Best Platform for Live Online Teaching

by

If you are looking to teach online, finding the best platform for live online teaching is essential. The world of live online teaching has remained very niche ever since it started years back. However, as the internet continues to grow and grow, and more people start to turn online, there is growing demand for jobs like this one.

Online teaching is a growing trend. It’s allowing teachers and education professionals to increase their reach and make more money. The internet has made it easy for anybody to create a course and offer it online to the masses. __What __online teaching platform should you use? Existing platforms such as Teachable or Thinkific, or should you create your own? This post examines the pros and cons of each option and attempts to offer workable solutions.

Online learning has made education more accessible to students around the world. Students who live in rural Georgia can attend classes in Los Angeles. Students with day jobs can log in to complete their school work in the evenings.

The value of online learning has come to light since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The global situation continues to change on a regular basis, and access to online education has helped students navigate all of the recent ups and downs.

Live streaming, in particular, is a very useful technology for distance learning. Video allows for real-time interaction and a virtual classroom-like feel. Capturing lectures also gives professors the ability to save and upload the videos for students to playback if they missed the session or need to go back and rewatch part of the lesson.

In order to bring your live streaming classroom to life, educational establishments need to invest in proper video streaming software.

In this post, we’re going to talk about the evolving digital learning industry before we compare 10 of the most powerful live streaming classroom platforms for creating an online live class platform for education. Let’s check them out.

The Everchanging Demand for Digital Learning

Live video streaming allows students to watch content at home and attend lectures remotely.

Technology has found its place in the American classroom over the past five to ten years. The old school projectors and bulky televisions have been replaced by interactive smartboards.

Even in traditional classroom settings, homework involves the use of online tools. Many schools require children to have iPads or other tablets as young as elementary school. High schools and universities are even further advanced.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020, online learning has become very important for students around the globe. At the start of the pandemic, many educators relied on Zoom live streaming exclusively since most had all of two weeks to shift their curriculums from semi-digital to fully online.

Nearly two years in, educators have now had time to prepare for remote learning. Many have found that the solution for online learning for grade schools and universities requires more than Zoom.

Many schools have created online classroom platforms on their websites with the help of professional video hosting platforms with both live broadcasting and VOD streaming capabilities. This allows them to live stream classes and upload lessons for students to access video on demand for schools.

A live streaming platform is a cloud-based solution that allows you to live stream, upload videos securely, manage content, and share streams worldwide.

Some video hosting platforms, including Dacast, now support Zoom meeting integrations. This means that they can rely on their own servers and professional streaming tools while accessing Zoom’s video conference function with real-time latency.

Though varied in specific features and cost, these live classroom video hosting platforms typically provide a similar range of tools for video broadcasting. Online video education platforms give you more control over your content than popular free consumer-based platforms, like Youtube.

Features to Look for in a Live Teaching Platform

Choosing the perfect live streaming platform makes a world of difference in your students’ digital classroom experience.

When it comes to hosting and broadcasting videos, educators have several specific factors and live streaming pricing needs that differ from other industries.

Here are a few features that are particularly helpful for creating a platform for live streaming lectures and other educational materials. We urge you to look out for these specific features when choosing the best remote learning platform.

1. Security and Privacy Settings

Educational videos are typically restricted to authorized viewers, which makes privacy and security tools absolutely essential.

Look for a live streaming online video platform that is fully loaded with privacy and security features, including private hosting, password protection, end-to-end encryption, secure video upload, domain restrictions, and more. These tools allow you to control access to content on your own terms.

2. White-Label Video Player

White-label video streaming refers to streaming video content that doesn’t include branding except for your own. Most paid video hosting software platforms allow you to stream without a single mention of their name to your viewers.

Free video hosting providers, such as Youtube Live and Facebook Live, keep their own branding on the video player and landing page that houses it which is both unprofessional and distracting to students.

White-label video players, on the other hand, also typically do not contain third-party ads unless you set them up for the sake of video monetization.

3. API Access

Application Programming Interface (API) is a tool that allows broadcasters to integrate external apps and programs. Video API gives you the ability to customize your video content management system, whereas player API allows you to customize the actual video player.

API can also help you integrate video tools into existing web applications, such as virtual classroom platforms, like Canvas, Blackboard, and more.

This feature is now more important than ever since many schools are trying to keep things simple for their students but want to curate a virtual streaming classroom experience that is consistent with in-person learning.

4. Video Monetization

If you operate an educational platform that is not publicly funded or tuition-based, you may consider monetizing your educational video content to generate revenue.

Many independent online educators create packages of video content sold as-is. With monetized content, viewers simply enter their payment information directly in the video player window. After their payment processes, viewers can access the video.

Monetization tools are key for quickly and easily generating revenue from your educational videos. Again, monetization is used more by independent educators as opposed to grade schools, universities, or even technical schools.

If you operate an accredited institution, video monetization should not matter much to you, since you are either funded by taxpayers or tuition.

Top 10 Online Video Education Platforms to Live Stream Classes: A Comparison

There are many platforms that are suitable for hosting and streaming online lectures. You should choose a platform based on its ability to meet the specific needs of your institution.

Here are a few of the best online lecture platforms for live streaming virtual classes and other educational content.

1. Dacast

Take into consideration how many students will be using your platform and how many videos teachers will be creating.

Platform Overview:

Dacast’s online video education platform is a great option for small educators and major institutions alike that support both live streaming and on-demand video hosting.

Our unified streaming solution’s new Zoom live streaming integration makes real-time latency streaming possible which makes our platform well-suited for conference-style virtual classes.

Key Features:

Monetization features such as pay-per-view, subscriptions, and ad-based on-demand video are supported on all plans. It is also important to note that every plan on Dacast is fully white-label.

Dacast also supports more powerful video uploading, optimized CMS, more security, and China video hosting. The platform is ideal for institutions and schools with a large video-on-demand library. This is perfect if you have large numbers of instructors creating content for different subjects and courses.

Detailed Features:

New!

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

  • Minimum dimension: none (but 240p is the recommended minimum)
  • Maximum dimension: 1080p or 4K (depends on the user’s hardware and internet)
  • Video aspect ratio: no restrictions (but 16:9 is the default)
  • Max file size: none
  • Max video length: none
  • Total file storage: 10-1000GB (depends on plan)
  • Compatible video formats: MP4 (preferred), MOV, M4V, M2V, AVI, MPG, FLV, WMV, MKV, WEBM, OGV, MXF, ASF, VOB, MT

Pricing:

Pricing for Dacast’s live streaming for education solutions starts at $39/month. Pricing plans include:

  • Starter Plan: $39/month (billed annually); ideal for small schools; comes with 1,000 TB of bandwidth and 50 GB of storage per month
  • Event Plan: $63/month (or $750/year); for educational organizations that would rather not sign a contract, and want to purchase bandwidth separately to live stream an event. It offers 6 TB of bandwidth upfront, 50 GB of storage; additional data and storage can be added as needed
  • Scale Plan:$188/month (billed annually); includes 24 TB of bandwidth per year, with 1 TB of storage; adds phone support, monetization paywall, an M3U8 online player for live channels, ad insertion, white-label video player, and video API access
  • Custom Plan: if your school has high volume streaming needs, you can contact Dacast for a custom plan tailored to your needs

Dacast also offers custom pricing for higher volume streaming.

2. Panopto

Panopto has the tools to manage recorded lectures, classroom videos, and media assets in a secure, searchable video platform.

Platform Overview:

A leading video platform for education, Panopto is an online lecture platform that was designed to serve universities and other large institutions. Their solutions include dedicated software for lecture capture and video search.

Key Features:

With a focus on online education, it provides tools similar to YouTube and integrates with Learning Management Systems. Overall, Panopto is a more focused online video organization than the other best live streaming solutions considered here.

However, the Panopto platform doesn’t include video monetization. Security features include the ability to make live streaming and event content private. Additionally, users can integrate with existing authentication systems. All plans are white-label, and API is available.

Detailed Features:

  • Lecture-capture and video-search software
  • Access control & security features
  • White-label streaming
  • Integration with LMS systems
  • APIs for further integrations.
  • Audio Content
  • Analytics
  • Document Indexing
  • Customizable Branding
  • Full-Text Search
  • Video Content
  • Asset Categorization

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

  • Compatible video formats: AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA, MP3, M4V
  • All other upload guidelines and specs are only available to paying customers. 

Pricing:

Panopto recently simplified its pricing packages and includes the following three options:

  • Basic: Free
  • Pro: $14.99/month
  • Enterprise: Please contact Panopto for custom pricing.

For educators, pricing depends on full-time equivalent student pricing. Plans are available starting at 500 users.

3. Muvi

With Muvi, it’s very easy for professional educators, teachers, and coaches to launch their own online teaching platforms.

Platform Overview:

The next of the online live class platforms we’ll take a look at here is Muvi. Muvi’s e-learning video portal has a wide range of features to live stream classes.

This platform supports video monetization via all three major methods: subscriptions, pay-per-view, and ads. Muvi also includes access to this API and white-label video players. They also provide VOD and audio streaming. It’s fully managed and all controlled from a single CMS.

Key Features:

With Muvi, you can create a multi-screen platform relatively quickly. Their video streaming solution comes with a plethora of functionalities and capabilities. They also provide VOD and audio streaming. It’s fully managed and all controlled from a single CMS.

Detailed Features:

  • White-label with branding customization
  • HTML5 video player
  • Video analytics
  • Monetization tools 
  • DRM and security features
  • Live and on-demand hosting
  • Powerful CDN
  • Video CMS
  • Transcoding
  • Secure streaming
  • Website and Apps for Mobile and TV

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

  • Minimum dimension: 144p (256 x 144)
  • Maximum dimension: 4K (3840  x2160)
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
  • Max file size: not available
  • Max video length: not available
  • Total file storage: 1TB, 2TB, 5TB (depending on plan)
  • Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, MKV, FLV, VOB, M4V, AVI, 3GP, MPG

Pricing:

Muvi prices its plans at the following five levels:

  • Standard plan: $399/month (+ $299/month per app + infra fees), allows 2000 concurrent viewers, 1TB each of bandwidth and storage, and API support.
  • Professional plan: at $1,499 per month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) increases limits further and adds premium support.
  • Enterprise plan: $3,900 per month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) adds a dedicated server with auto-scaling.
  • Ultimate plan: $8,900/month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) doubles the bandwidth and storage of the enterprise plan and adds your own CDN and unlimited API calls.
  • Black plan: this is a custom solution and includes everything in the Ultimate plan plus premium services and project management.

4. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is a streaming platform with software for hosting virtual classrooms online.

Platform Overview:

Hippo Video is a professional video streaming hosting provider that offers virtual classroom software for education live streams, as well as marketing, sales, and more. It was founded in 2016 by Lyceum Technologies.

This company is unique in the sense that it has plans for broadcasters with a wide range of budgets.

Key Features:

In addition to hosting videos for virtual classes, Hippo Video is equipped with tools for video editing and creation.

Detailed Features:

  • Editing and video creation tools
  • Customization options
  • Marketing tools (CTAs, analytics, etc.)
  • Screen recording
  • Hosting tools (transcoding, closed captioning, organization)
  • Collaboration tools

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

  • Minimum dimension: 480p
  • Maximum dimension: 1080p
  • Aspect ratio: not available
  • Max file size: 3 GB
  • Max video length: 5 minutes on Free plans, 2 hours on Premium plans
  • Total file storage: n/a
  • Compatible video formats: not available

Pricing:

Hippo Video has a complex pricing structure since it offers a variety of solutions for different use cases. Here’s a breakdown of pricing for the most popular categories:

Sales

  • Pro: $30/month
  • Growth: $48/month
  • Enterprise: $79/month

Marketing

  • Starter: $23/month
  • Pro: $49/month 
  • Growth: $99/month

Support

  • Starter: $10/month
  • Pro: $29/month
  • Growth: $49/month

Team Communications

  • Starter: $7/month
  • Pro: $15/month
  • Growth: $23/month


Hippo Video also has special pricing plans for Personalization and Education. Users can contact Hippo Video directly for recorder API pricing.

All of the prices above reflect the rate when billed annually. Please check out the Hippo pricing page for more information on quarterly and monthly pricing.

Leave a Comment