Zane Education

     As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given a 12-month Online Gold Subscription to Zane Education.  Using the world's largest and most comprehensive library of fully subtitled education video currently available online, Zane Education provides a highly effective and unequalled online visual learning solution using curriculum-based educational video, interactive quizzes, video study tools and free lesson plans. Zane Education differs from other online video services in that all of the videos are fully subtitled.  This is incredibly effective in helping students with reading fluidity and comprehension. 

     Zane Education offers nearly 2,000 curriculum-based education videos and a quiz database of over 23,000 curriculum-based multiple-choice questions. The website also provides online learning resources such as lesson plans, study tools, and interactive quizzes for 11 different subjects and more than 260 curriculum topics for K-12 grades. Some of the subjects included are Art, Biology, History, Geography, and Literature.  Not all grades are included in every subject right now; however, more videos and resources are being added all the time.

     We have had mixed feelings about Zane Education.  The videos, in a lot of cases, remind me more of the filmstrips that were popular in classroom when I was in school (yes, back in the Dark Ages).  Some of the videos seem more like a series of picture slides accompanying a lecture. There are control buttons on the video screen which, right now, don’t control anything.  Those buttons are distracting and frustrating.  My kids were disappointed that they couldn’t watch the videos on full screen.  I hope that feature gets added soon, because watching the video as an insert on a web page is distracting for kids who have trouble focusing.  On the flip side, the educational content is sound.  I am incorporating the videos mostly in Biology and History right now.  As our school year progresses, I will be using more of them.  Even though my kids aren’t 100% in love with them, the videos do give good introduction to a topic or reinforcement of a topic we have covered.  A word of caution, these videos are not promoted as being strictly from a Christian worldview; so, I advise parents to screen videos before allowing your child to watch them – especially in the Biology section. 

      I do appreciate the length of the videos.  They range from just a few minutes in length to around 20 minutes in length.  Zane’s videos are concise yet thorough.

     There are five different levels of membership available for Zane Education:

Level 1:  Basic, Free Membership (FREE)

Access to all the free facilities on the Zane Education website.

A Basic Membership provides:

• Access to demo versions of Zane's 1,000+ subtitled curriculum videos for K-12
• Access to the non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the More Resources section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 72-Hour Tech Support

Provides access to ALL 1,500+ curriculum videos for K-12 on the website PLUS all other facilities on the Zane Education website.

Level 2:  Gold Membership -  Cost: $17.99 per month or $197.89 per year

A Gold Membership provides:

• Access to ALL of Zane's 1,000+ subtitled curriculum videos for K-12*
• Access to the non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to Free Lesson Plans for all 260+ curriculum Topics for K-12
• Access to online Video Study Tools
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Free downloadable copy of Zane's Learning Video Catalogue (worth $49.95)
• Free downloadable copy of Zane's Christian Home Learning Guide (worth $49.95)
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the Study Center section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

Provides access to all education (K12) videos within the GRADE LEVEL you have chosen PLUS all other facilities on the Zane Education website.

Level 2:  Silver Membership – Cost: $12.99 per month or $142.89 per year

A Silver Membership provides:

• Access to all subtitled curriculum videos for K-12 within your selected GRADE LEVEL**
• Access to all non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to Free Lesson Plans for all curriculum Topics within your selected Grade Level
• Access to online Video Study Tools
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the Study Center including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

  Provides access to all videos within in the SUBJECT you have chosen.

Level 4:  Bronze Membership – Cost: $8.99 per month or $98.89 per year

A Bronze Membership provides:

• Access to all subtitled curriculum videos for K-12 within your selected SUBJECT***
• Access to all non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to Free Lesson Plans for all curriculum Topics within your selected Subject
• Access to online Video Study Tools
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the Study Center section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

Provides access to the video(s) within in the SINGLE TOPIC you have chosen.

Level 5:  Topic Taster Membership – Cost: $5 per month  - $ 5.00 for 30-day access. A great option for teachers in schools to try out our online curriculum

A Topic Taster Membership provides:

• Access to all subtitled curriculum videos for K-12 within your selected SINGLE TOPIC
• Access to all non-subtitled curriculum Math videos for K-12
• Access to the Free Lesson Plan for your selected Topic
• Access to all 260 online interactive curriculum quizzes for K12
• Access to all of the K12 educational resources in the More Resources section including the World Factbook, World Leaders Guide, Historical documents and much more.
• 24-Hour Tech Support

     Overall, I think we will be using the Zane Education videos for the remainder of our subscription, but I will have to evaluate it’s overall effectiveness at the end of our school year before I decide whether or not to continue the subscription. 

     Many of my crewmates on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using Zane Education.  To read their reviews, simply visit the main crew blog by clicking here or by clicking on the graphic below.

**Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a 12-month Online Gold Subscription to Zane Education for purposes of review.  No compensation was received.  The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.**