Beeline Reader
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, schools around the world are scrambling to shut down campuses and move courses online. Now that a mass shift to virtual learning is necessary to contain the spread of the virus, we must make a concerted effort to ensure online learning accommodates the needs of all students. Parents and caregivers of children at the k-12 level also need support from schools and administrators to ensure a smooth transition from in-person to online learning environments.
Today, we are highlighting five Solver solutions that can help streamline such a transition—and many of these Solver teams are offering their edtech solutions for free, given the ongoing global crisis. From an app that coaches parents, to an AI-powered platform that supports students, these tools are empowering parents, educators, and students as they adjust to this challenging time.
A Coaching App for Parents
With preschools closed and caregivers practicing social distancing, parents may suddenly find themselves at home with their young children all day. Lots of time. Little structure. Kinedu, a coaching app for parents, is a game-changer in this scenario. The app helps parents provide personalized, research-based activities that support the development of their young children.
Its resources include a developmental assessment, tailored daily activity plans, and data visualizations of a child’s progress. Available on multiple platforms and in three languages, the app offers more than 2,000 activities that support linguistic, cognitive, socioemotional, and physical development. Kinedu is currently offering its premium subscription for free to any parent who may need support during this time.
An AI-Based Platform to Personalize Learning
After a typical in-person class, a teacher might wonder: How engaged was that student in class? Did they seem to grasp this new concept? In remote learning, these questions are even more difficult to answer—and teachers may find it harder to personalize learning for their students. A tool like Century Tech, an AI-based platform that tailors its online courses according to individual student’s preferences, can help.
As students learn on Century’s platform, every click, score, and interaction is recorded. Algorithms identify knowledge gaps, understand how students learn, and customize the most effective learning pathway for each student. Furthermore, Century automates administrative tasks, such as routine assessments and progress reports—giving educators more time for their students. Century is currently offering free support for schools and colleges affected by Covid-19.
Supporting Special Education Students at Home
While shifting to home learning can be challenging for many students, special education students may face an additional barrier when it comes to accessing customized learning plans. The team at Education Modified has stepped up to provide free resources for parents to support their kids during this transition. This includes strategies to help kids with schoolwork and ideas for home learning activities.
For special education teachers, the Education Modified platform streamlines compliance tasks, giving them more time to focus on their students’ needs. Its data-driven instructional tool supports the implementation of legal accommodations and modifications in the classroom, so teachers can customize instruction for any child, with any need, in any classroom.
Open, Virtual Access to Higher Education
Colleges and universities around the world have closed campuses and sent students home to finish their semesters virtually. In the longer term, the economic impacts of Covid-19 may also mean that more families will struggle to pay higher education tuition fees. This is where solutions like Kiron Open Higher Education and The Future is Offline can help.
The Kiron curriculum provides online coursework and certificates to prepare students for the job market or university. Students can make informed decisions about their academic futures and move forward during uncertain times, and digitization has allowed Kiron to offer its innovative platform free of charge. Furthermore, in response to the pandemic, Kiron developed a free, interactive online course to help educators globally learn how to better teach students online during school closings.
Kiron has also partnered with Libraries Without Borders to develop The Future is Offline, a program that provides students with offline access to multilingual digital learning resources and certification from top universities at accessible rates. The program gives users access to dozens of massive open online courses (MOOCs), which include video, homework, and oversight via SMS. Content is stored in secure digital cards, enabling off-grid use from anywhere.
Now, more than ever, is the time to incorporate appropriate tech solutions that can be implemented en masse as students, teachers, schools, and universities all move to online learning. While the long-term impacts of Covid-19 are unknown, the opportunity for e-learning and edtech tools has never been clearer.
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