Virtual Learning Online-LSI’s Solution
After over 40 years in the world of education, I am fortunate to finally discover an educational company whose main thrust is based upon what is best for a student’s academic growth. Learning Sciences International is an educational research and development company. LSI dedicates itself to helping teachers, administrators and school districts tackle the challenges of education today in our K-12 communities.
In this unusual time of the presence of COVID -19, schools are struggling to continue to educate their students. In my own opinion, it is long overdue that we seek to improve the world of education. Ten years ago I believed and still believe today, that instructional technology can transform our schools. It can free us from the rigidity of class periods, over-burdened schedules, and the constraints of time.
I am not entirely in favor of only online instruction. Balance is always best and delivering instruction face to face and virtually brings the best of both worlds to our children. I think we are learning in this time of social distancing the value of technology and the importance of live (face to face) student interaction. We have ignored too long what instructional technology can bring to the table. My hope is that when schools are back in session, the school day looks different!
Learning Sciences International is spearheading the movement to synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaming. We know that teachers need a virtual tool box now more than ever. I encourage you to look at the work that we are doing at LSI to assist teachers grow and change with the needs of our educational system. We are offering a large selection of online courses that will serve the needs of teachers, administrators and school districts.
Schools for Rigor
Now working for LSI, I know I hit the jackpot. I wanted to go back to being a principal again so I could implement our strategies!
So many times in my career as a teacher or an administrator I was exposed to countless educational companies. In general these companies were really just trying to sell a product. Since I am an experienced educator, I have watched countless programs be phased in and out of the educational world. Some of these programs often resurface in a different package. Some are traditional and some are trendy. But the bottom line always seems to be to “sell” the school a solution. I can speak from direct experience that this is definitely NOT the case with Learning Sciences International.
Learning Sciences International has so much to offer!
LSI truly understands that the nature of educating our children is ever evolving. The instruction that was implemented in the sixties and seventies is no longer effective. Our research demonstrates that fact. And yet most of our classrooms of today still look like this:
Or this…
Rows of students compliantly sit in desks and the teacher is front and center.
and still today….
Learning Sciences International has developed a system that is a game-changer in education.
Something HAS to change in education as we continue to see students fail. Our schools must meet the needs of a “new” economy. Based upon solid research LSI forges a new vision for our classrooms. I invite you to check out the research and the strategies LSI communicates to schools today.
After viewing our website, you will see that our efforts are rooted in research based solutions and measurable results. We offer a deep implementation that works for sustainable change in our schools. It is not just an instructional fad that teachers quickly identify. We offer transformational, second order change. Learn more about members of our team below.
LSI offers a Quality Team of Educational Professionals
I am very fortunate to work alongside a team of educators from all over the country. These professionals are seasoned teachers and administrators. They possess real world experience in education. Check out our entire staff of educational professionals.
LSI and Academic Teaming
We have seen first hand the benefit of teaming to student learning. I have witnessed first hand how powerful academic teaming is in the classrooms of today. This NOT about the “cooperative learning” or “group discussions” models that our veterans know. I am speaking of the teacher truly as the facilitator. This type of teacher planning for a lesson is much different.
Teachers create rigorous and purposeful tasks that align to the standards. Each student contributes to providing evidence that verifies his or her learning. Rather than always spoon-feeding information, teachers create a task where all students interact to achieve the success criteria. In this philosophy students experience productive struggle and the students take ownership of their team.
The value of academic teaming
In the early days of my career I was a Varsity Softball Coach. I saw the enormous value of teaming and the many life lessons that my players learned. Intitutively I think I always knew that students learned best when they worked in teams. When I think back, I can see glimmers of teaming in my lesson-planning.
As I went on to earn my Masters in Educational Leadership, a particular book enlightened me. It was the book, The Fifth Discipline, by Peter M. Senge. I experienced a very simple epiphany that should have been obvious to me! Everything I know about coaching is easily transferable to the world of administration.
Within the last two years of my career, I had another epiphany!
Like school administration, teaming belongs in the classroom as much as it does on a softball field. I discovered this fact when I discovered Learning Sciences International. Through the leadership and vision of Michael D. Toth, our founder and CEO, we have done transformative work with many schools across the country by understanding this idea.
The philosophy of, the research on and the implementation of academic teaming is so powerful. Michael Toth and David Sousa have collaborated on this wonderful book on The Power of Student Teams. I highly recommend it. It will change your outlook on how education moves forward for the benefit of our students!
LSI UPDATE: CEO MICHAEL TOTH RECEIVES AWARD FOR HIS LATEST BOOK
Learning Sciences International (LSI) announced that one of its bestselling titles, The Power of Student Teams: Achieving Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Learning in Every Classroom Through Academic Teaming won a bronze medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards in the Education Commentary/Theory category. This year there were nearly 5,000 entries.
“I’m truly honored to receive this recognition,” says co-author Michael D. Toth. “Thank you to our school and district partners who shared their experiences with academic teaming. I hope we can continue reaching the students who need it the most with this empowering new way of teaching and learning.”
The “IPPY” Awards are conducted each year to honor the best independently published books. They seek books that can be described as “progressive, thought-provoking books, the kind that can touch lives, advance careers, and stretch our imaginations.”
There is so much to learn about Learning Sciences International that I truly hope you will stop back again as my LSI journey continues. Until then, please visit our website!
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