We’re always looking for new teaching aids to bring learning to life. By collaborating with educators and subject matter experts, we are able to create educational experiences that combine hands-on learning with real-world scenarios to help students find their passion — and, hopefully, make a career of it! Here’s a look at our favorite new teaching aids released in 2021. We could not have created them without the passion and dedication of teachers like you, and we’re excited to announce even more new training tools in 2022!
Our favorite new agriculture teaching aids from 2021:
Bovine Birthing and Ultrasound Simulator
For many students, practicing skills on live animals for the first time is scary. Yet they need that experience to prepare for internships and real life. Our new Bovine Birthing and Ultrasound Simulator removes that fear. By engaging in safe, repeated (and mess-free) practice opportunities, your students will develop a better understanding of bovine birthing – and more importantly, gain confidence before practicing on the real thing.
Watch Realityworks Educational Programs Manager Jamey McIntosh demonstrate this new tool here.
Butcher Beef Cut Models
With these models, teachers no longer need to purchase specific pieces of meat from a butcher to use in their classroom one time – and which may not even align to the lesson. Instead, these models can be kept out after the lesson concludes as conversation starters among students. It can be used repeatedly, saving teachers time and money. You may even discover room in your budget for new learning opportunities.
Watch Realityworks Senior Mechanical Engineer Nate Mullen demonstrate these magnetized meat cuts here.
Our favorite new skilled trades teaching aids from 2021:
Measurement and Math Training Kit
The more comfortable students are with using fractions and decimals, converting imperial and metric measurements and using tools like calipers, the more prepared they’ll be to enter skilled trades careers. Our Measurement Math Training Kit includes interactive learning aids and extensive lesson plans so teachers can offer standardized, student-friendly instruction on over 250 different measurements. To assist instructors in classroom management and help them reinforce knowledge, the kit includes access to interactive online lessons.
Download a free, printable infographic on how to use rulers, calipers and other measurement tools.
Common Welding Joints Kit
This portable, 10-piece kit includes lightweight plastic replicas of common weld coupons, flashcards and curriculum. Students can study the SMAW and GMAW coupons, compare to their own welds, then test their knowledge with the flash cards. Lessons address common welding joint types, proper welding techniques and how to prevent welding issues.
See a sample of the flashcards that accompany our Common Welding Joints Kit here.
Our favorite new health science teaching aids from 2021:
Auscultation Trainer
Performing auscultation, or using a stethoscope, is an important part of medical examinations. Our Auscultation Trainer lets users practice stethoscope placement and patient positioning on a lifelike trainer, while the included RealityScope lets them hear recordings of real heart, lung and bowel sounds (which have been engineered to sound correct through the stethoscope). The included app even lets instructors customize specific practice sessions. Through a combination of hardware and software, Realityworks’ Auscultation Trainer helps students master the key skills needed to perform auscultation properly.
How realistic does our Auscultation Trainer sound? Listen to a sample in this video.
Concussion Education Kit
This new kit includes a concussion simulation so students can better understand the effects of a concussion and how to treat and prevent them. Our Concussion Education Kit lets users walk in the shoes of someone suffering from a concussion. What’s more, it includes supplies for 10 students to experience a concussion simulation simultaneously.
Our favorite new Family and Consumer Sciences teaching aids from 2021:
Elder Abuse Training Kit
As one FCS teacher reported, her students “were amazed!” This ready-to-use kit is designed to give students a realistic introduction to the concept of elder abuse, as well as how to identify and report it. It includes skin conditions that adhere to human and manikin skin, plus interactive scenario cards you can use to generate classroom discussions or create small-group activities.
Plant Mini Educational Hydroponics System (5-pack)
These small hydroponics systems fit individually on a desktop. They offer multiple growth methods in each system. Their sleek design accommodates limited classroom space while enabling interactive, hands-on learning. The 5 desktop-size systems in each pack can all be used to practice 3 different hydroponics growth methods: Deep water culture, ebb and flow and microgreen. Based on feedback from teachers, all hydroponics systems include lesson plans and teaching materials, and arrive almost fully assembled.
Realityworks team members recently took two of our systems home to experience hydroponics for the first time. Learn more about their journey here.
Food Truck Design Kit
Research shows that food trucks have seen exponential growth with the onset of COVID in 2020. We designed our Food Truck Design Kit to give teachers a way to offer hands-on design experience for students tasked with building a food truck business. This kit allows for optimal student interaction and learning while planning all aspects of a food truck business. It includes enough hands-on lab activities and lesson plans to teach a 3-week unit on food truck entrepreneurship.
By providing dynamic and engaging teaching aides, students can use the resources and ideas to explore careers that utilize the skills they’re learning right now. As we welcome 2022 – and with it, new opportunities to prepare students for in-demand careers – we hope you enjoyed looking back at our favorite learning aids from 2021.
Our favorite soft skills training tools from 2021:
Online Employability Skills Program and Online Leadership Skills Program
Use these new programs to offer realistic soft skills practice opportunities from any device that connects to the internet! As students progress through each self-guided program, they’ll encounter scenarios, videos and other activities focused on top the top employability and leadership skills today’s employers demand. Free trials are available!
Explore all new Career and Technical Education teaching aids from 2021 here:
- See what’s new for agriculture teaching aids
- Explore new skilled trades teaching aids
- Discover new health science teaching aids
- Find new Family and Consumer Sciences teaching aids
