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Education: Studies show how much work needs to be done to get our kids back on track in California

Marijke Smit, Gavin D'Souza

6 days ago
1 min

Education: Studies show how much work needs to be done to get our kids back on track in California

A recent study by Edsource gathering data from 84% of schools in California shows that we still have a ways to go to get everyone back in the classroom. For Charter and public school students the percentage of full-time in-person instruction is around 12% - 13% while for private schools the numbers increase to 60.6%. The below maps show schools by instruction type: Green = Full in-person Light Green = Hybrid Blue = Distance Learning Only Our teams are working with schools to

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Pandemic challenges educational institutions: Gamification is the new answer?

Marijke Smit, Gavin D'Souza

May 3
2 min

Pandemic challenges educational institutions: Gamification is the new answer?

A recent study made by MIT Sloan School of Management has shown that by borrowing different tools of the gaming industry, online learning becomes easier for students. They connect better with the lessons and activities and it also improves the learning outcomes. “Gamification could be revolutionary for education, and a godsend for students with more visual and collaborative learning styles. Take the chat window, which facilitates the wisdom of the crowd. With technology, we c

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Mom's Clean Airforce

Marijke Smit, Gavin D'Souza

Apr 29
1 min

Mom's Clean Airforce

Best friend and co-conspirator @Molly Rauch speaking at a Mom’s Clean Airforce press conference yesterday before the Senate Climate Vote. Joined by Senators Chuck Shumer and Ed Markey. Molly has been fighting the good fight about the social equity impacts of climate change for over a decade and has partnered with @MKThink to further national research around improving indoor air quality in schools. She inspires me everyday to focus on advocacy by whatever means available. "

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St. John’s challenges tradition and proposes a new outdoor learning environment

Marijke Smit, Gavin D'Souza

Apr 26
1 min

St. John’s challenges tradition and proposes a new outdoor learning environment

Grassy green spaces, intermittent gardens, mulched pathways and wooden boxes filled with water are the new protagonists of the educational spaces proposed by St. John’s Lutheran Church’s Child Development Center. “Based on a design composed by N.C. State’s Natural Learning Initiative, the outdoor learning environment was the Child Development Center’s answer to needing to replace its “tired” playground of 20 years. Instead of removing the old equipment and putting a new versi

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Making Hybrid Minds

Feb 5
2 min

Making Hybrid Minds

Once upon a time, there was a pandemic, and the children stayed inside. With stay-at-home orders and school closures, contemporary childhood is not the same. Playgrounds are taped off, and many parks around the country are closed. Coronavirus is a generation-defining moment, and experts are already considering the term “Gen C” for those born during this time. Schools are adapting to parameters like social distancing, as set forth by the Center for Disease Control and Preventi

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Signo Uddenberg

Feb 4
1 min

Learning From The 'New Home School'

Parents are going crazy with kids at home. But maybe a Compassionate Leave Policy could reframe the experience to something more intentional and financially supported. And maybe parents getting active in their kids' education isn't a bad thing. More from the Atlantic article here. Image: From Getty images via the Atlantic article #learning #learningenvironments #COVID

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Signo Uddenberg

Feb 4
2 min

Pioneering Schools without Campuses: Let the Cities Speak

A few years back, MKThink connected with the founding group of educators at the Minerva School (established 2012). With the (education) world shifted from its traditional axis, we are reflecting on that model and wondering how today these lessons may apply. Minerva's model is an international university without walls. Students learn from where they are, anywhere, in campuses they define and are able to be located around the world. The potential is to exchange the capital ex

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An Update: Successful Higher Ed Covid-19 Response From "The Atlantic"

M.R. Miller, FAIA

Feb 3
1 min

An Update: Successful Higher Ed Covid-19 Response From "The Atlantic"

Pleased to highlight this informative article from The Atlantic, written by Aaron E. Carroll, Professor of Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine. Prepared by a teaching physician, the piece highlights positive outcomes achieved through a combination of applying scientific knowledge and thoughtful planning, procedures, infrastructure redeployment, and proximity detection. Most importantly, it speaks to applying learnings to continually improve the health of the c

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Comfortable Places for Learning: A Hawaii Story

Christine Koroki

Jan 30
2 min

Comfortable Places for Learning: A Hawaii Story

It is the end of lunch recess and students are finding their way back into classrooms at James B. Campbell High School in Ewa Beach, Hawai‘i. They pass through a lush courtyard covered by a large breathable shading structure that cools the air before it enters the classrooms. The recent addition of the shade structure has transformed the courtyard, sparking a new garden project that features native plants. Lessons can be seen taking place there at times. In the classrooms the

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School in bloom

Christine Koroki

Jan 30
1 min

School in bloom

MKThink is conducting campus assessments to ensure that Hawaii’s public school facilities continue to provide positive built environments for teaching and learning. During our assessment at Maui Waena Intermediate School, it was hard not to notice a large-scale glass mosaic mural depicting forms and flora in a bold and colorful design. The mural was created through a public school art program by artist Bob Flint. It is titled Mohala pua no ho‘ona‘auao (Through education the c

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