As virtual or remote learning has entered our lives, it has also changed the way how we perceive information since everything takes place in a totally different environment.
One of the primary reasons for that is the role of teachers in the learning process, which requires a special platform or a set of tools that encompass all the necessary to process a plethora of different information.
Starting with the Google Classroom to solutions like Slack for research projects and dissertations, the most complex task is finding those platforms that will work for each particular case.
The trick is to take time and learn about available options by testing them in the actual learning environment.
Best Tools For Virtual And Distance Learning
1. Edmodo
When it comes to cooperation, it is hard to find a learning environment tool that would offer it all. Edmodo is a special platform that has a friendly user interface, which makes it easy to install and add to any course or project.
You can send both private or public messages, share assignments with user privileges, track the success of every learner individually, and create tasks for students based on how well they cope with the curriculum.
What makes Edmodo amazing is the role of the students as they also become a part of what they learn. They can leave suggestions and focus on their flaws by talking to each other just like on a social network platform.
If you seek even more communication, consider turning to the Edmodo community where you can talk to other teachers and learn about how they teach. Finally, Edmodo makes it possible to add a lot of external apps if such a need comes.
2. Socrative
It is one of those special tools that can evaluate the progress and monitor the accuracy of the classroom environment. It is done in a more advanced and interactive way than in the usual classroom.
It also works on most mobile platforms and desktop computers, which helps to cut down the costs of purchasing new equipment.
It allows you to create presentations, quizzes, questionnaires, and polls to find out what your students think. Another major point that makes it worth checking is that it is free for students and does not add to the already existing costs of online learning.
It can remind of the “no one is left behind” approach because it makes it easy to talk to individual students who find the learning challenging in private without making them feel lost.
If you are one of those students, you may also consider looking up a custom research paper writing service with USA writers to address anything from proofreading to topic selection or getting assistance with a rare subject or something that is not so common. Remember that even though you learn online, help is always out there!
3. Google Classroom
It still remains one of the most important tools for distance learning these days because it helps to integrate solutions like Google Calendar, Office 365 Suite, Gmail, and many other applications that are essential for learning and taking care of progress online.
What makes this tool helpful is flexibility and customization, which lets it fit both middle schools and universities.
Most importantly, it’s free and compatible with most modern learning apps without any drawbacks. If there is one tool that will please almost everyone who is forced to learn online, Google Classroom cannot be beaten!
4. Slack
If you are working with a complex dissertation where you would like to talk to your academic advisor in private and keep all your files, scans, photographs, books, and alerts in one place, Slack is one of the safest solutions.
It is easy to integrate since Slack is web-based, and lets you store information safely as it provides various encryption methods.
It also lets you communicate via audio and video channels and create special rooms for various purposes. It is constantly used by various online businesses and corporations. If you want to focus on lengthy coursework, think about installing Slack.
5. Loom
One of the most important aspects of remote learning is adding an interactive element to your lessons, which is why Loom is an option to consider. Think about taking instant screen captures and creating classroom presentations that look like digital books.
It is fast and does not require any special skills as it offers templates and helpful guides. You can also add short videos with explanatory content recorded as short videos.
It will help students understand all these complex subjects like nursing and engineering in a more visual-oriented way.
You can easily add Gmail and export files right on the fly without leaving your account. It can help you create thumbnails since it has helpful drawing tools. It’s easily the best solution for creative individuals!
6. EdPuzzle
The majority of modern students are used to watching videos on YouTube and TikTok, which is why it is crucial to focus on this learning method.
EdPuzzle is exactly that because it helps you to create educational videos. You can add comments and questions to keep things adjusted to your lessons, depending on where you are through the online curriculum.
What makes it unique is the teacher’s control, which lets educators check who is watching the videos, how much content has been seen, and even interact with the students by adding helpful comments or opening custom chat windows.
This service is free and also offers video guides that will help you in case you are stuck with some creative element or do not know how to import or export things.
7. Quizlet
Another option is to create quiz-based lessons, which will help your students add some interaction. Some readers may remember that Zoom video conferencing has an option of adding a survey before the lesson starts, yet not many educators use it because it often crashes the video stream element.
As a solution, the Quizlet app is a safe option that can be added basically anywhere as you create surveys, quizzes, and many other interactive elements.
You can also download thousands of freely available templates or quizzes made by other educators or students based on a specific keyword. Just enter what interests you and download helpful learning materials free of charge. It is the great community spirit that makes virtual learning totally different!
8. Canvas
If virtual Google Classroom does not fit your vision for some reason, you can use this open-source remote learning platform, which allows even more freedom to do things your way. The basic account of Canvas is free for students and educators, which makes it an important factor to consider these days.
Although it is mostly aimed at K-12 learners, it is also app-friendly and easy to understand. If you plan to use this tool for college learning, there is nothing to fear because it offers steady performance and lets you integrate anything you would like.
The purpose is to make these tools helpful without major drawbacks as one learns, which is why it is important to try out various options to determine what fits your educational needs best.
9. Blackboard
Speaking of assignment control and grading tools for the virtual learning community, Blackboard is among those solutions that will not distract you from your typical teaching approaches.
It is constantly expanding, which is why it fits both elementary school students and college learners. It works with the majority of apps like EverNote and Google Calendar, which will help people see various alerts and study without major changes.
The most challenging part is a streamlined approach to grading, which will help you create special reports. If you are not happy with Learning Management Systems like Slack, using Blackboard is the best option.
10. Dragon Anywhere
It is one of the supplementary tools these days, especially for students with dyslexia or other learning challenges. It helps to convert speech to text in an easy way, which is not only dealing with cases when coordination of speech and text becomes an issue.
This helpful app is also used during Zoom video conferencing or when you need to convert some TED-x talks to text to edit things at a later stage.
It is a great time-saver that must be considered when you are running out of time or have an important exam coming up.
Remember that you can always learn how to prepare yourself for an exam as a distance learner and get rid of all these stressful aspects that always come with unknowingness.
Creating Strong Leaders
One should remember that virtual learning and distance education as such puts an additional strain on the modern learners as they are forced to work at their attention span and cognitive skills on their own.
Unlike a physical classroom or lecture hall, virtual learning forces teachers to give learners more freedom. The purpose here is to use all available tools to create strong leaders.
It can be achieved with the help of collaborative methods of learning like those that are offered by tools like Edmodo that helps to create custom environments where students also take special roles as they help teachers. It makes students responsible, which not only helps them learn but also lets them take on leadership roles.
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