This is a useful educational websites compilation. Between its overly demanding schedules, exorbitant financial requirements, and steadily declining standards – there seems to be no shortage of reasons to ditch traditional education for less conventional options. Technology has, without a doubt, eased the search and provided multiple alternatives from which teachers, students, and parents can choose and utilize from the comfort of their homes.
While traditional learning may not be a thing of the past, it certainly does not provide the customization that educational websites do, thus making e-learning a more viable option – So, which sites are best for students and what can you expect in terms of experience and cost?
EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES FOR COLLEGE & POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS:
College & Postgraduate students constitute a significant portion of the e-learner market making up to 70% or more its entire population – thankfully there is an unending list of both paid and free e-learning sites, with more being unraveled daily.
Free Educational Websites for College and Post-Graduate Students:
- Cousera: Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, specializations, and degrees in a variety of subjects. It was founded by two Stanford lecturers and offers over 2000 course options to its 25 million users.
- Stanford Online, Open Yale & Harvard Extension: These are particularly likeable options because – well, who doesn’t want an excuse to be taught in a renowned ivy-league institution? Each of these sites provides course content exclusive to their schools, but their course varieties are less rich than multi-school sites.
- Khan Academy: Khan Academy gained popularity for being an online coaching website. It allows a win-win situation for the students by giving them the liberty to learn at their own pace, as it has a personalized dashboard to gauge the progress report.
Paid Educational Websites for College and Post-Graduate Students:
- Penn State World Campus: Penn State World Campus offers more than 125 accredited graduate degrees, undergraduate degrees, certificates, and minors. It grew out of the University’s long and distinguished history in distance education which that began in 1892 which already Ranks in the top 1% of universities worldwide.
- UMass Online: offers online options for graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as certificate and training programs in business, criminal justice, public health, liberal arts, and others.
- University of Florida Distance Learning: The University of Florida offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate degrees online. online degrees from UF are the same as those earned on campus and as such require formal admission thus Applicants must meet UF’s general admission requirements, as well as those specified by the individual degree program.
EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES FOR HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS:
Online high schools are an ideal choice for students who require more flexibility, customization, and self-directed education. Available to both teens and adults wishing to complete their high school graduation requirements, online high schools are accompanied by additional benefits not usually found in a traditional system.
Free Websites For High-School Students:
- Minnesota Virtual High-School: MNVHS is a free online high school program offering a comprehensive, accredited, state-aligned curriculum which includes foreign language classes.
- Insight School Of Washington: It is Approved as a Multidistrict Online School Program and provides an Online Alternative Learning Experience designed to meet the diverse needs of individuals in a learner-centered environment.
- Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow: ECOT provides a tuition-free, fully accredited online public school education to students specifically resident in Ohio.
Paid Websites for High-School Students:
- Laurel Springs School: Laurel Springs is a private, online high school that offers a complete selection of academic and elective courses required for admission to college. It is both WASC and SACS CASI accredited.
- Forest Trail Academy: Forest Trail Academy is an Online school for K-12 homeschooling that provides a full curriculum that has been aligned and articulated to the Common Core State Standards.
- North-Star Academy: A private Christian online school offering international programs of study based on USA, Canadian, and UK curriculum models.
EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
While it very often seems like many of the educational sites around the web were created with higher-learning in mind, there are a number of sites that would be of interest to students in the middle school grades;
Free Websites for Middle-School Students
- Bj PinchBeck Homework Helper: Created by 9-year old BJ Pinchbeck in the 90’s, the Bj PinchBeck Homework Helper has evolved from being a small online reference into a comprehensive research site with hundreds of homework help links.
- Learn Out Loud: LearnOutLoud.com provides an elaborate directory of educational content with over 50000 educational audio books, MP3 downloads, and podcasts which can either be downloaded directly or streamed online
- WhyVille: Whyville helps middle-schoolers learn about art history, science, journalism, civics, and economics through exploration and communication.
Paid Websites for Middle-School Students
- Stanford Online High-School: Also of ivy-league heritage, Stanford online high school is a highly selective independent private school for particularly gifted middle-schoolers.
- The KeyStone School: The Keystone School offers a flexible education program for high school, middle school and elementary school with more than 150 high school courses, core subjects, and electives.
- International Connections Academy: International Connections Academy is a fully accredited, online private academy with uniquely individualized learning programs that include full-time schooling, individual courses, and a summer school.
EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Free Websites for Elementary-School Students
Book Adventure: Book Adventure is a free online reading program that welcomes children in grades K-8. The goal of the program is to get kids to read more and improve reading comprehension.
Book Wink: Created for students in grades 3-8, Bookwink publishes short audio podcasts and videos designed to get kids excited about reading. The site offers book recommendations by subject, grade level, author, or title.
Math Play Ground: This site is intended for elementary and middle school students and is particular for providing math learning aids and Instructables.
Paid Websites for Elementary-School Students
- Virtual Elementary School: Virtual Elementary School is mostly Ontario-based content and instruction for elementary learners around the world
- K12.com: K-12 provides online education solutions for students in pre-school through to the 12th grade
- Connections Academy: Connections Academy is a free online school where students in grades K–12 can attend from home. It is a quality home-school alternative for those in search of one.
EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES FOR PRE-SCHOOLERS
Free Websites for Pre-Schoolers
- PBS kids.org: PBS website offers printable activities, games and coloring pages which attract and engage young students, easing the learning process.
- Abcya.com: ABCya focuses mostly on building math, reading, and writing skills, but it also covers some additional topics including holiday themes
- Sprout: Sprout is the 24-hour preschool TV network with Math, spelling and coloring exercises for the ages of 2 to 6 years.
Paid Websites for Pre-Schoolers
- ABC Mouse: ABCmouse.com is a global education initiative of Age of Learning, Inc. ABCmouse.com helps kids learn to read through phonics, and teaches lessons in a variety of other vital subjects
- Jumpstart.com: This site teaches preschoolers and kindergartners fundamental skills such as reading, listening, critical thinking.
- Chalk Pre-School: CHALK Preschool has an elaborate online preschool curriculum with lessons, games & activities available to children at $3.99 per month.
LEARN-AT-HOME OPTIONS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
These options would be particularly useful for students with physical and/or learning disabilities as their websites have each been crafted to suit users in this category –
Finally, while e-learning may not necessarily be a panacea, and should, as a matter of fact, be approached critically – it is evident that relying on face-to-face learning activities is not only limiting but is unnecessary especially in a world where achieving literacy inconvenience is a viable option.