Do you need to find the best online learning platforms for kids? This is a guide that will help you find this. Despite the different learning methods, the benefits of these online learning platforms remain the same. If you are not aware, online classes can be used by teachers and students for all grade levels, ranging from preschool classes to high school, college, and even adults. This is because students can access their accounts any time they want.
In the review below, I present to you online platforms for teaching which will help you in a big way.
Student and teacher communication platforms
FlipGrid
FlipGrid is a conversation-starter enabling students and teachers to share videos about a relevant subject. Starting guides and webinars are available to teach you and your students how to use this unique platform. Best of all, it’s free!
. Zoom
Zoom became the #1 choice for meetings and webinars for its ease and functionality. Why not use this video conferencing tool for online classes, too?
Zoom requires the use of a passcode to take part in real-time video lectures. Not only does this provide a secure learning environment for kids, but it also allows for safe interactions between students and teachers.
Slack
Slack is an instant messaging tool that helps you and your students communicate instantly.
Teachers can set up channels geared toward separate topics, and Slack ensures data is secure so only teachers and students access lessons. Once you create a start hub, students can easily access everything they need for their studies.
Bloomz
Bloomz is a wonderful app that opens communication between parents and teachers. Easily line up parent-teacher conversations, receive class updates and track behavior with this user-friendly platform. Translation is available in over 100 languages to make learning accessible for everyone.
ClassDojo
Parents can join their kids in class through any device with this platform. ClassDojo gives students a way to receive praise for their skills, and parents have the option to share happy moments captured in classrooms.
Microsoft Teams
Classrooms are a true team environment when teachers and students can swap thoughts and ideas. Microsoft Teams makes it easy for you and your students to work together as you exchange videos, homework assignments and engage in chat conversations.
Game-based learning platforms
Game-based learning combines the fun of gaming with learning. Quizzes, badges and points systems coupled with classroom participation make for a joyful way for students to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills
We found four rewarding and helpful platforms to enhance your child’s love for learning through games.
Prodigy Math Game
Prodigy’s adaptive, game-based learning platform can help students fall in love with learning! Prodigy Math Game challenges students to complete questions, earn rewards and battle friends, all while answering curriculum-aligned questions.
Plus, your free teacher account gives you access to all of Prodigy’s teacher tools. Use them to:
- Align Prodigy with your classroom lessons
- Differentiate math instruction for every student
- Track student progress and deliver in-game assessments
Whether students are learning in the classroom or at home, Prodigy is a great way to keep them engaged as they build math skills.Sign up now
Kahoot!
Nothing gets kids more excited than a good classroom quiz (and a little healthy competition). Kahoot! was created to work with live video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Skype and Google Meet and blends educational games with fun questions to promote learning.
Kahoot! also encourages kids to create their own games and share with other students.
Gimkit
Gimkit Live unleashes clever educational content where students answer questions at their own pace. Each time they answer a question correctly, they receive in-game cash they can re-invest to buy upgrades and power-ups.
4. Quizlet
Quizlet uses flashcards and games to make learning more enjoyable. Study modes and sets are suited to each student’s learning style, which makes small accomplishments feel like victories.
Quizlet helps kids to learn a variety of subjects, including:
- Art
- Math
- Science
- Humanities
- Languages
Classroom management platforms
Classroom management platforms are timesaving tools that make learning run smoothly. These ingenious platforms help you time tasks, manage and improve students’ behavior and create a respectful and supportive environment.
You can also use these platforms to communicate with parents and enhance educational experiences at school or at home.
Google Classroom
Google Classroom requires the use of a Gmail account to access Classrooms. This platform is fantastic for easy communication, teamwork and sharing homework files. Plus, you can even use Classroom to make a class website and store important resources or information for students.
Buncee
Buncee is a fun and simple tool that helps students and teachers create course materials, presentations and stories. The platform has over 2,000 templates that allow users to build charts and visual art creations.
Buncee is a multi-purpose, web-based tool for educational, business and personal applications.
EdModo
As a global learning management system (LMS), EdModo is a collaborative platform that connects teachers, students and parents.
Teachers like you can:
- Support students
- Distribute quizzes
- Share assignments
- Create posts and messages
Students have a greater chance of reaching their full potential thanks to EdModo’s organized class folders and built-in planner.
Parents may wish to create their own account so they can supervise their child’s progress.
Edulastic
As a valuable online education tool, Edulastic’s high standards help you administer assessments, help students and track their progress. Google Classroom synchronization is available free to use in combination with Edulastic. Students receive the best of both worlds: effective academic resources that are easy to use!
Apps and tools for teaching
Nearpod
The first app that proves ideal for livening up lessons, and made especially for teachers, is the one called Nearpod. This application allows teachers to present multimedia lessons that students can upload to their mobile devices. The Nearpod app is completely free and offers different layouts, which make it suitable for various teaching activities.
nearpod.com (ios) / nearpod.com (Android)
Viper (Windows)
The second app worth mentioning and proving suitable for teachers is the one called Viper. It is in fact a valid Windows application that contains ready-made themes which allow teachers to present them directly to pupils. In this app, students are also able to compare their work to understand how to write better by avoiding grammatical errors, paying more attention to syntax and typos.
viper.en.softonic.com (Windows)
Attendance
The third app that proves effective for teachers, who have an Android device, is the one called Attendance. Teachers can use it to draw up a list of attendance in their various classes, and to help them keep track of the studies and classwork of each individual student. This app also allows a photo to be added to each name so that the teacher can better verify and follow the necessary information.
Attendance (Google Play)
TooNoisy
The fourth app for teachers is a little bizarre, but in some ways useful; in fact, it is called TooNoisy. It was created to detect environmental noises and it can be used for both an Android device and with an iPhone in a classroom. This app specifically emits a beep when the aforementioned noise threshold is excessive. The main function of this app is dictated by the fact that students, themselves, can become more aware of how to behave, and regulate their behavior. It also helps students avoid the risk of punishment by a teacher or educational representative if they aren’t following the rules.
toonoisyapp.com (ios and Android available)
ThingLink
The fifth app that a teacher can download for free from Google Play on his mobile device is the one called ThingLink which is used to keep students attentive during lessons. In addition, the app is useful for creating interactive images for teachers who intend to use them to better explain a topic or make concepts clearer to students who download it on their mobile device.
thinglink.com (Android)
Audience response
AnswerGarden
With this free tool, teachers can ask their students a question which can be answered with a single word or short phrase. Responses are received through a web link, QR code, or AnswerGarden’s iOS app, and begin to populate on a display screen in a word cloud. The words that are submitted most often will appear as the largest in the cloud. This is a very handy tool to use for brainstorming activities with a group in the classroom.
answergarden.ch (ios)
Poll Everywhere
The first company to offer an alternative to clickers, Poll Everywhere started as a service that allowed students to respond to a poll via text message. Now students can also respond through a web browser or through Poll Everywhere’s mobile app. Polls can be created using multiple-choice, ranking graphs, clickable images, and questions that include LaTeX syntax and alphabets from different world languages.
Slido
With Slido, students can submit questions through a regular web browser using a unique event code. Questions which appear on the presenter’s screen can be upvoted by other participants, moving the most popular questions to the top. Once a question has been answered, the presenter or teacher can remove it from the queue. Slido also offers audiences polling with multiple-choice and word cloud options.
Book publishing’s apps
Blurb
This site helps teachers create photo books with text that use templates for a variety of book types: cookbooks, children’s books, portfolios, memoirs, magazines, and more. Books can be kept in digital form or purchased as a paperback, a hardcover, a magazine, or an e-book. Printed books are not cheap; save this for something special.
Book Creator
This flexible tool allows students of any age to create e-books. These books can contain photos, text, audio and video files, and even hand-drawn images, which are embedded in content like Google Maps or Flipgrid grids. Finished books can be shared through a link, downloaded as an EPUB, or even sold through iBooks and Google Play. Teachers can create classroom libraries, and the site has tons of resources and ideas for classroom use.
Lulu
For student writers who want to publish their works, print-on-demand sites like Lulu are growing in popularity. By using this tool, authors upload manuscripts, which they can sell in print or as e-books through markets like Amazon. Authors are not charged a fee to publish, but when a book sells, Lulu earns back the cost of production plus a percentage of the profit, with the author keeping the rest.
Storybird
Although this site is no longer free, it may be worth the price. Users can begin by browsing through a gallery of professional artwork until they find an inspiring image. When they find an image that interests them, they write a story or poem to accompany their chosen visual. Students can choose from a collection of images and build a picture book around them. The site also offers excellent resources for teachers, like writing lessons and private class settings.
WriteReader
This is a great book-making tool for emerging writers. As students type in text, WriteReader will say either the name of the letter or the sound it makes, allowing students to get auditory confirmation that they are choosing the right letters. To enhance their books, students can add images or voice recordings. Teachers are able to include adult-written text below each student’s writing task. Finished books can be printed or downloaded as PDFs.
Classroom management’s apps
BehaviorFlip
This platform was built with “Restorative Justice” practices in mind. Teachers are able to track students’ “coachable” behaviors in two categories—respect and responsibility—in order to help them detect patterns and provide a starting point for talking with students. The tool also lets teachers reward students for behaviors that demonstrate resiliency. It even has a mechanism for indicating whether behavior issues have been resolved after an incident.
Bouncy Balls
This fun web-based tool helps to keep noise at a reasonable level in the classroom. Teachers can open the website and set it up for students to view. When the classroom is quiet, the balls stay settled at the bottom of the screen, but when the noise in class starts to rise, the balls get more active, giving everyone in the room a visual cue about how noisy they’re getting in class.
What are you thoughts about using online apps and tools in your own teaching? Do you find using them easy or difficult? Which apps have worked for you and which ones are your favorite?
If you are having difficulties finding apps that fit your didactic purposes, have you considered creating your own app? We recommend you take a look at our course to discover how to build your own digital tools.
Conclusion
Online teaching platforms make it easier for teachers to create and share educational content with their own students. These online teaching platforms are great for sharing lesson plans, class schedules, and preparing lessons. They also make it easy to record audio or video and present information in an interactive way.