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Time4Learning
This is our very first online resources as homeschooling family. From "distance learning homeschool modules" from another
Website: https://www.time4learning.com/educational provider, we transition to subscribing to the digital lessons offered by Tim4Learning. Time4Learning provided us the structures we are used to in traditional classroom. As the teacher mom, I enjoyed the fact that recordkeeping and documentation of their learnings are easily accessible. -
Minecraft
It is a gaming site enjoyed by the kids. Playing the games have also taught them a lot of skills and discover new information. Example: They have learned to organized their tools in the game; put together design ideas for the gear of their characters; learned about different minerals, rocks and other geology information while they "mine" resources. Website: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us -
Roblox
It is another gaming site that I allowed my homeschool children to play. I have observed that they have learned how to become a better digital citizen. Gaming with other children, they have learned to strategized, work out their problems, control their anger, etc. This also stirred the interest of my children in game development at an early age. Website: https://www.roblox.com/create -
Khan Academy
Initially, when we started to homeschool, we try to do the lessons first thing in the morning just like in the regular school set-up, with schedule strictly followed. After a year, we slowly transition to whenever it is most fun, convenient and teachable moment. We also started to supplement their lesson plans from Khan Academy. Lessons are no longer followed on strict grade level structures. -
Skype
It is a messaging tool that we used to communicate with each other. We traveled quite often and sometimes, I find myself out of town or the country. The beauty of homeschooling my children with the aid of technology is I can still continue to monitor their school progress even if I am not physically around. We used other messaging tool but Skype has been the most convenient for us to use back in this year. -
Microsoft Office 365
My husband and I started to transition to Microsoft Office 365 subscribing to a family account. From this year our children learned to use Microsoft Office tools; using word to write basic reports and documents; using powerpoint to present their weekly school progress, using outlook to email us and other people, etc. Up to now, we still are subscribed to the same account as family. -
Code.org
This is really the first site/lessons about introduce my digital native children (and me) to the concept of coding. It is a great side for many educators if they want to introduce coding lessons to their students. It has an easy to follow lessons that progress as you master one level. Website: www.code.org -
Lego Robotics
The homeschooling community that we network with formed a Lego Robotics team and my children participated in it. We bought Lego Robotics and my digital native children enhanced their coding skills and how to troubleshoot problems.
They have joined Lego Robotic competition as well, where they learned the concept of coopertition instead of competition. An approach used in Lego Robotics event. -
Scratch
Scratch is site created by MIT. It is an open resource and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations. It uses an easy, interactive programming language.
I have observed that my digital native students have enhanced their being good digital citizen by learning to collaborate with other code creators. They learned to credit and reference the work of other coders that they collaborate with. Website: https://scratch.mit.edu/ -
Inkscape
This is a design and graphic tool that is an open resource for students. My children used this tool for drawings and illustrations. Website: www.inkscape.org -
Discord
Skype and other messaging tools are a thing of the past now for my digital native students. :-) Discord is now their choice for messaging. While I maintain my choice of messaging, I also adopted to this new messaging tool if I want to stay "connected" with them.