Pivot Interactives vs VRLab Academy

Pivot Interactives is a web platform for science teaching built around interactive video activities and active learning. Its library has more than 550 activities across biology, earth and space science, chemistry, environmental science, and physics. Students explore phenomena, adjust physical parameters, and investigate data through experimental design. Teachers can create classes, invite students, assign experiments, customize activities, and grade student work. Co-Lab lets students work together on assignments; the platform also provides frequent feedback and auto-grading. Pivot is presented for grades 6–12 and higher education. It supports LTI 1.3 integrations with learning management systems including Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom, Moodle, Blackboard, and D2L Brightspace. The 30-day free trial provides instructors and students full feature access, including classes, LMS connections, activity editing, assignments, and grading. The Classroom plan costs $6.10 per seat per year. Semester options for institutions, students, and bookstore course codes each cost $11.10 per seat per semester. The platform requires a stable high-speed internet connection and does not support offline use of images, videos, or questions.

VRLab Academy provides virtual and PC-based science laboratories for schools and universities, with more than 240 interactive experiments. Learners manipulate equipment, record and analyze data, and compare results with a responsive answer sheet. Teaching features include lesson structures, assessment, student progress tracking, and a learner management dashboard. The company says experiments align with curricula including IB, Cambridge International, and Edexcel. LMS integration supports single sign-on, embedded experiment resources, and assignment and grade passback; the FAQ says it works with any LMS. Experiments are listed in English, Spanish, Turkish, German, Arabic, and Russian. The product is intended for learners from primary school through university, with VRLab Academy Junior for primary and middle school. Platforms include Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Listed computer requirements include Windows 10 64-bit or newer or Mac OS 64-bit, with at least 8 GB RAM. Mobile requirements include iPad 6th generation or newer and Android 9.0 or later with a GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.0 or later. Pricing is on request; the listed subscription option includes more than 240 experiments, free instructor access, learner management, and LMS integration.