ZEARN

My Take

Overall, Zearn is an outstanding teaching tool that effectively supports student learning and engagement. What I particularly like about Zearn is its visual and interactive nature, which simplifies complex concepts for students and helps them grasp both the "how" and "why" behind math processes. The game-like structure keeps students motivated and makes learning feel more like play, which is especially beneficial for reluctant learners.

However, there are areas where Zearn could improve to better support student understanding. For example, the Tower of Power questions often require students to perform multiple steps to arrive at the answer, but the platform doesn’t always provide sufficient scaffolding to guide them through the problem-solving process. This can be frustrating for students who may not fully grasp the individual steps required. Breaking these multi-step problems into smaller, more manageable parts would help students see the logic and build confidence as they progress.

Additionally, while Zearn is fantastic for independent learning, it sometimes assumes that students already understand key concepts or procedures. As a teacher, I’ve found it helpful to pre-teach certain lessons and walk students through the Tower of Power questions in a step-by-step manner before they tackle them independently. This approach ensures they are equipped with the skills needed to succeed.