New terms are always challenging for teachers. And this is because students are expecting to be surprised with innovative lessons and learning materials. Now, think smart and use technology to show those scholars that internet can be employed in educational means, too. Below, we have selected top ten websites which will help educators boost any boring class. Just browse through them and pick the most suitable ones for your lesson plans.
1. Online Learning Consortium
This website is all about upgrading the e-learning processes. The team is committed to help educators use technology as attractively and efficiently as possible. Having this in mind, they are organizing several types of meetings. For example, users can attend consortiums virtually or in person. Further on, teachers have the possibility of enrolling to workshops, webinars, mastery series and certificate programs. Then, educators can download and read the monthly journal, different surveys, books and other publications.
2. Smart Builder
Be a modern educator and surprise your students with e-learning tools. No, you definitely don’t have to learn how to code for this! Just go to SmartBuilder, create an account and start making projects with simple drag and drops. Users are allowed to add rich media, gaming elements, branching scenarios and powerful assessments. Also, the community edition (which is totally free) disposes of object library, flowing charts, templates, tutorials and live training, and hosts an unlimited number of lessons. Use this tool to create attractive lessons and evaluations.
3. Edudemic
This website is crammed full of powerful articles on e-learning. Educators can find guidance on any topic – teaching tools, how to engage students, how to use tablets for class, how to use social media as learning tools, and so on. In addition, users will learn the latest news and trends in education and online learning.
The platform also contains a page dedicated to students. This one includes information on online learning, social media and tools.
4. Digital Learning Now
This website contains four major initiatives essential for the e-learning development. These are: Data privacy for online users, EdPolicy leaders online supporting online courses, E-rate modernization and reform marching for maximizing internet connectivity, and Course access fighting for the students’ rights of being able to access and attend any online course. Users can also watch videos proving the efficiency of digital learning in academic and professional success. The platform contains press releases, too, on hot topics like DNL report cards and updates from schools implementing digital learning.
5. Au-Assignment-Help
All learning materials have one thing in common – impressive content. For obtaining the most entertaining information and texts, go to this website. Actually, it is an online writing company, offering content on a large variety of subjects. You can rely on the writers, as they are experts in different academic fields. Use their experience in order to create attractive textbooks and courses.
Users can also benefit from the free essay writing indications posted on the website. There is a glossary out there, with essay writing terms meant to inspire students to create better papers.
6. Classroom 2.0
This is a social network dedicated to teachers worldwide. Each member of the community shares guidelines and tips on how to better employ technology in classes. It is a very useful platform especially for educators who have just landed in this working field. They can learn from the most experienced ones and create modern lessons plans. The final purpose is to become a loved and respected teacher.
7. Prezi
Presentations are used by teachers for all academic levels. And students are already used to PowerPoint slides. Not to mention that they are also bored of these things. As a consequence, it is time to upgrade your lessons with Prezi. Users can add motion, zooming in effects, contextual explanations and links, images, videos and texts. Additionally, you could insert surprise elements meant to keep the audience engaged. Teachers can use these presentations during classroom, or include them in e-learning processes.
8. Curriculum Bits
As the name suggests it, on this platform users can find several materials for some curriculum subjects. The resources are organized on educational areas and consist of videos, presentations, games, quizzes and animations. All materials are free and easy to use – just click on one lesson and it will appear in a separate window. The presentations have been created by IT specialists and teachers. Some of them are even interactive. For instance, students can learn the effects of a tornado by clicking on different intensities.
9. Learning Tools
Here, you can find tons of e-learning tools meant to help educators put together the most entertaining class ever. Resources are all free and created especially for educational purposes. The most complex one is the Multimedia Learning Object Authoring Tool, featuring videos, images and texts, in a synchronized material. The rest of the resources are the language pronunciation tool, the image zoom tool, the image annotation, the vocabulary memorizing platform, the timeline tool, and so on.
10. OpenStax CNX
The founder of this platform has realized that textbooks are outdated and they don’t cover all the necessary learning materials. As a consequence, he thought about having a website where teachers could create, share and adapt resources. Students can also benefit from this project – they are free to view and download materials on PC or mobile phones. The library is organized in six major areas: arts, business, humanities, mathematics and statistics, science and technology, and social sciences. Each category contains books and pages. Users can find a certain material by refining searches depending on the publishing year, the author, the type of material, the keywords and the subjects.
All these e-learning websites and resources will contribute to the teaching system’s innovation. There is still plenty of time till the new school year begins, so start exploring the tools and get familiar with them. Start the term fresh by employing modern teaching methods which will grasp the students’ attention. They will be impressed by your tech skills and involvement!
Written by: Jessica Millis
Jessica Millis is a freelance writer, editor and copywriter. Also Jessica works as a professor assistant at James Madison University (writing classes).