The move towards learning online has been slowly taking place over the last decade or so, but in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual classrooms have come to the fore in a big way. Thanks to the convenience of being able to study at any time and in any location, more and more learners have started seeking opportunities to broaden their horizons and boost their skillset through eLearning platforms. If you’re an online educator, though, how can you ensure your students have the best possible learning experience? Knowing which software tools to tap into can enormously impact your everyday teaching practice.
The Benefits Of Software Tools In Online Education
Not only are students reaping the benefits of online education, but teachers are also increasingly finding that teaching virtually opens up a world of flexibility and freedom. Education professionals can use their knowledge and skills while teaching from the comfort of their own bedroom or any location worldwide.
While many educators still jump at the chance to go and teach English in Latin America, Asia, or Europe, many more are interested in a more versatile lifestyle that allows them to deliver classes from their own homes, a hotel room in a far-flung destination, or even a motorhome as they tour the continent. Yet having the right tools to enable them to achieve this objective is crucial.
Being able to engage learners in their studies is the foundation of any teacher’s success, and evidence shows that incorporating elements of interactivity in virtual learning boosts learner participation rates significantly. Incorporating the use of technology in education is becoming increasingly important as we enter into the digital age. After all, finding new and exciting ways to connect with students makes learning far more accessible and enjoyable, and the latest software allows educators to hold their learners’ attention in new and exciting ways.
Online educational platforms boast numerous beneficial features that can revolutionise how teachers engage with their students and help them get the most out of their learning. But which ones are the most effective?
Quill
For language teachers, Quill is the ultimate addition to their software lineup. This platform offers an innovative and creative set of tools for teaching grammar, vocabulary, and writing across every grade level. Using this software, you can effortlessly create classroom activities that interest and engage, with reconstructed sentences, newly created passages, and text proofreading activities, which give learners the chance to put their newly acquired skills to good use.
iSpring Free
This excellent resource is a user-friendly eLearning solution for creating online courses that are compatible with all devices, including mobile phones. This makes it an excellent source of homework activities. Rather than typical PowerPoint presentations, which can become dull, iSpring helps you create engaging quizzes. With an intuitive interface, you can easily and speedily create courses, even if you’ve had no experience of course development in the past.
Edpuzzle
The Edpuzzle software tool kills two birds with one stone. It allows you to create flexible and interactive video lessons, quizzes, audio notes, and assessment tools. It also boasts an analytics tool that enables you to track your learners’ progress and understanding.
Free Quiz Maker
Traditional exams and assessments can be stressful and dull, but with Free Quiz Maker software, you can make the whole experience more interactive and fun. Teachers can use this platform to create interactive short-answer, multiple-response, and multiple-choice questions to gather learner responses conveniently. The app’s teacher toolkit permits you to choose how many attempts learners are allowed at each question, the time limit for the assessment, and scoring parameters, making it easier than ever to monitor your student’s understanding and knowledge.
Kahoot!
Studies have shown that gamifying learning is one of the best ways to engage with students. Kahoot! is software that allows you to maximise gamification to its full potential by enabling you to build quizzes and customise them with images, videos, and diagrams. To make life even easier as an educator, you can either create your own brand-new Kahoot entirely from scratch or use the existing bank of questions inside the platform. Kahoot! also has interactive tools that allow you to host a live virtual class.
SpellQuiz
English teachers are sure to love SpellQuiz software, which focuses on helping learners better understand phonics and English spelling. This platform contains lessons suited to students of all ages, along with engaging games and quizzes that reinforce language skills.
Adopting Software In Online Education
No matter where you’re based or what subject you’re teaching, if you’re working as an online educator, adopting the use of educational software is crucial to your success in today’s increasingly digital age. Not only is it one of the most effective ways to connect and engage with your students, but it’s also one of the best ways to reduce your workload and make your teaching job easier – and which teacher doesn’t love that idea?
