The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many educational institutions to adopt online learning, creating a surge in demand for digital educational resources. Thankfully, numerous companies have risen to the challenge, revolutionizing online education and helping learners thrive in a virtual environment. Here are ten companies that have particularly stood out for their innovative contributions:
- Outschool: Outschool is a marketplace for virtual extracurriculars, offering creative activities for students ages 3 to 18. During the pandemic, Outschool’s sign-ups skyrocketed from 80,000 to 1.6 million between March and October, with activities like ukulele lessons and food-science experiments costing as little as $5.
- Ruangguru: Based in Indonesia, Ruangguru launched a free 18-channel, livestreamed online school for its 50 million-plus students only a week after the government shut down schools. With teachers that engage kids through interactive polls and fun animations, the edtech startup’s initiative attracted 10 million students.
- Skillshare: Skillshare is a learning community that has become a pandemic outlet for creatives and hobbyists, offering over 30,000 video-based classes on a range of topics such as watercolor painting and photography. In the past year alone, three million users joined the platform, while interest from enterprise customers quadrupled.
- Tonies: The Toniebox is a smart speaker that offers audio storytelling without an e-commerce link. By selling the Toniebox smart speakers alongside collectible action figures, the Germany-based Tonies aims to encourage listeners aged 3 and above to play imaginatively.
- edX: edX, a pioneer in online learning, has launched 11 “MicroBachelors” degree programs. These courses are designed to serve as an on-ramp for those considering a bachelor’s degree but wary of the time and expense. Students can earn transferable credits and work their way towards credentials for less than a third of the cost of a traditional undergraduate program.
- 4.0: Based in New Orleans, 4.0 is a community and an incubator for entrepreneurial ideas that give educators the tools to build solutions to challenges they see in their classrooms. Over the past year, 4.0 has launched a basic income micro-pilot for high school seniors and created an angel syndicate of Black investors.
- Homer: Founded in 2013, Homer is a learning app that helps build reading skills in children aged 2 to 8. Homer takes a research-based approach to teaching reading and has seen subscriptions grow, with 75% of users participating in five lessons per day.
- Virti: U.K.-based Virti uses immersive AR/VR scenarios to train healthcare professionals to manage infrequent, high-risk events. During the pandemic, Virti began offering training on newly vital tasks, such as safely donning and removing PPE.
- Packback: Packback is a tool for facilitating online discussions that serves 600,000 university students. By offering peer feedback on critical thinking, Packback participants are more likely to cite sources in their posts and earn higher grades.
- Encantos: Encantos creates bilingual learning experiences for kids aged 2 to 12, with a focus on preschoolers. Its award-winning videos are available on YouTube, and its newly launched subscription app creates learning pathways for literacy and life skills.
Takeaway
The 10 companies featured in this article have revolutionized online education by pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of digital learning. Through their innovative approaches, they have made learning more fun, accessible, and impactful than ever before, helping learners of all ages and backgrounds to pursue their educational goals with greater ease and confidence.
From creative extracurriculars to comprehensive degree programs, these companies offer a wide range of services designed to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. By leveraging the latest in digital technology, they have created engaging, interactive, and immersive learning experiences that are both effective and enjoyable, capturing the attention and imagination of learners around the globe.
Moreover, these companies have demonstrated a strong commitment to accessibility, ensuring that their services are available to learners regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic background. By removing barriers to education, they are helping to create a more equitable and inclusive society, one in which every individual has the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams.
Through their contributions, these companies have paved the way for a new era of online education, one that is characterized by innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to learning. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or simply someone who is passionate about education, these companies offer a wealth of resources and opportunities to explore, making it easier than ever to engage with the world of online learning.
So if you are looking to expand your horizons, deepen your knowledge, or simply learn something new, be sure to check out the incredible offerings of these 10 companies. With their help, you can take your education to the next level and unlock a world of exciting possibilities.