Belouga: Online global learning

Belouga, not to be confused with the beluga whale, is a learning platform, that connects classrooms with global topics created by worldwide educators. This tool would be greatly beneficial in opening the eyes of students to the world. I went to the 9-12 grade section as I intend to teach highschool, and to be entirely honest, this tool caught my eye because of its name and logo. I saw a whale and I, an animal lover, instantly clicked. I must say, the click did not lead me to disappointment. Upon reading into Belouga, I found it to be a rather interesting tool, with a lot of potential in the classroom, especially a classroom that wishes to have global thoughts. I must say, this path to finding Belouga is quite silly, but I think that ultimately that is perfect. That showcases how an intriguing brand name can increase site traffic, and in turn potentially increase Belouga users!

What a mascot!

But that is getting off track; Belouga seems to be a great tool for a myriad of reasons. They claim to be able to connect "K-12 students and teachers worldwide with real-world content and personalized, self-paced learning."(Belouga.org)What stuck out the most to me is that this tool allows for self pacing, allowing students to be able to work at their pace, without worrying about time constraints. The homepage touts their variety of resources and learning programs. Variety is really awesome because what that alludes to is that this site really has near endless opportunities for learning which can give a classroom endless opportunity to learn. Being a global brand,  educators across the world can contribute to and/or be recipients of the learning programs created on Belouga. Perhaps the most important thing, Belouga can foster a sense of community across borders, across oceans, across the world, and that community is crucial for bringing all corners of the world together, building a better tomorrow!

Bringing Belouga into my classroom could yield great results; as an aspiring history teacher, the global story is a story that is uber important. Being able to pull from all over the globe can help American students gain a broader perspective, allowing them to exit the bubble they live in. Belouga has the potential to be both a major aspect of the delivery of education or a minor aspect. Regardless, the capabilities are there, and through the aforementioned positives of this tool education can be heightened. Since Belouga is aligned with the UNs SDGs, in my classroom it can be used as a method to bring light to these goals. In my K-12 years I never once heard of the SDGs, so utilizing Belouga in such a manner could be a way to expose a classroom to said goals. Overall, this is a versatile tool with a great potential of manners it can be used in the classroom. 

Setting goals to Empower the Individual

There have been many positive changes within education that focus on the individual student, rather than the class as a whole. With these changes, educators have seen their students take learning into their own hands and push to achieve goals they feel can be reachable, while also giving them a challenge to go above their typical learning limits. In the book, Adventures in Authentic Learning by author Kristin Harrington, Harrington dedicates a passage on pages 4-6  to “Goal Setting for Empowerment.” As a future educator, this passage is crucial in establishing ways to encourage students to transform into leaders, rather than listeners or followers, and have a say in how/what they learn. This is developed through goals and Harrington gives great ways on how to implement them in the classroom.

Every student learns differently, what may be beneficial for some students may not be as favorable to others. When having students set goals, it is important to give options on how and where these goals can be accessed. Some students may prefer their goals to be written, others might rather see their goals through pictures or drawings, while another group of students do best hearing their goals out loud. There are so many incredible resources, whether it be through technology or what can be used within the classroom, students have the ability to decide what works best for them. Let’s get into some ways students can create their goals, that correlate with how they learn best:

A great way for students to see their goals is by creating vision boards, or also known as idea boards. Educators can encourage their students to find pictures and/or create drawings that show what their goals are. For example, if a student's goal is to do well on their science labs, they could draw beakers with A+s in them and have an arrow pointing to a happy face. Another way to lay out this goal could be to find a picture of a scientist or other students working on an experiment. This can help students visualize the goal they want to achieve, instilling motivation for them to feel the same way as the students pictured. 

Another incredible way for students to lay out their goals is on websites like Animoto. Students are able to create their own videos through a safe space and in any form that fits their way of learning best, while implementing their goals. This allows them to not only see their goals, but to also hear them. They can incorporate their own voices to an Animoto video, while also having the option to add music or better yet, their favorite song. 

In Kristin Harrington’s book, she also provides a great example for students who want to read their goals, by creating goal cubes. Students can have the option to have wooden cubes where they write their goals on each flat side of the cube, or they can build their own with paper or card stock. The idea of having something they can carry with them or have at their desks is a great way to keep reminding them of their goals. Students can get creative by writing out their goals in different colors or maybe even in a plain color, but adding drawings or colors around their written goal. 

It is important to note that while giving students the freedom to create goals they can strive to achieve for the week, month, or year - goals need to be measurable and guided with an educator on what is important/appropriate in the classroom. After these goals are discussed and made, it is essential that students revisit and reflect on them. Educators can include time in their lesson plans for regular check-ins on their goals. This time can also allow students to share their progress with classmates, teachers, guardians, and other school staff outside of their immediate classroom group.