The Wonder Workshop team recently revamped their K-5 classroom bundles featuring the Dash Robot. Why is this important news, you ask? Well, each of the bundles now comes with access to Class Connect, Wonder Workshop’s online learning management system. More importantly, however, with a Class Connect subscription (that’s now included in bundle purchases), educators can access the brand-new Dash’s Neighborhood program. With this virtual coding environment, students can keep coding in the classroom, at home, or anywhere else.
After thinking about it for a bit, we realized that there is now even greater value in using the Dash bundles for hybrid learning. Here’s what we’re thinking. Educators can use the Dash Robots to lead coding instruction while students who are in the classroom. This allows them to demonstrate how to create programs using Blockly. They can also show them how they can get the robot to move, animate, and respond to external cues. Students don’t even necessarily have to touch the robot. Or, maybe only one of them can touch it at a time before teachers disinfect it—just to be safe.
With these in-class experiences and examples from their teachers, however, students can connect to the virtual Dash environment to try coding on their own at home! Having the lessons in the classroom can help familiarize them with the Dash's features and the programs kids can create. Plus, the simulator includes the same options for programming as students would find when using the Blockly app, for example. So, if teachers show kids what to do while they’re in the classroom and pique their interest in coding at home, the physical Dash and its virtual counterpart could become very valuable!
The virtual Dash is also viable in remote environments with a little more planning and detailed instruction from educators. They could still demonstrate how to use and program the Dash during class meetings. Even if they’re taking place on Zoom, Google Hangouts, or another platform, it's still possible. The student experience wouldn’t be the same, but it’s still beneficial. Educators can still cover all of the important topics and demonstrate some examples of how the Dash can be programmed. Then, once class ends, students could continue coding using their own programs to control the virtual Dash in Dash’s Neighborhood!
As the school year inches closer, everyday in-person learning will be very challenging. Both teachers and students will face hurdles—and, that's if it happens at all. Hybrid learning seems like a best-case scenarios in many parts of the country based on how things currently stand. With that in mind, it can be tough for teachers to keep STEAM education in focus, but it's not impossible. We really feel that the Wonder Workshop team has created a fantastic solution to combat the challenges associated with keeping STEAM education going. We also encourage any teachers interested to try it out!
Previously, Class Connect was only available as a separate item in addition to Dash Robot bundles or single units. Wonder Workshop has now made it easier for teachers to access Class Connect and the tools they need for remote teaching, learning, assessment, and student tracking by offering them as a part of their elementary level bundles (the Dash bundles as opposed to the Cue bundles). All in all, there are five Wonder Workshop bundles that now include a Class Connect subscription. When ordering any of them, educators can choose subscribing to Class Connect for one, two, or three years.
The bundles fall into various price ranges, include different accessories, and are suitable for different numbers of students. The Dash and Dot Coach Pack is the most inexpensive one on the list and comes with just one Dash Robot and one Dot Robot. In addition to the bots, it includes one launcher, one building brick connector set, one Gripper Building Kit, one curriculum notebook, one set of challenge cards, and one lesson library for one, two, or three years. It also includes one educator Class Connect license for 1-3 years and five student Class Connect licenses for 1-3 years.
Then, we have the Dash Starter Pack. This pack comes with two Dash Robots, one launcher, one accessories pack, one curriculum notebook, one set of challenge cards, and one lesson library for one, two, or three years. It also includes one educator Class Connect license for 1-3 years and 35 student Class Connect licenses for 1-3 years. There’s also the Dash STEAM Pack, which comes with all of the same materials as the Starter Pack except for the fact that it includes four Dash Robots instead of two.
The final two bundles are the K-5 Classroom Pack and the K-5 Tech Center Pack. They're both largely similar to previous versions of those bundles, but now include the Class Connect subscription options. The K-5 Classroom Pack comes with six Dash’s, one Dot, two launchers, two xylophones, two Gripper kits, two accessory packs, three sets of challenge cards, one curriculum notebook, one Sketch Kit, one lesson library, one educator license, and 35 student licenses for Class Connect. Finally, the Tech Center Pack includes all the same quantities except for the following: It has 12 Dash Robots, six sets of challenge cards, two Sketch Packs, and 500 student Class Connect licenses.
With the addition of Class Connect to each of these bundles, they can help fill a great need for educators. Each Dash bundle from Wonder Workshop been updated and are available on our store! If you have any questions about these in-person and remote learning solutions, feel free to contact our team and make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram as well!