Uploaded March 26th, 2020
There’s never been a greater need to adapt to our evolving circumstances. A forward-thinking, innovative educator should always be looking to leverage new ways to engage their students. Whilst you may not be able to experiment with innovative, in-person lessons within the foreseeable future, what you can experiment with is how online education channels can assist in your delivery of online classes. Here are 8 of our favourite online education channels.
ASAP Science
ASAP Science provides a weekly deposit of fun and interesting science lessons ranging from the mechanics of why we sleep all the way to the topic of 3D printing. The channel also covers the broader categories of technology (AsapTECH), health and well-being (AsapHEALTH) and Nature (AsapNATURE) to name just a few. Who knew a science lesson could be so engaging?
Crash Course
Chances are, your student(s) already know John & Hank Green — the men behind Crash Course. The Green Brother’s knack for explaining difficult concepts from a wide range of interesting subjects including world history, biology, ecology, psychology and more is, in part, thanks to their understanding of the importance of learning with visual stimuli. Together with Nicole Sweeney (who teaches sociology), Carrie Philbin (who teaches computer science), Craig Benzine (who teaches film history) and Mike Rugnetta (who teaches mythology), the team at Crash Course is dedicated to producing educational material for students of all ages.
Epipheo
Epipheo is an animation studio that makes short, but incredibly engaging animated videos that address topics ranging from health and well-being (Epiphanies for Health, Food and Weight) to Presidents and politics (Epiphanies for Government and Politics). These bite-sized animations will be a brilliant addition to any static online module.
It’s Okay to Be Smart
If you’re an educator of science, Joe Hanson, Ph.D. will make your classes that tiny bit more engaging. Hanson, who calls himself a ‘curious group of atoms in a curious universe’ is on a mission to help demystify our assumptions of this giant Universe through science. Hanson’s weekly videos will almost certainly inspire your students to ask more questions during your next class.
Jason Silva’s Shots of Awe
As the host of the most popular show on National Geographic, Jason Silva is also making waves on his YouTube channel where he goes freestyle on his weekly series of philosophical “shots of espresso”. These metaphorical and literal shots of espresso will help your students ponder the far reaches of what may be possible with our human ingenuity and technological innovation.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Their interactive practice problems, articles, and videos help students succeed in math, biology, chemistry, physics, history, economics, finance, grammar, and many other topics.
TED Ed
TED Ed is the educational arm of the annual TED conference held in Vancouver, Canada. On TED ed’s Educational channel, you’ll find an expansive and growing library of curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between world-class educators, thought leaders and award-winning animators. If you ever need to jazz up your class material with a visual aid, TED-Ed will have you covered.
VSauce
With over 15 million subscribers and 1.8 billion views, VSauce is a YouTube channel dedicated solely to show you how and why the world around us is so amazing. The mind-bending philosophical puzzles will be perfect for any class which require students to bring forth their creative selves.