VARconnection

Explore the Future of K-12 Esports: Competitive Coding

Esports has gained recognition as a legitimate growth opportunity for students since 2018 when the National Federation of State Highschool Associations deemed Esports an official sport (NEA.org). Many competitions are open to students, and several colleges offer Esports scholarships. Now there is another branch in Esports growing in popularity: competitive coding. The mainstream gamification of … Continue reading →

Bookmark these K-12 Coding Competitions

Bookmark these 2023 STEM competitions that can help students build their leadership, team building, and coding skills in the new year. Looking for more reasons to sign them up? Check out our post on “6 Benefits of Robotics Competitions.” STEM Competitions 1. Wonder Workshop’s Wonder League Robotics Competition (WLRC) Your students can compete with students … Continue reading →

Advance STEM Diversity with Culturally Responsive Making

Compared to other minority groups, Indigenous People still participate in STEM at a lower rate. Contributing factors to this participation rate include lack of funding and the traditional way STEM is taught in K-12 schools and colleges. Making STEM education culturally responsive to Indigenous students makes education personalized, relevant, and accessible, which can help promote … Continue reading →

4 Ways to Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2022

While the concept of an Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 at a United Nations conference to combat discrimination against Natives, it wasn’t until 2021 that Indigenous Peoples’ Day was officially recognized at the federal level. This day is an opportunity to showcase Native American history and culture and highlight the violence imposed … Continue reading →

Diversifying Teachers to Boost Equity

Recruiting minority teachers is a goal for school districts across the U.S. Generation Z is the most culturally diverse generation of Americans, and arguably students will benefit from teachers who reflect this plurality of race and culture. While today it’s hard to find new black educators, that was not always the case. History in brief: … Continue reading →

Conquering the Digital Divide: What’s the next hurdle?

Arguably phase one of advancing digital equity came down to providing a device for every student, and the pandemic fast-tracked these efforts. Then the pandemic revealed another digital equity hurdle: internet access. Phase two revolved around addressing connectivity issues and kids unable to do their homework, which became known as “The Homework Gap.” The Emergency … Continue reading →

DEI in K12 Esports: Promoting Positive Gamesmanship

Player demand for creating inclusive gaming spaces continues to increase with the growing participation of players from all walks of life. 59% of adult gamers want legislation requiring game companies to be more transparent about how they handle identity-based discrimination and harassment. Efforts are growing to expand inclusion at the professional level. In 2021, the … Continue reading →

Celebrate National Literacy Month

Get your students inspired to read this fall during National Literacy Month, happening all of September. This year we’re celebrating diverse literature that sparks children’s imagination, builds empathy, helps them understand and manage their emotions, and broadens their mindset. Part of National Literacy Month is Banned Books Week, happening September 18 – 24. This year’s … Continue reading →

Creating Healthy Online Habits

Digital citizenship is about how kids can be “good citizens” online and have healthy and safe online time. This is increasingly important when screen-time takes up a huge chunk of students’ free time. To build health-minded students, start by building their interests offline. Students are spending more time online Kids 8 and up are spending … Continue reading →

Keeping Students Safe on Social

To keep students safe on social media, they need to be aware of many issues, including addictiveness, cyberbullying, age-inappropriate content, and viral social media stunts. For Mental Health Awareness Month, here are a few ways to approach discussions about social media habits to protect students’ safety and mental health. Discuss what students like on social … Continue reading →