The 8 Best Software Programs for Online Teaching in 2021

With the ongoing global pandemic, many teachers have suddenly found themselves teaching online for the first time. They’ve also found themselves inundated with ads for various online teaching software, totally overwhelmed by all the platforms, apps, and websites available to them. How do you choose from a never-ending list of software? How do you sift through the offers for discounts and find the right products for you and your students?

Whether you’re one of those teachers drowning in options, or an administrator researching products for your school, there’s help out there. We’ve compiled a list of the eight best software solutions for online teaching. They give teachers a variety of useful tools perfect for creating an online learning environment. All of our choices provide a free trial as well as reasonably-priced monthly payment plans so you can make sure a product is perfect for your organization before you make a major commitment. One or two are even free!

What is the Best Software for Online Teaching?

Our 8 Top Recommended Software Solutions for Teaching Online are:

1) Vedamo

2) Adobe Connect

3) Newrow

4) LearnCube

5) BigBlueButton

6) Electa Live

7) Zoom

8) Webex

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1) Vedamo

Vedamo offers both a virtual classroom and a learning management system. The virtual classroom provides teachers with all the tools they need to run an interactive online classroom. Tools include a whiteboard, screen sharing, and even breakout rooms for group work.

This platform can be used by teachers of any grade level. Elementary school teachers can create fun backgrounds and learning templates, and high school teachers can show educational videos or write on a virtual whiteboard during live sessions.

Vedamo’s learning management system makes it easy for teachers to create and manage course content in one place. Teachers love how easy it is to incorporate media and other learning resources into a course that uses both online and traditional methods.

Vedamo also integrates with Canvas, Schoology and Google Classroom. Its ease of use and versatility make it our number one pick for online teaching software.

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2) Adobe Connect

Adobe Connect prides themselves in being one of the most secure and customizable virtual classroom environments on the internet. Users can create engaging content such as quizzes and simulations using Adobe Captivate and Adobe Presenter. Teachers can also use various engagement monitoring tools to measure learner participation.

Adobe’s learning management system, Adobe Captivate Prime, uses AI-based Social Learning to provide students with interactive learning content. Students can use discussion boards, similar to social media platforms, to discuss content and learn collaboratively.

Adobe Connect is also extremely versatile. I can be used for virtual meetings and webinars in addition to virtual classes.

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3) Newrow

Next up on our list is Newrow. Newrow is another highly versatile virtual classroom system for grades K-12 and higher education. Newrow offers virtual classrooms equipped with a whiteboard, quizzes, and breakout rooms. Teachers can upload and share course content and record lectures so that students can revisit them later. Recorded content is automatically added to the course content. No more waiting for your videos to upload to your learning management system!

Newrow offers four plans for schools and classrooms of all sizes. A Virtual Classroom 50 level includes all meeting room features, a whiteboard and break out rooms for up to 50 students for just $45 a month. With so many levels of membership, you’re sure to find a price point that works for you.

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4) LearnCube

LearnCube is a download free software program, so students and teachers don’t have to learn how to use complicated new programs. It is also highly customizable; users can change the logos and colors of the interface, as well as the domain name.

Features include high quality audio and video, interactive whiteboards, the ability to upload materials, and the ability to record lessons and lectures.

A number of corporations, language schools, and tutoring companies use LearnCube. These organizations include Oxford University Press and Babbel. LearnCube even provides quality teaching resources to teachers of English as a Second Language.

For a limited time, LearnCube is extending their free trial to 30 days for schools affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic. This would be an ideal choice for small schools on a budget who are looking for online instructional platforms.

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5) BigBlueButton

As one of the first virtual classroom software products, BigBlueButton is known for being a free, open-source resource. It also integrates with many learning management systems, including Schoology, Moodle, and even WordPress.

Features include everything you may expect from an online classroom. Teachers and students can collaborate on virtual whiteboards, send public and private chat messages, and communicate via webcam. Teachers can also assess students using online polls or facilitate group work in breakout classrooms.

If you’re not sure that BigBlueButon is for you, you can watch some demonstration videos or try out a demo on their website. Also, since it’s free, there’s nothing to lose!

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6) Electa Live

Electa Live makes it easy to schedule live classes for schools interested in online
or blended learning environments. Their virtual classroom software allows
teachers to share materials through file and document sharing, screen sharing, interactive whiteboards, and live videos. For teachers who are experimenting with “flipped” learning, they can even upload videos for their students to watch on their own time.

Electa Live’s Learning Management System gives teachers the tools they need to assess students and track their progress through testing and other assessment tools. It includes online message boards, content sharing, and grade books. No more paper gradebooks to fill out with cramped, sloppy numbers. The Learning Management System combined with the virtual classroom software makes the complete package for any teacher.

Electa Live offers three levels of membership: Easy, Tutor Pro, and Professional. The Professional level offers by far the most features; it provides a live classroom and course management system for up to three teachers and unlimited learners.

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7) Zoom

If you can name any personal conferencing software at all, it’s probably Zoom! Zoom is currently a widely used tool for corporate meetings, family hangouts, and virtual classrooms.

Although Zoom was not designed to be a virtual classroom tool, teachers everywhere are using it because of its easy use and affordable price. A basic plan is free for 40 minutes of use for up to 100 participants, but does not include any of the bells and whistles of some of the other plans on our list, such as virtual white boards. They do, however, include the unique “waiting room” and “raise hand” features, which ensure that teachers can control who is in their classroom and keep things orderly once the students arrive.

Zoom now publishes a number of articles on their website to help teachers learn how to use their products to facilitate online learning.

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8) Webex

Last on our list is Webex. Webex, created by the Cisco company, includes many similar features to Zoom. The free plan offers the opportunity to record meetings and share files with up to 100 participants. It also includes up to 1GB of online storage and the ability for facilitators to share their screens. The paid plans include options for 50, 100, or 200 participants and up to 10GB of cloud storage.

Although not a educational software per se, Webex may be a good choice for budget-conscious small schools or private tutors.

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Best Software Programs for Online Teaching – Thanks for Reading!

As teachers and administrators navigate the unchartered waters of online teaching, it’s good to know that there are so many options out there. However, the sheer number of products can overwhelm anyone with the best of intentions. Let our guide to the eight best software programs for online teaching help. Simply choose a product with a plan that fits your budget, number of teachers and students, and offers you the tools you need. To maximize your teaching potential, the services from Vedamo are the way to go. If you’re simply looking for a way to video chat with your students on a daily basis, then maybe Zoom or Webex will work for you. From basic video chats to more elaborate interactive activities, there’s something for everyone.