Curated partnerships are a key reason why so many school districts choose AlphaBEST for their after-school enrichment. One of those curated partners, Alive Studios, has been a pioneer in educational technology for over a decade. By merging sophisticated technology with proven pedagogical methods, Alive Studios is helping AlphaBEST set a new standard for after-school education.
Read on for more about Alive Studios from President & CEO, Cynthia Kaye.
AlphaBEST and Alive Studios began working together in 2020. As a supplemental curriculum for literacy, early math, and social-emotional learning, Alive Studios helped round out the AlphaBest suite of curated content partners that make after school so much more than custodial care. But Alive Studios wasn’t your typical math & reading curriculum: Using state-of-the-art augmented reality technology, they transformed lessons into multisensory learning experiences.
Using developmentally appropriate methods, Alive Studios’ technology enables learning to jump off the screen as animated characters interact with children learning letter recognition, phonics, and mathematical principles. Teachers describe the joy and engagement in the Alive Studios published testimonials.
Throughout each activity, social-emotional learning teaches students real skills for real life, such as thinking proactively and planning ahead. For example, Amos Alligator, an animated alligator associated with the letter A in the curriculum, teaches punctuality, sparking meaningful dialogues between children and teachers about how to plan for the future and manage time.
The results of this partnership are both significant and quantifiable. Educators report marked improvements in student motivation and confidence, Kaye says. The high-energy sessions keep students focused, leading to a notable decrease in classroom behavior issues.
The benefits are not limited to the school environment, Kaye says. Parent testimonials have been overwhelmingly positive, with families noting that their children are more excited about school, view their teachers as mentors, and are bringing home advanced vocabulary and concepts.
At the heart of the Alive Studios experience is the concept of “collaborative augmented reality,” according to Kaye.
“While many educational tools isolate students behind individual screens, Alive Studios’ patented technology uses 3D augmented reality zoo animals to create a shared, immersive environment,” she said. “These animals appear to inhabit the physical classroom, capturing children’s imaginations and fostering immediate interaction between peers and instructors.”
Alive Studio’s inclusive, sophisticated approach to fundamental English language skills is especially helpful for English Language Learners (ELLs), Kaye says, providing a dignified learning path for students from pre-K through fifth grade.
Although Alive Studios is also available for school-day learning, the experience-based learning model is particularly effective in after-school environments where students may feel restless, Kaye says.
“By turning lessons into an interactive event, we provide a valuable complement to core school-day curricula, ensuring that learning continues in an engaging, non-traditional format,” she said.
AlphaBEST remains dedicated to showcasing these cutting-edge tools to administrators and families alike. We are proud to work alongside Cynthia Kaye and the Alive Studios team to inspire the next generation of learners through the power of play and technology.
For more information about Alive Studios and the AlphaBEST curated curriculum partners, contact us here.
