THE RISE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING. Interactive learning has proven to promote student engage- ment and active participation through creativity, movement, teamwork, collaboration, and communication. With interactive learning, educators can choose to leverage various technological tools and platforms to create immersive experiences that provide children with equal access to auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning. Most educators of children with Special needs under- stand that one-size-fits-all instructional approaches are impracti- cal and ineffective in their unique learning environments. So now we see that, more and more educators have followed the EdTech evolution and are experiencing how learning can transform from a passive process into an exciting interactive adventure by imple- menting gamification, virtual reality, simulations, collaborative online platforms, and more in the different educational environ- ments. In conclusion, the integration of EdTech goes beyond enhanc- ing interactive learning – it represents a revolutionary approach to education that acknowledges and embraces the diverse learn- ing needs of all students. By leveraging technology in education- al settings, educators can create personalized, engaging, and in- clusive learning experiences that empower students to become active participants in their own education journey. As the EdTech evolution continues, it promises to reshape education and un- lock the full potential of every student, ensuring a brighter and more equitable future for all. COMBINE THE BODY AND THE MIND. When children engage in traditional free play at school, they experience many benefits. During playtime, they use their senses and interact with the environment, which helps them develop in different areas. One way to approach how implementing EdTech can have a positively impact children's development is from the perspective of Embodied Learning (EL). EL combines the body and mind in the learning process and has been proven to en- hance children's development in three areas:
Therefore, the use of technologically-based EL tools like the Ac- tiveFloor has the potential to greatly improve child development. JOIN THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION WITH THE ACTIVEFLOOR FAMILY LIKE EASTERN SUFFOLK BOCES. ActiveFloor is a family-owned EdTech company headquar- tered in Copenhagen, Denmark, that was founded in 2015 with the belief that learning should be fun and with an ongoing mis- sion to provide children of all ages with the possibility to learn and develop both intellectually, physically, and socially in a way that is most natural for them – by using their entire body. The award-winning interactive learning solutions created by Active- Floor have already been embraced all over the world by schools, daycare programs, museums, children's hospitals and more. Eastern Suffolk BOCES, an inclusive educational cooperative of 51 Long Island, New York school districts, has chosen Active- Floor for their instructional programs. Brookhaven Learning Cen- ter’s addition of an ActiveFloor for their students has proven to be a huge success. The interactive technology has connected learning with the entire body, with fun and play for all the stu- dents, both in lessons and social activities. BLC Principal, Nicole Drinkwater, and her team discovered ActiveFloor and advocated to acquire it for the students. ESBOCES Special Education Depart- ment subsequently added ActiveFloor (Model: PRO2) interactive learning solutions to their other departments at Westhampton Beach Learning Center, Samoset Middle School, Sayville Elemen- tary School, Premm Learning Center, and Tecumseh Elementary School.
• the physical development, • the cognitive development, • and the social development.
Focusing on EL in the learning process has a positive effect on the overall educational performance. Not only does it improve the memory and the transfer of learning to other areas, but it also fosters a positive attitude towards learning. Physical actions during embodied learning also enhance immersion and the un- derstanding of the content being learned. Many interactive playgrounds in the EL approach have been designed to develop at least one of the three development ar- eas of EL, but ActiveFloor is designed to effectively address all three! ActiveFloor significantly improves children's overall devel- opment, with a particular emphasis on the cognitive and social areas. Advanced interactive playgrounds play an increasingly im- portant role in enhancing education environments in the future.
“The mission and goal of ActiveFloor is aligned with everything that we believe in and do at Eastern Suffolk BOCES, as ActiveFloor believe that utilizing the entire body represents the most natural way for students to learn” - Gina Reilly, ESBOCES Director of Special Education .
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