

Imagine Simply Teaching Symposium

Listen to Dr. Catlin Tucker’s keynote address on October 25th at 6pm ET.