Free Resources for Schools During COVID-19 Outbreak

(Check back with us regularly for updates and added resources)

As more schools close due to the COVID-19 pandemic and parents struggle to keep their kids (K-12) engaged and emotionally stable, education technology providers are offering their normally paid services for free during the pandemic and beyond. Below are numerous educational resources and teacher services that promote online learning. In many cases, companies are making their services free throughout the rest of the school year, while others are suspending limits to services and adding premium features to normally free offerings.

Learning resources

The Academy of Active Learning Arts and Sciences and the Flipped Learning Global Initiative have published the “Rapid Transition to Online Learning,” which offers a detailed plan enabling a rapid shift to online learning during school closures. The resources include a checklist for administrators, another for IT managers, a transition plan, and video tutorial for teachers. It also provides access to an international team of volunteers who have made themselves available to answer questions. The organization is also seeking volunteers for the program. http://aalasinternational.org/rtol/

Acer Inc., a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation that specializes in advanced electronics technology, has put together a convenient comparison table that provides an overview of remote learning tools. The chart specifically compares Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, for remote learning. The chart also includes comparisons of Facebook and YouTube for video conferencing. The parameters of the comparison chart include whether or not screen sharing is allowed, the maximum number of attendees, the maximum length of meetings and other features. You can access this table here: https://eu-acerforeducation.acer.com/uncategorized/remote-learning-a-comparison-among-top-collaboration-tools/

Achieve3000 is a company that’s partnered with schools and districts to accelerate literacy growth and mathematics for students 2-12 since 2001. To help you meet the challenges of educating students in the face of Coronavirus, Achieve3000 is offering free access to resources for differentiated literacy instruction. Educators can access three different programs. Achieve3000 Literacy at Home offers access to non-fiction articles at three reading levels with topics covering science, social studies, and current events. Premium licenses for Actively Learn, for grades 6 -12, provide thousands of texts, including contemporary and classic literature, with collaboration and discussion tools to facilitate interactive remote instruction for English language arts, science, and social studies. For students without internet, the company is offering “Literacy Printable Packets,” a set of text sets with 20 printable articles and questions. The company said those text packets add up to a month’s worth of content differentiated for students who are at-, below- and above- grade-level in their reading abilities. Lessons can be downloaded and sent home by email or printed out. https://achieve3000.com/community-resources/remote-learning-2020/

ActivEd is an educational technology company that developed an innovative movement-based platform that accelerates learning while improving health. It’s offering free access to its “Walkabouts,” platform with web-based lessons for students in grades pre-K-2 students. Walkabouts integrate movement with language arts, math, and reading content, and correlate to state learning standards. Students, teachers, and parents can access grade-level content. http://info.activedinc.com/covid

Health and emotional support services

Aperture Education offers a collection of free social-emotional learning resources that include downloadable strategies that educators can send to their students; professional development resources for educators including the EdSERT Optimistic Thinking Guide; and additional resources such as white papers, videos, and blog posts. Aperture’s parent portal offers additional resources for families.

The Character Tree is an educational video subscription service for primary students that highlight positive character traits, exemplified by historical figures. The Character Tree, which is free through June 30, allows teachers to share character education videos and downloadable resources that parents, who can sign up for their free account. The Character Tree’s videos for first- and second-grade students use engaging discussions, real-life examples from history, and role modeling to teach character development and emphasize positive character traits.

Copeify, by Patriapps is an app for schools and communities designed to support healthy teens. Patriapps donating $5 million worth of software donations of Copeify, which uses AI-enhanced content and questions to help students and faculty improve their self-care, life-skills, and coping capabilities. Issuance of the software as a service will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Connect with Copeify.

Conscious Discipline, a subscription site founded by Dr. Becky Baily, features trauma-informed, evidence-based, social/emotional learning, has released free online resources for coping with Coronavirus, including simple emotional regulation exercises, child-friendly educational activities about current events, trauma-informed advice, and how-to methods for staying positive. View the resources or sign up for e-mail notifications of new resources.

If you’re ready to take your first steps into a new and exciting world of musical enjoyment, or wish to continue your learning after a long (or short) hiatus, please visit https://vibomusic.com/online-music-lessons/ where you can sign up for a free lesson. For more information, email us at info@vibomusic.com or go to Contact Us page and a VIBO School representative will contact you ASAP.