Smithsonian launches online learning lab for teachers
Last week’s launch of the Smithsonian Learning Lab means teachers can now easily access digital resources from one of America’s most prominent museums. The Lab is free to use, and allows teachers to create personal resource collections which can be kept private or shared in a collaborative community. The tool will let teachers use “trusted, authentic resources and interactive tools to make lessons more relevant and compelling to students while meeting curriculum standards and fostering higher-order thinking skills” according to the Lab’s director.

Learning Resources

Smithsonian Launches Learning Lab to Create, Share Resource Collections

The Learning Lab offers tools for creativity, personalization and publishing, and will eventually evolve with user input.

The Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access (SCLDA) announced the launch of Learning Lab, an online toolkit that allows users to find, customize and share museum resources with others.

With more than a million resources available, Learning Lab allows users to organize content as well as incorporate notes and tags, “hotspot” annotations, quizzes, assignments and other activities. Users can create personal collections that can be kept private or shared with anyone to use or adapt. Learning Lab aims to be a collaborative community for teachers and students in K­–12 and higher education.

“Not everyone can come to the Smithsonian, but they can visit the Learning Lab to inspire and design their own digital learning experiences,” said Stephanie Norby, director of the center, in a prepared statement. “Teachers can use trusted, authentic resources and interactive tools to make lessons more relevant and compelling to students while meeting curriculum standards and fostering higher-order thinking skills.”

Learning Lab was piloted at Allegheny Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania for several months before its launch. Further information about the toolkit is available on the Learning Lab site.