Whether discovering a foreign language or learning a new skill, we live in an age where everything seems possible with the tiny screen of our mobile devices.
Even before COVID-19 caused the closure of schools worldwide, investment in edtech (education technology) had reached $18.66 billion in 2019, with the online education industry expected to reach $350 billion by 2025.
If you’re a parent, we understand your struggle to find the right educational platform for kids. This is an overwhelming task since the majority of these platforms
- Have a subscription-based model where you get to pay monthly or annual charges.
- Claim to be education
- Promises thousands of activities to choose from
- Claimed to be created by an expert
So how do you choose and who do you choose since you cannot say yes to every single one of them as it would take too much of your money?
How to Choose an Effective Educational Platform?
When looking for an online learning platform for your children, especially younger ones, you want to guarantee that it is entertaining, engaging but also effective, and safe. You want your children to learn something beneficial from it, not just squander their time or be exposed to unsuitable or hazardous stuff.
Like any other good application, a digital platform for youth should meet the following criteria:
Provide an Engaging Learning Experience
The quality of any educational platform is the most crucial factor for the educational experience it offers. This is not only about being user-friendly and compatible with your other systems. This is about providing students and teachers with a variety of experiences that assist learners in gaining knowledge.
Online courses frequently include many forms of information and interaction, such as live sessions, recorded lectures, and self-paced tasks. Online learning is more than merely viewing videos of teachers talking. You also need an online learning platform that offers features such as:
- Interactive and engaging learning resources like quizzes, assignments, and games.
- Responsive design, which adapts to different devices and screen sizes.
- SCORM and xAPI compliance ensures compatibility and interoperability with other systems and platforms.
- Automated learning journeys guide learners through personalized and adaptive learning paths.
- Collaboration and social learning tools enable learners to communicate, share, and learn from each other.
Accessibility
Accessibility is more than just the computer or digital device your students use. It is also critical to ensure that video content is captioned to fulfill the requirements of all pupils. Accessibility technologies, such as automated captioning for on-demand content and the possibility to add live captions to live events, are not just for impaired students; recent studies have shown that they may improve the learning experience for all students enrolled in online classes.
It has to be secure.
Security is another essential factor for an online learning platform, both for peace of mind and for legal compliance. You need to choose an online learning platform that can protect the personal information of students and instructors, as well as prevent threats like Zoom bombing and other disruptions from affecting class time.
The platform must be reliable.
Reliability is a key factor for an online learning platform. The need for online learning is constantly rising. Technology advancements, diverse students, and unexpected events have all significantly increased the need for virtual classroom experiences. This will likely only continue to be an area for expansion. For this reason – especially in light of events like regional Zoom outages — it’s very important to choose a dependable online learning platform that can cope with both high demand and continuous growth.
What Else Is Important with Educational Platforms?
Educational platforms can just expose you to the subjective knowledge of the corporate world. However, the objective understanding comes from real-world experiences. Thus, with online educational platforms, online job platforms are equally important.
But why? Here are some of the reasons:
Reduces Financial Constraints
For the vast majority of students, financial aid and debt are unavoidable components of obtaining an education. One of the most essential reasons for working part-time is to pay off hefty college loans or costs. A part-time job may not completely remove the need for a student loan, but it will surely aid in covering additional academic or social expenses. This relieves financial hardship while allowing you to live a more enjoyable life.
Consistent Source of Income
Having a consistent income is one of the apparent benefits of part-time work for students. Bills, groceries, and transportation all cost far more than we think. The improved cash flow allows you to cover not just your payments but also any unexpected costs. Depending on your expenses, you may also set aside some money for a music event, a road trip, or a relaxing day at the spa!
Develop Transferable Skills
Millennials are often chastised for their lack of financial and time management skills. While there is some truth to this, if you find yourself working in a fast-paced environment, mastering these talents and so much more is a given. Gaining work experience enables you to develop communication, teamwork, time management, and interpersonal relationships skills.
Creating Networking Opportunities
While we live in a digital age when we may send online friend requests, nothing matches face-to-face friendships and contacts. Working part-time jobs for students in any organization allows you to meet people from different walks of life and create new acquaintances. Socializing and meeting the proper people may even lead to a full-time career soon after graduation!
Strengthen Your Resume
Gaining job experience while in college significantly improves your résumé. Employers like to recruit individuals that understand the working environment and work ethics. Real-world job experience not only provides you an advantage over freshmen, but it also demonstrates your devotion and hard work.
Do Such Platforms Exist?
Yes. It does!
Lemonade Stand is a digital platform for kids that connects students who are looking for part-time jobs with employers who are offering them. It assists in finding the ideal job, whether you want to make additional money, obtain work experience, or learn new skills. You may go through many employment opportunities in various disciplines and businesses and apply for those that fit your interests and credentials. You may also create your own profile to display your talents and achievements to potential employers.
Lemonade Stand is more than simply a job search engine. You may learn from others, network with them, and grow as a professional. Lemonade Stand is the best location for students who wish to work part-time and reap the rewards of working. So, what are you now waiting for? Download the app now.
