Freelance work is becoming increasingly common in the modern market, particularly because of the incredible ease in finding clients or workers through the internet.
With a variety of freelance platforms to match you up with prospective clients, it isn’t difficult to get started and build a portfolio in your field.
Freelance work is perfect for recent graduates, people who need or prefer to work from home, anyone looking to boost their resume or just people who need some extra income.
Whatever your reason, there is no time like the present to get started on your freelance career!
Here are a few possible freelance positions to search for in the EdTech field and the skills you’ll need to develop to obtain them!
1. Website Design
Website development and design is something that has become essential for any business in any industry in the modern age.
Since many people looking for this service are new ventures or only need of temporary service, freelance workers are a popular choice.
The Job
Web design work can range from tweaking one or a few pages on a company’s website to creating an entirely new site from scratch for a new venture.
One of the most exciting parts of web design is that no two jobs will be exactly the same. However, there are also a lot of elements of the job that remain consistent across the board, making it fairly easy to pick up and master as well.
Designers are typically responsible for conceptualizing an original design for the website that will be clean, user-friendly and appropriate for the company it serves.
This can involve creating new pages, wireframes, storyboards, user flows and sitemaps to successfully communicate information to users in an efficient yet memorable way.
In terms of EdTech specifically, website design is an immensely useful skill in developing excellent tools for the classroom.Knowledge of computer science and web design opens up a world of opportunity in terms of providing students and educators with communication, practice and resource aids with the only limit being your imagination!
Skills Needed
Web design takes a range of skills, but they can be fairly easy to develop with concentration and knowledge of where to start.
One of the most important things that clients will look for is skill with graphic design as well as an overall design sense. This will show your ability to make concepts into reality and accomplish the basic needs the client is looking for.
By building a graphic design portfolio through things like logo designs, social media posts and art, you will gain much needed practice that you can also show to prospective clients.
Additionally, knowledge of coding will come in handy. Web design can involve a variety of coding languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript and more.
Knowledge of coding will particularly strengthen the development side of this job, opening up doors to new opportunities that may not otherwise be available if your talents are limited to the design aspect.
Lastly, basic skills like time management, project management and communication are critical to successful work in this area.Without these basic skills, tasks will feel monumental and you may miss deadlines. Web design is largely project-based, meaning you yourself will have to divide up your time and make sure to communicate your progress with your client.
2. Instructional Design
Overall, instructional design is the process of creating learning aids and products. It covers design, development and delivery, and it is one of the main ways you can get involved with EdTech on a larger scale.
Instructional design produces everything from online courses, video tutorials, manuals, simulations and so much more.
The Job
As mentioned, the main role of an instructional designer is the creation and development of learning projects for a range of age groups, whether it be K-12, higher education or even government organizations.
Instructional designers basically act as the architects for these resources. They are also responsible for being behind the Instructional Systems Design process.
These individuals are in high demand in the U.S. and other North American and European regions, often as freelancers. Many teachers and employers are looking for ways to improve the performance of their students and workers, and this is the popular modern way to do so.
Because of this demand, it is a very lucrative field both in terms of freelance and with potential full-time career options in the future.
Skills Needed
Once again, coding will be an immensely useful skill here. It will be required to turn the brilliant creativity into impactful reality.
Additionally, creativity and dedication comes in handy in this area since being the designer and architect of these programs.
Lastly, knowledge of the EdTech industry is also immensely helpful since it can help inspire ideas and keep you up to date on the kinds of things that do or don’t work.
By keeping up with the industry, it gets a lot easier to pick up on trends and know how to do your job even better.
3. App Development
It seems like no matter what idea or topic you are discussing, someone says, “There’s an app for that!”
All of these apps come from somewhere, and development takes more than a great idea. Many entrepreneurs and companies lack the more technical skills and have to seek out freelance workers for help in making their concept a reality.
This can be a great deal of fun (depending on the type of app and where your interests lie, of course) and is a fantastic addition to your resume.
With a great deal of experience and business knowledge, you could even develop your own apps on your own terms as well!
Much like with web design, there are also a great deal of opportunities here to hone your skills in a way that can be immensely beneficial to the EdTech community.
While websites are a popular route to go in terms of educational resources in tech, apps can be even more diverse as well as more accessible.
There are already a number of education apps, such as Duolingo for language learning, proving that this is a fairly lucrative area for EdTech and one that you can pursue both part-time as a freelancer as well as full-time.
The Job
Developing mobile apps involves a great deal of programming and software building. It is fairly similar to website design, but there is a focus on the functions of a device being used.
Different types of apps will require different design ideas and structure. For instance, a fitness app will require different features and functions than a dating app.
Communicating the needs with your client and applying your existing knowledge and experience of the technical nature of computer science will be critical in forming the product that you want.
The best part about this kind of job is that you can download your own app at the end of the project. Plus, you can find a wide range of different projects available in this area to keep you excited and interested no matter how long you’re in the business.
Skills Needed
Once again, coding skills and knowledge of coding languages are an absolute must for freelance jobs in this area.
David Dodge, CEO of Codakid, emphasizes the importance of knowing how to code in the field of EdTech:
“Coding is becoming as common and necessary a skill as typing or knowledge of Microsoft programs. Especially in STEM fields, this skill is becoming less of a bonus more of a requirement. Additionally, there is plenty of full-time job opportunity and security for people with coding skills, so no matter what, it’s definitely something to look into.”
David Dodge – CEO of Codeakid
Aside from coding, knowledge of User Interface and User Experience design is fairly essential to creating the kind of products that clients are looking for.
In terms of more basic skills, creativity, time-management and problem-solving skills are incredibly useful in this job area.
Every project will be unique, and it will take a great deal of vision and patience to help them realize their full potential and make a product you and your client are proud of.
In Summary
Building a portfolio can be tough, especially when life requires income to pay for bills, debt and other necessities.
Making money in your field is possible even before you land the full-time position of your dreams. Plus, even if you already have that position, a little extra work, experience and income never hurt anybody.
If your speciality is EdTech, you can always look into a variety of open freelance positions like website design, technical writing or app development. You can have a great deal of fun while you’re at it, too!
For more news and tips, be sure to check out our other fantastic articles and keep up with all things related to EdTech and more!
