Online teaching platforms have a number of benefits compared with traditional methods of teaching. Online classes can be conducted from anywhere which means that teachers can earn money from anywhere in the world. This is just one of the ways that online teaching platforms have changed the lives of both teachers and students.
Below, we will take a look at some of the most important online teaching platforms for 2021 and beyond…
ClassDojo
ClassDojo is a free online teaching platform that also mirrors Facebook’s interface. ClassDojo is unique from the other online teaching platforms on this list because it introduces a point system. This point system incentivises students to put on their best behaviour and to participate actively in class.
Similar to Facebook, teachers and students can upload images of their class activities for parents to view from their mobile devices. This feature gives parents regular updates on their children amid their busy schedules.
Google Classroom
Google Classroom is a free service for schools that have registered for a G Suite account. On Google Classroom, teachers can create and grade assignments on top of sharing files and documents with students.
Since Google Drive is integrated with Google Classroom, it is easy for students to collaborate with their classmates on group projects and assignments. With the option to send emails to students within a class, Google Classroom streamlines the way information is disseminated.
For more tips on how you can incorporate Google Classroom into your teaching curriculum, please check out the video below:https://www.youtube.com/embed/rCNImsWUxZA?feature=oembedGoogle Classroom tutorial on YouTube
Moodle
Moodle allows teachers to create and customise a free site for their classes. On Moodle, teachers can manage students and course materials across various subjects or modules that they teach.
Moodle is a powerful tool for teachers to track whether students are clicking through to view or download class materials. Moodle Analytics can also predict and highlight students who are struggling with course content.
When teachers turn to online learning, they worry that the lack of supervision will lead to lower grades among students. With Moodle, teachers can closely monitor the learning progress of students and thus offer their assistance whenever necessary.https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ORsUGVNxGs?feature=oembedMoodle promo video on YouTube
Edmodo
Edmodo is an online teaching platform with an interface that resembles Facebook. Students can join class pages with a code distributed by the teacher. Within these pages, teachers can post updates, polls, worksheets, and other assignments for students. Since Edmodo is purely for educational purposes, students will not be distracted by irrelevant content while perusing the content on Edmodo.
To facilitate online discussions, teachers may post questions or videos and prompt students to type their opinions in the comments section.
In the folders tab, teachers can also organise and consolidate class materials for students.
Besides engaging students on Edmodo, teachers can also invite parents to the class group. From Edmodo, teachers can send updates and announcements to parents, thus enabling parents to be aware of their child’s progress in school.
HeyHi’s Online Whiteboard
You may have noticed that the preceding online teaching platforms seek to improve communication between parents, students, and teachers, or to consolidate course content online. Now, we would like to introduce you to HeyHi’s online whiteboard, a teaching tool that complements any of the aforementioned platforms.
HeyHi’s online whiteboard incorporates video conferencing features that allow teachers and students to collaborate remotely. With such capabilities, we would like to suggest that teachers adopt HeyHi’s online whiteboard as part of a shift towards a flipped classroom teaching format.
What is a flipped classroom pedagogy?
In a flipped classroom, teachers upload learning materials for students to go through and internalise at their leisure. In class, teachers will then devote time to concepts that are harder to grasp.
In this case, teachers can upload notes and pre-recorded tutorial videos to an online learning platform such as Moodle or Edmodo. Students are expected to plan their schedules and master the basics of this content before attending a virtual class on HeyHi’s online whiteboard. Students who have gone through these independent learning exercises online will then be prepared to launch into class discussions from the get-go.
With a flipped classroom pedagogy, teachers can leverage interactive tools such as HeyHi’s online whiteboard to make classes engaging and more enriching for students.
Facilitate class discussions with HeyHi’s online teaching platform
HeyHi is an online teaching platform that grants students access to a shared whiteboard. With HeyHi’s pen and highlighter tools, students can write and draw pictures to demonstrate their learning. Rather than to complete assignments by themselves, students can discuss over video chat while filling up worksheets together. By doing so, students have the opportunity to cross-check what they have learned beforehand and thus improve knowledge retention.
You may be wondering, “In a class of thirty will it be too chaotic for students to collaborate?” Well, HeyHi’s online whiteboard is expandable and you will never have to worry about running out of whiteboard space. Simply zoom out to reveal more blank spaces, or shift to a different section of the whiteboard.
You can also create new whiteboard pages without erasing or deleting the original whiteboard that you or your students have been working on.
You may be pleased to know that HeyHi is also free to download for Apple and Android devices! Please refer to HeyHi’s pricing page for more information on the different subscription tiers.
TalentLMS
About TalentLMS
TalentLMS is built to support blended learning curriculums that mix self-paced eLearning and instructor-led online learning. On the self-paced learning experience side, teachers can import existing courses, or create whole new courses from scratch using an included authoring tool, then set customized learner paths to dictate how and when learners can consume them. Features such as discussion forums and personal messaging enhance class interactions.
Instructors can schedule real-time webinars to teach students face-to-face. Automated grading eases the burden of assigning homework, while detailed reports and student analytics allow teachers to uncover which students need help and which courses need to be improved.
Limits and the cost to upgradeThough the free version of TalentLMS has no storage limit, it only supports up to five users and 10 courses, making it an option for only very small classes. The “Starter” package, which allows up to 40 users, starts at $59 per month.
Creating an eLearning course in TalentLMS (Source)
Google Classroom
About Google Classroom
Completely free for schools, Google Classroom allows teachers to create classes, distribute and grade assignments, and send feedback to students. Permissions for students, guardians, and co-teachers are customizable, as are the options teachers have to share their screen, share a student’s screen, or lock everything down for something such as a pop quiz.
Teachers can augment digital learning through free apps that integrate with Google Classroom. Different apps can support specific areas of knowledge, add more flair to online courses and presentations, or foster better learner engagement. You can also push grades to your student information system (SIS) if you sign up for a beta program and have a compatible system.
Limits and the cost to upgrade
Google Classroom, along with the rest of the G Suite for Education, is completely free with 100GB of storage and no limits on the number of users. G Suite Enterprise for Education, which includes extra features, starts at $48 per user, per year.
The home screen in Google Classroom (Source)
Thinkific
About Thinkific
Billed primarily as a platform for e-learning entrepreneurs to sell their courses, Thinkific is nonetheless a LMS option for teachers who want to set up online courses for their students. Teachers can create and brand their own lessons as they see fit using a drag-and-drop course authoring tool.
Thinkific courses support a variety of different content types (text, video, quizzes, downloads, discussions), and teachers can customize their courses to fit their curriculum needs by setting prerequisite lessons, hiding courses from certain students, or creating a drip schedule for courses to become available.
Limits and cost to upgrade
Thinkific is free for up to three courses and unlimited students. For unlimited courses and additional features, Thinkific’s “Basic” package starts at $49 per month.
Previewing a designed online course in Thinkific (Source)
CANVAS
About CANVAS
CANVAS LMS, from Instructure, is an open source LMS solution built to accommodate both K-12 and higher ed institutions. If you can’t afford a school- or district-wide plan, CANVAS offers a Free-for-Teacher option that has all of the course level features you’d expect, including assessments, grading, online learning discussions, and a class syllabus.
In addition to getting access to CANVAS Commons Resources, where you can import a bunch of premade assets from other users into your own learning content, the Free-for-Teacher plan supports third-party user authentication, notifications via SMS or email, and basic learner analytics.
Limits and cost to upgrade
The Free-for-Teacher plan only gets you 500MB of storage per course. Support is also limited, as Instructure will only help with deleting accounts, restoring deleted courses, resetting passwords, or making courses public. Pricing for paid plans in CANVAS is not made public.
The dashboard view in CANVAS (Source)
Schoology
About Schoology
Schoology combines instructional tools, assessments, collaboration features, and advanced analytics into one comprehensive LMS platform. Within the system, teachers can develop and distribute course materials, facilitate discussions, assign tests and quizzes, and even give parents visibility into their child’s progress.
Teachers can browse community groups to leverage free resources provided by other instructors and integrate external tools and games into their learning content using Schoology’s app center. A dedicated mobile app allows for anytime access for instructors and students alike.
Limits and cost to upgrade
The “Basic” package of Schoology is free for instructors and learners. The “Enterprise” package, targeted at whole schools and institutions, has more functionality and customized pricing.
A list of course materials in Schoology (Source)
Conclusion
There are several websites on the internet that can be used to teach online for free. However you must pay attention to your state regulations if you are a teacher wishing to provide instruction online even if it’s free. It can also be helpful for educators or certificate programs looking to implement continuing education units (CEUs) in an online environment without having to pay a fee.