BENGALURU: With the Karnataka government ordering suspension of classes at schools to prevent the spread of Covid-19, some institutes in the city are livestreaming lessons to prevent their syllabus from getting delayed. They are using videoconferencing applications of WebEx Zoom , etc. to beam classes into students’ homes.Indus International has been using WebEx and Zoom to hold online classes for primary students. “The classes are conducted for two hours every day. As these are young students, parents’ presence is requested. We are ready to cover higher grades through a similar online programme,” said principal Sarojini Rao. “We have obtained extra licences for WebEx. We also have a curriculum software called Cognity. Additionally, we are ready to provide any online assistance students may need.”About 100 students of Global Indian International School (GIIS) have been attending web-streamed classes from their homes. “Technology is an integral part of education delivery in our institutes. We have been using in-house technology to livestream lessons for our global student exchange programmes in seven countries. Other students can use the same platform to join the classroom from their homes,” said Rajiv Bansal, director-operations, GIIS India.Inventure Academy, which announced closure of all classes on Wednesday, will start online classes through Google from March 16. “It’s going to be a learning curve for all of us. Our teachers are undergoing training with the school’s IT department on how to prepare resources, share them, conduct live classes and assess students. We will prepare special timetables and administer online exams,” said Meenakshi Myer, the academy’s principal.Deens Academy plans to use Skype for students of classes 10 and 12. “We are exploring the feasibility and the backend is being prepared for it. Our teachers will prepare a training module and videos will be mailed. We are looking at Skype sessions to clear doubts,” said principal Shanthi Menon.Trio World Academy intends to help students through school app ERP. Teachers will upload audio-visual links, worksheets and homework on the app.Meanwhile, schools are also trying to partner with edtech (educational technology) firms to help students keep their preparations on track. “Two major school chains have sought our help for customised tech platforms for teaching-learning. We have built a platform through which teachers can deliver the school content. We also see potential in spaces like entrance coaching and tuitions,” said Vedantu CEO and co-founder Vamsi Krishna. “Online learning is a safe option in these risky times. Students can study from the safety of their home and avoid travel and public places.”On Thursday, online learning platform Coursera started offering affected Indian universities free access to its course catalogue. “Universities can sign up to provide their students with access to over 3,800 courses and 400 specializations from Coursera’s top university and industry partners. These institutions will have access till July 31, 2020, after which we plan to provide month-to-month extensions, depending on prevailing risk assessments. Students who enroll on or before July 31 will continue to have access till September 30, 2020,” a Coursera spokesperson said.E-learning platform Unacademy said it would conduct nearly 20,000 free live classes on its platform to ensure learners’ education. Live classes will be available across exam categories like UPSC, banking and railways.Toppr, an after-school learning app, has also announced free access to live classes and videos.