The recent popularity of MOOCs makes it easy to overlook other technologies using college lectures to cater to different types of students. TeachingTree, an online platform for Computer Science and Math lectures, which was launched in February, is one such technology. Unlike many online courses, TeachingTree doesn’t require students to enroll in a class, join a study group, or turn in homework, rather its goal is simply presenting the right information as quickly as possible. Many students, especially those using the internet to supplement offline studies, do not want the hassle of taking an entire course, but can still benefit from individual concepts being taught in lectures.
TeachingTree works by allowing its users to add videos and tag concepts at specific points in long lectures. Other users can then jump to the exact moment when an idea is being explained, easily view other teachers’ explanations of a concept, and skip to related topics without delay. With data collected from over 2000 tags and 900 videos, TeachingTree is also able to present concepts in a unique way using “the Tree“, which maps the connections between each tag on the site. This allows users to naturally work their way through subjects without being constrained by a single lecturer or a course’s linear structure.
The site will continue to grow its library of videos and subjects over the coming moths and also plans to start providing tools for teachers in the near future. Easily customizable playlists for flipped-classrooms, question forums, and live-streaming annotations are currently being tested and will launch soon.
