The community quarantine established in Lithuania due to the threat of the global COVID-19 pandemic is posing a major challenge for the education system. The usual daily work of all educational institutions and daycare centers has been suspended: now, they can only conduct the teaching processes remotely. Although the quarantine has only been established for 16–30th of March, politicians and medical professionals are warning this might just be the beginning. In such a case, the first weeks are vital: smooth organization and success of any further learning activities will depend on the decisions made in this period of time.

While a lot of teachers and lecturers have never used digital tools in teaching before and might find the change intimidating, Lithuanian edtech companies are ready to put them at ease. Many innovative educational solutions are being developed in the country, and using them might simplify the process of remote learning significantly. In the light of complicated circumstances the world is currently facing, BitDegree, Pedagogas, Bit & Byte, and other companies have decided to offer all or part of their services free of charge during the quarantine period. This way, all users can try modern and convenient learning solutions for themselves.

Danielius Stasiulis, the CEO of BitDegree, which has been recently named the Global Education & Learning Leader in the World Summit Awards, says the COVID-19 pandemic-fighting quarantine is not just a massive challenge but also a chance to update the outdated educational models: “The solutions offered by Lithuanian edtech companies can help not only manage the complicated situation, but also improve the quality and the satisfaction of learning overall. Using our platform, for example, educators can quickly upload all the learning material, quizzes, and assignments. In addition to that, they can use the gamified user interface as extra motivation for students and monitor their progress using modern tools for analytics.”

To simplify the search for alternatives to the traditional learning process and offer more accessible ways to organize remote learning, the team at BitDegree has prepared a comprehensive list of learning solutions provided by Lithuanian edtech companies (you can also access a Lithuanian version of the page). The list is constantly updated and, as of now, includes over fifteen digital platforms. While some of them (such as Edukraftas and EMA pamokos) help study the usual K-12 education subjects, others (e.g., Code Academy Kids and Robotikos mokykla) offer alternatives to extracurricular activities. Aside from naming and describing the solutions, the list provides contact details of the program managers and includes the information on pricing and languages of the content available.

Some of the solutions on the list can be especially useful to highschoolers currently preparing to take their state exams. The quarantine and the sudden changes it brought to the usual learning process have probably affected them the most. While the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport has already announced the state exams will be held on later dates in 2020, and the students will have more than enough time to prepare, some are still doubtful about the efficiency of self-dependent learning. Egzaminatorius, Istorija Tau, GoHisto, and other platforms are ready to help: their users can learn from professionally prepared materials and use tests and various practical exercises to self-evaluate the level of their knowledge.

According to BitDegree’s Head of Marketing Andželika Žukauskaitė, “By sharing the list with everyone who might find this information relevant, each of us can help Lithuanian teachers, lecturers, and students carry on with quality education in the challenging time of the quarantine. If any Lithuanian edtech companies are offering learning solutions that haven’t been included in the list, we would be very grateful to hear about them by email at hello@bitdegree.org. The list is constantly updated to provide educators with the most relevant and comprehensive information available.”