Coming this spring!
| By Gintas Bradunas |
You can learn anything. For many educators, this is an exciting thought and at the heart of the profession. But for many students, this thought is scary. As a teacher, I loved to assign projects that encouraged students to take ownership of their learning, choose what they wanted to learn, and do it in a way that would teach lifelong skills. Of course, that’s easier said than done. All too often, I would unwittingly launch students into an ocean of content that, to my eyes, was full of discovery but ended up appearing as empty space to my students.
Clearly, access to great resources is just the beginning. Students need to be directed to content in a way that works for them. Last year, we redesigned Gale In Context: Elementary to do just that: provide a guided learning experience that helps students explore a world of information in a way that is at their level, engaging, and still respects discovery and choice. We added “I Wonder . . . ” questions that model curiosity, restructured topic portals, and created a visual topic tree that makes finding the next topic fun and easy.
Gale In Context: Elementary Gets Even Better
This spring, we are taking the work one step further by bringing eBooks to Gale In Context: Elementary. Students will be able to find everything in one place, without the need to jump from platform to platform when searching for content. As students explore topic trees or pursue the answer to an “I Wonder . . . ” question, they’ll find eBooks right alongside topic overviews, periodicals, videos, news, and other content—encouraging them to dive deep and explore.
Better yet, we’re redesigning the eBook reader, including:
- Text-to-speech for every eBook
- Simplified navigation
- Improved tools, like an integrated dictionary and “search within”
Students will be able to learn at a comfortable pace as they move through periodicals, videos, and—for the first time—eBooks to find information that draws them into any topic. And teachers will be able to use this dynamic resource to introduce basic research skills, enhance instruction, and encourage student engagement—ultimately leading to the next student bouncing at their heels to share a fact about their new favorite topic.
Interested in bulking up your library of eBooks in preparation for this new capability? Explore eBook collections designed specifically for elementary students.
Meet the Author
As a K‒12 product manager at Gale, Gintas Bradunas works to leverage his past experiences as a middle school teacher and Teach For America corps member to help make products that students and educators will love. He’s an avid reader, lover of podcasts, and a believer that everything can be made better with a cup of coffee.