Brightstorm

Brief video lessons for kids who need a homework boost

Learning rating

Community rating

Based on 2 reviews

Privacy rating

Expert evaluation by Common Sense

Grades

8–12

Subjects & Topics

Classroom Management, Digital Citizenship, Relationships & Communication, Social & Emotional Learning

Price: Free to try, Paid
Platforms: Web

Pros: Lessons are great for after-school review, and the teachers really know their stuff.

Cons: Lectures may not be dynamic enough for kids who are truly struggling; the site's tone is pretty negative about teachers.

Bottom Line: Short, digestible lessons on all the major subjects are helpful for mastery but not substantial enough for kids who need more help.

Brightstorm would work beautifully in a flipped-classroom setting. Kids can watch lessons at home and then come to class and discuss what they learned. It's also a great resource for kids who are struggling but aren't able to come in for tutoring. It could also be a real help if you just don't have the time or resources to give each student individual help. Brightstorm isn't perfect, but it's a good supplement to lessons taught in the classroom.

Brightstorm is a website that offers short video lessons on various subjects within the categories of English, history, math, science, and test prep. Users can pay for a monthly, semiannual, or annual subscription, and then they can watch all the video content on their chosen subject. Videos are broken down by topic, and some directly correspond to textbooks kids may be using in class.

Each video is between five and 10 minutes long and covers a small piece of information related to a topic. For example, the section on Death of a Salesman has separate videos for exploring the play's theme, its meaning, and its symbolism, and math sections include lots of lessons and practice problems along the way. All lessons are taught by educators with either master's degrees or Ph.D.s, mostly in the subjects they're teaching.  All videos and content are also available through Studystorm, the iOS and Android app created by Brightstorm's developers.

Although the company is based in Palo Alto, its founders and many of the staff are Estonian, and language on the site can be a bit choppy. It's understandable, though the translations aren't always perfect. The videos are generally great, and there's a diverse team of teachers who try to connect gently with their virtual students. Some of the teachers are outstanding, but they're not all equally engaging -- you need a lot of personality to teach well over video. Also, note that most (if not all) of the math videos are available for free through Brightstorm's YouTube channel -- a helpful alternative for families who might balk at the steep subscription price.

Struggling students might feel that watching these videos is too much like being in class, only with a different teacher. The site's tone doesn't help much: Testimonial quotes such as "You explained in 3 minutes what my teacher couldn't in 5 weeks!" may further undermine a child's confidence that he can be successful at school. Teachers might also be frustrated that this and other statements position the site as a positive alternative to school, not a partner or helper. If kids are having trouble connecting with their teacher, it's possible that they can access that same content more successfully through Brightstorm. However, the site's steep price tag and its pretty traditional approach make it unlikely to be a game changer for most students. Motivated kids may love it; those more on the fence may leave feeling uninspired.

Learning Rating

Overall Rating
Engagement

All the teachers are enthusiastic and easy to listen to, even if they don't all have the most engaging on-camera presence. Design is teen-friendly without being distracting.

Pedagogy

Each video is a short review of a topic given by an engaging teacher standing before a TV screen or whiteboard; if kids respond well to this kind of presentation, Brightstorm could help them truly grasp their lessons. 

Support

A FAQ list answers basic questions, and the site has a very active and engaging Facebook page with lots of giveaways. For kids who do better by reading, some lessons' transcripts are available.

Common Sense reviewer
Polly  C.
Polly C. Common Sense

Good videos for introductions or review of topics - great for flipped classroom setting!

My overall opinion about this product as a teaching tool is very favorable. I like the enthusiastic teachers, who are knowledgeable and break the concepts into small, manageable chunks that fit well into a high school student's attention span! My students come to class ready to complete activities and discuss concepts after viewing one of these videos as part of my flipped classroom homework assignments.

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Privacy Rating

Data Safety How safe is this product?

  • Unclear whether this product supports interactions between trusted users.
  • Personal information can be displayed publicly.
  • User-created content is filtered for personal information before being made publicly visible.

Data Rights What rights do I have to the data?

  • Users can create or upload content.
  • Unclear whether this product provides processes to access and review user data.
  • Processes to modify data are available for authorized users.

Ads & Tracking Are there advertisements or tracking?

  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Unclear whether this product displays traditional or contextual advertisements.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.

Continue reading about this tool's privacy practices, including data collection, sharing, and security.

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