Many online tools make it easier for distance learning educators to be successful. You don’t need to be an expert in technology or media to be an effective online teacher, just the right tools to do the job right from your laptop.
Generic Tools Online Educators Should Know
Tools used in online learning are generic and there are several stalwart digital tools that online teaching simply wouldn’t be possible without. ..
Technology that allows people to communicate and collaborate in real-time, such as video conferencing and webinar apps, video editing apps, screen recording tools, and social media platforms. ..
Online teachers should always take into account the potential uses of tools and apps when designing their classes, and try to find those that can help students learn more effectively. If an app or tool is specifically designed for educational use, it may be a better option for your class. Try to think outside the box and see what other uses an app or tool could have for your students.
Google Suite Apps
Google Docs is a great way to generate documentation in collaboration with other team members. It’s quick and easy to use, and learners can use it to submit work for comment or editing.
Google Drive is a great way to store and share files with your students. The Google suite of apps has excellent access control settings, so you won’t accidentally give students access to your private documents or allow them to edit what they shouldn’t. ..
Google Classroom
Google Classroom is a unique online learning environment that integrates many existing Google tools (such as Google Calendar) into something meant for students and teacher use. This makes it perfect for educators who need a few informal tools to augment their online teaching practices.
Google Classroom is a website and mobile app that provides online educators with tools to manage their classes. ..
To effectively manage a classroom, it is important to create class templates by copying a class. This will help to standardize the teaching and learning process for each student. Additionally, it is important to hold video meetings in order to track student progress and feedback. Finally, it is also necessary to create learning materials and lesson plans in order to help students retain information. By doing this, the classroom can effectively become a virtual course environment! ..
The hybrid classroom model is a way to use classroom space as a supplement to in-person classes. This model allows students to take online courses while still attending class in person. The hybrid classroom can also be used as a streamlined LMS for fully online teaching and learning.
Google Jamboard
Teachers can use digital whiteboards to illustrate lessons in real-time using the natural whiteboard skills.
Google’s Jamboard is a great tool for collaboration. It works on any device and is free. ..
Khan Academy for Teachers
Khan Academy is a free online resource that covers the entirety of public schooling up to high school and some college-level subjects. Subjects are taught uniquely, progress is recorded using a gamified system, and learners choose to walk unique paths through subjects such as mathematics to learn only what they need for specific purposes. The site has been praised by educators and parents for its ability to provide comprehensive coverage of core subjects while also being easy to use, making it an ideal resource for students of all levels. Khan Academy has been credited with helping to increase student achievement in math and other areas, and has even been used in some cases as a substitute for traditional education. ..
Khan Academy for Teachers is a unique personalized learning tool that lets you sign up your students and act as their online teacher. This is the most impressive personalized learning tool available today, especially considering that it’s free to use.
The Open Textbook Library
The Open Educational Resources (OERs) movement is a growing trend that allows anyone to use any of the resources they create for free. This includes educational materials such as textbooks, lectures, and course materials. The license for OERs can vary depending on the specific resource, but typically it’s under Creative Commons Noncommercial. This means that you can use these resources for your own personal purposes, but not sell them or share them with others.
The Open TextBook Library is a search engine for finding high-quality open textbooks. It offers a wide variety of subject areas, so you can find the perfect open textbook for any course you’re taking. ..
Libretexts
LibreTexts is a project backed by several major institutions to provide quality OER textbooks in subjects ranging from social studies to business or engineering.
Edpuzzle
With Edpuzzle, you can add your own educational layer to videos by picking a clip and adding questions to it. You can also use Edpuzzle to help students learn new information.
Edpuzzle is a video-based assessment tool that allows educators to track student engagement and performance. ..
SmartBuilder
SmartBuilder is an eLearning authoring tool that makes it easy for teachers to create engaging and interactive scenarios without any programming knowledge or media skills. Their examples page shows some of the fantastic things you can make with SmartBuilder, and you can also sign up for a free trial to see if it’s the right tool for you. ..
Udemy
Udemy is a platform that offers Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which are courses that can be easily created and uploaded. The platform has a variety of courses to choose from, and the quality of the courses is very high. Udemy is a great choice for people who want to create professional development courses or teach school districts.
EdModo
EdModo is a platform that allows you to create and manage your courses, lessons, and assessments. It also includes social media features so you can have engaging remote conversations with your students. If you’re not interested in building your own remote teaching arsenal, EdModo is an excellent option.
Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a clever video discussion tool that allows students to easily record and playback their responses to questions and discussions. This is a great tool for Pre-K to Ph.D. students who want to discuss important topics with classmates or experts.
Flipgrid is a platform that allows teachers to facilitate group discussions with students. Students can be organized into groups and given specific topics to discuss. Students then use Flipgrid to record and edit their responses to the case. The reaction can be recorded as many times as the student likes before submission, removing any pressure to answer in a live situation. ..
Kahoot
Kahoot is a tool that lets you author quizzes and let students tackle them as a form of learning through play.
Moodle &
MoodleCloud
Moodle is a cutting-edge eLearning solution that is free and open-source. It has a lot of competition, but it stands out as a choice for those looking for the best eLearning experience.
Moodle is a platform used by some of the largest institutions in the world. According to Moodle itself, 25% of the top 200 world universities are using Moodle.
Moodle is a free, open-source software LMS that can be used on servers to run courses or universities. You can install it on your own computer or use a managed instance through third-party services or the official MoodleCloud service. The 45-day free trial of MoodleCloud makes it an easy way to evaluate the LMS for its potential benefits.
Pear Deck for Google Slides
Google Slides is a great way to create instructional content from within the Google Slides interface. You can drop formative assessments directly from Pear Deck’s sidebar. You can create custom questions, add audio, and more. They also have an excellent onboarding tutorial, so you can hit the ground running.
Near, Far, Wherever You Are!
With these distance learning tools, no student is beyond your reach. This is the most exciting time for education since Socrates came up with his method! ..
