Best resources and home internet plans for online school

With online schooling becoming more and more of a necessity during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the US e-learning market is set to grow by $12.8 billion between 2020 –2024. Students at home need to spend long hours on Zoom classes, reading online literature, watching documentaries or using online educational resources —which means they’re going to need top-of-the-crop home internet plans. HomeLinkd looks at the best home internet plans for students, and lists the top online educational resources for kindergartners through to high school graduates.
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What are the best internet speeds for students at home?

All this time online calls for reliable, fast internet that’s specifically optimized for video. At its lowest, a 10Mbps line with matched upload and download speeds would be sufficient for online learners. However, if students are going to be spending most of their time on video partaking in lessons, it might be wise to get a bigger internet plan.

If there are multiple students in the home sharing the same line, opt for a high-speed internet plan offering 50-100Mbps.

If there are more than 5 students and working professionals continuously using the internet throughout the day, a 200Mbps line is the preferred choice.
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Top internet plans for students

Compare these internet plans and choose which one works for you:

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Online educational resources for students

Best online resources for kindergarten:

Cool Math

Challenge your little one to lessons and games in math, that’ll improve their understanding. Cool Math is for children aged 3-12 and includes lessons in trigonometry, calculus and algebra.

Learn more about Cool Math.

Education.com

This is a comprehensive e-learning platform for students of all ages, including kindergarten. For children aged 4-6, kids can enjoy games, lessons, narrated stories and printable worksheets.

Learn more about Education.com.
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Best online resources for elementary students:

National Geographic Kids

This is a great way for elementary-age children to learn about geography, animals and ecosystems, biology and science. They can watch videos, play educational games or read articles on their website.

Learn more about National Geographic Kids.

Google Learn at Home

This is a YouTube channel offering documentary-style videos on topics like climate change, sustainability, cooking, global economics, women’s suffrage, how to save money and more. These are not certified courses but more of a replacement for the usual TV shows that aren’t particularly educational.

Learn more about Google Learn at Home.
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Best online resources for middle school students:

Facing History And Ourselves
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This is a dedicated organization offering tools to teachers, parents or entire schools to improve their teachings on racism, social responsibility, bigotry, human rights, antisemitism, bullying and more.

Learn more about Facing History And Ourselves.

Code

Students as young as 8-years old can learn to code through code.org! Supported by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon, Code’s focus is to get students learning computer science from a young age. Courses include coding for Apple iPhones, Android smartphones, iPads and computers.

Learn more about code.org.
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Best online resources for high school students:

Khan Academy

This is an online platform for students aged 4-18, offering classes and courses in math, science, US history, grammar and spelling, precalculus, art history, and so much more. You can join the academy for free as a teacher, parent or student yourself with a customized platform for each role. Khan Academy also offers SAT preparation.

Learn more about Khan Academy.

Coursera

This is a one-of-a-kind e-learning platform that offers high school students the opportunity to learn from university professors and corporate professionals before even completing high school. Coursera has free online courses in marketing, psychology, data science, Google UX design, web development and more —from reputable colleges, universities and corporations like IBM. In addition, taking these courses can also assist in helping you decide on a field of study.

Learn more about Coursera.

Choosing an internet plan for the home is not always straight forward when you consider how many service providers and internet packages there are to sift through. When choosing internet for online learning, it’s always best to go for a package that’s affordable and for coverage that’s reliable.

Get the best internet plan for students at home with HomeLinkd!

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