Are you a teacher, school administrator or anyone else who works in education? If so, there are a plethora of education software solutions out there all for your express benefit. But where to start? What sort of education software do I actually need?
To help you put things into perspective, here’s a run-down of 12 different types of education software that you could be considering for your education institution.
This list, along with the accompanying examples of some of the more popular companies & software packages that provide the respective solutions, is provided in alphabetical order.
1. Classroom Management Software
Need to organise what goes on inside your class? This category of software will do just that. With these solutions, you can, for example, dictate/limit what resources the students can access. With these packages, you can also track things like student progress. They can provide a virtual class environment, allow real-time questions and responses to your assignments and can also include in-class messaging.
2. Curriculum Management Software
Want to manage your curriculum within your education institution, then this is the category of education software for you. Use this software to handle things like brainstorming, integration, development, etc. With these solutions, there’s a central repository for documentation for helping to build a curriculum. These handle things such as task management, course material creation, version control, reporting and more.
3. Digital Learning Platforms
In these trying times, where it seems like almost everyone is learning virtually, and very often remotely, it’s essential to have access to the right education software that helps facilitate this new virtual world of learning – whether that be for students in the classroom or in the home.
4. Language Learning Software
The world is a much smaller place than it was, with physical barriers no longer an impediment to participation in the various education systems around the world. Learning a foreign language is often a critical and necessary skill for huge numbers of students, so finding the right education software to help with this can be a challenge. Here are some of the more popular options out there.
5. Learning Management Systems (LMS)
An LMS is specifically designed for education institutions to help manage a wide range of aspects to their learning delivery requirements. These will help educators manage online coursework, for example, and provide the platform upon which that coursework can be made available and managed.
6. Library Management Software
We all know the importance of having a library in a school, but finding the right education software to help you manage and implement a library successfully can be tricky. All libraries necessarily require some sort of library management system to help keep track of their library assets, such as book inventories, member subscriptions, locations, etc. Here are some of the more popular options we could find
7. Online course providers
In this category of education software, you can organise massive open online courses (MOOCs) and other online courses. A student enrols, completes the online education course material, is assessed and, optionally, can obtain certification in the relevant subject.
8. Online Learning Platforms
Platforms for online learning (or online courses) help to facilitate the creation of online education. They can be used by schools, businesses as well as individuals – especially those who might want to create a self-publish their own education courseware to be marketed for sale.
9. School Management Software
For administrators, this category of education software will help organise and streamline all those admin operations that all education institutes have to contend with. They can help with a range of logistics, such as student housing, information technology, facilities, canteen services, etc.
10. Study Tools
Where you need to prepare your students for any kind of testing, assessments and the like, this is the category of education software you need. These software applications can often be used either on the desktop or in the cloud vis a mobile device.
11. Technical Skills Development
For vocational or technical skills, this next category of education software can be used by companies and industry to help further train students and apprentices as well as existing staff. Students are typically assessed up front by the software and recommendations or changes to the curriculum can then be suggested or implemented to suit.
12. Virtual Classroom Software
Where you need students to interact with the teacher or each other, virtual classroom software will address that need. Rather than provide the education content itself, this category of education software is more a facilitator, by creating the platform upon which the students and teachers can interact with each other.
So there you have it; 12 types of education software you never knew you needed and all laid out with examples.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of solutions out there in a range of categories so vast it would make your head spin.
Are there any categories or solutions missing from this list you think ought to be included? Let us know in the comments below.
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