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Published: 06 November 2013

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Dr Kerry Hempenstall, Senior Industry Fellow, School of Education, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

 All my blogs can be viewed on-line or downloaded as a Word file or PDF at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/olxpifutwcgvg8j/AABU8YNr4ZxiXPXzvHrrirR8a?dl=0

New Addition – April 2025

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In the past five years, several online educational resources have gained popularity and recognition for their effectiveness. Platforms like Khan Academy, Coursera, edX, Duolingo, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of courses, certificates, and educational content for various ages and interests. Additionally, resources like BrainPop, TED-Ed, and Funbrain provide engaging and educational content for children. 

Here's a more detailed look at some notable resources:

For general knowledge and skill development:

• Khan Academy:

This platform offers free educational videos and exercises covering a wide range of subjects, from math and science to history and the arts. 

• Coursera & edX:

These platforms provide access to university-level courses and certificates from top institutions worldwide. 

• Duolingo:

A popular app for language learning, Duolingo uses gamification to make learning fun and engaging. 

• LinkedIn Learning:

This platform offers courses and certificates focusing on professional development and career skills. 

• Skillshare:

This platform provides creative and technical courses for individuals interested in developing new skills. 

• Udemy:

A large platform offering a wide variety of courses on various topics, including technology, business, and personal development. 

For children and younger learners:

• BrainPop:

A popular resource for animated educational videos and quizzes covering a variety of subjects for children aged 5-14, says Funfox Program. 

• TED-Ed:

This platform offers educational videos and lessons based on TED talks, making learning engaging and accessible. 

• Funbrain:

This website provides free math and literacy games for students in grades K-12.

• National Geographic Kids:

This website offers educational content about the natural world, animals, and geography. 

• PBS KIDS:

This platform provides educational games and videos for children, focusing on literacy, math, and science.

• Oxford Owl:

This website offers free eBooks and resources to support children's reading and learning. 

• ABC Education:

This platform provides free, curriculum-linked resources for primary and secondary students. 

• BBC Teach:

This website offers a range of resources for educators, including lesson plans, video clips, and interactive games.

Despite the challenges e-learning presents, virtual classrooms can have a positive impact on the future of learning.

Online learning resources can provide many benefits to teachers. These include:

1. Ease of access — Online tools are a convenient go-to, especially during any school closures or lockdowns.
2. Teaching support — Free access to a huge variety of educational resources can help you create comprehensive lesson plans and learn new teaching strategies.
3. Tracking and reporting — Many learning platforms have built-in progress trackers and reporting tools, making it easy to track and communicate student progress.
4. Flexibility — The more teaching resources and apps you have access to, the better equipped you are to provide quality instruction virtually. Plus, you can stay connected to students anytime.
5. Differentiation — Adjusting online lessons to meet individual needs and using multimedia to match students’ interests can ensure they get a high-quality learning experience from home.

Best Online Learning Resources That Teachers Love | Prodigy (2021) Laney Kennedy   Prodigy

https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/online-learning-resources

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https://www.thinkific.com/blog/online-learning-platforms/

The Top 10 Online Learning Platforms for 2025

IN Study In Australia /

by Faith Uzuegbu on April 2, 2025

The top 10 eLearning platforms for instructors and learners 

Here are our top recommended online course platforms. 

• Thinkific
• Coursera
• LinkedIn Learning
• Skillshare
• edX
• OpenLearning
• Udemy
• Treehouse
• MasterClass

• Khan Academy

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Kaplan

How has teaching changed in the last 10 years? (2024)

https://www.kbs.edu.au/blog/study-australia/how-has-teaching-changed-in-the-last-10-years

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How has teaching changed in the last 10 years?

We all learn in different ways, which is why one method of teaching in the classroom would not work for every student. Due to a greater focus (by many higher education providers) on student support and the adoption of new technology, the way we teach and learn has evolved from being teacher-centred and passive to being student-centred and active.

1. From passive to active

• 1.0 and 2.0 education

For a long time, lectures were relatively one-sided. Teachers spoke for the majority of the lesson, allowed little time for questions and students did not engage in discussions. This was known as 1.0 education (passive / teacher-centred). This formal way of learning was not effective for students who preferred more interaction or practical application. Therefore, 2.0 education introduced active learning elements such as student collaboration.

• 3.0 education

In the last 10 years, 3.0 education has been focused on student-centred teaching. Many programs are now based on the Universal Design for Learning which is a theory that if you design for a variety of learning experiences, then every student can understand, engage in and demonstrate what was taught.

Educational content now reflects different learning styles, suit a variety of capabilities, and allow students to learn at their own pace.

At Kaplan Business School (KBS), there are no lectures but workshops full of learning activities, discussions, case studies and interactive experiences.

With 3.0 education, teachers adopt a more nurturing approach, encouraging discussion, teamwork and answering as many questions as possible. They have resources to help students set learning goals, provide one-on-one assistance and timely feedback via learning management systems.

• 4.0 education

We have now entered 4.0 education, which - through the aid of technologies - requires educators to teach students how to find information and understand it.

2. From theory to practical skill development

Earlier course content focused heavily on theory and students lacked opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. This led to graduates feeling unprepared when they entered work.

Curriculum has been revised to include industry knowledge, practical skills development and careers-specific subjects. Many lecturers (who are often industry professionals) share their practical workplace knowledge with their students and develop assessments that focus on current industry issues and skills.

Today, many providers have a Careers Service team that offer students practical knowledge, tools and resources to help them better prepare for work after graduation. At KBS, students can even access help after they graduate via lifelong Career Coaching.

• A balance of hard (technical) and soft skills (transferable)

Today, in addition to theory, there are opportunities to develop technical and transferable skills (e.g. critical thinking and data analysis) and emotional, social and adversity intelligence to better prepare students for their career.

Education technology platforms such as Practera help students gain industry skills in demand by connecting them to real-world projects and internships from a wide range of global businesses.

At KBS, all our courses teach transferable skills with IT and Analytics also offering hands on learning experiences.

3. From paper to digital

Course material, assessments, and progress reports were all provided on paper. With advances in technology and greater focus on sustainability, many schools have moved to digital platforms, resources and tools. This has led to better student support, engagement and new learning experiences.

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https://concernusa.org/news/problems-with-education-around-the-world/

Ten of the biggest problems facing education

Aug 21, 2024

1. Conflict and violence

Conflict is one of the main reasons that kids are kept out of the classroom, with USAID estimating that half of all children not attending school are living in a conflict zone — some 125 million in total. To get a sense of this as a growing issue, in 2013, UNESCO reported that conflict was keeping 50 million students out of the classroom. Last year alone, 19 million children in Sudan were out of school due to renewed conflict. 

Education is a lifeline during a conflict, protecting children from forced recruitment and potential attacks, while giving them a sense of normalcy in times that are anything but. It’s also a critical element in reducing the chance of future conflicts in certain areas. However, despite international humanitarian law, schools have become targets of attacks in many recent conflicts. Many parents have opted to keep their children at home as a result. However, these are not easy years to make up. According to UNESCO, the first two years of the Syria crisis erased all the country's educational progress since the start of the 21st century. Recovering these missed years also takes more time and effort, with many Syrian children requiring psychosocial care that hinders a "normal" learning curve. Unfortunately, as conflicts become more protracted, they are also threatening to create multiple lost generations.

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When conflict meets the classroom: How does war affect education?

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2. Violence and bullying in the classroom

Violence can also carry over into the classroom. One UN study found that, while 102 countries have banned corporal punishment in schools, that ban isn’t always enforced. Many children have faced sexual violence and bullying in the classroom, either from fellow pupils or faculty and staff. 

Children will often drop out of school altogether to avoid these situations. Even when they stay in school, the violence they experience can affect their social skills and self-esteem. It also has a negative impact on their educational achievement. Concern has addressed this head-on in Sierra Leone with our Safe Learning Model.

Mariama M Turay (left, 12) and Mary Sesay (12, right) following a class 6 lesson at the Muslim Brotherhood School in Masakong, Sierra Leone. The school participated in an integrated program led by Concern that included the Safe Learning Model to reduce and prevent SRGBV. (Photo: Conor O'Donovan/Concern Worldwide)

3. Climate change

Climate change is another major threat to education. Extreme weather events and related natural disasters destroy schools and other infrastructure key to accessing education (such as roads), and rebuilding damaged classrooms doesn’t happen overnight. 

Climate change also affects children’s health, both physical and emotional, making it hard to keep up with school (and at times making it hard for teachers themselves to focus on delivering a quality education). With climate change linked so tightly to poverty, it also leads families to withdraw their children from school when they can no longer afford the fees or need their children to contribute to the household income.

4. Harvest seasons and market days

In agricultural communities, the harvest is both a vital source of food and income. During these periods, children are often required to skip school to help their families harvest and sell crops. Sometimes they'll be out of school for weeks at a stretch. Families who make their living from farming may also have to move around if they have herds that graze, or to harvest crops planted in different areas. This is also disruptive for children and their education.

Mahamadou Assoumane (right) is an educational counselor in Bambaye, Niger, who works with Concern on an innovative video coaching approach to improve teaching practices and teacher training, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. (Photo: Apsatou Bagaya / Concern Worldwide)

5. Unpaid and underqualified teachers

When governments are dysfunctional, public servants aren’t paid. That includes teachers. In some countries, teachers aren’t paid for months at a time. Many have no choice but to quit their posts to find other sources of income or are moved to other districts. 

As a result, schools often struggle to find qualified teachers to replace those who have left. But, without qualified teachers in the classrooms, children suffer the most. In sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank estimates that the percentage of trained teachers fell from 84% in 2000 to 69% in 2019 (with no updates yet as to how the pandemic may have affected these numbers). The World Bank adds that teachers in STEM are especially hard to come by in low-income countries.

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What does Quality Education mean? Breaking down SDG #4

Breaking down Sustainable Development Goal #4.

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6. The cost of supplies and uniforms

Although many countries provide free elementary education, attending school still comes at a cost. Parents and caretakers often pay for mandatory uniforms and other fees. School supplies are also necessary. These costs alone can keep students out of the classroom. 

7. Being an older student

According to UNICEF, adolescents are twice as likely to be out of school compared to younger children. Globally, that means one in five students between the ages of 12 and 15 is out of school. As children get older, they face increased pressure to drop out so that they can work and contribute to their family income. 

One solution we’ve adopted at Concern is to help those who didn't complete their education learn many of the things they missed out on, including financial literacy, business management, and vocational skills. 

Hawa Sesay, a participant in the Concern-run EAGER programme in Freetown, Sierra Leone, which was designed to support out-of-school girls. She now has her own tailoring business. (Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide)

8. Being female

In many countries around the world, girls are more likely to be excluded from education than boys. This is despite all the efforts and progress made in recent years to increase the number of girls in school. According to UNESCO, up to 80% of school-aged girls who are currently out of school are unlikely to ever start. For boys, that same figure is just 16%. This rate is highest in emergency situations and fragile contexts.

Many schools have no toilets (let alone separate bathrooms for boys and girls). This usually means more missed days for girls when they get their period: The World Bank estimates that girls around the world miss up to 20% of their school days due to period poverty and stigma.

Girls may also be pressured to drop out of school to help out their family, as we mentioned above with regards to taking a job. However, in many countries where Concern works, they may also be forced out of school to get married. Girls who enter into an early or forced marriage usually leave school to take care of their new families. According to the UN, 33% of girls in low-income countries wed before the age of 18. Just over 11% get married before the age of 15. In most instances, marriage and having children mean the end of a girl’s formal education.

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Child marriage and education: The blackboard wins over the bridal altar

For girls, child marriage (aka forced marriage) means the end of an education. Here's how a landmark ruling in Malawi is helping to keep girls in school.

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9. Outbreaks and epidemics

We learned this the hard way with COVID-19. Even if the student body is healthy, they may be kept out of school if an epidemic has hit their area. Teachers might get sick, and families with sick parents may need their children to stay home and help out. Quarantines often go into effect. 

The 2014-16 West African Ebola outbreak was a severe problem for education in countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone. Ebola put the education of 3 million children in these countries on hold. As a response, we worked with the governments of both countries to deliver lessons by radio. We also trained community members to work with small groups of children on basic reading and math. As schools reopened, we shifted our focus to helping children get back into classrooms safely, but many kids still had a lot of catching up to do. 

Students using school materials provided by Concern at Wiil Waal School in Mogadishu. (Photo: Mustafa Saeed/Concern Worldwide)

10. Language and literacy barriers

Even if a child goes to school in the town where they were born and grew up their entire life, they may face a language barrier in the classroom between their mother tongue and the official lingua franca used in education systems. In Marsabit county, Kenya, the first language for most children is Borana. Once students start school, they must learn two new languages to understand their teachers: Swahili and English. 

UNESCO estimates that 40% of school-aged children don’t have access to education in a language that they understand. This is especially difficult for students who have migrated to a new country, such as Syrian refugee children being hosted in Türkiye: Not only do they have to switch from Levantine Arabic to Turkish, but they also have to learn an entirely new alphabet. 

This dovetails with literacy, another key issue in education. If a student struggles with reading (even in their mother tongue), it can have a ripple effect on their ability to learn in all other subjects. Many students drop out if they feel like they can’t keep up, either due to the quality of the teaching or to a special accommodation they need for their learning that can’t be made.

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This next segment is the original, broader document and includes earlier periods.

 There is a world of information about the results of high quality educational research. However, linking this research to the world of teachers has been a problem. Research journals are expensive, teachers have not typically been trained to seek out and interpret this resource, and there often remains the thorny issue of implementation of research findings into effective practice.

 The web has provided an access portal to vast quantities of information, but, as we’ve all experienced, there is no guarantee of the quality of such information. There are many sites that claim to make use of an evidence-base – often to sell a product. So separating worthwhile, trustworthy sites can be a fraught process.

The following list was informally developed over a number of years whilst researching materials for teachers as an introduction to how evidence-based practices might be incorporated into one’s teaching.

Read more ...