Sharing Creative Solutions with Our Hybrid Learning Webinar

On Aug. 20, the National Inventors Hall of Fame^® (NIHF) had the pleasure of hosting educators from across the country in a webinar that explored innovative ways school districts can navigate the challenges of the 2020-21 school year. 

Britt Magneson, vice president of new business development, PreK-12 partnerships at NIHF, kicked things off by introducing our organization to those in attendance. She shared some of our nonprofit’s rich history and experience with engaging STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. 

“For over three decades we have served and worked with over 2 million children, educators, college students and inventors,” Magneson said. “Along with this long history of relationships and programming, we have also consistently engaged with our students and educators to reinvent and reimagine our programs to best suit their needs.”

In keeping with this long history of developing hands-on invention education, and with the understanding that schools are looking for flexible programming solutions to combat COVID-19’s disruptive nature, NIHF developed Invention Project^® K-6.

Alaina Rutledge, vice president of education research and development at NIHF, described how this brand-new program was intentionally designed to work in in-person, at-home and blended settings.  

“Whether you’re teaching in the classroom or from the computer screen, you’re covered,” Rutledge said. “We’ve tested this program structure in virtual programming with over 45,000 children.”

Rutledge went on to explain that Invention Project K-6 not only aligns to state standards, Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, but also supports critical social-emotional learning (SEL) skills that have become more important than ever before.

To conclude the presentation, Magneson and Rutledge invited the administrators and educators in attendance to ask questions. Below are the answers to some of the top questions we received:  

1. When completed at home, how much parent support is required, and can parents access this programming individually? 

Children can complete the activities entirely on their own. Both the instructional and student guides are very accessible and easy to understand. We know that parent fatigue is a very real concern, but we also know that there is nothing more heartwarming than when parents do get involved and witness the creativity of their child. 

2. How are the units differentiated by age?

All units are centered around anchor standards that span kindergarten through sixth grade. However, when it comes to reading and math, those units have grade specific content. Additionally, most of the activities and guided discussion questions are differentiated between K-3 and 4-6. Because of these differences, you can adapt our program to fit your student’s needs.

3. What does implementation look like when completed virtually or at home?

All the materials are packed individually and can be shipped directly to students’ homes or in bulk to a school. Educators are provided with a material kit and interactive videos and scripts so that they can seamlessly engage students in all settings.

Learn More About Invention Project K-6 Today

To learn more about how we can help your district implement an engaging, cross-cutting curriculum no matter where learning takes place, we invite you to watch the recording of our webinar.