What is it Like to Attend University of Massachusetts Boston

What is it Like to Attend University of Massachusetts Boston The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Samantha is a Boston tutor specializing in Elementary Math tutoring,Middle School Math tutoring, Biology tutoring, Writing tutoring, and more. She is a 2013 graduate of University of Massachusetts Boston and holds a Bachelors degree in both Biology and in Exercise and Health Sciences. See what she had to say about her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Samantha:The campus is located on a peninsula in South Boston. There are ocean views from almost every building on the campus and even some of the classrooms! Each building is connected to the other via a catwalk this makes getting from class to class, regardless of the weather or time, completely manageable. The campus is easily accessible by car (right off a few main highways), bus, or the subway. The campus itself is very safe. Some of the surrounding areas of Dorchester are less safe late at night, but in my time at UMass Boston, I never felt unsafe arriving or leaving campus, and most certainly never felt unsafe on the campus itself. Many students ride their bikes to school. There is also a Hubway station directly in front of the main Campus Center building. Most students use public transportation or drive. Parking can be a bit of an issue if you arrive in the afternoon for class due to the construction, but shuttles are available to students who have to park in the lots furthest from the campus. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Samantha:All of the professors have required office hours and are almost always open to schedule appointments around your availability. The trouble isnt the availability of professors for the students, its the courage and drive of the students to seek out the help, guidance, and support of those professors. Establishing connections with professors can make an incredible difference in your academic experience and success; I highly encourage it. Academic advisers are not the strongest at UMass Boston, but have definitely improved over the years. The teaching assistants are usually graduate students at the university. Many of them share the same enthusiasm as you for the classes that you are taking, and the fact that they are recent undergraduates and close to your age is very welcoming. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Samantha:UMass Boston is predominately a commuter school and does not have dorms. There are local housing communities and apartments that some students live in within a 5-minute walk to campus. I commuted for my first few years of school, but spent my senior year living on campus and absolutely loved it. The housing is beautiful and many have ocean views, although it is very pricey given the location! However, if you are looking to avoid typical dorm-life experience, its a great alternative. There is only one full main cafeteria on campus, which can get very busy, but has great options for food. As far as I know, there is no set meal plan like many other schools with housing, but there are loadable cards available that work like cash for easy purchases. I do believe hours of operation of the cafeteria and coffee shops on campus could and should be extended to accommodate those who study late! VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Samantha:I graduated with a BS in Exercise and Health Sciences from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and a BS in Biology from the College of Science and Mathematics. During my time at UMB and interactions with students and faculty from those two colleges, I gained an immense amount of experience in varying backgrounds, all of which gave me the courage to pursue my hopes and dreams of being a physician. UMB has an overwhelming number of opportunities for research and has established connections with many local organizations, companies, hospitals, and other educational organizations. I dont believe one program is remarkably more successful than the others, but the Business, Psychology, Health Sciences, and Biological Sciences are the most popular. The curriculum at this research-based public university is rigorous, but incredibly rewarding and valuable. The university did a wonderful job supporting my particular areas of study! VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Samantha:I will be honest and say that at the start of my undergraduate career at UMass Boston, it was difficult to make friends due to the large number of commuter students. The orientation programs at the university over the past five years have dramatically improved to address this issue and have seen immeasurable success. Greek life does not play a large role on the UMB campus; in fact, its currently almost non-existent. However, I was the Founding Secretary and then President of Phi Delta Epsilon, a Professional International Co-ed Medical Fraternity. The MA Alpha Chapter of PhiDE established at UMB is the first in New England and now has over 65 members, all pre-med future physicians. It was by far my most memorable and influential experience as an undergrad and I became a part of a family that still continues to inspire me and support me. Through starting and leading the fraternity, I established relationships and connections with many faculty and staff members as well as physicians. I also communicated with local organizations for fundraising opportunities as well as with other chapters of the fraternity, both nationally and internationally. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Samantha:UMass Boston has an area called The One Stop which serves as the area where most of the logistical issues of undergrads can be resolved. They try to ensure that any adjustments, changes, or additions that need to be made to your records can be addressed in that one spot to avoid confusion. The financial aid, bursars, and other student life offices are all in the same building on different floors, allowing for little leg-work to solve any issues that arise. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Samantha:There are beautiful places to study in the main campus center building, but they fill up quickly. The library tends to be over-crowded, as most would be, around typical exam weeks throughout the semester, but for the most part there is ample space. There are many computers and desks in the library. There is also a floor designated for silent study, which is strictly enforced, and there is always space there. I have never experienced a time where I felt I had to leave campus in order to study effectively, but there are times when you have to scope out a few different spots around the campus to find space. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Samantha:Being a short t-ride away from the heart of Boston eliminates the boring aspect that some rural colleges can present. If the city is not for you, there is a large mall, many shopping centers, restaurants, and other attractions within a 15-minute drive. Many students go to Boston Bowl, which is five minutes from campus and open 24 hours. The location is beautiful and very close to Boston, one of the best cities in the country! Depending on the type of person and student you are, you will find others who stay local and others who like to venture to the city! VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Samantha:UMass Boston has grown significantly over the past few years. It has the second largest campus in the UMass system and over 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Although the schools demographics deem it to be large, UMass Boston has an extremely homey and welcoming feel. I was generally pleased with the typical class sizes. Many of my introductory level science courses contained a couple hundred students in a large lecture hall, but each was supplemented with a discussion and laboratory section to introduce a more focused and teamwork-based learning environment. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Samantha: My most memorable professor was without a doubt, Dr. Robert Guimond, Professor for Anatomy Physiology.His compassion, approachability, and encouragement are invaluable to an undergraduate student advisee. His enthusiasm and dedication to the students and the Sciences is something that is rarely encountered. A person and a professor like Dr. Guimond can completely change an undergraduates experience for the better, as it did mine. Anatomy Physiology as a class showed me my true passion and ignited my love of collaborative learning. I had never realized how truly amazing and intelligent the human body is until I took A+P. A+P opened my eyes to a style of teaching that relied strictly on true learning and understanding of the material. It took time, organization, patience, and determination to succeed. There were no slides to cram, or ways to cut corners. It truly separated the men from the mice and I found it to be extremely exciting and inspiring. Check out Samanthas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

ACT Tutor Online -Avail Incredible Solutions for Your ACT Struggles

ACT Tutor Online -Avail Incredible Solutions for Your ACT Struggles 0SHARESShare SAT or ACT or both? Whatever be your choice, you need practice to make it your cup of tea. Avail the advantages offered by Tutor Pace through its SAT and ACT prep online and see the sea of change in your prep modalities and ensuing results. ACT Tutor-how to get solutions for your ACT struggles? ACT tests your memory and quick grasp of concepts. You could not offer to waste time in choosing the answers in ACT. Tutor Pace’s ACT tutor online guides you with short cuts and quick solutions for answering ACT Math or Reading passages. He tells you how to choose the answers that come by easy conjectures in Math and how to read the passages at a quick browsing to answer the questions. SAT tutor-your savior for future goals SAT demands a deep analysis of the subject concepts and Tutor Pace’s SAT tutor does this job well for you. He trains you with his practice questions that develop a positive outlook for the subject in you. With the diagnosis test results, he spots out the weak areas in you and suggests remedial measures to make you sit for the test with confidence. Test prep online-why do you need it Without test prep online, all your efforts will go a waste. Your individual prep needs fine tutoring under the guidance of an able tutor, which you can get through the expert team of Tutor Pace’s tutors. Learning with the help of an experienced hand adds to your prep and throws a positive light upon your learning process. Tutor Pace showcases an excellent pool of expert ACT tutors and SAT tutors to make your test prep online effective. [starbox id=admin]

Finish Homework Faster by Building Breaks into Homework Time

Finish Homework Faster by Building Breaks into Homework Time ADHD and homework mix about as well as oil and water. In fact, homework time is often the most stressful part of the day for kids with ADHD and their parents. The biggest challenge is typically the extreme amount of time it takes kids with ADHD to get their homework completed. Its not uncommon for it to take kids with ADHD hours to complete their homework every night, even when its only taking other kids in the class about 30 minutes to finish the same assignments. During these hours, parents feel like they are nagging their kids to get started on their work and stay on task. Even with all of this effort, parents are frustrated by the quality of the completed assignments, which they feel doesnt reflect their childs full potential. Kids are frustrated, too. They think their parents are being too hard on them, and they feel like they are missing out on the fun time they should be having in the evening after a long (and often stressful) day at school. When it comes to getting homework done more quickly, there is one simple step that can help dramatically: having your child take breaks during homework time. Yes, adding breaks can actually shorten the amount of time your child spends on homework! If youre like most parents, you may be skeptical and reluctant to encourage your child to take a break from their homework, especially when its been such a challenge to get them started and focused in the first place. But when theyre done right, homework breaks can make it easier for your child to get started on homework and can help them stay focused longer. Why? Sitting down to complete an evenings worth of assignments can feel overwhelming for kids with ADHD, causing them to procrastinate and avoid getting started at all costs. In contrast, sitting down to work for 10, 15, or 20 minutes at a time can feel much more manageable. During these shorter work periods, kids with ADHD can typically stay focused. They are able to work carefully without rushing, and produce higher quality, completed assignments. Here are some tips for making homework breaks most effective: Choose work periods that match your childs ability level. Most kids with ADHD can work for 15 minutes before needing a break. Older kids may be able to sustain their focus for 20 minutes, while some younger children may only be able to work well for 10 minutes before needing a break. Find the time that works best for your child and stick with it. Keep breaks short. Five minutes is enough time for kids to get the mental break that they need. Stay in the homework area during breaks. Aside from getting a glass of water or using the bathroom, kids should stay close to their homework area. This makes it much easier to get back on task when the break is over. There can be easy fun activities nearby for use during breaks, like a Nerf basketball hoop. Just make sure the activities arent something so engaging that your child will struggle to stop playing when the break is over. Avoid screen time during breaks. Most kids will struggle to transition between screen time and homework, making it much more difficult to get back on task when the break is over. Use a timer and praise your child when they get back to work after a break. Always use a timer to indicate when the break is over. Praise your child when they get back on task after the break. If needed, provide rewards for getting back to work. These rewards can be checkmarks or stickers that can be exchanged for a fun activity when all of their assignments are completed. Homework breaks can be an excellent tool to help kids with ADHD get started on their assignments and stay focused until their work is completed. If you find that your child continues to struggle to complete work in a reasonable amount of time, even with regular breaks, talk to your childs teacher about homework accommodations that are appropriate for kids with ADHD. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

LOI English Teachers Alexa Whinery

LOI English Teachers Alexa Whinery Taking English classes through Skype can be stressful. After all, there are many myths about this type of learning. So, in order to make people that are learning or intend to learn English online more comfortable with this method, I decided to talk with several LOI English teachers to let you know more about them. This time I spoke with Alexa Whinery.Born in the United States, Alexa has lived all over the country. Depending on which state she is in, the origin of her students changes, but it is common for her to have students from Russia, Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador.One of the things on her bio that intrigued me was the fact that she is familiar with many US accents Californian, Midwest, Northern, Eastern Seaboard and Southern Appalachian.According to Alexa, there is no standard accent, all of them are valid. That is why she does not force her students to learn a specific accent. If her students want to improve the way they speak with a specific accent, she helps them to do it. Ho wever, since, as she says, the English language is spoken by people from all over the world, there is no need to use a specific accent to be understood. The only thing that matters is that the pronunciation is as accurate as possible.Speaking about pronunciation, this is one of the most common issues for people who are trying to learn English. Alexa does not like to generalize, but she says that learning how to think in English is a way to avoid mistakes and learning pronunciation rather than an accent is very important.One of the techniques that Alexa uses to teach her students how to think in English is the reading of movie dialogues and synopsis. This can help not only the learning of vocabulary, but also help students learn how to sound more natural when speaking in English. According to her, this exposure to modern English is one of the most effective ways for a non-native to learn how to speak naturally.Besides that, the exposure to cultural issues also helps in the learning p rocess. There are many ways to express the same thing according to the region you are from, that is why Alexa believes that knowing more about culture is essential to a better understanding of the language.My conversation with Alexa flowed naturally and one of the things I noticed was that she does not like generalizations. To Alexa, treating each student individually is sacred. Therefore, she seems to be a great teacher for those who are tired of being treated as just another student and want more personalized tutoring. Ren It can really be stressful. I learn russian skype online at Preply and I almost gave up.

The 2016 Presidential Candidates

The 2016 Presidential Candidates (image courtesy of www.potus2016.org) This politician is no newcomer having run for election in 2008. Hillary also has seen her husband’s election to the Oval Office in 1992 and reelection in 1996. She has formally declared her intention to run and is building a war chest now. Clinton has an interesting advantage or disadvantage depending on how you look at it; she is trying to be the first woman to be elected to the presidency. However, she’s not the only woman running. Carly Fiorina, a businesswoman from Virginia, has announced her candidacy. Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and vice-presidential candidate has also looked into running, but is not yet formally involved. With these opposing women running for the Republicans, it seems that there will be some more contenders on the female side. 2.)  Ted Cruz (image courtesy of www.freerepublic.com) Mr. Cruz is relatively new to Capitol Hill having been elected to the Senate in 2012. However, Cruz has been in the capital under Clinton and Bush, eventually returning to Texas to become the state solicitor general, responsible for representing Texas in the Supreme Court. He is a conservative Republican. 3.)  Jim Webb Perhaps Cruz’s foil, Webb is a staunch democrat, voting very much in opposition to Cruz’s ideals. (image courtesy of www.newsmax.com) Being one of only three  major Democrat politicians to declare, Webb’s got a good chance of doing well in this election simply by virtue of his limited competition. A decorated Vietnam War veteran, Webb is actively involved with Southeast Asia and is married to a South Vietnamese refugee. Well familiar with the armed forces and foreign policy, Webb might prove to be a serious contender for his foreign policy. 4.)  Dr. Ben Carson (image courtesy of www.buttonsonline.com) A former neurosurgeon and best-selling author, Dr. Carson is a Detroit native with a strong medical history. More recently, he has been involved in politics and policy. His views are largely conservative Republican, but he has views that put him more towards the middle ground. Dr. Carson first jumped to the public eye with his book Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story which was later made into a movie by the same name. Carson has commented that he entered politics and believe others trained in scientific disciplines should as well because he “… [believes] it is a very good idea for physicians, scientists, engineers, and others trained to make decisions based on facts and empirical data to get involved in the political arena.” 5.)  Lincoln Chafee Mr. Chafee was formerly governor of Rhode Island as well as being the committee co-chair for Mr. Obama’s reelection campaign. Formerly a Republican Senator, Chafee switched over to the Democratic Party in 2008 to support President Obama’s campaign. However, upon election to the office of Governor of Rhode Island, Chafee’s approval ratings did not reflect well upon him and he declined a second term. (image courtesy of www.yahoo.com) 6.)  Marco Rubio A Cuban-American Senator to Florida, Rubio has an important hold in Florida, a historical swing-state. A strong conservative Republican, Rubio has worked against taxes in an already tax-hating state. Rubio’s strongly conservative policies seem to be a good indicator of nomination from the Republican Party. However, Rubio’s approval ratings in Florida have been shown to be in the low 40s: not a good sign. However, Governor John Kasich of Ohio has looked into running for the Presidency as well and has a majority approval rating in his state, another historic swinger. (image courtesy of www.theblaze.com) 7.)  Juaquin James Malphurs You might know this candidate better by his stage name: Waka Flocka Flame. That’s right. Waka Flocka  has declared this past April 20 that he intends to run for president of the United States of America I kid you not. (image courtesy of www.popdust.com) As interesting as I’m sure his campaign would be, and as valuable as his outlooks and policies could be, Mr. Malphurs falls short of just one requirement to be president: he is only 28. The only requirements to be president are to be 35 years of age, be born in the U.S., a U.S. territory, or military base, and be elected by the Electoral College. While the rapper may not be eligible, he is important to this list of candidates because of his age. America has abysmal voter turnout. This past election saw the worst showing of American voters ever. Among those, America’s youth ages 18-24 have the lowest voting rate nationwide. While Mr. Malphurs cannot actually run, his enthusiasm and participation could draw in more voters this election. Please remember to register and vote. If you don’t want to vote for whoever is running, write in a name. Every vote matters. Even the Women’s Suffrage was passed by one vote. So please vote.

How to Get Along With Coworkers of Older Generations

How to Get Along With Coworkers of Older Generations Image via freestockphotos.biz However, getting along with older coworkers as a young person doesn’t have to be a struggle. In fact, you’ll probably find that you have more in common with them than you think. 1. Find universal subjects. You may find it difficult to find anything in common with your coworkers of older generations. However, it may just be that you’ve forgotten how exactly to find things in common with someone. Now, when you meet someone young, it’s probably easy to talk about the latest hit on Netflix or the news updates on celebrities, but these topics don’t always resonate with older crowds. Remember, commonality exists all around you. Perhaps a local team is doing really well in their sport or a new company has just moved to town. You could chat about new restaurants that are opening. If you get really desperate, you can always start off with the weather and work towards something else. Of course, talking is just the first step to improving your relationship with anyone which is essential to getting to know your coworkers. 2. Show them something new. They may be older than you, but don’t let that convince you that you don’t have a whole wealth of knowledge that they don’t. If you’re kind about it, they’ll be happy to learn any new thing that you have to show them. If you overhear them talking about a computer problem, you might already know how to create an easy fix for it. Perhaps they’re sick of their standard eating out routine and you could suggest a great new dining spot downtown that they haven’t heard of yet. Being more connected as a young person gives you access to new products all the time. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you may just be able to find something that could work really well for them. 3. Ask them something. You have a wealth of knowledge that they don’t, but bear in mind that they do too. They’ve lived through stories equally interesting to your own. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions about themselves, even really basic questions about where they grew up, where they went to school, their partner, their children, etc. If you show genuine interest in their life, they’re going to feel much happier working with someone who cares about them and hasn’t dismissed them as irrelevant. You may find some surprising similarities even. Maybe you grew up close to each other or went to the same vacation spot. This will create a whole slew of stories and facts to grow closer to one another as coworkers and maybe even as friends. 4. Keep an open mind. If you’re young, especially if you’re fresh out of college, you’re used to being around other young people with similar opinions to your own. Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t care deeply about those opinions, but you will have to recognize that the working world is full of people with opinions completely different than yours. The differences in opinions by no means make one right and the other wrong. You may have to learn to respectfully disagree with someone. A great thing to do is to simply ask questions about an opinion they have. Don’t listen to judge and refute, listen to try and understand the other side. They may have a whole history that has led them to think this way. Learning about others different than you is a great tool to help you respect and work well with anyone, regardless of age and background. stocksnap.io 5. Be patient. All in all, don’t expect to become fast friends overnight. People in older generations likely have a set group of family and friends that they’ve known and cared about for ages. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t be great coworkers. Just because they aren’t dying to hang out all the time, doesn’t mean they don’t like you or appreciate the work you do. Relationships can be slow to grow and develop over time, but don’t fret over becoming best friends with everyone. Take every opinion and personality with an attitude of respect and kindness and you’ll be sure to get along great. As humans, we all crave some sort of connection. As coworkers, having great working connections is necessary to having a happy and successful professional life. With a proper outlook on building great relationships in the workplace, anyone can transcend boundaries of age.

?? Our Top 25 Inspiringly Educational Technology Gifts for Christmas 2017

?? Our Top 25 Inspiringly Educational Technology Gifts for Christmas 2017 Our Top 25 Inspiringly Educational Technology Gifts for Christmas 2017 It’s the most wonderful time of the year and magic is in the air! It’s also the time of year when parents, family and friends struggle to pick out the perfect gifts.That’s why we scoured the web, searching far and wide to pull together this list of awesome, but inspiringly educational, tech gifts. It not only saves you the hassle of searching, but also means you can find a gift with purpose, one that’ll introduce your loved ones to a new skill, or perhaps help them to develop new lifelong interests!Fancy winning some of our top picks from below? Every day this December we're opening a box on our Educational Advent Calendar!Visit our competition page and enter now for a chance to win every day!So, if you need some last minute shopping ideas, here are our top picks for Christmas 2017:1. Tech Will Save Us Gamer Kit Why we love it: The Tech Will Save Us Gamer Kit is the perfect present for kids who love video games. This wonderful console allows you to code your own games and comes with simple instructions. With over 15 retro games available to create, this is the perfect mix of video gaming and learning.This kit is exactly what we wish we had as kids. The ability to create and play your own games is not only incredibly fun, but gives you a real sense of achievement. Once you’ve mastered the games included in the instructions, you can go on to invent and create your own. There’s also a multitude of projects online, with new ones released every week, meaning if you aren’t quite ready to create your own games just yet, there’s always more to look into. Where to buy: Tech Will Save Us Price: £89.992. Anki Cozmo Why we love it: Say hello to Cozmo, a gifted little guy with a mind of his own. He’s a real-life robot like you’ve only seen in movies, with a one-of-a-kind personality that evolves the more you hang out. He’ll nudge you to play and keep you constantly surprised. Cozmo’s your accomplice in a crazy amount of fun.Everyone loves robots, right? Cozmo is a self proclaimed ‘supercomputer on treads’ and he definitely lives up to that. Although he may not be the biggest robot you’ve ever seen, he sure packs a punch. With a drag and drop code lab for programming beginners, to a more advanced software development kit, you really can explore a world of experiences with him.Where to buy: Anki Shop Price: £199.993. Kano Computer Kit Why we love it: This kit isn’t just about learning to code. Before you can do that, you get to build your own computer - which is awesome. Building your computer step by step gives you great insight into the components needed and gives you a feeling of accomplishment every time you turn it on. Once you’ve finished building your computer, you can start learning how to code. With great features such as story mode, it turns learning programming into a game. With the choice of different programming languages such as Python and JavaScript, this Kano Computer Kit gets our seal of approval.Where to buy: Kano Store Price: £229.994. Raspberry Pi 3 Why we love it: We remember how excited we were when the original Raspberry Pi was released - a tiny, super cheap computer that helps teach programming and computer science principles with infinite use possibilities. In its latest iteration, the Raspberry Pi 3 boasts more components and computing power, including bluetooth and wireless connectivity, meaning even more functionality straight out of the box. For kids (and adults!) of all ages with an interest in learning about computers and coding, a Raspberry Pi kit is perhaps one of our favourite gifts to give. Various re-sellers around the web offer pre-packaged kits that will teach you to turn your Pi into miniature arcade gaming cabinets, hidden cameras, tiny controllable robots and more!Where to buy: The Pi Hut / Pimoroni Price: £32.00+5. BBC micro:bit Why we love it: The BBC micro:bit is the perfect way for kids to start coding and making. Designed with the BBC for kids ages 11 and up, the micro:bit gets them hands-on with hardware while also teaching creative problem-solving skills.Similarly to the Raspberry Pi, the BBC micro:bit is one of our favourite tech gifts. It’s affordable for everyone, has tonnes of free online resources and can be used to make all sorts of cool stuff! Our friends at Tech Will Save Us and Pimoroni offer a bunch of different resource packs that help turn the micro:bit into different types of robots and vehicles, or to use craft materials to interact with technology - fusing the physical and the digital.Where to buy: Tech Will Save Us / Pimoroni Price: £19.99+6. Puzzlets Why we love it: Puzzlets is a physical bluetooth accessory for your tablet or computer used to play Puzzlets-specific games. Each game focuses on a traditionally “challenging” STEAM subject, such as coding, math, or color theory.Half of the games are played on a screen while the other half are played on the Puzzlets play tray, creating a perfect balance of the digital and the real world. Allowing children to continue learning away from the screen is what made Puzzlets catch our eyes.Where to buy: Puzzlets Store Price: $997. Ardusat Space Kit Why we love it: So many kids dream of becoming an astronaut one day, going on a journey into space and exploring the world above us, but it’s never as easy to do as you hope! Which is why this kit is so brilliant. Not only do you learn how to code and programme, but you get to learn the sensors that are sent into Orbit on Spire CubeSats.Providing beginner level experiments makes this the perfect kit to start your programming journey. Once you’re more comfortable with what you’ve learnt, the possibilities are endless with what you can create.Where to buy: Ardusat Store Price: $1508. DashDot Why we love it: With coding becoming a more vital aspect of future jobs, it’s always best to kids start learning early, and this is exactly what DashDot does. From learning how to make your Robot sing and dance to the hundreds of puzzles, challenges and projects available to choose from, DashDot covers all bases.You can download apps to go with your DashDot that will help your kids learn all about coding and the different ways they can go about it. You can also purchase awesome accessories to go along with your robots - such as turning them into a projectile-launching machine (not as dangerous as it sounds - honest).Who wouldn’t love that?Where to buy: Wonder Workshop Price: £154.999. Ozobot EVO Why we love it: The Evo bot, a first-of- its kind smart and social robot, empowers gamers and learners to better connect, explore, collaborate, and share at home, in the classroom, and on-the- go. A pocket-sized coding robot with proximity and optical sensors, a built-in speaker, and Bluetooth ® Smart capability, Evo comes to life with the push of a button. What makes the Ozobot different, is the ability to control it with a marker pen and stickers - simply draw lines for your bot to follow using sensors. You can also program the Ozobot using OzoBlocky, which helps incorporate learning the programming with a device that some kids may prefer to do. With over 20 STEM activities included, this is the perfect present for your little heroes!Where to buy: Ozobot Store Price: $9910. Osmo Genius Kit Why we love it: The fact that these games are award winning already gives you an idea of how great they are. The Osmo genius kit transforms your iPad into 5 smart games to help your child with different aspects of their development. These aren’t your typical iPad games however, as they all come with tiles and pieces for children to use whilst playing the games. This is what made this kit stand out to us as it creates a fun way to learn coding while introducing a new aspect to playing games on your iPad.Where to buy: Osmo Store Price: £9911. SAM Labs Inventor Kit Why we love it: From learning how to master morse code to creating alarms, this kit has some amazing projects to create (sorry parents, they all create noise). You’ll receive 4 SAM blocks in your kit along with 5 step by step projects. Using the SAM Space app allows you to create and master these products with ease.That’s not all though - once you’ve mastered your first set of projects, there’s many more to be found online at the SAMLabs website. With loads of awesome features, this kit is definitely a must have!Where to buy: SAMLabs Price: £9912. Bloxels Star Wars Why we love it: Star Wars and video games rolled into one...need we explain any more? Not only will your kids get to play these retro, pixelated Star Wars games, they get to actually create them! Yes, this is the present you’re looking for.Let imaginations run wild as they create their own corner of the Star Wars universe before playing missions featuring iconic characters from the movies. More still, when you create new missions and games you can share them online for other players to use. Bloxels highly encourage this worldwide collaboration between players and have some amazing creations readily available.So what are you waiting for? Go get your little troopers a Bloxels kit for Christmas, and may the force be with you!Where to buy: Bloxels Store Price: $49.9513. Cubelets Six Pack Why we love it: How many robots can you create with 6 cubelets? Over 500!! We bet you weren’t expecting that?That’s what makes Cubelets so awesome. The pack comes with 6 different Cubelets that all have various functions such as drive, flashlight and battery. Using the Cubelets app, with its simple drag and drop interface, kids can learn about the world of programming and create hundreds of variations of their own robots. With additional add-on Cubelets, you can create even more versions and discover a world of possibility.Where to buy: Mod Robotics Price: $119.9914. Meccano M.A.X. Mechanoid Why we love it: Meet M.A.X., a 12-inch tall advanced robot packed with a multitude of fun, educational features. Designed for budding engineers and tinkerers aged 10 years and older, this robot-building kit offers a challenging yet rewarding build consisting of 332 parts. Once he’s assembled, M.A.X. functions as a friendly robot companion and personal assistant. He engages kids in conversation, learns from every interaction, remembers important dates, and more. M.A.X. even features a built-in gaming platform whilst customisable programming allows kids to personalise M.A.X. to meet their own specifications so that every assembled M.A.X. robot is truly one of a kind.Where to buy: Amazon / Argos Price: £149.9915. K'NEX Robotics Building System Why we love it: Teach your children to build and program their own robot with the K'NEX Education Robotics Building System Set. This kit provides enough K’NEX parts to create 9 different robots with all sorts of different functionalities - and that's without bringing your imagination into the mix to create new combinations.The kit contains all sorts of motors, sensors and doo-dahs to learn programming and robotics principles, and then continue on to learn more advanced concepts making this kit an excellent gift for all ages, and something that will stand the test of time and grow with them.Where to buy: Amazon / Argos Price: £129.9916. LEGO BOOST Why we love it: Ideal as a gift for aspiring engineers, boost your LEGO building experience by building and customising Vernie, your own personal talking robot friend. Code its behaviour and complete fun activities with the included play mat or speak to Vernie and it will respond with facial expressions that reflect its mood. Vernie can move in all directions at variable speed on its large tracks, see objects and colours, sense distance, grip and carry accessories, make hand gestures and launch darts from its shoulder mounted shooter, making for an impressive array of abilities you can program to perform different functions.Rebuild Vernie to create the M.T.R.4 (Multi-Tooled Rover 4), Guitar4000, Frankie the Cat or the auto builder, all controlled via your tablet with the free downloadable app that also includes digital LEGO building instructions for all five models, plus cool activities and ideas to spark your imagination.Where to buy: Amazon/ Argos Price: £149.9917. Cubetto Why we love it: With the Cubetto being created for ages 3 and up, it really is a perfect beginner toy to introduce kids to coding.The super simple user interface mixed with the playful programming language really does make for an amazing toy. Using blocks of different colours/shapes, you can set up a ‘queue’ of instructions for your Cubetto to follow and explore all the new ways in which you can control your toy. This is an awesome toy to help get younger children into programming!Where to buy: Primo Toys Shop Price: £19518. KIBO Kit Why we love it: This is the perfect kit for children who love art and creativity. Not only do you get to learn programming, you also get to build and decorate your robot.With no need to use any apps or websites to code your robot, this is also a great kit for parents who like to keep their kids screen time at a minimum. Programming is done with the amazing programming blocks and helps kids learn all the concepts of coding and creating sequences.Where to buy: Kinder Lab Robotics Price: $22919. Sphero SPRK+ Why we love it: With a brilliant app to help kids learn programming, undertake hands on activities and share your creations, the Sphero SPRK+ is a seriously cool robot.The ability to create mazes for your Sphero, program paintings, swim on water or race your friends means that you can have endless fun thanks to Sphero. What’s more, with a scratch resistant UV coating, you can rest assured that your kids won’t go breaking it easily. Where to buy: Sphero Store Price: $129.9920. JewelBots Bracelet Why we love it: Friendship bracelets have been reinvented beautifully for the 21st century by JewelBots. Allowing you to set up your bracelets to flash your chosen color when you and your friends are together, send secret messages or even make games, these are the friendship bracelets all children will love!Don’t forget that these are still an amazing tool to help learn programming. You can master coding your JewelBot, share it with your friends and help each other out - making the perfect way to learn while having fun.Where to buy: JewelBots Price: $6921. Pi-top Why we love it: The pi-top isn’t your standard laptop - it’s the perfect laptop for all those little inventors out there. With a beautifully designed sliding keyboard, you reveal your built in modular rail where you can build and test out your own creations.As you build your inventions, the pi-top will help walk you through how to create the code behind it. Whether you want to make music or create a smart robot, you can have endless fun with the pi-top and become an expert in programming amazing inventions in no time.Where to buy: Pi-Top Store Price: $264.9922. goHenry Why we love it: Ah, pocket money, the most exciting thing when you’re a kid. We remember heading out to wash the cars every weekend in exchange for enough change to fill the piggy bank. Would you believe us if we said it just got more exciting?goHenry is a prepaid card for your children that puts you in control. From setting spending rules for where it can be used, to the amount that can be spent at once, you really are in control. What makes this stand out even more to us, is the ability to set chores for your kids to earn extra cash, notifications to keep up to date and in general, have total control while also allowing your kids to feel like a grown up with their own card. Plus, if they’re really lucky, you can pay a one-off fee to get a custom designed card with whatever they want on it. Adults don’t even get that!Oh, and we forgot, you can also block and unblock cards if your kids misbehave…(sorry kids)Where to buy: goHenry Website Price: From £2.99 per month23. Zip an d the Misty Mountain Why we love it: The Neurosky headset is a perfect representation of how amazing technology in the 21st century really is. Created to help improve focus and relaxation, this headset really is revolutionary.Using the headset with the attached Zip and the Misty Mountain iPad game, kids have to use their focus and concentration to control the characters. Not only is it a fun game for kids to play, it can help your brain retrain to focus more and displays attentive zones and focus meters so you can see how focussed and relaxed they are while playing and what areas they can improve further in.Where to buy: Cortechs Price: €24624. Coji Robot Why we love it: The Coji Robot isn’t just a robot. No, this is the awesome emoji robot! What could be more fun than learning how to code using the language of emojis?Using the supporting app, kids learn coding by problem solving and using emojis to control the actions of their Coji Robot. This is a fantastic introduction to the world of coding for younger children and will definitely provide them with endless fun. Where to buy: Wowee Store Price: $59.9925. Synth Kit Why we love it: Do you have some budding little musicians in your family? Do you enjoy making music yourself? The LittleBits Synth Kit is definitely the must have musical coding toy.This is definitely one of the best musical toys available. Allowing children to learn the science of sound and combine it with making their own music is what made this kit stand out to us. You can even create your own musical instruments with the Synth Kit, some examples of this are the key-tar and a synth spin table, both of which you can see over on the LittleBits website.We know that this one is going to be a favourite among a lot of adults too. Where to buy: Amazon Price: £139.99So, that’s the end of our favourite educational and tech gifts for Christmas 2017. Hopefully it’s opened your eyes to the wonderful array of choices out there, and inspired you with some ideas for gifts to support the budding coders, robotics experts and technologists of the future!Anything you’ve spotted that you thin k deserves to be on our list? Drop a comment below and we’ll take a look - after all, there’s still a few weeks to go until the big day. Happy Holidays!