There is a lot of software that you could use online when it comes time to teach students. You can set up a virtual campus and have students from around the world join. The software can streamline everything from assignments to making payments. All this convenience comes at a price though. There is some good free online teaching software out there but most of the top programs will cost you, and some are outrageously priced. We took it upon ourselves to sift through the thousands of options and come up with our own list of top picks for online teaching software for pc.
There are many different types of free online teaching software to choose from. Which one should you use? A lot depends on what your needs and goals are as an instructor. If you’re just starting out, you may not have a ton of options available to you. But there are reasonably priced programs that can provide the best online teaching experience for beginners.
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.
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.
WizIQ
WizIQ virtual classroom provides a browser-based virtual classroom with both a Flash and WebRTC option. Neither requires you to download additional software to join a session. The virtual classroom features cloud recording, interactive whiteboard, moderation capabilities, screen sharing, polls & surveys, and a collaborative code editor which is interesting for STEM courses. The portal can be branded as well.
GoToTraining
This is a spin-off of GoToMeeting, a software which has long been a favorite for virtual business meetings. A step above Webex for business conference functionality, GoToTraining takes it to another level and gives teachers a powerful set of tools to manage a classroom remotely.
If you are a serious teacher focusing on business English and need a robust and powerful virtual classroom that your students will likely be familiar with, GoToTraining might be the best option.
User Experience
The system has a huge amount of options and customizations which makes this an excellent solution one for more advanced users and IT savvy teachers. The end user experience is good, but can be a little overwhelming for less tech savvy students. Not recommended for use with young learners, but an excellent solution for teaching business professionals.
Rating: 3 / 5
Customization
You can add your avatar and customize the page colour, but that’s it.
Rating: 3 / 5
Virtual Classroom
GoToTraining has a fantastic virtual classroom with a robust set of features, however it is designed for corporate training sessions and not language learning. It is also designed with the needs of business professionals in mind, so it may be quite complicated for a younger or less technically inept students. Breakout rooms are only available in expensive enterprise plans.
Rating: 3 / 5
Pricing
€14 per month for the most basic professional plan, which has all the features you’ll need as a solo freelance teacher (minus breakout rooms).
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Overall Rating: 3 / 5
Skype
This 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
CourseCraft
At CourseCraft, you can easily put together online courses and manage them without any hassles. The best thing about this online learning platform is its simple and flexible editor, which functions like your standard word processing program. Just type in your training module, upload images and videos, attach downloadable files, and you’re all set. You can even add some forms, quizzes, and surveys if you want to engage your learners and get some insights directly from them.
There’s no limit as to how many lessons you want to upload and share with your learners—this online teaching platform has you covered.
- Cost: Free and paid plans
- Key Features: Simple and flexible course editor, forms, quizzes, and surveys
Socrative
If you’re interested in teaching whole classes online, or if you want a way to get instant feedback from your students, then Socrative may be useful to you. It is a tool which allows teachers to set real-time questions for their students to answer, and then aggregates and visualises the results. So you can get quick feedback, perform a quiz, or poll the opinions of your students. This allows teachers to see the level of knowledge and understanding of the whole class, and tailor their teaching accordingly. It also keeps students feeling involved and interested, as they take an interactive part in the class. It is available as an app or browser-based, so it can be used as long as your students have access to a computer of some form.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) is another online course marketplace tailored to business professionals. With over 1,000 business courses on topics like project management, web development, and digital marketing, they’re an excellent platform for working professionals looking to keep their skills up-to-date.
They also offer certifications that you can add to your LinkedIn profile, showcasing your expertise and improving your online resume.
What does LinkedIn Learning cost?
Monthly fees tie to a premium LinkedIn membership, which is $29.99/month or $24.00/month if you pay annually.
Conclusion:
There are many different types of free online teaching software to choose from. Which one should you use? A lot depends on what your needs and goals are as an instructor. If you’re just starting out, you may not have a ton of options available to you. But there are reasonably priced programs that can provide the best online teaching experience for beginners.