6 Educational Platforms Supporting Learning Amid Covid-19 Closure How to #CarryOnLearning when students are forced to stay home

Coronavirus pandemic leads to a surge in online learning

The global coronavirus pandemic is reaching the point where schools and colleges around the country and the world are preparing for (or implementing) closures to try and halt the spread of the virus. Many universities and K-12 schools are scrambling to move online.

Even under ideal circumstances, digital curriculum development is a tall order. Typically it takes months, if not years, to develop an engaging online platform. For many traditional institutions, particularly those that have been slower to embrace online education, the challenge is even more formidable.  For inspiration creating digital learning plans and communicating them effectively to students and parents, educators can utilize a number of tech tools and digital platforms.

Here are the popular platforms students can look up to during the current situation: 

1. Google for Education is a turnkey web-based tool specifically designed for teachers to use to manage their classes online. Educators can add resources, post tasks, and assignments, and interact with students as they progress through lessons, among many other convenient features. 

2.  Brainly is the world’s largest online learning platform, uniting over 150 million students, parents, and teachers around the world, and over 20 million across India, in solving their homework problems and test preparation. Students connect to their peers to help strengthen their skills, from math to science, history and beyond. The platform essentially acts as the online equivalent of a real-life study group. 

3. Byju’s The Learning App is a learning app for students across age groups with programmes in English and Hindi that make learning and understanding concepts easier for school kids. The subject focus of the platform is math and science, and the concepts are explained using 12-20 minute digital animated videos. BYJU's announced that since lakhs of students miss school, it has decided to make its app free for all students until April end.

4. Unacademy provides education through video classes, PowerPoint presentations, and other materials to help government job aspirants prepare for competitive exams. Its faculty consists of students who have cleared various exams and mentors who have extensive teaching experience. They efficiently condense the course material and break down complex concepts into simple bullet points. The platform covers a wide range of subjects and concepts relevant to competitive exams in many languages to benefit students from all over the country. It not only aims to educate them better but also improve their speaking and writing proficiency. Unacademy has offered 20,000 live classes free for those preparing for the UPSC, banking, railways and other entrance tests.

5. Catalyst Group provides high-quality education via the latest technology, quality control and affordable pricing. Projections show that the e-learning market worldwide is forecast to surpass 243 billion US dollars by 2022. It clearly states that e-learning has become a global trend, and more and more people are preferring it over traditional classes.  

6. TeachNext@Home Next Education’s India Pvt Ltd product TeachNext@Home Solutions provides experiential learning through audiovisual content, helping the students to learn at the comfort of their homes and keep them away from the fear of COVID-19.With the aid of TeachNext@Home Solutions, they can now clarify doubts, revise concepts, and reinforce their learning, anytime anywhere. The content can be accessed on laptops, desktops and tablets. The digital classroom solution when integrated with experiential learning solution ensures active participation and in-depth explanation of concepts.