Just a few years ago, remote or hybrid teaching was an abstraction. Today, it belongs to our everyday life, and it will always be part of education. If you’re interested in joining this educational movement and earning from your expertise, the right online teaching platform is key. But which one to choose?
In this article, we’ll help you identify the important features to look for in an online teaching platform. We'll also introduce you to the most popular online teaching tools suitable for every type of educator.
What is an online teaching platform?
An online teaching platform is a type of software that helps educators create, manage, and conduct courses entirely online. It integrates features for building courses and managing students, simplifying the delivery of educational content. There is a wide variety of features that must be present in the tool, to make it a comprehensive, highly useful one: streaming features, engagement features, interaction features and much more. We will discuss them later on in this article.
What to consider when choosing an online teaching platform?
Choosing the right online teaching platform involves several considerations. Before you choose, bear in mind if the platform lets you:
- Easily conduct various types of lessons,
- Manage tests and exams using polls, tests, and forms,
- Add interactive elements to diversify lessons,
- Teach using a whiteboard,
- Divide students into dedicated rooms for group work or workshops.
Nowadays, education must keep pace with technology – and with the right online education tools, this process becomes easier for everyone.
Students receive well-prepared lessons, teachers enjoy smoother, more effective classes, and educational institutions build an excellent reputation in the eyes of other industry entities, teaching staff, and parents of their students!
Keep these questions in mind as you explore your options:
#1. Can I use different type of content?
Can the platform deliver the types of content I want to use, such as videos, audio, text, PDFs, and more? Ensure it aligns with your preferred teaching methods.
#2. Can I easily engage students online?
Does the platform include features that promote student interaction, such as live streaming, polls & surveys, breakout rooms, whiteboards, virtual events, and chat? These tools are essential for creating engaging educational experiences.
#3. Can I effectively manage my students' access and communication?
Look for platforms that allow you to monitor enrollment, control access, and facilitate community building among members, especially if you plan to expand your educational offerings into a business.
#4. Are there features to help me market and sell my courses?
If you intend to monetize your courses, marketing and sales tools are crucial to attract and enroll students. Are paid webinars integrated seamlessly into the system?
#5. Can I customize the platform to reflect my branding?
Does the platform allow you to add logos, choose colors, or use your own URL? Some platforms may even offer the option to create a custom solution. Read more here.
#6. Can students easily access my courses on any device?
A user-friendly platform should be accessible via multiple devices, including a mobile app. Make sure while choosing that the software lets you accommodate flexible learning environments.
#7 Is the interface intuitive?
Navigating your online teaching platform shouldn't be a chore. A complex interface can be a major barrier, not only for you but also for delivering a smooth course experience. If it's confusing at your end, it's likely to be frustrating for your students too, potentially causing them to disengage. Focus on platforms that are intuitive and straightforward to ensure both you and your students have a seamless experience.
#8 Is the platform secure, does it have storage solutions and is it integrated with marketing automation tools?
Investing numerous hours into developing an online course only to lose it to a technical failure is a nightmare scenario. Therefore, when choosing the best online teaching platforms, prioritize those that emphasize robust data security, along with reliable storage and backup capabilities.
Considering these factors will guide you to choose an online teaching platform that best meets your needs and enhances the educational experience for your students.
Now, it's time to present the list of the most popular online learning platforms.
TOP ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS
#1 LiveWebinar
If you want to create memorable and engaging lessons, LiveWebinar is the ideal choice. This all-in one, web-based platform offers interactive features and immediate feedback, significantly enhancing the online learning experience. It features user-friendly collaboration tools to interact with your class in real-time and offers detailed analytics to gain insights into all facets of the learning experience.
Key Features:
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Interactive tools
Education thrives on interactivity, and this platform offers numerous interactive features including screen sharing, video conferencing, polls, and Q&A sessions. You can enhance engagement and effortlessly gauge student understanding with tests and surveys.
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Virtual Whiteboard
You don’t need to struggle explaining a complex concept. The whiteboard feature gives you the option to draw, write, and annotate live on your screen, making it easier for students to grasp difficult subjects.
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Breakout rooms
Perfect for workshops, team projects, or group discussions, breakout rooms allow you to create smaller, focused virtual classrooms. This feature ensures that everyone can collaborate effectively without distractions.
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Customization options
LiveWebinar makes customization simple. You can personalize your space with your school colors, logo, and even a custom URL. Choose from over 1500 customizable elements to make your classroom uniquely yours!
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Extensive storage capacity
All the paid plans provide substantial storage, enough to store hundreds of hours of high-definition video lessons without worry.
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Smooth integration
LiveWebinar seamlessly integrates with top Learning Management Systems (LMSs), allowing you to effortlessly monitor student progress and performance. Our team continually works on new integrations to simplify your educational processes.
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Evergreen webinars
Record your lessons, tutorials, or workshops once and replay them as needed with our evergreen webinars feature. Ideal for asynchronous learning opportunities or for students who prefer studying at their own pace.
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Paid webinars
With LiveWebinar, setting up a paid course is easy. You can integrate the payment gateway and start charging for access within minutes. All you need is a LiveWebinar account to get started.
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Website Presenter
Effortlessly present like a pro with our website presenter feature. Simply enter the URL of the site you want to share into the LiveWebinar room interface and begin your presentation. It’s straightforward and user-friendly.
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Presence manager and the Engagement feature
Thanks to these analytical features, you can provide essential insights into student participation and involvement. LiveWebinar also offers the Engagement feature that lets teachers implement elements of gamification.
Pricing:
There are five pricing options to choose from. These include a free version with basic features, three tiered paid plans (Basic, Plus, Premium) with varying levels of functionality, and an Enterprise plan, designed for those requiring custom solutions beyond what the standard plans provide.
#2 Google Classroom
Google Classroom is an educational platform developed by Google as part of the Google Workspace for Education suite. It facilitates paperless education by allowing educators to create, distribute, and grade assignments, as well as streamline communication with students in a virtual classroom setting.
Advantages of Google Classroom
- It is free for schools.
- It integrates effortlessly with other Google tools, such as Google Workspace for Education.
- The platform is easy to navigate, simplifying tasks like distributing assignments, grading, and providing feedback.
- It offers efficient channels for announcements and facilitating class discussions.
- Supports real-time collaboration and document sharing through Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Disadvantages of Google Classroom
- The platform offers minimal options for customizing the classroom's appearance.
- Educators unfamiliar with Google Workspace tools might need additional training to use the platform effectively.
- Users point out that the collection of data brings up serious concerns about the security and ethical handling of sensitive information, potentially putting students at risk of privacy violations and misuse.
- Users frequently report issues with signing in, which makes the tool unreliable.
Pricing:
Google Classroom has 4 pricing edition(s), from $0 to $5. A free trial of Google Classroom is also available.
#3 Pear Deck
Pear Deck is a suite of educational tools designed to evaluate student progress, deliver instant feedback, and offer personalized instruction along with gamified practice activities that keep students motivated and performing well. Pear Deck turns Google Slides into an interactive tool, enabling teachers to:
- Conduct engaging, live presentations
- Collect and archive student responses
- Quickly gauge student understanding
- Promote active participation in online classes
This tool is highly favored for making lessons interactive, using both free and premium online resources to enhance class engagement.
Advantages of Pear Deck
- It flawlessly works with Google Slides to incorporate interactive features into presentations.
- It encourages inclusivity by allowing students to respond anonymously.
- Provides instant assessment data, helping teachers adjust their teaching on the fly.
- Offers diverse question types, from multiple-choice to draggable options.
- Supports independent learning, letting students progress through the slides at their own pace.
Disadvantages of Pear Deck
- Advanced interactive features are part of the premium subscription, which might not be accessible for all teachers or schools.
- Pear Deck does not support real-time classes. You will need a different application for that.
- To use Pear Deck, all students must have a Google account. This could be a potential issue for some students.
- Limited effectiveness with other presentation software besides Google Slides.
- There can be a learning curve for teachers not used to tech tools or Google Workspace.
- It focuses on enabling interactive presentations, but is not an all-in-one tool, it lacks diversity.
Pricing
Pear Deck offers a free Basic version with fundamental features. For additional capabilities, such as Microsoft PowerPoint integration, there is a Premium version available. Teachers and schools can contact Pear Deck directly for detailed pricing.
#4 Mentimeter
Mentimeter is an interactive presentation software used for educational purposes that enables real-time audience engagement. Teachers can register using their email address or through Google or Facebook accounts.
Advantages of Mentimeter
- Web based, you just need a link to join.
- Offers varied options to create presentations, with a set of templates.
- Audience engagement tools, e.g. live polling, Q and A, surveys.
- Security protection: data protection, single sign on.
- Recommended and also used for enterprise training.
- Equipped with analytical tools to track audience reactions.
Disadvantages of Mentimeter
- This is primarily a presentation tool, and not a streaming tool.
- The free plan is limited to 50 participants per month.
- Limited customization options.
- Limited chat options.
- Lacks some important webinar promotion functions such as email integrations or the option to create customized landing pages.
Pricing
Mentimeter offers four pricing plans, including a free option with basic features to test the tool.
#5 LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds is a popular course platform designed for coaching, employee training, and education. It allows creators to build and sell courses directly from their own website. It enables you to create an entire online course from scratch, as well as a high-converting website to host it.
Advantages of LearnWorlds
- You can build a website for your course with a wide choice of ready made templates.
- Customer support is friendly.
- There is a white label option.
- The tool has various integrations with top marketing tools.
Disadvantages of LearnWorlds
- It has a 30-day long free trial, but it offers no free plan.
- Paid plans are quite costly.
- Users complain that the user interface is messy and that the experience of trying to set up a school is complicated.
- Limited platform customization options.
Pricing
It offers four paid plans, each of them paid, with prices ranging from $24$ to $249 per month.
Which platform to choose?
This question remains vital for anyone who needs an efficient online teaching tool to organize interactive lessons, webinars, and workshops for students. As shown above, there are numerous different tools available on the market, each offering various options and possibilities. However, the majority of them focus on just one aspect of teaching, such as presentations or Q&A functions.
To efficiently organize and promote your courses while saving time and energy, we recommend looking for a versatile, all-in-one tool that offers a wide array of options, numerous integrations, and robust streaming functions. One such platform is LiveWebinar. If you want to know more, visit our site. Set up an account or contact our team with any questions. We are always eager to help!