Utilizing The Learning Network: Methods for Educational Application

The Learning Network, a free resource provided by The New York Times, is structured like a standard news website, making it easy to navigate for students and teachers alike. This digital platform is designed to teach students how to find resources on news websites while offering a wealth of educational content.

Navigating The Learning Network

The Learning Network is divided into several sections to help users find what they need with ease. You'll find a "How to use this site" guide, Lessons Plans, Writing Prompts, Quizzes and Vocabulary, Photos, graphs and videos, Contests, and a search bar.

Student Opinion Blog and More

One unique feature of The Learning Network is the student opinion blog, where anyone over the age of 13 can voice their opinions on a variety of subjects. This platform encourages students to engage with current affairs, develop critical thinking skills, and express their thoughts in a safe and supportive environment.

Enhancing Learning Experiences

The Learning Network offers accessible activities, helpful writing prompts, quizzes, and contests that can be integrated into your teaching strategy to support interactive and collaborative learning. By implementing The Learning Network alongside modern teaching methods like flipped classrooms and digital tools, you can enhance student engagement and critical thinking skills.

Combining The Learning Network with learning management systems and AI-based evaluation tools can further optimize lesson planning and student performance tracking.

Additional Features

The New Teacher Starter Kit and Best Tools for Teachers are features available on The Learning Network, providing valuable resources for educators. To further support teachers, The Learning Network offers training through live and on-demand webinars, as well as a lesson of the day and an archive of previous lessons.

Tips for Using The Learning Network

Start the day with a timely story that can spark debate or frame the day in current affairs.
Get visual by sharing the images and videos to talk as a group about what's going on in the images and how they feel about what they're seeing.
Use the word of the day section to teach a new word and explore its meanings and links to what might be happening in class that day.

The Learning Network is a valuable resource for educators and students, offering diverse and current educational content to enhance learning experiences and develop critical thinking skills.