Virtual Learning Communities
In the course of three weeks, global education has gone digital. Everywhere you look, educators and organizations lead with innovation, creativity, and a focus on enrichment and student empowerment. Seemingly overnight, teachers created welcoming online classrooms. Companies in technology and enrichment offered free apps, software, and courses to support online learning, social connection, and virtual community-building. And, students of every age engaged in topics ranging from quantum physics to Kindness 101.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” For those seeking to create positive social change, online access to tools that inspire, challenge, and enrich are a most welcome gift. Today, we invite you to explore three innovative learning opportunities:
1. Now, more than ever, we could all use a little kindness. CBS’ Steve Hartman dedicates his much-beloved "On the Road" reports to that very theme. Concerned by the confusion and frustration his children felt, he decided to use his gift -- bringing meaning to a mass audience -- to host a weeklong class titled "Kindness 101". Last week, for 30 minutes each day, Hartman taught a lesson -- applicable to us all: why kindness matters. Using his archive of stories and wisdom from On the Road, Hartman taught tens of thousands of the youngest among us about the importance of gratitude and the positive impact realized when that emotion is expressed. This video provides a touching overview of his young students in action.
You can watch all of Hartman's lessons on You Tube. Check out the first lesson on “character”.
2. Our very own, Margot Sonia, Class of 2018, of Lancaster, noticed that families in her community were looking for resources and ideas on how to engage their children while home from school. With help from her Project 351 friends, Margot created an online forum that features daily enrichment and play activities for families. Visit “Creating Community” -- with the motto of "unity through positivity" -- and you’ll find crafts, physical activities, fun facts, literacy and math games, and more! Margot invites you to check it out daily, as each morning starts with a positive quote or story, and an activity for the day. You can visit on Facebook here: Creating Community
3. Last up, we invite you to find the keys to happiness by enrolling in one of the world’s finest universities -- Yale! (Which is the current academic home to Project 351 Alumni Brooke Milosh, Emma Rutan, Elizabeth Hopkinson, and Enyonam Adoboe!) In 2018, Professor Laurie Santos created “Psychology and the Good Life”, a course to address student stress and anxiety levels. It quickly gained campus -- and -- national attention, and became the most popular class in Yale history. The online format, called “The Science of Well Being” provides free access to research that reveals misconceptions about what makes us happy — and the concrete steps we can take to live a more fulfilling life. Since March 1, more than 600,000 people have enrolled. Professor Santos reflects: “The interest has been a bit surreal...as people focus on evidenced-based ways for staying physically healthy during this COVID-19 crisis, so too people are looking for evidence-based ways of improving their mental health.” You can sign up for greater happiness here: The Science of Well-Being.
We wish you a day filled with good news and happiness!