(Distance learning)得益于更好的电子学习(eLearning)技术，远程学习正迅速从“备用”选择转变为现代学生想要学习的首选方式。在线(Online)教育工作者需要学习新的数字和媒体素养。对于许多长期教育工作者来说，这可能是一个陡峭的学习曲线。
幸运的是，众多在线工具使远程教育教育工作者的生活变得更加轻松。您无需成为专家技术专家或媒体专家即可成为有效的在线教师，只需使用正确的在线学习工具即可在笔记本电脑上完成工作。
在线教育工作者应该知道的通用工具(Generic Tools Online Educators Should Know)
本文是关于专为在线学习设计的最佳工具，但远程教育中使用的大多数工具都是通用的。将具有商业或娱乐功能的工具重新用于强大的教学工具是一项由来已久的传统。有几种强大的数字工具，如果没有这些工具，在线教学根本不可能实现：
- 视频(Video)会议和网络研讨会应用程序。例如，Zoom、Skype、Teams等。
- 视频(Video)编辑应用程序：例如LumaFusion、Adobe Rush、Adobe Premiere等。
- 录屏工具：如Nvidia Experience、Open Broadcast Software等。
- 社交媒体平台：例如，Facebook、Twitter、消息应用等。
在线教师永远不应忽视工具或应用程序，因为它并非明确设计用于教育用途。尝试跳出框框思考，您可能会找到可以增强学生在线学习体验的软件。
谷歌套件应用(Google Suite Apps)
即使您只是个人Google帐户持有人，您也可以访问许多在线工具，以便轻松创建、协作和传播内容。例如，Google Docs是主要的文字处理器，它是一种与其他团队成员协作生成文档的快捷方式。学习者还可以使用这些Google应用程序进行协作，甚至提交作业以供评论或编辑。
Google 云端硬盘(Google Drive)可让您轻松存储文件并与学生共享文件。Google应用套件具有出色的访问控制设置，因此您不会意外让学生访问您的私人文档或允许他们编辑不应编辑的内容。
谷歌课堂(Google Classroom)
虽然Google在线应用套件非常适合需要一些非正式工具来增强在线教学实践的教育工作者，但Google Classroom提供了一个专门构建的学习环境，将许多现有的Google工具（例如Google 日历(Google Calendar)）集成到适合学生的东西中和老师使用。
Google Classroom作为网站和移动应用程序提供，为在线教育工作者提供以下所有内容：
- 普通课堂管理。
- 通过复制类来创建类模板(class templates by copying a class)。
- 举行视频会议。
- 跟踪(Track)学生的进步和反馈。
- 创建(Create)和共享学习材料和课程计划。
- 创建虚拟课程、作业和评估。
课堂可以用来补充面对面的课堂（混合课堂模式），或者它可以作为一个简化的LMS（学习管理系统(Learning Management System)），用于完全在线的教学和学习。
数字(Digital)白板是实时视频讲座和预录内容的必备工具。这是教师使用自然白板技能实时说明课程的绝佳方式。
有许多付费和免费选项，但我们认为 Google 的Jamboard是最好的。这个免费工具允许实时协作，并通过浏览器或移动应用程序在任何设备上工作。
可汗教师学院(Khan Academy for Teachers)
可汗学院(Khan Academy)是一个免费的在线学习资源，涵盖了直到高中的所有公立学校和一些大学水平的科目。课程采用独特的方式教授，使用游戏化系统记录进度，学习者选择在数学等学科中走独特的道路，只学习他们为特定目的而需要的东西。
Khan Academy for Teachers可让您注册学生并使用(Teachers)可汗学院(Khan Academy)开发的精彩内容充当他们的在线教师。这是当今最令人印象深刻的个性化学习工具，尤其是考虑到它是免费使用的。
开放教科书图书馆(The Open Textbook Library)
OER(OERs)（开放教育(Open Educational) 资源(Resources)）是公开许可的学习资源，任何人都可以在课程中使用它们。根据确切的许可，您可以将它们用于商业目的，但不能用于（例如）根据 Creative Commons Noncommercial许可的情况。
寻找高质量的开放式教育资源可能会让人望而生畏(OERs)，但开放教科书库(Open TextBook Library)可让您快速找到适合您想像的任何主题的最佳开放教科书。
自由文本(Libretexts)
如果您在Open Textbook Library(Open Textbook Library)中没有找到您需要的内容，那么您的下一站应该是LibreTexts。这是一个令人兴奋的项目，由几家主要机构支持，旨在提供从社会研究到商业或工程等学科的
优质OER教科书。(OER)
益智游戏(Edpuzzle)
Edpuzzle将现代转向在线视频，并允许在线教育工作者在该视频内容之上添加他们的教育层。您选择要分配为学习内容的视频剪辑，然后使用Edpuzzle向该视频添加问题。
然后，您可以跟踪学生如何参与视频并执行问题。Edpuzzle可以与(Edpuzzle)Moodle、Backboard、Canvas、Google Classroom等主流LMS产品集成。
智能构建器(SmartBuilder)
SmartBuilder是一种电子学习创作工具，教师无需任何编程知识或媒体技能即可快速构建丰富、引人入胜的交互式场景。查看他们的示例页面(examples page)，了解您可以使用SmartBuilder制作的精彩内容。您还可以注册免费试用，看看您是否能使用他们的工具。
乌迪米(Udemy)
您可能听说过 MOOC 或大规模开放在线课程(Massive Open Online Courses)，但您知道您可以轻松创建自己的课程吗？Udemy是提供MOOC(MOOCs)的众多平台之一，但它的不同之处在于，几乎任何有教学价值的人都可以创作和上传课程并赚钱！无论您是想为学区创建一些东西，还是想销售专业发展课程，Udemy都是首选。
EdModo是一个类似于LMS的平台，有点像课堂管理系统，包含一些社交媒体平台方面。它还包括创建课程、课程和评估所需的所有工具，并与您的远程对话学生。如果您不热衷于使用 brac 方法来构建您的远程教学库，EdModo是一个出色的一站式商店。
翻转网格(Flipgrid)
Flipgrid是微软(Microsoft)出品的一款聪明的视频讨论工具。它与Zoom或Skype之类的产品有何不同？我们的想法是创建一个适合Pre-K到Ph.D的开放式视频讨论平台。最重要的是，它不是实时视频工具，而是学生可以预先录制他们的回答的工具。
Flipgrid中教师的角色是充当促进者。学生可以分组并给出具体的话题进行讨论。然后学生使用Flipgrid记录和编辑他们对案例的回答。在提交之前，可以根据学生的喜好多次记录反应，从而消除在现场情况下回答的任何压力。
卡胡特(Kahoot)
您可能听说过诸如“游戏化”或“基于游戏的”学习之类的术语，但除非您拥有Kahoot 之(Kahoot)类的工具，否则使用游戏元素或构建类似游戏的教育体验是一项艰巨的技术挑战。Kahoot旨在让您编写测验并让学生将它们作为一种通过游戏学习的形式来解决。
LMS行业竞争激烈，希望成为首选平台。但即便如此，Moodle仍然作为尖端的电子学习解决方案和免费的开源产品脱颖而出。
Moodle是一个成熟的在线学习平台，被世界上一些最大的机构使用。根据Moodle本身的说法，25% 的世界前 200 所大学都在论坛上。
因此，考虑到您可以设置服务器、在其上安装Moodle并像您自己的学院或大学一样运行它，这真是令人惊奇。如果您不具备技术倾向或负担不起设置基础架构的费用，您可以通过第三方或官方MoodleCloud服务为托管实例付费。MoodleCloud提供 45 天免费试用，因此您可以安全地评估LMS以查看它是否适合您。
Pear Deck 是Google 幻灯片(Google Slides)（PowerPoint替代品）的一个简洁插件，可让您使用 Google 的云应用程序从Google 幻灯片(Google Slides)界面中构建教学内容。您可以直接从 Pear Deck 的侧边栏中删除形成性评估。您可以创建自定义问题、添加音频等。他们也有一个优秀的入职教程，所以你可以开始运行。
近，远，无论你在哪里！
有了这些远程学习工具，没有学生是遥不可及的。这是自苏格拉底提出他的方法以来教育最激动人心的时刻！
Best Online Tools for Distance Learning
Distance learning is fast changing from a “backup” choice to the preferred way modern students want to study, thanks to better eLearning technologies. Online educators need to learn new digital and media literacies. For many long-time educators, this can be a steep learning curve.
Luckily numerous online tools make life as a distance learning educator easier. You don’t need to be an expert technologist or media maven to be an effective online teacher, just the right online learning tools to do the job right from your laptop.
Generic Tools Online Educators Should Know
This article is about the best tools specifically designed for online learning, but most of the tools used in remote education are generic. It’s a long-standing tradition to repurpose tools with business or entertainment functionality into potent teaching tools. There are several stalwart digital tools that online teaching simply wouldn’t be possible without:
- Video conferencing and webinar apps. E.g., Zoom, Skype, Teams, etc.
- Video editing apps: E.g., LumaFusion, Adobe Rush, Adobe Premiere, etc.
- Screen recording tools: E.g., Nvidia Experience, Open Broadcast Software, etc.
- Social media platforms: E.g., Facebook, Twitter, messaging apps, etc.
Online teachers should never disregard a tool or app because it’s not explicitly designed for educational use. Try to think a little out of the box, and you may find software that enhances the online learning experience for your students.
Even if you’re only an individual Google account holder, you have access to many online tools that make it easy to create, collaborate, and disseminate content. For example, Google Docs is the primary word processor, and it’s a quick way to generate documentation in collaboration with other team members. Learners can also use these Google apps to collaborate and even submit work for comment or editing.
Google Drive makes it easy to store and share files with your students. The Google suite of apps has excellent access control settings, so you won’t accidentally give students access to your private documents or allow them to edit what they shouldn’t.
While the Google suite of online apps is perfect for educators who need a few informal tools to augment their online teaching practices, Google Classroom offers a purpose-built learning environment that integrates many existing Google tools (such as Google Calendar) into something meant for students and teacher use.
Available as a website and a mobile app, Google Classroom provides all of the following to online educators:
- General classroom management.
- Create class templates by copying a class.
- Hold video meetings.
- Track student progress and feedback.
- Create and share learning materials and lesson plans.
- Creating virtual courses, assignments, and assessments.
Classroom can be used to supplement in-person classes (the hybrid classroom model), or it can act as a streamlined LMS (Learning Management System) for fully online teaching and learning.
Digital whiteboards are an essential tool for live video lectures and pre-recorded content. It’s an excellent way for teachers to illustrate lessons in real-time using the natural whiteboard skills.
There are many paid and free options, but we think that Google’s Jamboard is the best. This free tool allows for real-time collaboration and works on any device through a browser or mobile app.
Khan Academy is a free online learning resource that covers the entirety of public schooling up to high school and some college-level subjects. Subjects are taught uniquely, progress is recorded using a gamified system, and learners choose to walk unique paths through subjects such as mathematics to learn only what they need for specific purposes.
Khan Academy for Teachers lets you sign up your students and act as their online teacher using the brilliant content developed by Khan Academy. This is the most impressive personalized learning tool available today, especially considering that it’s free to use.
OERs (Open Educational Resources) are learning resources that are openly licensed so that anyone can use them in their curricula. Depending on the exact license, you can use them for commercial purposes, but not in the case where (for example) it’s licensed under Creative Commons Noncommercial.
Finding high-quality OERs can be daunting, but the Open TextBook Library lets you quickly find the best open textbooks for any subject you care to imagine.
If you don’t find what you need in the Open Textbook Library, your next stop should be LibreTexts. This is an exciting project backed by several major institutions to provide quality OER textbooks in subjects ranging from social studies to business or engineering.
Edpuzzle takes the modern pivot to online video and allows online educators to add their educational layer on top of that video content. You pick a video clip that you’d like to assign as learning content and then add questions to that video using Edpuzzle.
You can then track how students engage with the video and perform the questions. Edpuzzle can integrate with mainstream LMS products such as Moodle, Backboard, Canvas, Google Classroom, etc.
SmartBuilder is an eLearning authoring tool that lets teachers rapidly build rich, engaging, and interactive scenarios without any programming knowledge or media skills. Check out their examples page to see the fantastic stuff you can make using SmartBuilder. You can also sign up for a free trial to see if you get along with their tools.
You may have heard of MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses, but you know you can easily create your own? Udemy is one of many platforms to offer MOOCs, but what sets it apart is that virtually anyone with something valuable to teach can author and upload a course and make some money to boot! Whether you want to create something meant for school districts or wish to sell professional development courses, Udemy is a top choice.
EdModo is a platform like an LMS and sort of like a classroom management system, with some social media platform aspects thrown in. It also includes all the tools you’ll need to create curricula, lessons, and assessments and have engaging remote conversations with your students. If you’re not keen on the bric a brac approach to building your remote teaching arsenal, EdModo is an excellent one-stop-shop.
Flipgrid is a clever video discussion tool by Microsoft. What sets it apart from the likes of Zoom or Skype? The idea is to create an open video discussion platform appropriate for Pre-K to Ph.D. Most importantly, it isn’t a live video tool but one where students can pre-record their responses.
The role of teachers in Flipgrid is to act as facilitators. Students can be organized into groups and given specific topics to discuss. Students then use Flipgrid to record and edit their responses to the case. The reaction can be recorded as many times as the student likes before submission, removing any pressure to answer in a live situation.
You may have heard about terms like “gamification” or “game-based” learning, but using game elements or building game-like educational experiences is a formidable technical challenge unless you have a tool like Kahoot. Kahoot is designed to let you author quizzes and let students tackle them as a form of learning through play.
There’s hot competition in the LMS industry to be the platform of choice. But even there, Moodle stands out as both a cutting-edge eLearning solution and a free and open-source product.
Moodle is a full-fledged online learning platform used by some of the largest institutions in the world. According to Moodle itself, 25% of the top 200 world universities are on the forum.
So it’s amazing to consider that you can set up your server, install Moodle on it, and run it like your own college or university. If you aren’t technically inclined or can’t afford to set up your infrastructure, you can pay for a managed instance through third parties or the official MoodleCloud service. MoodleCloud comes with a 45-day free trial, so you can safely evaluate the LMS to see if it will work for you.
Pear Deck is a neat add-on for Google Slides (a PowerPoint alternative) that lets you use Google’s cloud app to build instructional content from within the Google Slides interface. You can drop formative assessments directly from Pear Deck’s sidebar. You can create custom questions, add audio, and more. They also have an excellent onboarding tutorial, so you can hit the ground running.
Near, Far, Wherever You Are!
Armed with these distance learning tools, no student is beyond your reach. This is the most exciting time for education since Socrates came up with his method!
