Free online EdTech resources for teachers to upskill in the digital era

Online learning is currently having its heyday, and EdTech tools and platforms are its foundation.

The EdTech industry, already a burgeoning market, saw exponential growth in 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns around the world.

As schools and universities switched to online learning, teachers, professors, and instructors had to quickly learn and adopt EdTech tools to effectively deliver classes in a remote learning format.

While schools are reopening in certain countries, universities and learning centres are still mostly closed. There is no cure or vaccine yet for the virus, meaning that online learning is set to continue well into next year.

With the rise of advanced technology, there is no shortage of the plethora of EdTech tools and resources available to teachers and instructors today.

They must also learn how to adopt digital learning methods as the education industry moves further into the digital era.

According to Gulf Today, “Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will continue to enhance student learning, by providing teachers deeper data insights into individual student attainment, allowing them to tailor learning experiences for each child. Augmented reality (AR) will also provide unprecedented virtual learning opportunities for students, allowing them to truly experience the past, present and future!”

Yet, it can be complex and arduous to master the complexities of some of these tools, and teachers can become strained from picking these up while ensuring that students are not falling behind on their learning.

Upskilling and reskilling teachers are of utmost importance to guide them on best practices when it comes to online teaching methods.

A common issue faced by teachers, even the most tech-savvy ones, when conducting online learning is keeping students engaged throughout the class, which is harder to do from behind a screen.

Therefore, Global EdTech Academy is now offering free, universal access to an entire suite of live and recorded EdTech resources and MasterClass sessions for teachers to check out over the summer.

Through YouTube videos, teachers can learn about the latest interactive EdTech tools to bring a Zoom class to life, such as the one on ‘Microsoft Infused Classroom – Focus on PearDeck and PowerPoint with Holly Clark‘.

This video shows teachers how to make use of PearDeck, an interactive element that can be added to any PowerPoint to keep students engaged and on task.

There is also ‘#FlipgridAR – Over 20 Ways You Can Use Flipgrid’s Awesome Augmented Reality with Kathi Kersznowski‘, which shows how teachers can print a unique QR code from Flipgrid videos to make them pop in augmented reality.  Flipgrid is a video discussion platform used by educators of all levels.

Looking to incorporate infographics in your slides? There’s also a video on this, ‘How to Make Infographics for Learning Featuring PowerPoint with Matt Miller’.

For some tips on motivating students during distance learning, and providing effective assessment and feedback, there is also a helpful video entitled ‘Lesson Design for Distance Learning (and Blended Learning) with Julene Reed’. 

It can be daunting and an entirely new experience for teachers to learn how to use the various EdTech tools and resources out there, so don’t shy away from free videos and MasterClasses such as these.

Upskill this summer and learn some new tricks of the trade so you can bring your online classes to life and keep your students more engaged.

Teachers and instructors can also check out online courses such as Designing and Leading Learning Systems by the University of Michigan on EdX, Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology by the University of London on Coursera, e-Learning Ecologies: Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning for the Digital Age by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and several others available at low costs online.