Why Osmo?
With the endless amount of EdTech tools flooding the space, I have shifted my focus as Technology specialist teacher to the making technology less sedentary for my students. EdTech's growth has been fuelled in recent years due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The shift to more digital devices in the classroom and home has increased isolated screen time and reduced the amount of co-operative, hands-on exploration. Osmo has created a unique integration of technology with hands-on play to allow for more engaging learning experiences.
Why I Chose Osmo
K-7 Education
Osmo is a tool that is specifically designed for children ages 3-12. As a current K-7 educator, and a Technology specialist at my school, I am eager to seek out and apply new tools to the learning environment. Being that this tool is geared specifically to the age group I teach, I am genuinely interested in developing strategies to effectively incorporate the Osmo kits and tools at
my school.
Hands-On Learning
My focus throughout the MET program has been to seek out ways we can make EdTech less sedentary. I have a Bachelor's of Human Kinetics and believe that active living is crucial in building physically and psychologically healthy children. As a mom of two young children, I also look for ways to encourage less screen time at home. Being able to incorporate physical play and fine motor skill development while interacting with digital devices is how I envision the EdTech space of tomorrow - more interactive, less sendentary.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are the two areas I have yet to fully incorporate in my Technology unit planning. Due to physical limitations of using VR in the classroom, I have shifted my focus to bringing Augmented Reality into the classroom using a variety of apps. I am currently in the process of accessing more Osmo kits to build a unit of study in my K-3 curriculum. This AR tool can help foster engaging and cooperative learning experiences which increases student motivation and knowledge retetntion.
Accessibility
According to the Learning Disability Association of Canada (2022), it is estimated that one in ten Canadians has a learning disability. I originally purchased an Osmo kit for our Learning Resource department as a tool to use with students who struggle with fine motor and cognitive development. While allowing for play, students can feel confident in their learning abilities while developing important skills. Research shows that a multi-sensory learning approach has a positive affect on learning outcomes for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Source: AllAboutVision
Developing Healthy Children
I strongly believe that the push in EdTech will be towards a path of more immersive technologies that aim to develop the physical, social & emotional well-being as much as the cognitive development of children. With the digitization of learning throughout the Covid-19 pandemic came heightened awareness of poor mental and social well-being, much of which we are still yet to see when accounting for the long-term effects of fear, anxiety and limited socialization throughout the last couple of years. Excessive screen time is shown to negatively affect sleep, increase anxiety and reduce daily function (Santiago et. al., 2022). According to the Mayo Clinic, promoting active screen time by incorporating physical movement is important in reducing risk factors associated with excessive screen time including obesity, behavioural problems and reduced academic performance (Christensen, 2021). The Canadian Paediatric Society (2017) provides recommends evidence-based strategies to support children’s early media experiences. Based o the four principles of Minimizing, Mitigating, Mindfully using and Modelling healthy use of screens, comes suggestions to combine touch screen use with creative or active play.
Market Trends
The growth of technology in the global education market has skyrocketed in recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With an expected global market growth of $10 trillion dollars until 2030, the forecast for EdTech tool expansion in classrooms around the world is undeniable. Adopting emerging technologies, collaborative venture partnerships and restrategized business models will be the driving forces of growth moving forward.
The features of Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Gamification and Video Learning are all present within the Osmo product line. These emerging technologies sit in the top 10 of technologies ruling the EdTech field. It is no doubt that Osmo's unique design is a model of the innovation that the EdTech industry seeks to build on for the future of learning.
