Have you checked out PenPal Schools recently? You may not recognize it!
Schools around the world are transitioning to project-based learning to help students develop 21st century skills like collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving. In response, we have reimagined PenPal Schools to provide students with more opportunities to connect and create! Your students can now design robots with PenPals in Asia, write poems with PenPals in Europe, create environmental solutions with PenPals in Africa, and fight for equality with PenPals from around the world!
As if that weren’t enough, we also removed project start and end dates so that teachers can complete any project at any time! It’s now easier than ever for teachers to provide students with life-changing global connections while managing the demands of the busy school year.
Go ahead, check out the new PenPal Schools for yourself! You can preview any project to see it from a student’s perspective. While you’re there, here are three big changes to look for:
1. The PenPal Schools Showcase
Now that students are creating such amazing original work, they need a place to show it off! In each project, students choose from multiple creative options. They then collaborate with a team of classmates to create an original piece of work using photos, videos and text. When they’re finished, students share their work in the PenPal Schools Showcase where peers from around the world can ask them questions and respond with their own perspectives.
2. Unlimited PenPals for every student
Instead of being matched with a small group of PenPals, students can now make unlimited connections! Every project includes multiple lessons with discussion questions and forums for students to share perspectives. Students can invite students who they meet in the forums to be their PenPals! This allows students to develop relationships and build empathy while improving critical reading and writing skills.
3. Projects on your own schedule
Now that students meet their own PenPals in the forums, we don’t need PenPal match days anymore. This means you can start any project at any time! You can also complete projects at your own pace. You can finish an entire project in a few days, or extend it to last for months. Some projects can even be completed in a single class period!
Last year PenPal Schools won the award for Best Edtech of the Year from Common Sense Education, but we weren’t satisfied. We’re constantly learning from thousands of educators and experts around the world to improve our service. We’re excited to welcome you back to the brand new PenPal Schools, and we look forward to seeing the amazing things that your students create.
Founder of PenPal Schools