Do you need to learn more about best online teaching software free? Or do you want to compare different software and tools for learning? Look no further! Below you’ll find an easy-to-read guide on the most effective online educational tools according to students, parents and educators.
If you are a teacher or edupreneur I am sure this article will be beneficial to you.Free educational software can come handy during your offline and online lessons.Some of these programs have really good features like screen capture, real time audio and video conferencing, live syncing of slides and transcripts, handout making options, bookmarklets and more.There are many other features too that make your learning convenience easier.
Seesaw
Seesaw is a digital portfolio app that captures student work through the use of photos, videos, and audio. This free teacher tool enables students to showcase their work and collaborate with their peers. Using the Seesaw blog platform, students gain an authentic sense of authorship and are able to share ideas and feedback constructively in a safe teacher-moderated space.
The app is also a fantastic way of enhancing parent-school engagement (which we all know is a key factor in positive student outcomes), as they are able to sign in with QR codes. The reflective opportunities Seesaw provides is my favourite feature. By getting students to reflect on teacher feedback, it completes the learning loop—essentially promoting ‘feeding forward’ rather than feedback as an effective learning model.
Baamboozle
This is another free online game site. Its main advantage is that it’s set up so that students can play online in teams, but they don’t have to go into different breakout rooms. In other words, students can select a question to answer and talk among themselves in front of others to determine the correct answer (other students are waiting for their turn to choose another question). If that explanation is a bit confusing, it will be very clear once you go to the site itself.
Electa Live
Electa Live provides virtual classroom software and a learning management system for online courses. The virtual classroom is supported cross-platform. Electa Live virtual classroom features include file sharing, interactive whiteboards, annotation tools, screen sharing, session recording, online polls & surveys, and breakout rooms. The LMS component makes it convenient for scheduling live classes.
Adobe Connect
If you have been in the virtual classroom software space for a few years, then you have undoubtedly come across Adobe Connect. Adobe Connect was the standard-bearer for virtual classroom software seeing a lot of early traction in the higher education vertical. Today’s web-based version still requires Flash, but there is a client download version to bypass Flash requirements. Features include a content management system, quick polls, an interactive whiteboard, cloud recording, and different modules and layouts for a highly customizable classroom.
Edpuzzle
With Edpuzzle, you can create interactive video lessons with embedded audio notes, assessments, and quizzes. Its analytics tool enables you to track how students are watching your videos and if they understand the content.
WeTransfer
The answer to your prayers. Transfer large files easily to colleagues and keep your ideas moving. It’s free and does not even require you to create an account. Just upload files, enter the recipient’s email and you’re away.
Canva
A brilliant, free graphic design tool you can use to create educational visuals and infographics for the classroom. It couldn’t be more intuitive and is loved by both beginners and experts alike. We guarantee you’ll be hooked.
Zoom
Zoom is probably the most popular online software in the market for holding meetings, classes and online get-togethers, especially since the start of the pandemic.
Zoom offers the following to their users:
- Chat function to
- chat with your whole class or individual students
- Breakout rooms to separate students into groups for discussions
- Share screen function to share your screen or allow students to share their screen
- A built-in whiteboard with text and drawing features to share with your students.
The free version allows up to 100 participants, unlimited one-on-one meetings but a limit of only 40 minutes for group meetings.
Zoom is a great option for teachers who need a platform to teach their students since this app is used worldwide and most people are comfortable and familiar with its functions.
EdApp
EdApp’s new public microlearning courseware platform Educate All is free for teachers, students and anyone else on the planet who has a desire to learn. Together with UNITAR, EdApp is redefining what we mean by ‘team micro teaching’ by creating a true global village of educators.
EdApp’s authoring tool is an excellent way to effectively educate your learners with vital knowledge and skills. EdApp’s content library is populated with course topics ranging from addressing global challenges, leadership and entrepreneurship to hospitality and physical exercise. Powerful learner metrics are available for learner assessment, and EdApp’s Brain Boost spaced repetition feature is next to none. You can access EdApp’s mobile-based LMS for free!
BigBlueButton
It’s hard to beat free. BigBlueButton was one of the first entries into the virtual classroom software market. The project started in 2007 and became available as an open-source project in 2009! BigBlueButton is built for online teaching with features such as the ability to share files and your desktop, interactive whiteboard, and up to 15 webcams that can broadcast at one time. BigBlueButton also integrates into most major learning management systems.
LearnCube
LearnCube was also purpose-built for teaching and tutoring online. Like other virtual classroom platforms on this list, LearnCube is browser-based enabling you to deliver virtual classes without having to download 3rd party software or rely on Flash. Features include an interactive whiteboard, custom branding, content management system, text chat, and class recording. They also mention transcription services as a coming soon feature.
Skype is one of the oldest and most well know video calling systems. It’s safe to say that pre-pandemic, Skype was the go-to system for video calling and conferencing for most consumers.
While it is possible to teach over Skype, and Skype has made slow steps at developing more features beyond its basic video calling service, it still falls far short of being a virtual classroom. If you must use Skype, we highly recommend using it in conjunction with ManyCam, which we will discuss later.
User Experience
Simple and straight forward, hence why it’s so popular. Much of this is due to the fact that most of your students are probably familiar with Skype. Having to download a desktop client for some is not nice, however the desktop application is very simple and most people already have it.
Rating: 4 / 5
Customization
None. Skype is Skype; that’s why it might as well be the generic word for video calling.
Rating: 0 / 5
Virtual Classroom
Non-existent. No whiteboard function, PDF viewer, nor even the most basic classroom functions.
Rating: 0 / 5
Pricing
Free!
Rating: 5 / 5
Overall Rating: 2.4 / 5
The original and most widely known (pre-pandemic, that is) video conferencing software, Google Hangouts makes it easy to connect with a large group of people.
As amazing of tool as it might be to connect with your family over Easter while in quarantine, Google Hangouts has virtually no functions of a virtual classroom and should be avoided for teaching purposes. We highly recommend using it in conjunction with ManyCam, which we will discuss later, if you absolutely must use Google Hangouts to conduct classes.
User Experience
Similar to Skype, the user experience is very simple and smooth, and almost no learning curve. It runs in the browser so no additional extensions or software are required. Most people have Google account, so students will not have to signup for anything.
Rating: 4 / 5
Customization
None. Google is Google. If you pay for G Suite, you can add an avatar and a customized background, but that’s it.
Rating: 1 / 5
Virtual Classroom
Non-existent. Just like Skype, this is a video calling software, not a virtual classroom.
Rating: 0 / 5
Pricing
Free!
Rating: 5 / 5
Overall Rating: 2.5 / 5
So what does all the hype about Zoom really mean? Is there a reason, beyond viral marketing, that everyone seems to be using Zoom for everything from calling grandma, to joining online pub quizzes, to teaching languages online?
Beyond it’s branding, Zoom is a solid all-round program that covers most aspects of what you likely need for your online classes, though there are some major drawbacks.
User Experience
Everything is simple, very intuitive, and straightforward. Functional and refined to be easily used as a virtual classroom. Thanks to the pandemic, many of your students will likely already be familiar with it.
Rating: 5 / 5
Customization
You can add an avatar, but that’s about it.
Rating: 1 / 5
Virtual Classroom
Has all basic features of a virtual classroom as well as breakout rooms with the paid plan. However whiteboard features are very basic, and editing is a bit cumbersome. No annotation of PDF slides. Not recommended for young learners.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Pricing
$15 per month for the professional plan, which allows for breakout rooms and removes the 40-minute time limit.
Rating: 4 / 5
Overall Rating: 3.4 / 5
ClickMeeting is a lesser-known, simple, and yet highly powerful webinar software. It is entirely browser based and very user friendly, combined with a surprising number of virtual classroom tools.
Beyond its virtual classroom, ClickMeeting provides a number of other useful tools that could help you manage your online teaching business. It even has ecommerce options including a payment gateway, so you can collect payment from students directly on the virtual classroom!
User Experience
Signup and usability is great and simple. The user interface is clean and has great user-friendly features. 100% browser based, so no installations or downloads required.
Rating: 4 / 5
Customization
Full customization and control of the colour scheme, logo/avatar, images, and almost everything. Your students will never know they’re on ClickMeeting. You can even add custom calls to action to generate sales and encourage students to book more lessons.
Rating: 5 / 5
Virtual Classroom
Very simple, aesthetically pleasing, and surprisingly powerful with features. No breakout rooms however, which can be a deterrent to higher leveled students.
Rating: 4 / 5
Pricing
$10 a month for the most basic professional plan, though the customization and payment gateway features are extra.
Rating: 4 / 5
Overall Rating: 4.2 / 5
Conclusion:
The history of education during the 1900s was quite fascinating. And I am pretty sure it was successful as well. That is precisely why there is a great deal of fascination with online teaching during the 2000s. If you are one of those educators who are fascinated by using best teaching tools in your classroom, this article offers you some useful information that can help you make your educational dreams come true.