If you teach, hold presentations, or are engaged in tutoring, you are most likely aware that using webinar software for online courses can hold virtually any meeting online.
Distance learning tools
This article covers the most useful tools for distance learning, which are the platforms for creating courses and holding classes, the video and keynote software, the apps that keep discipline and motivation up, and the whiteboards and file storage that hold it all together.
Read more about the unavoidable future of online learning.
Who needs e-learning applications?
- Teachers
- Tutors
- Business coaches
- HR departments
- Educational and hobby courses
Software for creating online classes and webinars
Tools for distance learning, webinars, and online course creation allow teachers to bring lessons online. Questions, tests, screen sharing, and full-fledged communication with the students are the features of the platforms for webinars and online courses. Having traditional meetings and seminars is still possible without leaving one’s home. Webinars for teachers covers running teacher training on the same platform.
Online classes can be either live when a teacher interacts with the students in real-time or recorded beforehand. The latter means that teachers have prepared all classes and tasks before, and students can start working on them whenever possible.
Articulate 360
Articulate 360 is a complex tool for online course creation. This application is one of the top constructors for electronic courses. Tools for interactive classes, a huge number of templates and pictures, the ability to adapt courses to mobile devices, and a free trial period are its major advantages.
Yet, when it comes to paying, the feeling that this is the "right" software can disappear straight away. The subscription is sold by the year, and Articulate publishes the current figures on its own pricing page. And it’s here that one starts noticing that Storyline does not have a version for macOS, while templates and the interface are very similar to PowerPoint, but just a bit overloaded with stuff.
iSpring
One more editor for creating an advanced e-learning project. Its interface is quite fine for novice users, and integration with PowerPoint makes learning the platform even easier.
iSpring adapts the course layout to the device automatically, so building something that works on a phone causes no trouble.
It runs on Windows only, the licence is sold per user by the year, and the free version is heavily limited.
Adapt Learning
Not all electronic course constructors are expensive. For example, there are even free ones, the Adapt Learning app for creating courses in the HTML and HTML5 formats, which are also adapted to mobile devices.
Unfortunately, Adapt Learning misses many advanced features and is not a cloud-based app. On the other hand, due to its intuitive interface, it is possible to create one’s own templates for courses.
Moodle
Moodle is open-source software for creating e-learning content. It is free to access, and its goal is to popularize e-learning systems and assist teachers, tutors, and educational courses.
Any OS that supports PHP allows for using Moodle. It operates on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux. Above all, it is one of the most popular distance learning tools there is, used by schools, companies and universities alike.
Nevertheless, not everything is so good about it. One of Moodle’s disadvantages is that it leaves data safety to you, so securing the server costs extra. Moreover, the basic version offers limited functionality. For widening the range of possibilities, additional plugins that are often paid need to be searched and integrated. Also, to set up everything properly, one would need to work quite hard.
MyOwnConference
It is an online learning and webinar platform. Large classes and small groups can use this software. MyOwnConference suits well for replacing ordinary classes when away, during quarantine or because of any other reason when there is no chance to meet students in the class.
In addition to that, the platform offers the possibility of holding recurring online courses. Also, it is possible to hold several classes simultaneously.
Planning a class and uploading materials for it take only several minutes.
Students do not need to install anything, as they need simply click on the link from their computer or a portable device to enter the class.
An online class features all tools necessary for working with the group, e.g., webcam functionality, screen sharing, different types of messages exchanged, demonstration of documents and videos, tests and drawing tools. Above all, a teacher can invite any student to speak during the class.
After the class is over, teachers can check students’ statistics and activity. Pricing starts at €22 a month, and a room for up to 60 seats costs €33. The free plan covers group classes of up to 5 places.
Software for creating videos and keynotes
EdPuzzle
It is a useful tool for working with video and checking how well the students perceived the information a video presented.
A teacher creates virtual classes in EdPuzzle, compiles questions for the videos and prepares simple tasks when communicating with the students online.
Considering an enormous amount of videos on YouTube, getting a video for any lesson turns into a no-problem task.
There is a paid tier and a free one, with the free version limited to a small number of video files.
PowToon
PowToon is an application for creating keynotes and animated mini-lessons. It is easy to work with, and no special knowledge is required to adjust its readily available templates. Beyond the templates, users can upload their own pictures, videos and music. Individual subscriptions are inexpensive, and the free version is minimal.
Here you can find an overview of other popular services for keynote creation.
Loom for video tutorials
Loom is a comfortable tool for screen recording, with a free tier and a browser extension alongside its desktop app. After registering, users can start creating video tutorials, where one’s face occupies only a small round part at the bottom of the screen. Sure thing, it is possible to record only the screen or the webcam. Loom transfers the video to its own platform where one can edit it a bit, share the link with the students or download the video to one’s computer.
Similar extension: Screencastify.
Classroom management
To make the process of learning more effective, some other applications have been developed. They can be especially useful for children.
Class Dojo for younger learners
It is a great app for managing behavior in a group or class.
It is free and could be a perfect match for primary school or even kindergarten use.
For good behavior, hard studies and teamwork, children earn points they can spend on privileges, such as picking where they sit.
Features include drawing parents into the life of the class, picking a student at random to answer, and a noise level meter.
Classcraft
Classcraft is another tool for class management. This app is a more difficult one, but it is definitely worth paying attention. Here, it uses gamification intensively. Classcraft offers students to select their character and develop it, complete quests and earn points.
Interactive boards
Whiteboard.fi
Whiteboard.fi is an interactive board for collaborative work. It is a free tool for working with a class. It makes a nice addition to a webinar or any other online class. Everything is simple and no registration is required, so in a couple of seconds you can create a class and share the link with your students. A teacher can also write a task on the board while students provide answers on their online boards.
Other boards: Limnu, Conceptboard, AMW board.
File storing
Google Drive
It is the simplest way of storing files and sharing them with the students. In addition to the possibility of uploading any documents, video or audio files, a teacher can share some of them for collaborative work. Thus, this tool is a good match for creating electronic exercise books.
Other cloud storage providers: Dropbox, OneDrive.
How to select the necessary tools for distance learning?
These days there is a tool for every problem a teacher might have. That is no reason to install all of them at once. It may happen so that only a whiteboard for working with the class is missing for your work. Yet, if your goal is a full-fledged online class, make sure to find a platform that covers most of the requirements.
The majority of the tools for distance learning course creation offer a free trial period. Use this option to choose the platform that matches your goals in the best way for distance learning.
FAQ
What types of tools are mentioned for distance learning?
The tools covered here include ones for creating courses and holding online classes, video and keynote software, classroom-management apps, interactive whiteboards and file-storage options.
Who mainly benefits from e-learning applications?
Teachers, tutors, business coaches, HR departments as well as hobby-course instructors are the main users who benefit from e-learning applications.
Are online classes always live in the tools described?
No. Online classes can be live with teacher-student interaction in real time or recorded beforehand so students can take them whenever is convenient.
How should one choose the right tools for distance learning?
One should not rush to install many pieces of software, instead identify what you really need first and select a platform that covers most of your requirements; many tools offer a free trial to help you decide.
Which free or low-cost tools are worth trying?
For example, there is a free interactive board tool (Whiteboard.fi) for classes, and a free or low-cost course-creation tool (Adapt Learning) as affordable options.
