When most people think about K-12 education, the image of a classroom with rows of students staring at a teacher usually comes to mind. And while this may represent education in the past, it most certainly does not represent education in the present. In particular, edtech companies are one of the reasons why K-12 education has been disrupted, hopefully for the betterment of students. Here is a list of six edtech companies that are making their mark in the classroom.
Crowdfunding has become a new industry where ordinary people can fund projects or charities for just a few dollars. It is a chance to see exactly where your money goes, which is refreshing when compared to large charity operations. Donors Choose deals exclusively with education projects. Teachers, students, or community members can advertise for projects specific to the needs of their school. Most fundraising goals are small and attainable, like a new classroom iPad or school supplies for underprivileged children.
University classes provide a wealth of information on a wide range of subjects, but access to this information used to be based on both grades and financial aid. Now anyone can access free university lectures through the aid of Coursera. While degrees can’t be earned, there is a certificate program which, in conjunction with practical experience, can mean a lot. Coursera is great for high school students who want to expand their knowledge base before even paying for university.
Harnessing the power of the internet, Kramer allows students across the globe to connect with each other to collaborate on projects. Students are linked through their own computers but the teacher is able to oversee the work from a control panel.
Originating from a responsible uncle who wanted to help tutor his niece who happened to live across the country, Khan Academy has become a wildly successful tutoring website. Easy to understand videos are posted on a wide range of subjects that anyone can access. More and more, teachers refer students to this website in order to help with their homework.
Coding has become a buzz word in the education community with many schools trying to implement lessons on it, throughout each grade. The problem, however, is that many teachers, in particular older teachers, do not know how to code, let alone teach it. Tynker is a website built to solve this problem. It provides interactive lessons for students as well as understandable tutorials for teachers.
Getting into a good university is a competitive process. More students see university as a necessary achievement but top universities are struggling to keep up with the demand. The personal essay that is often found in a college application is looked on with more prominence, and Story2 is a useful tool to allow high school students to practice and prepare their essays.
Education, whether it is kindergarten or grade 12, is an adaptable entity and these edtech companies have seized on the malleable nature of school in an attempt to help students achieve more.