tools for education

Free tools for teaching - printable worksheets, classroom printables and on-line worksheet templates with images

A looping Board Game - a racing theme game. More board games: Bounce Around

Crisscross Bingo is another bingo board creator. It creates bingo boards for use in conversational activities.

vocabulary categories

choose the correct spelling , read and choose the picture , read and write

Certificate Templates and Award Certificate Maker

New! - picture dictionary maker : make vocabulary handouts, exercises and homework that students can collect and use to build their own picture dictionaries.

More worksheet wizards from Tools for Educators:

Word bank worksheet creator : create worksheets with 9 pictures and a place for students to write in the vocabulary word. At the bottom of the page there is a word bank where students can find the matching words

Spaghetti String Worksheet Generator : create matching worksheets and matching homework sheets students can trace as well

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Immersive Reader and more Digital Learning Tools from Microsoft Education

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Make the most of Digital Learning Tools

Microsoft Education learning tools enable educators to create safe and supportive learning environments where learning is inclusive, students are engaged, and real time insights ensure every student is set up for success.

Improve reading for all learners

Increase reading speed and comprehension for all learners, support students with learning differences like Dyslexia with text decoding solutions, and help emerging readers build confidence with Microsoft Immersive Reader.

Strengthen writing skills

With features like Dictation and Editor, students can conquer the blank page using the power of their voice and strengthen their writing with advanced editing suggestions.

Increase math understanding

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The free reading tool that makes a difference

Whatever their starting point, every student can improve reading skills and comprehension with Microsoft Immersive Reader—free and built into the apps you love—with everything from a Read Aloud function and grammar options to adjustable reading and text preferences.

Reading Coach in Immersive Reader

Reading Coach in Immersive Reader provides personalized and independent practice to support all learners’ reading proficiency. Coupled with Immersive Reader’s read aloud functionality and translation tools, as well as grammar tools and picture dictionary to support fluency and comprehension, Reading Coach offers real-time support and guidance.

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Essential Remote Teaching Tools for Conducting Effective Online Lessons

Updated on: 19 October 2022

The sudden transition to remote teaching has left many teachers, as well as students, faced with various challenges, from not having access to the internet to finding the proper tools to overcome the boundaries of online teaching. 

We have compiled a list of tools that you can use to enhance your experience with teaching online, or remote teaching as popularly referred to these days. You can go through the list and select the ideal online teaching tools for your remote teaching goals.

Remote Teaching Tools 

Familiarizing yourself with how the tool or platform that you use works, is as important as selecting the correct tool. 

Explore each tool and learn ways to maximize its utility to create a better teaching experience.  Your students will depend on you to instruct them on how to use the platform themselves.  

There’s a range of remote teaching software available out there, and from them, we have chosen the best ones and categorized them based on their primary purpose.

Online Communication Tools

Effective communication is the key to successful teaching and learning, whether in a physical classroom or a virtual classroom. However, maintaining online communication with not one, but over twenty students is undoubtedly challenging.

Communication platforms help overcome it; they enable communication with larger groups, with video conferencing, instant messaging, audio calls , virtual rooms, and more, with any device and from anywhere. 

Some of the tools in demand are,

• Zoom  
• Google Meet   

For a better teaching experience with these tools,  

• Create an agenda or a plan for each online class and share it prior to the lesson  
• Clearly explain the online etiquette students should follow during the class and what is expected of them prior to or at the beginning of the lesson 
• Have all microphones, except for the person who is speaking, muted. This helps cancel out the distracting noises and retain the focus of the students. Anyone who needs to speak can make a gesture to catch the attention of the speaker without interrupting them.
• When delivering a presentation or sharing an image, document or file, give some time for students to take down notes, to view or go through them.

Online Whiteboards 

Online whiteboards or digital whiteboards help emulate the classroom whiteboard/ blackboard experience with the students. Most of these tools offer an infinite canvas with shape libraries for creating different types of diagrams , charts, graphs, and other visualization purposes (i.e. creating posters, graphic organizers, etc.).  

Creately is widely used by educators for a variety of purposes: 

• As an online whiteboard where teachers and students can collaborate on the same canvas as they visualize ideas, concepts, etc. Moreover, students and teachers can connect via in-app video conferencing and track changes each other makes with real-time mouse tracking and change previews. 
• Create a variety of diagrams and visuals (i.e. dichotomous key diagrams, graphic organizers , lesson plans , etc.) needed for presentations, lessons, assignments, etc.  
• To share documents with students and colleagues for their output and feedback (with in-line comments) 

Work Planning Tools

Maintaining a work schedule is even more important when you are working from home; especially during stressful times, a solid routine can help maximize the use of your time. You can use time management and scheduling apps like Google Calendar and Calendly to streamline: 

• Creating schedules to use in  your online classes or for personal use  
• Creating schedules of online classes and keep everyone notified of dates and times.  
• Scheduling appointments with parents and students; avoid double-booking a slot 
• Inviting parents, students or colleagues for online events (i.e. webinars) 
• Creating lesson plans and sharing them with students, administrators, and colleagues. 

Learn how to create a lesson plan using Google Calendar here .

Social Media Channels

Social media channels provide a great platform for teachers, students and parents to stay connected. 

Channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, etc. allow the creation of exclusive communities or groups teachers can leverage on to  

• Communicate and maintain presence after online class hours  
• Share and store important information, presentations, and resources related to lessons 
• Conduct Q&A sessions 
• Encourage students to maintain communication among themselves and engage with each other while studying or doing homework  
• Conduct live events such as webinars (with Facebook or Instagram Live)

Document Management Tools 

From test papers to lesson plans, there’s an array of documents teachers have to maintain regularly. A central location to store, organize, and manage all these documents is essential to properly keep track of them, especially when you are teaching remotely.  

Tools such as GSuite , MS office , OneDrive , Dropbox , and Evernote simplify the process of maintaining the documents you own. 

• Store all documents, files, etc. in the cloud which allows you and your students to access them with any device from anywhere 
• Neatly organize documents in relevant folders and subfolders making it easy to retrieve them 
• Quickly share files and documents with anyone with a single link or as a file. You can also adjust permission settings, changing them to Edit, View, and Suggesting mode on GSuite apps.
• Collaborate with students on editing and reviewing documents, add comments and suggestions and track changes with version history

Online Video Tools

YouTube and Loom are great online video tools for creating and sharing videos with your students. You can use these tools in a number of ways; 

• Record your online classes or lectures and share them with students 
• Students can re-watch the videos if they were absent or during exam revisions. You can also have the video recorded prior to the lesson and have it shared with the students when you are on leave  
• If you are teaching the same lesson to different classes, you can make use of a pre-recorded lesson to avoid repetitive teaching 
• Encourage students to learn independently with pre-recorded video lessons. The chance of students learning a concept better is higher when they understand it on their own 
• Share links to existing video resources online

Online Quiz Makers

Whether you are teaching online or in a physical classroom, quizzes are a great way to check a student’s performance.  Online quiz makers make it easy to, 

•  Create, format, and share assessments online
•  Create answer sheets which allows you to easily track and score answers of each student 

There is a plethora of online quiz makers that are both free and paid, starting from Google Forms .

Find more useful online quiz makers here .

Online Homework Platforms 

One thing that is most challenging when teaching from home is keeping track of students’ homework. 

Homework can come in different forms; essays, speeches, tests, etc.  You can use a combination of the platforms above to get students to submit their homework. 

• Google Docs – for essays and other written assignments 
• Zoom, Skype, and other video conferencing apps – for verbal assignments 
• Loom, YouTube, Prezi , Google Slides – for videos and presentations 
• Google Classroom – Distribute assignments, grade and send feedback

Did We Miss Any of Your Favorite Online Teaching Tools? 

Most of the online teaching tools listed above are free or you can try for free and see how it works for you. Invite a colleague to explore the tools and select the ones that best suit your teaching objectives. 

What other remote teaching tools do you recommend? Let us know in the comments below. 

This post is the second in our article series on remote teaching. More resources you would find useful include,

7 Effective Remote Teaching Best Practices

The Ultimate List of Visual Teaching Strategies

The Ultimate List of Graphic Organizers for Teachers and Students

The Ultimate List of Visual Creative Thinking Techniques

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Well, these are all great! But for educators who don’t want to share their videos with the whole world; can use Google Classroom. Just add the material video in there. It will show up as a video with layouts like youtube, all the same except for the fact that only the ones in the class group will see. It is a good platform for assignments and easy to use effectively with google docs, google drive and google meet. The only con for me as a student is we can only add 20 photos to it. And these days actually we students teach the programs to teachers. 😉 Have a good school day!

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1. SplashLearn

2. wordreference, 3. discovery education, 5. mathplayground, 6. the math learning center, 8. readwritethink, 10. duolingo.

Education is paramount to a child’s future and living standards in the modern world. Innovative and effective teaching tools can effectively make learning accessible. 

A teacher’s job was never easy, and now, with the growing popularity of hybrid learning styles and increased use of technology in teaching, new challenges have come up for them. However, there are a lot of educational resources and online teaching tools that can make your job easier and, in turn, benefit the students.

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Watch your kids fall in love with math & reading through our scientifically designed curriculum.

The Importance of Teaching Tools in Modern Classrooms

Online teaching tools exist to help teachers in the classroom. These classroom tools for teachers allow students to fully understand what they are reading and help teachers align their lessons with these tools.

The right tools can help level the playing field for all kinds of kids, whether they’re naturally gifted in a particular subject or struggling through it. Teachers can make even the most complex material seem easy by appealing to different senses and using tools like these to give kids the visual aids they need to understand the concepts being taught.

45 Best Teaching Tools and Gadgets for Teachers

We’ve divided our teaching tools into five categories: Digital resources, Organization tools, Presentation tools, Assessment tools, and Classroom management tools. These are some of the best digital tools for teachers to make their lives easier in multiple ways and make teaching more effective. So, let’s go ahead and take a look at some of the best teaching tools out there!

Digital Resources

Digital tools are the tools that parents can use digitally (via the internet) to teach students. Such resources include online libraries, archives, and textbooks. Here are some great digital tools to teach your students effectively:

SplashLearn is an engaging and interactive online platform for Pre-K to Grade 5 students, offering over 8000 curriculum-aligned math and ELA games and worksheets. It is embraced by more than 45 million children globally and is recognized as one of the most user-friendly teaching tools available at no cost for teachers . SplashLearn also includes free customizable lesson plans for teachers and virtual teaching tools to simplify concept grasp for children, making learning fun and effective.

• Simplified Assignment Process: A single click initiates assignments, streamlining the workflow.
• Seamless Teaching Flow: Integrates effortlessly with rostering tools, ensuring a distraction-free teaching experience.
• Enhanced Parental Engagement: Shares updates on student progress and important alerts with parents, promoting a partnership in learning.
• Differentiated Instructions: Provides support for tailored instruction, meeting the unique needs of each student and encouraging a confident learning approach.
• Customized Learning Strategies: Pinpoints educational gaps and customizes practice to meet the specific needs of every student.
• Insightful Progress Monitoring: Offers detailed insights into class performance, enabling educators to refine and personalize teaching strategies.
• Learning Without Limits: Facilitates learning beyond school boundaries by providing students remote access to educational resources.

It is an online dictionary for various languages. You can use it for translation assignments or language classes.

This is an excellent website for teachers. It has many ELA, science, social studies, math, and more resources. You can create interactive activities for your students online or have them watch videos about different topics you are covering in class.

A teacher can create a personal account to access the courseware and other resources on the website. The resources include lesson plans , articles, and even video tutorials for teachers to use in their classrooms.

MathPlayground allows students to learn math in a fun way through games, logic puzzles, and other interactive activities. There are levels available for every type of learner, from preschool to high school. There are also lesson plans and quizzes available that educators can use in the classroom or as homework assignments.

This site provides free access to math games, making this dreaded subject fun for the students. You can even manipulate the existing problems to suit your needs or use the existing ones. 

This tool allows you to access academic material, which you can edit per your needs and share with the students. You can even create your own digital library. They have resources for various subjects and students of all ages. 

If you love to teach literature, ReadWriteThink is a must-check resource. It offers a variety of lessons and activities that integrate reading strategies and comprehension skills into every class. You can also find printable resources such as graphic organizers, bookmarks, and worksheets.

YouTube is an obvious choice for audiovisual design learning teaching tools. Teachers can use the video platform to show their students documentaries, lectures, and music videos corresponding to their lesson plans.

It is a free language teaching tool that works great on mobile devices and the web. The best part is that it has games to keep students interested and engaged while learning vocabulary and grammar skills for the language of their choice.

In the same way that TED Talks are a new form of a speaking forum, TED-Ed is a new learning resource. TED-Ed’s commitment to creating lessons worth sharing is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas. You will find carefully curated educational videos within TED-Ed’s growing library of TED-Ed animations, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed website.

12. Ted Talks

It is a globally recognized repository of inspiring and educational videos. You can play these as an additional learning resource. 

13. IL Classroom

If you haven’t checked out IL Classroom, earlier known as LearnZillion, you must! They have so many free resources for teachers. From lesson plans to videos that teach different skills. Assessments are built into each lesson plan, making review easy for teachers and students.

Organizational Tools

Organizational tools help you keep track of your classes, assignments, and other important dates and share particular information with students and parents. They also help with making schedules and to-do lists and taking notes. Here are some of such resources: 

1 . eduClipper

It allows you to share resources found on the internet and create a repository for the entire group. It makes it easy for students to collaborate on portfolios and research work.

It is a simple online storage tool that you can use to collect and maintain submissions. 

3. Google Docs  

Google Docs is the most straightforward tool to use for textual assignments. Students and teachers can collaborate in real time and download the contents as PDFs. 

Popplet is a fantastic visual thinking teaching tool that allows your students to organize their thoughts, create collaborative projects, and more. This is an excellent tool for teachers encouraging students to use their creativity when learning new subjects.

5. Word Cloud Creator

This website allows you to type in words, creating a cloud of words. You can change the colors, grid size, and how the terms are placed on the page. We use this after reading stories to see what words stand out most to us from the story. The students always enjoy seeing what words stand out to their classmates.

6. ActiveInspire

ActiveInspire by Promethean is an interactive whiteboard application with thousands of ready-to-use lessons and activities. You can download this software and hundreds of lesson materials for free on their site! You can also create a free account to create your interactive whiteboard content.

OneNote is a handy tool for teachers to use in the classroom. You can create lessons, take notes, and share them with your students. It is also effortless to collaborate with other teachers and share resources. This is an excellent tool for teachers to benefit from online learning or have a virtual classroom online. It is free, so there is no reason not to try it out if you are unsure what classroom environment you will teach.

8. Google Slides

This easy-to-use and freely available tool by Google is a must-have for students. They can collaborate on homework and activities in real time and share their work with the teachers. 

Presentation Tools

Presentation tools, including presentation software, document cameras, and digital whiteboards, help teachers create engaging presentations to capture students’ attention. These interactive teaching tools can add multimedia elements such as images, videos, and audio clips, display physical documents, books, and 3D objects, and teach students in a fun and interactive way.

1. PicMonkey

PicMonkey is one of the most popular free photo editing tools available online. Students can create customized graphics for presentations, social media posts, or emails to other students. The tool has dozens of pre-made templates for pictures, such as Facebook cover photos or Pinterest graphics, but students can also upload their images and make their creations from scratch.

This online picture editing tool can create animations, designs, and picture cards from scratch or use their professional templates. 

This online tool lets you add subtitles to videos. Creating and sharing video content for your lectures can be helpful. 

4. Thinglink

It can help create engaging and interactive digital media using images, videos, models, and texts. It is easy to learn and can help you create engaging digital learning experiences . 

5. Storybird

This novel platform helps kids develop reading, writing, and storytelling. They can participate in monthly challenges, writing prompts , and quizzes. Teachers can also use it to create animated stories and books for the children. 

Buncee is an online canvas where students can create anything they want — stories, presentations, and even games! The most fantastic thing about Buncee is that it has endless possibilities. If students know what they want to create and express, Buncee will efficiently cater to their learning needs.

7. EdPuzzle

EdPuzzle helps teachers take control of any video on the internet by adding audio notes directly into the video at specific times and inserting questions throughout the video for students to answer as they watch the video.

8. Pear Deck

Pear Deck is a digital whiteboard that allows teachers and students to interact differently. It’s as easy as PPT but far more engaging. This tool will enable teachers to share their PowerPoints or Google Slides with students by adding interactive slides. Pear Deck also allows students to answer questions independently and share ideas with the class.

Prezi makes a change from the more traditional PowerPoint presentations. It creates an environment where teachers can create a presentation with a zoomable canvas, which means you can zoom in and out of different sections of your presentation and add motion, effects, and 3D elements (in the paid version). Teachers can also collaborate with students to track their progress, give feedback, and share resources. Further, it allows you to present anywhere through the web, including your mobile devices – perfect for traveling teachers!

10. Microsoft Sway

Microsoft Sway is a presentation tool designed to allow users to create and share interactive reports, presentations, personal stories, or newsletters. You can develop Sways with text, images, and videos. You can also insert YouTube videos and Twitter feeds into your Sways. Sway content is responsive to different screen sizes and automatically adapts itself to optimize the content for the device’s size.

11. Powtoon

Powtoon is one of the best free animation tools out there. It has a simple drag-and-drop interface that allows users to create custom animations in minutes. The result is a professional-looking video that you can use for various classroom purposes, including creating lesson introductions and reviews with animated characters, objects, and text bubbles. Users can even incorporate audio into their presentations, creating an engaging student experience.

12. Animoto

It provides a user-friendly interface for beginners to create quality videos that can be visual aids during the class. You can use its simple drag-and-drop features and free music from their libraries. 

This is another simple-to-use design tool that you can use to create presentations, maps, infographics, report cards, and certificates. 

Assessment Tools

Assessment tools help teachers assess the learning and progress of students, which they can then analyze to form better teaching strategies as per the performance of students in various aspects. These include online games, quizzes, polls, surveys, and rubric makers.

1. ProProfs Assessment Software

ProProfs Assessment software is a powerful tool designed to streamline assessment and evaluation. Featuring an intuitive interface, it allows users to generate, distribute, and evaluate assessments effortlessly. The software offers a wide range of question types, from multiple choice to essay, ensuring versatility in testing methods. It also provides robust analytics and reporting features, enabling educators and trainers to gain valuable insights into individual and group performance. Whether for educational institutions or corporate training programs, ProProfs Assessment software is a comprehensive solution that enhances assessment efficiency and improves learning outcomes.

It is one of the best free sites for students to learn English grammar. Quill provides various activities, lessons, and even performance analytics. 

3. Socrative

Socrative is an innovative student response system that helps teachers engage students and monitor their comprehension throughout the lesson. It works by gathering data from smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Teachers use Socrative to pose questions during lectures and formative assessments (i.e., exit tickets), allowing students to respond via multiple-choice, short answer, or true/false answers. When students submit their responses, teachers receive feedback on their performance, informing them on what concepts need more improvement.

Quizlet has been around for a long time but only recently became popular. It allows you to share your sets with other users through a web interface or email for them to use them. Users can create their own sets or import existing ones from other sources (such as flashcards). It also supports multiple languages and has an iOS app on the App Store.

5. Plickers

Students answer multiple-choice questions by scanning cards with their phones or tablets. The teacher’s phone or tablet then collects all of their answers, which they can use later in class discussions or share via email with parents and other educators interested in seeing how kids are doing on specific subjects like math, science, or reading comprehension levels.

6. Quizalize

This online quiz platform allows teachers to create custom-made quizzes for their learners about any topic. You don’t need to be an expert on coding or other technical aspects to use this site, as it has been simplified so that all you need to do is choose the topic and prepare your questions and answers, then let the platform know how you want the game to progress. Using its global leaderboard feature, you can share your results and engage with other teachers worldwide, which tracks how your students perform against others from different schools.

This tool is similar to Kahoot! with one significant difference: It doesn’t require a projection screen. Students play Quizizz on their own devices, and answers are projected onto each student’s device as they log in via quizizz.com or their mobile app (available in the Apple App Store).

Classroom Management Tools

These classroom teaching tools help teachers keep track of students’ progress systematically and include online grade books, parent communication tools, and information systems, to name a few. Here are some of the tools:

1. FlipGrid

FlipGrid is one of the best online teaching tools and a web-based platform for educators to share videos. It’s intuitive and straightforward, with various options for teachers to create groups and share videos. This tool is great for teachers looking for more ways to bring video into the classroom. We love Flip Grid because it helps teachers encourage students to learn from others, not only from the teacher. Students can use FlipGrid in various subjects and classes: Spanish, history, science, and math!

With Nearpod, there’s no need to be tech-savvy. The platform is intuitive and straightforward so that anyone can use it. You can enhance existing lessons by adding interactivity. Create your assignments from scratch. Assess students through real-time polling, quizzes, open-ended questions, and more. Then, share lesson materials with students and parents to revisit and review the content at home. All in one place!

3. Baamboozle

It is a free site where students can play games designed by teachers. There are over 900,000 games like Rhyming Riddles, Tongue Twisters, etc.

Padlet is one of the most popular digital bulletin boards out there. It’s simple and easy to use. Students can post their projects on the board to share with peers and teachers, or you can use Padlet as a platform for students to collaborate on projects together. It can create visual boards using images, text, wallpapers, Venn diagrams, etc, and can be used for reading and listening.

5. TeachThought

The blog is an excellent resource for teachers as it provides them with innovative ideas for classroom practices. It has over five categories: technology, pedagogy , curriculum, learning spaces, and professional development.

Choosing the Right Teaching Tools for Your Students

What are the best teaching tools for your students? It depends on their age, learning style, and whether you teach in person or remotely.

The first thing to understand is that education is changing. You can use the discussed interactive online teaching tools to stay ahead of the curve to teach your students.

Several factors can influence which teaching tools you choose. Here are some of the most important ones:

Age of the students

Younger kids will benefit from different tools than older students.

Learning style

Some students learn best with hands-on experiences, while others prefer educational videos or interactive learning games.

Remote or In-person classes

The best tools might differ from what works in a traditional classroom setting if you’re teaching remotely.

Wrapping It Up

Now that you know what all these best online educational tools can do for you, you can get creative with these to make your next class more fun and efficient. With these digital teaching tools, you can help students access more dynamic and precise online information. This allows them to research and present projects on topics they relate to or can get enough relevant information about them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can teachers introduce a lesson.

Teachers can use digital whiteboards or introductory videos to introduce a new lesson to make learning more engaging and effective. There are many free online tools for teachers to teach creatively and effectively.

How can technology help teachers engage students more effectively?

Technology can help teachers engage students more effectively by providing new and exciting ways for them to learn. Students can learn more effectively and engagingly with so many new tools available.

How can I get started with using technology in my classroom?

If you’re new to using technology in the classroom, familiarizing yourself with some of the most popular tools is an excellent place to start. Google Classroom, SplashLearn, and SurveyMonkey are all great options for teachers looking to use technology in their classrooms.

What are some of the benefits of using technology in the classroom?

Some benefits of using technology in the classroom include increased engagement, improved assessment , and more efficient communication. Technology can also help you save time and money by providing various readily available resources online.

How can I overcome the challenges of using technology in the classroom?

One way to overcome the challenges of using technology in the classroom is to start small and gradually incorporate new tools for teaching as you become more comfortable with them. Additionally, many resources, such as online tutorials, webinars, and professional development courses, are available to help teachers learn more about using technology in the classroom.

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GOOGLE WORKSPACE FOR EDUCATION

Empower educators with tools to t r a n s f o r m   e d u c a t i o n

Secure your learning environment, enhance instructional impact, and prepare students for the future with Google Workspace for Education.

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Easy to use

Empower your educators with easy-to-use tools so they can focus on teaching and reduce the need for professional development.

Private and secure

Protect your education community with tools that are secure by default and private by design.

Prepares students

Teach and learn with the confidence that your digital learning environment will work as it should.

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Invest in a comprehensive solution and reduce the need for other EdTech.

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Built on the world’s first carbon-neutral cloud, Google Workspace for Education is designed to be easy on the planet.

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Google Workspace for Education solutions offer choice and flexibility. Find the right fit for your education community.

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Education fundamentals.

for qualifying institutions

• Education Fundamentals", "link_type": "internal", "link_url": "/workspace-for-education/editions/education-fundamentals", "module_name": "", "position": 1, "section_header": ""}}' tabindex="0"> Explore Education Fundamentals

A suite of tools that enables collaborative learning opportunities on a secure platform. 1

Includes teaching and learning essentials, like:

Collaboration with Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Gmail, Drive, Meet, Sites, Chat, and Calendar

Security and administrative tools in the Google Admin console

100 TB of pooled cloud storage shared by your organization

Education Standard

per student, per year

Get one staff license at no charge for every four student licenses.

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Advanced security and analytics to help you proactively protect your community from digital threats.

Includes features from Education Fundamentals, plus:

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Teaching and Learning Upgrade

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or $48 USD per license when billed annually

Choose how many of your staff need licenses.

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Enhanced teaching and learning tools to help educators enhance instructional impact.

Classroom features to deliver more enriched and personalized learning

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An all-in-one solution with advanced security and analytics, teaching and learning features, and more.

Includes features from all other editions, and more:

Advanced security and analytics to help you proactively protect your community from digital threats

Additional enhanced teaching and learning tools to help educators enhance instructional impact

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Additional Drive storage for each staff and student license

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Empower educators to create courses, manage classes, and get insights on student activity with Classroom.

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Find answers to commonly asked questions

What editions does google workspace for education offer.

Google Workspace for Education offers Education Fundamentals to all qualifying institutions at no cost. For those that want more premium features, Google also offers paid editions including Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Education Plus.

How much does each edition within Google Workspace for Education cost?

For pricing information and specific features included in each of the Google Workspace for Education editions, please visit our comparison chart .

Are there differences in storage across editions?

All editions provide schools with 100TB of storage shared across the institution. Additional storage is provided with the Teaching and Learning Upgrade and Education Plus editions based on the number of licenses purchased. Please review our comparison chart for more details or visit our Visit our Help Center .

Can I have more than one edition at the same time?

You must have an Education Fundamentals edition to upgrade to any of the other editions (Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, or Education Plus)

You cannot have Education Plus in combination with Education Standard or the Teaching and Learning Upgrade — only Education Fundamentals

You can have a combination of Education Standard and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade at the same time. Although we believe the maximum value of those combined editions can be realized in Education Plus, we wanted to be as flexible as possible to school community needs.

Are discounts available and/or are there incentives for longer term commitments?

Yes, Google offers automatic discounts for customers that contractually commit to a multi-year purchase (two years or more) of Google Workspace for Education Plus. To learn more, please connect with your Google Workspace for Education partner reseller and/or Google for Education representative.

When upgrading to a paid edition of Google Workspace for Education (Plus, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and/or Standard), will I need to sign a new Workspace for Education Terms of Service agreement?

No, there is no need for a new Workspace for Education contract nor an addendum.

Can I upgrade/downgrade between the editions?

Customers who purchase the Teaching and Learning Upgrade can add Education Standard at any time (and vice versa) as well as upgrade to Education Plus.

Customers can reevaluate continuing with their subscription or downgrade at the end of their subscription term.

What is the duration of a paid Google Workspace for Education subscription?

All paid Google Workspace for Education editions are available as annual subscriptions, and pricing is locked for the duration of the subscription term. However, institutions can also purchase the Teaching and Learning Upgrade on a monthly subscription, as an alternative to purchasing it as an annual subscription.

How is Education Fundamentals different from G Suite for Education?

Education Fundamentals is the new name for G Suite for Education. If your school is using G Suite for Education today, you don’t have to take any action to transition to Education Fundamentals. All customers who have purchased G Suite Enterprise for Education will receive new features and functionality that are released to the new Google Workspace for Education editions. Your school's experience with our tools, as well as our qualifications for new customers to gain access to them, will remain the same.

Is it possible to trial the paid Google Workspace for Education editions?

Yes, our authorized Google Workspace for Education partners can provision 60 day trials for Education Plus, Education Standard, and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade. 50 licenses are provided for the trial. If you don’t have a partner, you can find a partner in our Partner Directory .

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Visit our Help Center for more details on Education Fundamentals.

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10 Teacher Picks for Best Tech Tools

Teachers and administrators from pre-K through 12th grade named these tools their top picks for this year and beyond.

If there was ever a year for teachers to beg, borrow, and steal good ideas, this is it. All good teachers know this is how we get better, and this is a curated list of tech tools that I have begged and borrowed from others—and I didn’t have to steal any of these as there has never been a year when teachers were more generous.

Based on my own teaching of college students as well as the responses of 1,461 virtual learning academy participants—pre-K to 12 teachers and administrators—to survey questions on impactful tools that I conducted from May to December 2020, and over 70 webinars and virtual learning sessions I’ve conducted in that time, these are the top teacher-tested tech tools I have identified. My learning has happened with my own students and through my own mistakes, and I received great ideas from educators across the U.S. and around the world.

I will continue to use these tools and recommend their use regardless of student level or how we deliver education moving forward.

Top Tech Tools for Educators

10. Parlay : For those of us who like to discuss rich texts with students, Parlay lets us connect with students remotely, facilitate discussion, and track how the dialogue builds. As students respond, Parlay shows who is contributing and where the conversation is moving as the software visually tracks student responses in a discussion web. Teachers can use built-in tools to assess the frequency of students’ answers in real time even when students are not in the same room. Teachers can then spend their time on deeper level assessment of the depth of student responses, which can also be recorded.

9. Flip : One of the most popular tech tools in schools, Flip won praise from teachers across the country because of the flexibility it gives students to submit digital projects and how it effectively supports peer and teacher feedback. [ Editor’s note: Microsoft has closed down Flip. Padlet may be a viable alternative.]

8. Edpuzzle : I’ve used Edpuzzle for a while, but it became much more vital as more of my content shifted online. Teachers use Edpuzzle to make video clips interactive by requiring student responses, which are easy to collect and assess.

7. Pear Deck : Pear Deck does to Google Slides what Edpuzzle does to videos. Slides become interactive, and teachers are able to collect feedback immediately.

6. Prezi : I’ve used the virtual presentation software Prezi for years, and I appreciate a recent update that allows me to be on the same screen with the graphics, creating a more engaging presentation. Prezi offers teachers another tool to capture short lectures, explanations, or other content in a more visually appealing and personal way than as a disembodied voice or thumbnail in the bottom corner of a screen.

5. Screencastify : Every student can be Sal Khan working out problems with explanations. This tool was first recommended to me by a teacher in Kenya, who explained how Screencastify transformed her math assessments by allowing students to show what they’re thinking from wherever they happen to be working. Screencastify is also valuable for reducing cheating as teachers can observe students working and explaining problems instead of just recording answers.

4. Mural : This has been a lifesaver for virtual collaboration. Mural allows teachers, students, and other contributors to write on virtual sticky notes and then organize and reorganize them in real time. The best in-person meetings are always the ones where the collective expertise of the room can be captured visually, and if we can’t be in the same room with students—or colleagues—Mural is the next best thing. Even better, there’s no need to go back and summarize or clean up evidence from the meeting. The Mural is the artifact. Many teachers are now using Jamboard in a similar way.

3. Gimkit : Created by a high school student who thought he could improve upon Kahoot! , Gimkit allows teachers to create question sets that students can answer over and over again while competing against each other, which is great for surface learning and review. Because Gimkit allows for repetition of answers and has a variety of ways for students to earn points, students remain engaged as they work at their own pace.

2. Mentimeter and Slido : These are both excellent for collecting feedback from groups, so I’ve ranked them together. I use these almost weekly for professional learning and in my classes. Slido allows participants to ask questions and then upvote others. There are many similar tools, but Slido is easy and free. Mentimeter allows students and teachers to collect real-time data on questions they have, in the form of word clouds, rankings, and various scales. These are great discussion starters that allow everyone to contribute to the collective wisdom of the group.

1. Learning management system: A good LMS is key to reducing stress for teachers, students, and parents. A list like this one would be counterproductive if it left your educational delivery fragmented among disparate tools, and a good LMS helps you organize everything into a one-stop shop.

I personally love Canvas and Schoology , but I know many teachers have worked miracles with Google Classroom , which is “free.” I use those quotes for a reason: Google Classroom is only truly free if it is not requiring significantly more human capital in the form of time and energy than a fee-for-service platform like Canvas or Schoology. The most significant asset for managing learning in the chaos of this school year has been staying organized, and Canvas has been a lifesaver for me.

I have taught virtually, led professional learning across many time zones, delivered content asynchronously, and taught students in masks with others Zooming in due to quarantine, Covid, or personal preference. For me, nothing will ever replace in-person teaching and learning, but like many other teachers and administrators, I now know how to effectively facilitate learning in a previously unimaginable set of circumstances. This school year’s desperation has driven us to explore a wide range of tools, and we can be better because of the firehose learning we have done this year. We just need a few tools to create some space for us to breathe.

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30+ Virtual Learning Platforms and Tools for Teachers and Kids

Keep your online classroom running smoothly.

Teaching virtually? Virtual learning platforms are key for streamlining student login, hosting digital and interactive lesson plans, allowing for communication, launching video chats, and more! But there are so many out there, it’s hard to know to start. After a year of virtual teaching, we’ve learned a lot about the tech tools that really work, and the ones that don’t.

Of course, you’ll want virtual learning tools that sync with your district, have privacy policies that work with children, and contain the best fit for your needs. We’ve gathered the top ones here:

3P Learning

Create learning experiences that stick with blended learning tools for mathematics and literacy. Delivered from you to your learner, wherever they are.

With Bloomz, teachers and schools save time by having all the tools they need to communicate with today’s parents and students in one easy-to-use (and free) app.

This online learning resources platform gives teachers the ability to create online lessons, boards for students to share their thoughts and work, and collaborative learning spaces. It provides teachers the ability to easily communicate with kids and parents, too.

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The ClassDojo platform has a communication tool that makes it easy to stay in touch and track student progress too.

This platform helps teachers create and share online lessons using their easy tools. The ability to offer differentiated paths within the same lesson is a nice feature. (Note: Requires teachers and students to have Google or Microsoft accounts.)

Build a connected campus! Hundreds of education providers have started using Dialpad for not only video conferencing but also as a phone system to keep campuses, students, and staff connected. Keep students engaged while using enterprise-level security to ensure privacy protection and security standards.

Send messages, share class materials, and make learning accessible anywhere. Save yourself time by bringing all your classroom tools together. EdModo also offers resources for helping you understand how to make distance learning work for your students.

Create interactive online lessons using a video clip of your choice. This tool provides accountability and tracking for student progress, too.

Edulastic is an online K-12 tool that allows teachers to make their own assessments and assignments or choose from over 35,000 pre-made assessments.

Teachers can access a collection of learning paths from some of the most well-known thought leaders in education. Topics cover Understanding by Design Habits of Mind, Social Emotional Learning, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, Personalized Learning, and Growth Mindset.

Explain Everything Whiteboard

Create interactive lessons and collaborative spaces for your virtual classroom with these real-time tools.

Students and teachers can record short videos to document and share their learning. Consider it social media for learning, and a great way to stay in touch!

Genially offers interactive visual communication tools to create presentations, interactive images, infographics, and more. Many of their premium templates and resources are now available for free, for everyone.

Google Classroom

Many teachers already use this as one of the top virtual learning platforms for their classrooms. There is a lot to explore here, but most of it is easy to use, so don’t be afraid to dive in! Once you’ve started, make sure to check out resources for Google Meet , Google Slides , and check out these Google Slides Templates .

Teachers can control student screens during remote instruction while keeping students focused, accountable, and motivated at home. Habyts allows parents 24/7 visibility of screen time and school-assigned tasks, targets, goals, and rewards.

Get the most out of Google Classroom and other Google tools with this platform. They offer webinars and other resources to help teachers create and manage the best virtual classrooms.

Engage students with their distance learning features, play in class, and dive into game reports to assess learning. Create your own Kahoots! or choose from 40+ million existing games. Check out our favorite ways for teachers to use Kahoot!

A collaborative online image and video editor with a cloud storage workspace. Teachers can make video lessons to send to students for remote learning. Students can work together on a group project. Classrooms can share multimedia projects with each other.

ManagedMethods

ManagedMethods is an easy, affordable platform developed for school district IT teams to manage data security risks and detect student safety signals in the cloud.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft has a wealth of products, but Teams is great for education! Build collaborative classrooms, connect in professional learning communities, and connect with colleagues. Conduct individual and group chats, store files, and even make calls through the platform. Plus your virtual classroom stays secure.

It’s hard to hold class discussions with no class, right? That’s where this site comes in. Create your own topic, or ask their team to create a custom discussion prompt just for your class.

A communications hub that connects people via chat and video.

Create a learning loop between students, teachers, and families. Students show their learning, teachers gain insights, and families stay engaged. You’ll also find intuitive tools like draw+record, collage, video, and more.

With all of your resources and communication in one place, Slack can keep students engaged and connected when everyone’s remote.

Enables teachers to create an easy start hub for their classroom. This start hub makes it easy for students to access all their educational resources and tools.

A grading and student feedback system that extends Google Classroom functionality, with the ability to link assignments to custom or standardized educational objectives from the US.

A collaborative presentation tool used for all grade levels that works perfectly for the remote classroom.

Companies across the world use Webex to keep their teams in contact remotely. They offer lots of tools that are ideal for taking your classes online.

A free tool to help maintain interactivity and effective pedagogy. Their goal is to capture the attention of students to improve their learning whether they’re in the classroom or at home taking an online course.

Digital exit tickets made easy!

Project your lessons in group settings with zoom. You can even record the sessions for students who need to review later. This video and audio conferencing tool has a chat functionality where students can ask questions as you teach. Plus check out our Zoom tips for teachers .

Feeling overwhelmed? Wondering what virtual learning platforms are best for you? Join fellow educators in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  to get support from others just like you.

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The 53 Best Teaching Tools in 2024

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Helen Colman See full bio →

This piece explores some of the most innovative online teaching software, educational technology tools, and eLearning platforms that are designed to take your classroom to the next level. We’ve carefully classified these tools to help you navigate among them with ease. Feel free to check out these apps, test them out, and select those that fit best in your students’ learning environment.

Digital Learning Apps for Teachers

Here are some online technology tools for teaching and learning. These apps allow you to do a variety of things: create topic-specific lessons with videos and voice-overs, add assessments, analyze students’ performance, and provide feedback. Some are all-in-one solutions, enabling you to do everything in a single place!

1. iSpring Free

iSpring Free is one of the best online educational tools. It is a lightweight eLearning solution that helps teachers create mobile-compatible online courses with engaging quizzes instead of dull PowerPoint presentations. iSpring’s main advantage is its simplicity. Its intuitive interface works even for novice course developers who want to create an unlimited number of courses quickly and easily.

Download iSpring Free now

2. Edpuzzle

Edpuzzle enables you to create interactive, flexible, self-paced video lessons with embedded audio notes, assessment tools, and quizzes. Using its analytics tool, you can track the students’ progress in watching your videos and their understanding of the content.

Students can take a flexible and self-paced learning approach using Edpuzzle, with micro-lessons to guide them along the way.

3. Starfall

Starfall was initially designed as an online platform for teaching kids how to read. Its phonics-based learning model supports online games and is coupled with a print series for home and classroom use. The app also includes movies, songs, teaching practices, and math activities for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grades 1 to 5.

The Quill platform offers a set of creative tools you can use to teach writing, vocabulary, and grammar across all grade levels. With Quill and its teacher’s toolkit, you can create engaging classroom activities that include reconstructing sentences, proofreading passages, creating new passages, and more.

5. Google Docs

Google Docs is a part of the free Google Docs suite within Google Drive. This word processor lets you create and edit documents, review your students’ work, and leave comments to provide feedback.

Lesson Planning Tools

Planning classes is an important yet challenging part of a teacher’s work. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions to make lesson planning more convenient and effective. Check out some of the best teacher tools you can leverage to organize classes for free.

6. Planboard, by Chalk

Planboard is a top lesson planning tool for teachers. Use this teaching technology tool to design lesson plans on iPhones, iPads, or Android devices. It allows you to attach files, photos, and videos, and check them during an offline or online class. Additionally, plans can be customized, edited, archived, and shared with your colleagues.

7. PlanbookEdu

PlanbookEdu is another top teaching software for generating teachers’ online planning lessons. It functions like a printed book but can be edited to add texts online. This software makes creating, sharing, and printing lesson plans a breeze. The free version limits your capacity to attach images and files to your plans.

8. Evernote

Evernote wasn’t designed with teachers in mind, but its free version is one of the most outstanding apps for teachers’ daily lesson planning. It enables you to collect ideas, articles, and images. Additionally, you can make to-do lists, store everything in a single place, and access it at any time. Teachers can also use Evernote for personal and professional development and organizing their lives.

Paymo is a project management platform that enables teachers to organize classwork, develop lesson plans, and keep track of fulfilled tasks. The software provides various permission levels, giving students access to their coursework and facilitating collaboration.

Content Sources for Teachers

In order for teachers to prepare even more useful and enjoyable lessons, it’s crucial to have a list of trustworthy websites with valuable resources. Here are some reliable content hubs.

Ted-Ed enables you to create lessons around video content and evaluate how well your students comprehend the content.

11. YouTube Teachers

YouTube Teachers is a YouTube channel with educational videos to inspire and engage your learners. The Khan Academy, Ted-Ed, PBS, and other leading organizations and industry experts have created over 29 video playlists for the channel.

12. YouTube Edu

YouTube Edu is another YouTube channel that offers playlists on various subjects, from physics and chemistry to filmmaking and public speaking.

13. TED Talks

TED Talks are videos from experts in business, education, tech, and science subtitled in 100+ languages. Integrate TED Talks into your lessons to nurture creativity and innovation in your students.

14. TeacherTube

TeacherTube is a free platform for teachers to share video lectures and other materials, such as tutorials, lesson plans, and notes. You can also attach assessments and learning activities, browse other teachers’ content, and connect with colleagues who share your interests.

Also read →   The Ultimate Guide to Lecture Capture: How to Get It Right

15. SchoolTube

SchoolTube is a free video hosting platform for integrating K–12 video content into your lessons without using YouTube. It offers unlimited video hosting, creation apps for video and audio, shareable playlists, automatic closed captioning, and a video quiz app.

16. Google Books

Google Books is a service that offers unlimited access to scanned books, documents, and magazines. It allows you to save, bookmark, or download any relevant books.

17. Readworks

Readworks supports elementary to high school students in building their background knowledge and enhancing their literacy. As a teacher, you can initiate reading groups according to their abilities and interests, monitor their reading comprehension, and assign extra-credit tasks for students as they complete reading assignments.

18. Bibsonomy

Bibsonomy is a user-friendly tool for managing publications and bookmarks, collaborating with colleagues, and finding new teaching materials. You can tag publication entries and bookmarks to simplify information searches.

19. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is a digital library offering over 70,000 free e-books that you can download or read online, focusing on quality literature and works in the public domain.

20. Teach Learn Lead

Teach Learn Lead is a community that supports, encourages, and connects new teachers as they start their careers. It features the global education library, a curated hub of K–12 research and professional development resources.

21. ReadWriteThink

ReadWriteThink is another collection of numerous free lessons and resources developed by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. All lesson plans on this platform are engaging, research-based, and aligned with education standards. You can browse lessons by grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) and by areas of literacy practice: learning through language, learning language, and learning about language.

Presentation and Design Tools

Visual content is an effective asset for achieving your teaching-learning objectives. If you want to save time when designing your presentation or lack the advanced editing skills to work with CorelDRAW and Photoshop, opt for easy-to-use tech tools for teachers from the list.

Visme is a user-friendly eLearning platform that’s used for creating interactive presentations. The solution offers a wide variety of customizable templates, team collaboration features, and even an AI-powered design generator.

23. Gapminder

Gapminder is a fact tank of animated statistics. The website offers posters, interactive presentations, graphs, and handouts on global facts that can enhance your teaching content.

Pixlr is a free graphic design software that gives you complete control over your pictures. You can add filters and borders and perform basic image editing using the Pixlr editor.

The platform has AI features, including an open AI photo editor and an AI image generator. This can expedite your work by generating edits, as per your request. It now also supports batch editing and animation.  

25. Animoto

Animoto is a free online video editor that converts your selection of photos and videos into slideshows. You can create your own presentation or just drag and drop your pictures and video clips into a pre-built presentation template.

Also read →   Best Interactive Tools for Presentations

26. Smilebox

Smilebox is one of the web apps for teachers that are used for creating slideshows, collages, photo albums, and much more. As a teacher, you can make certificates, parent and student newsletters, and school photo albums and then share them online.

Pixton is a cartoon creation platform that allows your students to create comic strips to represent their understanding of concepts. It offers numerous background options, characters, and different sets of comic strip layouts that your students can use to design comics and storyboards.

28. Chartsbin

Chartsbin is one of the online teaching and assessment tools that’s geared for the visualization of data. Teachers use this software to introduce different topics using infographics and diagrams. You can also use the application to train your students to create infographics from the material they have learned to show their knowledge of the subject.

29. Tableau Public

Tableau Public is a free data visualization platform. Teachers use it to create interactive graphs, maps, and live dashboards in short order. The app is also useful for managing in-class exercises and homework assignments. Moreover, there’s an active community, so you’ll easily find like-minded data enthusiasts and be able to connect with them.

Video Recording Teaching Software

Videos, screen recordings, and voice-overs can help you keep your audience engaged during lessons and lectures. Here are the tools for creating high-quality video teaching materials.

30. Free Cam

Free Cam offers a comprehensive set of features for creating professional presentations and video lessons. The app allows you to record screencasts , edit videos, and upload them to YouTube or send them to your students.

31. Vocaroo

Vocaroo is a free online tool that allows teachers to record, send, and download voice notes. The platform enables you to podcast, broadcast, tell stories, and give feedback. Recordings are typically available for three months.

32. MovAvi Screen Recorder

MovAvi Screen Recorder is an app that is widely used in eLearning. The tool offers full-screen or custom area video recording, webcam capture, real-time drawing on recordings, keystroke highlighting, and noise reduction. You won’t need advanced editing skills to work with MovAvi.

33. Screencastify

Screencastify is a screencasting app that enables teachers to record video lessons, create video feedback, and personalize learning experiences. This solution also allows teachers to see who has watched their videos and how many times.

Gamification Tools

Let’s explore some exciting interactive teacher tools that can turn a virtual classroom into a fun experience. These tools will turn your remote lessons into a vibrant experience for learners using interactive videos, sounds, pictures, quizzes, and animation.

34. Free Quiz Maker

Free Quiz Maker is an online platform you can use to build interactive assessments and exams for students using multiple-choice, multiple response, and short answer questions that gather student responses conveniently. 

The teacher’s toolkit on the app enables you to set scoring parameters, the number of attempts allowed, and time limits. Ready-made quizzes can be uploaded to any LMS, including Moodle and Blackboard. You can also use Free Quiz Maker to create surveys.

35. Blooket

Blooket is an interactive teaching tool that allows you to create question sets, customize quizzes, and analyze students’ performance. The platform comes with a wide variety of game modes to keep learners engaged.

36. Kahoot!

Kahoot! is an excellent game-based eLearning platform that’s ideal for creating fun activities and learning games for students. The software allows you to build quizzes on any topic in any language and customize them with diagrams, images, and videos. Students can use unique game codes on their devices or apps to log in to the platform and join “kahoots” (games).

You can create a kahoot from scratch or use an existing question bank within the platform. Moreover, you can use its interactive teaching tools to host live virtual classes and use kahoots as part of distance learning during or after class.

37. SpellQuiz

SpellQuiz focuses on helping kids and adults understand phonics. The platform contains English spelling lessons for individuals from Grade 1 to Adult, as well as fun quizzes and engaging word games.

38. Quizizz

Quizizz is a free tech tool that enables teachers to quiz students on social sciences, computer science, technical education, and art as a timed test or homework with a fixed deadline.

39. MakeBeliefsComix

MakeBeliefsComix is an in-browser comics creator that offers various ways to enhance learning in a virtual classroom. For example, you can have your students create comic strips to practice new vocabulary, develop conversational skills, or stimulate creative writing.

Teaching Software Tools for Classroom Management

There are plenty of teacher tools that can help you plan lessons, mark attendance, assign homework, and grade students. You can benefit from the classroom tools, online platforms, and add-ons mentioned below. They streamline all these processes to improve communication between you and your students and enhance the learning process.

40. Class123

Class123 is an app for teachers that allows them to manage classrooms online. The platform includes a chalkboard, a random name picker, a seating chart, and other interactive tech tools for efficient class management. 

It helps you keep track of students’ attendance and behavior, share stories and photos on boards, and let students interact privately via messages.

41. Flubaroo

Flubaroo is a Google Spreadsheets add-on developed for creating multiple-choice and fill-in assignments, grading and analyzing online student performance, sharing results with students, and affixing stickers and badges to completed tasks.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Here’s a list of online teaching platforms that will help you make the teaching process easier and more efficient. It includes teaching communities, educational resource-sharing tools, videoconferencing software, and apps for teachers conducting online discussions.

Flip , an online collaboration solution by Microsoft, offers a user-friendly video discussion experience for parents and educators from Pre-K to PhD. Teachers can create digital whiteboards or discussion topics to share with students. And students can record and share their videos with their peers.

43. Teacheroo

Teacheroo is the only social network specifically designed for teachers worldwide. Here, you can share educational resources and tips, and interact with other teachers’ content through comments, likes, and reposts, helping you build professional relationships.

Ziplet allows you to collect real-time feedback from your students. You can type questions directly or choose from a curated library of best practice questions. Students get instant notifications and can respond immediately.

45. ClassDojo

ClassDojo enables schools to bring parents, teachers, and school administrators into the classroom, where they can track students and enhance classroom behavior in real time.

46. Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a free educational tool that enables teachers to hold online classes, invite students, assign homework, discuss tasks, and track student progress. It integrates seamlessly with other Google apps, such as Google Slides, Docs, Sheets, and Drive, allowing you to work on multiple documents without a hitch.

Bloomz is an interactive app that helps teachers and schools share updates, events, and photos with parents securely. You can also send alerts about upcoming parent-teacher meetings to emails and smartphones with a single click.

Assessment Tools in Teaching

These educational tools are used to assess students’ knowledge, assign homework, and record grades.

48. Plickers

Plickers is an eLearning platform and assessment tool that teachers can use to collect poll data without students having to use a device, a pen, or paper. Students only need to rotate a card to show their answers, and you can collect answers by scanning them using your Android smartphone.

Educators can plan Plickers or use them on the go to check students’ comprehension and conduct polls. Additionally, Plickers cards come in different sizes for large classes, and with large fonts for younger learners.

49. Show My Homework

Show My Homework is an assessment tool that educators can use to manage homework much more easily. The accompanying mobile app allows teachers to quickly assign homework tasks, track student submissions, and record grades, even on the go.

50. FreeOnlineSurveys

With FreeOnlineSurveys , you can build online tests, surveys, and forms using the drag-and-drop feature. It comes with a data-reporting tool that enables you to analyze the progress and performance of your students. Additionally, it now supports AI, which can help you generate student surveys within minutes.

Anti-Cheating Software

Students constantly invent new ways to cheat on tests and exams instead of going to the trouble of studying. Here are some apps that will help you detect plagiarism and reduce cheating attempts in online testing environments.

51. DupliChecker

DupliChecker is another educational tool that allows you to scan texts for plagiarism. The website supports a variety of formats, such as Microsoft Word and PDF documents. To check more than one text per day, you’ll need a free account. And if you create one, you still have a limit of 1,000 words per search. To scan larger texts, you’ll need a paid account.

52. Plagiarism Detector

Plagiarism Detector is an educational software for checking texts in English, French, German, Italian, and other languages. You can check up to 1,000 words for free without creating an account.

53. QueText

QueText boasts an intuitive, clean interface, making it a user-friendly solution for plagiarism checks. The app generates insightful reports, clearly showing copied parts of texts and their sources.

This platform now includes an AI checker to test for academic content created using language learning models like ChatGPT and others. 

However, a free account allows only up to 500 words per plagiarism search and 250 words per AI search. For regular use, you’ll need the paid version.

FAQ on Best Free Online Teaching Tools

1. how many types of teaching tools are there.

Many types of teaching tools are available, each with its own unique advantages and use cases for educators and students in different settings. Here’s how we categorize them to help you choose what’s right for your unique needs. 

• Digital learning apps for teachers
• Lesson planning tools
• Content sources for teachers
• Presentation and design tools
• Video recording teaching software
• Gamification tools
• Teaching software tools for classroom management
• Communication and collaboration tools
• Assessment tools in teaching
• Anti-cheating software

2. Why are teaching tools needed in education?

Teaching tools are designed to help educators enhance the learning experience for students in the classroom. These tools make it easier for teachers to share their knowledge with the students while making the learning process exciting, engaging, and memorable.

3. What are the most commonly used teaching aids?

The most common teaching aid used in a classroom setting is probably a pen or pencil and paper, or perhaps the whiteboard (or blackboard). However, there are plenty of other aids an educator can use in the classroom, and they include: 

• Printed materials like textbooks, workbooks, handouts, and worksheets.
• Projectors and screens to display slideshows, videos, animations, and multimedia content.
• Visual aids like posters, charts, graphs, and diagrams.
• Audio-visual materials such as educational videos, documentaries, podcasts, and audio recordings.
• Models, puzzles, blocks, and other hands-on materials, especially in subjects like mathematics and science.
• Educational software and mobile apps that offer interactive simulations, quizzes, games, and exercises.

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30 Of The Best Tools For Remote Teaching And Learning

From screencasting tools to content hubs to streaming and whiteboard collaboration, here are the best remote teaching tools we could find.

contributed by HCOS Learning Commons and updated by TeachThought Staff

See also 43 Great Free Tools For Teachers

This resource collection is self-explanatory and needs very little contextualizing: remote teaching tools are always useful but recently, they’ve become emphasized more than ever–and also have become better than ever themselves, too.

It’s easy to take for granted the sheer volume of quality online learning resources compared to even ten years ago, much less 30.

With that in mind, we can go on to the list of 30 of the best tools for remote teaching and learning that we could find.

Hypothes.is

Use Hypothesis to hold discussions, read socially, organize your research, and take personal notes for reflective teaching, for example.

What is Factile? It is a free game-based learning platform that lets teachers create engaging Jeopardy-style quiz games for the remote or in-person classroom.

Buncee is a creation and presentation tool for students and educators to create interactive classroom content, allowing learners of all ages to visualize concepts and communicate creatively.

Save, organize and present multimedia content with your students, teachers and learning communities with Wakelet (a free tool for teachers).

Flipgrid a free, simple way to foster short video-based discussions on classroom topics. See Ways To Use Flip In The Classroom.

This tool helps you create a custom discussion prompt just for your class. Each student reviews the materials provided and submits a unique response to the discussion prompt.

This popular tool (also useful in the physical classroom) empowers students to document their learning independently. See how one teacher uses Seesaw in her classroom . )

Microsoft Whiteboard

Bring your virtual, remote teaching classroom together on the same virtual canvas, worldwide and across devices. Brainstorm simultaneously in the Whiteboard app or from your browser window.

K-2 online learning for students. This won’t help you plan lessons directly but students can practice skills, take quick diagnostic assessments, and see their own progress over time.

CK-12 allows you to ‘create’ digital textbooks and lessons from materials and resources in science and math through their library of free online textbooks, videos, exercises, flashcards, and real-world applications for over 5000 concepts across the content areas.

According to Wikipedia, Diigo is “a social bookmarking website that allows signed-up users to bookmark and tag Web pages. Additionally, it allows users to highlight any part of a webpage and attach sticky notes to specific highlights or to a whole page.”

Resources, tools, and tips to teach and learn K-12 Chemistry online.

Software to create lessons with informative and interactive assessment activities.

Google Classroom (or Google Drive)

Microsoft OneDrive is a good alternative to Google Drive and useful here as well.

Trello and Redbooth are good alternatives to Slack as well, depending on your usage case/needs.

Netboard.me

Collect, organize, and share any web content.  Create Web pages with texts, links, documents, videos, photos, presentations, etc.

With a basic subscription and a profile that states you’re an education professional, you get PreziNext and PreziVideo for free. You can also access designer templates, millions of reusable presentations, etc.

Slidesmania

Free PowerPoint templates or Google Slides themes for education. You can find simple, formal and even fun templates.

Organize, plan, and center instruction. Sutori’s collaborative nature and ease of use make It the perfect companion for student and teacher presentations.

Symbaloo  

Symbaloo is a cloud-based application that allows users to organize and categorize web links in the form of buttons, offering its PRO version to all educators at no cost.

Google Meet, Hangouts, and other alternatives to Zoom are also available. Further, you can extend its functionality for schools with  20 of the best Zoom Tools For Teachers .

Video lesson creation software with lots of usable content.

A well-known tool in education, Kahoot is a game-based learning platform that seeks to engage and entertain students at school or at home.

Loom makes it easy to record and share video: capture your screen, record your front-facing camera, and narrate it all at once, then instantly share with students with a link.

Facilitates the design of engaging instructional content with various integration features.

Content creation platform that transforms speech or text into animated videos.

Google App Hub for Distance Learning

This is a collection of Google for Education Technology Partner Apps.

Tools to create interactive images, videos, and other multimedia resources.

TeachThought University

Online courses for teachers. TeachThought University is currently in closed beta, but you can sign up to be notified when it will be available for open beta testing here .

Zoom Video Tutorials

Seesaw Training and Professional Development

How To Use Flip: A Guide For Teachers

Google for Education: Enabling Distance Learning with G Suite and Chrome Webinar

Techlearning.com special report online magazine: Tech & Learning: The Just In Time Playbook for Remote Learning .

Remote Teaching Tips from TeachThought

Remote Learning Tips For Parents Helping At Hom e

More Resources And Tools For Remote Teaching And Learning

List of Free At-Home Learning Resources for Elementary Students

TeachThought is an organization dedicated to innovation in education through the growth of outstanding teachers.

The 20 Best Tools for Virtual and Distance Learning

Written by Melanie Arden

• Teacher Resources

Connect with your students and maximize their learning with these effective tools for remote teaching.

• What is distance learning and why is it important?
• What are virtual learning tools?
• Top 20 distance learning tools to accelerate virtual learning
• How to monitor student performance effectively in distance learning
• Realistic expectations for virtual learning

Over the past few years, virtual learning tools have transformed the way educators teach. Not only do these tools simplify lesson plan creation, they also facilitate communication and social interaction between your students.

Distance learning technology continues to grow at a rapid rate and helps teachers like you teach online effectively . Some tools make it easy for you and your students to stay connected, create interactive lessons and build secure campuses. 

No matter what you’re teaching, there are multiple tools to suit your individual needs.

Distance learning encompasses any student learning that doesn't take place in an in-person classroom . Whether it's video lessons, online lectures or asynchronous learning activities, distance learning helps students and teachers stay connected through digital tools and virtual learning platforms.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, online learning has helped limit the spread of COVID-19. It also allowed students easy access to their courses from the comfort of their homes while saving time travelling to school.

Virtual learning tools for teachers include a combination of helpful programs and online learning platforms . For example, learning platforms like Zoom or Google Classroom and apps such as Duolingo make learning anywhere an efficient and enjoyable experience.

Both "virtual learning tools" and "distance learning tools" are interchangeable terms.

Types of distance learning tools

Not all remote teaching tools are the same, and that's a good thing! Each one has its own unique quality to enhance learning. Some tools handle communication better than others, while games are great for increasing students' understanding of specific subjects. Each tool helps make learning easy and fun.

There are four main types of online learning platforms:

• Communication tools — There are several tools at teachers' disposal, including email, discussion boards, chats, classroom websites and video conferencing. Many learning platforms include most of these features, such as Zoom and Google Classroom .
• Learning management systems (LMS) — LMS are software application programs designed to produce functional and interesting online classes. Create, manage and deliver course content while tracking students' performance. LMS are a cost-effective and consistent way to teach students regardless of class size.
• Digital learning games — Kids love playing games, so why not give them educational ones to support their love for learning? National Geographic Kids offers fun science, geography, and adventure quizzes and games to entertain and inform kids. If you want your students to read books online and play educational games, Funbrain has countless goodies for them to enjoy. Are your students struggling with math? Help them boost their math knowledge with Prodigy Math Game and unlock hours of math learning enjoyment!
•   Online learning resources — When the pandemic forced students to stay home, teachers began using various online resources to keep kids engaged and focused. Some of these tools include online lessons and activities, such as Sesame Street and PBS Kids .

No matter which tool you choose, your students receive tremendous benefits from each learning environment.

There are so many wonderful interactive tools available online, and many seamlessly integrate with other applications. But which tools should you choose for your classroom?

Our list should help teachers make the right decisions on which applications suit their various online subjects the best.

1. Google Classroom

Created for teaching and learning, Google Classroom is an all-in-one tool that makes learning flexible and accessible from anywhere in the world. Teachers save time when creating lesson plans, tracking student performance and using several creative tools to make course material more exciting.

Currently, there is a free version of Google Classroom. However, a paid version is on its way with add-ons and easy integration with other educational tools. 

2. Prodigy Math Game

Prodigy Math Game is an adaptive learning platform for grades 1 to 8. Aligned to curriculum across the United States and around the world, you can be confident that students will stay engaged and learning no matter where they are.

Use your free teacher dashboard to easily differentiate math practice, send home assessment and get real-time insights into how students are learning — no grading required.

3. Pear Deck

Pear Deck is a Google Slides add-on that helps teachers create engaging slides and support student interaction. Teachers can create presentations from scratch or add interactive questions to existing presentations.

Pear Deck has amazing features including a dashboard that’s available on a phone or tablet, the ability to show or hide student responses, features that let you send personalized notes to individual students and fun audio files to add to presentations.

4. Flipgrid

Flipgrid is a fun way to get a conversation started. Simply post a topic and foster discussions within your learning community. It's a great way to get students interested in new ideas, excited to learn and engaging with their peers!

Edmodo's series of tools enables teachers to share course content, inspire collaboration and build an energetic and positive classroom. Parents can also receive updates about their kids' progress.

Edmodo has free accounts for teachers for quick and easy sign ups.

Canva’s online graphic and publishing tool allows teachers to create stunning, professional-quality presentations, posters, infographics, social media banners, videos, Zoom virtual backgrounds, and more. Sign up for the free version or purchase one of their plans geared toward teachers and students.

Canva easily integrates with your preferred learning management system, including Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams .

Zoom gained popularity during the pandemic for its versatility as a presentation tool and webinar platform while students learned online. Its security, live video class functionality and chat feature for social interaction make Zoom a useful distance learning tool.

8. Blackboard

Blackboard is an advanced LMS tool perfectly suited for kindergarten to high school. This platform works on any device and it's easily accessible to all students. Blackboard Learn also gives teachers access to several third-party tools.

9. ClassDojo

ClassDojo's communication tool brings families, students and teachers together to create a supportive online community. Teachers can develop a fun learning experience with downloadable resource kits and ideas. They can also find resources that help integrate ClassDojo with their preferred learning management system.

10. Microsoft Teams  

Microsoft Teams brings the best of several worlds together under one roof. You can share your screen or notes, conduct presentations, promote chatting and bring everyone together through video conferencing.

11. Nearpod

Nearpod is a fantastic add-on for Google Slides and PowerPoint presentations. Teachers may use their own presentations or select from lessons and videos in their impressive template library. Build polls, games and collaborative boards to keep your students interested to learn. Nearpod promotes healthy social interaction between students.

Nearpod includes free accounts for teachers!

Buncee makes it easy to create interactive course content that students love. Create presentations, lessons and many customizable virtual school activities from Buncee's Ideas Lab template library. Teachers can easily share links, downloadable files and group projects with students.

The Buncee dashboard can be accessed from Microsoft Teams, which makes it easy to open discussions, share resources and communicate with kids and their parents.

Hapara is an organizational tool that allows educators to make learning workflows in Google Workspace. You can also use other edtech tools such as Pear Deck , Kahoot and EDpuzzle with Hapara to enhance the quality of course content.

It's no wonder that teachers embrace Hapara for its accessibility to curriculum-aligned lessons, privacy and security features. 

14. Explain Everything Whiteboard

The Explain Everything Whiteboard app is one of the top digital whiteboards. It's a fabulous offline and online tool perfect for traditional and hybrid class environments. It also encourages collaboration between teachers and students.

Bloomz is a one-stop platform that eliminates the need for multiple apps and concerns surrounding security.

Bloomz allows teachers to connect, organize, and stay in touch with students and parents.  Parents and teachers won't have to open and close several apps, making it simple and stress-free for you to communicate and share information.

Teachers have the option of selecting the free or premium upgraded classroom plan. The premium subscription comes with more features and benefits for $7.99 per month.

16. Khan Academy

As a non-profit organization, Khan Academy boasts a list of subjects for teachers and students to choose from including math, science, reading, language and life skills. All courses are suitable for students in grades 1 to 8 and beyond.

Khan Academy is free for students and teachers. Donations are welcome and encouraged to keep the platform accessible to everyone.

Seesaw provides a great alternative for creating learning loops that connect teachers, students, and parents. It provides a meaningful way for teachers to observe student performance and encourages the use of creative tools such as draw + record, video, creative canvas and more. 

Teachers and students can sign up for free!

18. Kahoot !

Kahoot!'s online game quizzes gained popularity with students and teachers during the pandemic. Kids can access countless games from Kahoot!'s library or they can even make their own game.

Teachers can also distribute Kahoot! challenges to students for learning outside of the classroom. Kahoot! challenges integrate with Google Classroom and make it easy to track missed questions and scores to help determine where students may need more help.

Slack puts organization and communication together into one platform. It's easy for teachers to file course content related to individual topics, connect with students one-on-one or in groups, and send out relevant class material. Slack helps students get involved and remain engaged during online learning.

A mom who understands what it means to limit the time kids spend on social media created Habyts. This platform puts teachers in control of screen time, ensuring kids stay motivated and focused.  

Habyts helps teachers and parents curb excessive screen time while promoting fun activities and learning for kids.

When students are learning online, it can be tricky to find meaningful ways to oversee student progress. The good news is that most online software tools allow teachers to track and measure student responses.

Here are three constructive ways to assess and supervise student performance: 

• Keep the lines of communication open . Unlike traditional school settings where students can talk with teachers in person, online contact is necessary to keep kids motivated to hand in assignments on time and stay on track. As well, holding daily office hours with email, phone and chat capabilities can help prevent kids from falling behind in their studies.
• Curriculum-based testing . Teachers may find curriculum-based testing is a good way to ensure students can apply what they've learned. Frequent evaluations help teachers determine where students struggle with lessons and make plans for addressing unfinished learning . Formative assessments such as quizzes, short evaluations, and conversations with students can help them correct mistakes.
• Set up learning targets. Learning targets help students to reach specific goals in each lesson. For instance, if a student struggles with subject-verb agreement, teachers may consider breaking down lessons into smaller targets to make it easier for the student to to apply proper grammar to their writing. 

Virtual learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution — challenges exist because of technological limitations and access for some students. School districts should anticipate and devise plans to circumvent these problems during school closures and continue building equity in (and out) of the classroom .

Although online teaching benefits student learning experiences, most kids prefer the traditional school environment for its social connection with other students and direct communication with teachers.

A wealth of learning tools makes it easier for teachers to address many challenges associated with virtual learning. Each tool contains benefits and solutions for challenges faced by students and teachers, so you can make sure that learning is effective no matter where you are!

Sign up for your free Prodigy Math Game teacher account and give your students engaging math practice no matter where they’re learning from. Easy-to-use teacher tools make differentiation a breeze, and students will love adventuring through the Prodigy world as they learn. Get started today!

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The 25 Education Tools Teachers Need To Know About (Apps, Extensions and Platforms)

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Last time, we covered 10 teaching strategies for remote online learning . Today, we’ll expand the topic of online teaching a little bit more and create a list of the best assets for teachers and educators. The listed education tools feature apps, extensions, and databases for learning materials. You will find libraries, interactive game-based lessons, apps for scheduling, communication, quizzes, grading, and feedback. All tools serve different purposes and there’s something for everyone.

Article overview: 1.  Chrome Extensions for Teachers 2. Mobile Apps for Teachers (Android and iOS) 3. Other Tools and Platforms

1. Best Chrome Extensions for Teachers

We wanted to share some of the most awesome extensions for Chrome available for teachers. Most of them are pretty useful not only for online classes but also for the years to come long after the pandemic is over. This list contains free extensions that you can install on your browser and access with one click.

1.1. Mote: Voice and Notes Feedback

This Chrome extension lets you add voice notes and feedback to shared documents easily.

It’s integrated into the Google package (Gmail, Docs, Classroom, Sheets, Slides, and Forms), as well as it allows you to create voice notes for any website directly from the extension menu.

• Over 20 languages, including English, French, Spanish, and Arabic
• Voice comments within Classroom Stream and Private comments
• STEM mode for mathematical expressions and chemical compounds

1.2. Insert Learning

The tool allows teachers to insert instructional content directly on any page like questions, discussions, and insights. When the students go to that website, they can respond and join the discussion and take their own notes.

• Insert questions and comments within an article by clicking on a paragraph
• You can also insert videos in a sticky note by embedding code from YouTube or another video provider
• Highlight text and insert sticky notes
• Assign a lesson to a specific class

1.3. Calendly

Since Calendly is a website for scheduling meetings, you will first need to create a free account there. With the Calendly extension, however, you can access all your meetings and events from your Chrome browser and Gmail to quickly set up ad hoc meetings and share links to your Calendly event scheduling pages.

The purpose of this tool is to connect to your current calendar. Once you send a link, your students can see your available hours and sign up for a session, class, or tutoring. You will then receive an email notification for the scheduled meeting.

1.4. Talk and Comment

As a cool addition to Insert Learning, this extension lets you make voice notes and comments on any service. These services include Google Docs, Classroom. Gmail, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Slack, and Facebook. All you have to do is record your voice comment via the widget. Once you’re done, the extension will generate a link with the record so you can paste it.

1.5. Screencastify

The free tool allows you to record short videos and screen captures. You can trim the start and endpoints of your videos, merge, crop, and add text to the videos, and draw on the tab with a pen tool. In addition, all videos autosave to Google Drive, while you can still share them to YouTube, Classroom, and export them as MP4, Gif, and MP3.

1.6. Fullscreen Interactive Slides

With this tool, you can present your Google Slides documents full screen while staying in edit mode. Meaning, that you can present the slides fullscreen and edit them at the same time. The extension is a great addition to use during a Meet or for making presentations on projectors. It’s a very valuable tool for teachers and educators during remote classes.

• You can navigate through your document with arrow keys or scroll with your mouse. Once you’re done with the presentation, reload the page to exit.

1.7. Print-Friendly and PDF

The purpose of this extension is to remove navigation, ads, and junk from web pages and optimize them for printing. You can edit and delete content, including images, before printing. You can also generate PDFs from a web page for sharing, saving, and archiving, while still keeping the clickable links.

• Print preview
• Changing the size of the font
• Save as PDF
• Remove images and other content

Being one of the most popular tools for online teaching, Kami helps you sort assignments and grade them. It’s an all-in-one asset that makes any document interactive. This includes PDFs, images, and all kinds of learning resources. You can easily collaborate with your students through notes, video, and audio recordings and drawings.

• Google Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology integration
• In-app grading and real-time feedback
• Creation of interactive exercises
• Present documents on-screen
• Special education inclusive learning tools

1.9. Classroom Zoom

Not to mistake it for Zoom , this tool is an extension of Google Classroom and doesn’t offer software for video conferencing. What it does, however, is visualize student work over the Google pack, so you can have a closer look and evaluate it all at once. How does it work? The tool takes all the information from the revision history and visualizes it in a neat timeline. Not just for one student, but for your entire class. With this infographic, you can easily understand the process and make decisions quicker.

Once receiving access permissions, Classroom Zoom visualizes information about your student’s work in Google Slides, Sheets, Docs, and Drawings, including deadlines from the class calendar. Of course, this refers to work assigned through Classroom.

1.10. Dualless

If you don’t have a dual monitor, this would be a great solution for you. The tool splits your browser windows into 2 and allows you to adjust the ratio as you see fit.  You can merge the splitter windows back into a single one or make it full screen.

• Bookmark management
• Utilizes space for 16:9 monitor
• You can resize the windows according to a ratio of your choosing: 3:7,4:6,5:5,6:4,7:3

1.11. Bonus Extensions and Tweaks

Confetti cannon  🎉.

Plain and simple, this extension for teachers puts virtual colorful confetti all over your screen. It’s a cool and motivating way to celebrate the successes of your students.

In short, this extension gives you access to all gifs and stickers from giphy.com. Your students LOVE gifs, so why not get their attention by drag-and-drop some in the middle of a lesson.

2. Best Mobile Apps for Teachers

Mobile apps for teaching have also become inevitable. Fortunately, both Google Play and Apple’s App Store offer a huge choice of tools, designed for teachers and educators to make their work easier. Below we’ve selected our favorite apps that we believe will enhance your communication with students and make the process fun and inspiring. We also featured apps with databases with helpful materials for you and your students.

2.1. Khan Academy

A worthy asset for teachers, educators, students, and everyone who wishes to learn. It’s basically a huge database of thousands of videos, interactive exercises, and articles on different topics. The personalized learning library has resources for maths, science, finances, economics, history, politics, grammar, and more subjects for free.

• A huge database of videos, lessons, quizzes, exercises, and tests with instant feedback
• Allows bookmarking and downloading content for offline learning
• Includes mastering system with feedback and recommendations based on the level of the student

Available for : Android and iOS

2.2. Quizizz

We strongly recommend this one for a joyful learning process. Basically, this free app allows you to create fun quizzes, assignments, and presentations, ideal for group activities. You can create and host quizzes for your students, or find already existing ones amongst a huge database of science, maths, English, and general knowledge topics.

• Database of quizzes
• Hoisting and creating quizzes
•  Training sessions
• Respond to live presentations and polls
• Complete surveys
• Students can invite friends to compete with

One of the most popular and preferred tools for communication and collaboration. This app allows you to communicate with your students in group chats or send secure individual messages to a particular student. You can also send documents and edit them in sync with real-time updates.

• Dedicated channels
• Setting statuses
• Integration with Google Drive and Dropbox
• Share documents with multiple people
• Customized notifications

2.4. Todoist: To-Do Lists, Tasks, and Reminders

Being Google’s editor’s choice for 2020, Todoist is a great app to organize, plan, and collab on your projects. With it, you can capture and organize your tasks, remember deadlines via reminders, and more. It’s your personal digital organizer.

• Prioritize tasks
• Organize projects with boards
• Assign tasks and collaborate
• track progress
• Integration with Slack, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Amazon Alexa

2.5. Study Blue Flashcards and Quizzes

This app helps you create and share digital flashcards, study materials, and interactive sessions for free. Perfect for both teachers and students to create their materials with images and audio content, get to know about new flashcard recommendations, and stay connected to their classes.

• Customize study materials with images and audio
• Create quizzes and track progress
• Set study reminders

2.6. Epic: Kids’ Books and Educational Reading Library

This digital database offers over 40K high-quality books, learning videos, and quizzes for kids 12 and under. The platform is an ad-free safe space for children of all reading levels and is great to use both in classrooms and at home.

• Ebooks, educational videos for kindergarten, 1st to the 7th-grade learning level
• Audio-enabled read-to-me materials.
• Audiobooks, bilingual books, educational videos, and quizzes
• Up to 4 individual child profiles
• Personalized recommendations
• tracking progress
• Online and offline reading

2.7. FormsApp

You can use this tool to create Google forms and edit them on the go. It’s ideal for course evaluations, assessments, feedback forms or simply to create surveys for your students.

• Form templates library
• Google Form responses notifications
• Offline work
• Multiple Google Forms accounts
• Conduct surveys

2.8. Seesaw Class

Always free for teachers, this app is a student-driven digital portfolio. It aims to inspire your students to express themselves by giving them the tools to create a portfolio to be proud of.

• Thousands of great activities ready to use in your classroom
• Helps you see and hear what each student knows so you can better understand their progress
• Differentiated support through comments and feedback
• Translate notes, comments, and captions into 50+ languages

2.9. Groovy Grader

This iOS app is designed to replace the old school paper grading system with a more flexible and convenient digital one. It can work for 100s of questions and has the option to display the grade as a whole number.

• It can view 50 or more grades on the screen at once
• Turn auto-dimming screen off option
• Optimized for iOS 12 to use on iPad, iPhone and iPod

Available for: iOS

2.10. TeacherKit

A class companion for teachers to manage everything from maintaining a grade book to behavior management and progress reports. The tool generates data visualization for better comprehension. It’s also really easy to use with quick taps and slides.

• Organizing classes
• Importing student rosters
• Attendance log
• Creating and printing charts
• Behavior notes
• Grading scheme creation
• Keeping parents informed

Available for: Android and iOS

2.11. Saving Spree

This award-winning fun app aims to teach kids 7 and above, a serious lesson on how their choices can add up to big savings or big expenses. It’s a game-based app that teaches money management. It shows kids the concept of short-term saving, donating, and investing. This game also introduces the concept of earning money and guides them through making choices.

3. Other Resources for Teachers and Students

Since we couldn’t sort the following picks into the previous categories, we will list them here. Below you will see some amazing resources that will help you teach kids and students valuable practical skills like money management, creative writing, and coding.

3.1. Practical Money Skills

This website is all about teaching and testing money skills for students. It features fun educational games such as Cash Puzzler, Peter Pig’s Money Counter, and more. For older students, there are learning materials about mobile banking, evaluating finances, and crediting. The database also offers materials for teachers and parents on educating kids about finances.

The materials have a great comprehensive design with infographics, tables, and tests.

3.2. Boddle Learning: Math Game Platform Grades 1-6

You can sign up for free as a teacher or a parent to engage your students with a fun 3D math game. The tool allows you to create assignments, track performance, and address learning gaps with automated reports.

Boodle uses AI to adapt practice and learning to the right level for each student.

3.3. Boreal Tales: Grades 1-8 (Free Trial)

This platform aims to motivate students to write. It’s a game of literary and artistic creation to help them work on reading, writing, and exercise based on their education level. The diverse content features historical themes, objects, and characters to populate the adventures your students create.

Since it’s a teaching platform, it has a catalog with writing and reading challenges, sorted into education levels so you could easily find the appropriate challenges for your classes. You can also track progress and give personalized feedback.

3.4. CodeMonkey

A fun educational platform with game lessons for students to learn to code without prior experience. It features a teacher kit and support team to help you teach the basics of computer science. It’s also equipped with student solutions, grading, and curriculum management.

CodeMonkey offers educational resources for students of different grades and experience levels. Students not only learn coding basics but also how to code in real programming languages.

Final Words

Those were our picks for the best assets for every teacher and educator for 2022. We hope you have found one (or few) particular tools that will make a change and assist you with all you need to make your lessons even better.

In the meantime, you might be interested in some other valuable materials on the topic, so why not check out these articles:

• How to Use Technology in Education: Save Time and Better Engagement
• Top 25 Teaching Blogs To Help Your Educational Process
• 21 of the Best Educational Cartoon Channels for Both Learning and Entertaining

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75 digital tools and apps teachers can use to support formative assessment in the classroom

There is no shortage of  formative assessment strategies, techniques, and tools  available to teachers who use formative instructional practice in their classrooms. Here is an extensive list of 75 digital tools, apps, and platforms that can help you and your students use formative assessment to elicit evidence of learning. We didn’t just add any old tool to this list. Here are the criteria we used for those that made the cut:

• Supports formative instructional strategies and ways to activate learners to be resources for themselves and peers
• Is free or awful close to it (under $10 per year, where possible)
• Allows both students and teachers to take the activator role when possible (sometimes teachers need to get things started)

Before you dig into the tools, I encourage you to spend some time thinking about exactly what you want to accomplish with your students.  “How to pick the right digital tool: Start with your learning goal”  by Erin Beard can help you wrap your head around goals and guide you in choosing the best tool for the task.  “27 easy formative assessment strategies for gathering evidence of student learning”  can help you decide what strategies work best for you and your students.

Record audio and video

• Animoto  Gives students the ability to make a 30-second video of what they learned in a lesson.
• AudioNote  A combination of a voice recorder and notepad, it captures both audio and notes for student collaboration.
• Edpuzzle  Helps you use video (your own, or one from Khan Academy, YouTube, and more) to track student understanding.
• Flip  Lets students use 15-second to 5-minute videos to respond to prompts. Teachers and peers can provide feedback.
• QuickVoice Recorder  Allows you to record classes, discussions, or audio for projects. Sync your recordings to your computer easily for use in presentations.
• Vocaroo  Creates audio recordings without the need for software. Embed the recording into slideshows, presentations, or websites.
• WeVideo  Lets you use video creatively to engage students in learning. Teachers and students alike can make videos.

Create quizzes, polls, and surveys

• Crowdsignal  Lets you create online polls, quizzes, and questions. Students can use smartphones, tablets, and computers to provide their answers, and information can be culled for reports.
• Edulastic  Allows you to make standards-aligned assessments and get instant feedback.
• FreeOnlineSurveys  Helps you create surveys, quizzes, forms, and polls.
• Gimkit  Lets you write real-time quizzes. And it was designed by a high school student!
• Google Forms  Part of the Google suite, Google Forms lets you create quizzes, polls, and surveys and see answers in real time.
• Kahoot!  A game-based classroom response system that lets you create quizzes using internet content.
• MicroPoll  Helps you create polls, embed them into websites, and analyze responses.
• Naiku  Lets you write quizzes students can answer using their mobile devices.
• Poll Everywhere  Lets you create a feedback poll or ask questions and see results in real time. Allows students to respond in various ways. With open-ended questions, you can capture data and spin up tag clouds to aggregate responses.
• Poll Maker  Offers unique features, like allowing multiple answers to one question.
• ProProfs  Helps you make quizzes, polls, and surveys.
• Quia  Lets you create games, quizzes, surveys, and more. Access a database of existing quizzes from other educators.
• Quizalize  Helps you create quizzes and homework.
• Quizizz  Guides you through designing quizzes and lets you include students in the quiz-writing process.
• Quizlet  Lets you make flashcards, tests, quizzes, and study games that are mobile friendly.
• Quizmaker  Helps you write quizzes quickly and easily.
• Survey Hero  Designed to build questionnaires and surveys.
• SurveyMonkey  Helpful for online polls and surveys.
• SurveyPlanet  Also helpful for online polls and surveys.
• Zoho Survey  Allows you to make mobile-friendly surveys and see results in real time.

Brainstorm, mind map, and collaborate

• AnswerGarden  A tool for online brainstorming and collaboration.
• Coggle  A mind-mapping tool designed to help you understand student thinking.
• Conceptboard  Software that facilitates team collaboration in a visual format, similar to mind mapping but using visual and text inputs.
• Dotstorming  A whiteboard app that allows digital sticky notes to be posted and voted on. This tool is best for generating class discussion and brainstorming on different topics and questions.
• Educreations Whiteboard  A whiteboard app that lets students share what they know.
• iBrainstorm  Lets students collaborate on projects using a stylus or their finger.
• Miro  Allows whole-class collaboration in real time.
• Padlet  Provides a blank canvas for students to create and design collaborative projects.
• ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard  Another whiteboard tool to check understanding.
• XMind  Mind-mapping software for use on desktop computers and laptops.
• Equity Maps  These discussion maps can help you ensure every student has a chance to share their ideas.

Present, engage, and inspire

• BrainPOP  Lets you use prerecorded videos on countless topics to shape your lesson plan, then use quizzes to see what stuck.
• Buncee  Helps students and teachers visualize, communicate, and engage with classroom concepts.
• Five Card Flickr  Uses the tag feature from photos in Flickr to foster visual thinking.
• PlayPosit  Allows you to add formative assessment features to a video from a library or popular sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo, to survey what students know about a topic.
• RabbleBrowser  Allows a leader to facilitate a collaborative browsing experience.
• Random Name/Word Picker  Facilitates random name picking. You can also add a list of keywords and use the tool to prompt students to guess words by providing definitions.
• Socrative  Uses exercises and games to engage students with a topic.
• Adobe Express  Lets you add graphics and visuals to exit tickets.
• Typeform  Helps you add graphical elements to polls.

Generate word or tag clouds

• EdWordle  Generates word clouds from any entered text to help aggregate responses and facilitate discussion. Word clouds are pictures composed of a cloud of smaller words that form a clue to the topic.
• Tagxedo  Allows you to examine student consensus and facilitate dialogues.
• Wordables  Helps you elicit evidence of learning or determine background knowledge about a topic.
• WordArt  Includes a feature that allows the user to make each word an active link to connect to websites, including YouTube.

Get real-time feedback

• Formative  Lets you assign activities, receive results in real time, and provide immediate feedback.
• GoSoapBox  Works with the bring-your-own-device model and includes an especially intriguing feature: a confusion meter.
• IXL  Breaks down options by grade level and content area.
• Kaizena  Gives students real-time feedback on work they upload. You can use a highlighter or give verbal feedback. You can also attach resources.
• Mentimeter  Allows you to use mobile phones or tablets to vote on any question a teacher asks, increasing student engagement.
• Pear Deck  Lets you plan and build interactive presentations that students can participate in via their smart device. It also offers unique question types.
• Plickers  Allows you to collect real-time formative assessment data without the need for student devices.
• Quick Key  Helps you with accurate marking, instant grading, and immediate feedback.

Foster family communication  

• Remind  Lets you text students and stay in touch with families.
• Seesaw  Helps you improve family communication and makes formative assessment easy, while students can use the platform to document their learning.
• Voxer  Lets you send recordings so families can hear how their students are doing, students can chat about their work, and you can provide feedback.

Strengthen teacher-to-student or student-to-student communication

• AnswerGarden  Gives you access to formative assessment feedback.
• Biblionasium  Lets you view books students have read, create reading challenges, and track progress. Students can also review and recommend books to their peers.
• Classkick  Helps you post assignments for students, and both you and your students’ peers can provide feedback. Students can also monitor their progress and work.
• TeacherEase Rubrics . This paid tool can help you ensure your rubrics are clear and accurate.
• Lino  A virtual cork board of sticky notes, it lets students ask questions or make comments on their learning.
• Online Stopwatch  Provides dozens of themed digital classroom timers to use during small- and whole-group discussions.
• Peergrade  Helps you create assignments and upload rubrics. You can also anonymously assign peer review work. Students can upload and review work using the corresponding rubric.
• Verso  Lets you set up learning using a URL. Space is provided for directions. Students can add their assignment, post comments, and respond to comments. You can group responses and check engagement levels.
• VoiceThread  Allows you to create and share conversations on documents, diagrams, videos, pictures, and more.

Keep the conversation going with live chats

• Yo Teach  A backchannel site great for keeping the conversation going with students.
• Chatzy  Supports live, online chats in a private setting.

Create and store documents or assignments

• Google Drive  Google Drive allows you to create documents students can collaborate on in real time using smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
• Piazza  Lets you upload lectures, assignments, and homework; pose and respond to student questions; and poll students about class content. This tool is better suited for older students as it mimics post-secondary class instructional formats.

There are several resources for learning more about formative assessment and responsive instruction strategies. Consider our  formative practices workshops , where school and district teams can gain a better understanding of the role formative practice plays in instruction and the four foundational practices to use in the classroom. Or for a quick start, download our eBook  “Making it work: How formative assessment can supercharge your practice.”

Jump in, try new tools and methods, and have fun!

Recommended for you

Rewriting your data identity and the role of self-reflection

Norm- vs. criterion-referenced in assessment: What you need to know

MAP Reading Fluency with Coach provides targeted interventions grounded in the science of reading 

Making it work: How formative assessment can supercharge your practice

Formative assessment isn’t new. But as our education system changes, our approaches to any instructional strategy must evolve. Learn how to put formative assessment to work in your classroom.

View the eBook

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30 EdTech Tools All Higher Ed Professionals Rave About

Mikel Resaba

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, EdTech tools have become indispensable. Whether it’s for enhancing learning experiences, streamlining administrative tasks, or fostering student engagement, technology is at the forefront of educational innovation. 

In this blog post, we’re diving into 30 top EdTech tools for higher education. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Comprehensive reviews of 30 EdTech tools for higher education.
• Key features, pros, cons, and who each tool is best suited for.
• Exclusive insights into how these tools can transform your educational practices.

Stay with us to discover how these tools can revolutionize your educational approach and why ClassPoint stands out as the best overall choice for higher education.

30 Edtech Tools for Higher Education and Learning

1. classpoint – best overall.

ClassPoint is the epitome of innovation in educational technology, revolutionizing the way educators engage with students in higher education. Seamlessly integrated into Microsoft PowerPoint, ClassPoint transforms ordinary presentations into extraordinary interactive experiences.

 It’s uniquely designed to heighten student interaction through real-time quizzes, polls, and annotations, all within the familiar and widely-used PowerPoint interface. By bringing these dynamic elements into the classroom, ClassPoint not only enhances learning but also injects excitement and motivation into every session, standing out as the unrivaled choice for educators.

Key Features

• Quiz Mode elevates multiple choice quizzes with features like automatic star awards for correct answers, difficulty level settings, comprehensive Quiz Summaries, and detailed Excel reports for insightful review and feedback.
• Engaging interactive quizzes and instant polls .
• Real-time annotations to highlight and emphasize key points.
• Gamification elements, including award stars , levels and badges , to boost motivation.
• A leaderboard feature to celebrate and recognize top-performing students.
• Simplified class management directly within PowerPoint, streamlining the educational process.
• Automatic grading feature, making it suitable for formative assessments.
• Exportable data and analytics.
• Significantly boosts student engagement and interactive participation.
• Flawless integration with Microsoft PowerPoint, ensuring ease of use.
• Provides immediate assessment and feedback, crucial for educational adaptation.
• Fully customizable gamification elements, catering to diverse teaching methodologies and student preferences.
• Optimized for users with basic familiarity with PowerPoint.
• Best suited for educational environments where Microsoft PowerPoint is a staple.

Pricing Plans

• Basic: Free access with essential features.
• Pro: Affordably priced at $8/month or $96 billed annually, unlocking advanced capabilities.
• School: Tailored pricing available upon request, perfect for institutional needs.

How to Use ClassPoint in Higher Education

• Create Formative Assessment Quizzes: Utilize the Quiz Mode to design multiple-choice quizzes for formative assessments. Add features like automatic star awards for correct answers and set difficulty levels.
• Incorporate Real-Time Polls: Engage students during presentations with instant polls to gauge understanding and opinions.
• Utilise Annotations: During lectures, use real-time annotations to emphasize and illustrate key points and concepts, enhancing PowerPoint presentations.

2. Canvas LMS – Best for Learning Management

Canvas LMS is a comprehensive learning management system designed for higher education. Its flexibility and user-friendliness support various educational activities and resources, making it a top choice for adaptable and integrated learning environments. Canvas is ideal for facilitating online learning, course management, and collaboration.

• Robust course management and creation tools.
• Integrated learning resources and multimedia.
• Mobile app for on-the-go learning and communication.
• Extensive customization options.
• Highly customizable for different teaching styles.
• Intuitive user interface.
• Strong multimedia and external integration support.
• Effective student-teacher communication tools.
• Learning curve for new users.
• Can be overwhelming due to extensive features.
• Starts at $49/month, usage-based.
• Flat rate model starting at £18.00/month.
• Business users: $299 per year per user.

Using Canvas LMS in Higher Education

• Create and Manage Courses: Utilize robust tools for course creation and management.
• Integrate Multimedia and Resources: Enhance learning with integrated multimedia and diverse educational resources.
• Leverage Mobile App: Utilize the mobile app for continuous learning and communication.

3. Blackboard – Top for Course Management

Blackboard is a renowned name in the realm of EdTech, offering a robust platform for course management in higher education. It’s designed to enhance the learning experience through its comprehensive set of tools that facilitate online course delivery, content management, and student engagement.

• Advanced course delivery and content management.
• Integrated assessment and analytics tools.
• Collaboration and communication features.
• Mobile learning capabilities.
• Comprehensive set of features for course management.
• Robust assessment and analytics tools.
• Supports a wide range of learning styles and methods.
• May require training to use effectively.
• Some users find the interface less intuitive.
• Exact pricing not publicly disclosed.
• Estimated average cost of $160,000/year for a full package covering a university or school district (based on older data).
• Contact the vendor directly for a quote based on the number of learners.

Using Blackboard in Higher Education

• Course Management: Efficiently organize and deliver course content.
• Collaboration Tools: Facilitate student-teacher and peer-to-peer interaction.
• Assessment and Feedback: Utilize tools for grading and providing student feedback.

4. Zoom – Best for Virtual Classrooms

Zoom, a leader in virtual communication, has become an essential tool for higher education, especially for remote learning. Offering a reliable and easy-to-use platform, Zoom facilitates virtual classrooms, meetings, and webinars, connecting students and educators globally. Its versatile features make it a top choice for institutions adapting to blended or fully online educational models.

• High-quality video and audio conferencing.
• Screen sharing and collaborative whiteboards.
• Breakout rooms for group activities.
• Integration with learning management systems.
• New AI tools for summarizing classes.
• User-friendly interface.
• Stable and reliable connectivity.
• Wide range of interactive features.
• Large capacity for participants.
• Requires stable internet connectivity.
• Concerns over privacy and security have been raised.
• Starts at $180 annually

Using Zoom in Higher Education

• Virtual Classes: Host live lectures and discussions.
• Breakout Rooms: Facilitate group work and smaller discussions.
• Record Sessions: For later review and absent students.

5. Khan Academy – Pioneering Personalized Learning

Khan Academy stands out as a leader in providing a personalized learning experience in higher education. It is a free online educational platform that offers an extensive library of interactive content across various subjects. Khan Academy is renowned for its comprehensive and structured approach to learning, making it an ideal tool for students seeking to deepen their understanding of complex topics.

• A vast collection of educational resources, including interactive exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard.
• Covers a wide range of subjects from mathematics to arts and humanities.
• Tracks progress and offers practice exercises to reinforce learning.
• Available on both web and mobile platforms for flexible learning.
• Completely free, making education accessible to everyone.
• Self-paced learning caters to individual student needs.
• Detailed explanations and step-by-step guides facilitate deeper understanding.
• Aids in preparing for standardized tests and assessments.
• Limited in terms of direct teacher-student interaction.
• May not align perfectly with every curriculum or educational standard.
• Free: Full access to all educational content and resources at no cost.

Using Khan Academy in Higher Education

• Access Diverse Subjects: Explore a wide range of subjects with comprehensive resources.
• Personalized Learning Paths: Tailor learning to individual needs and pace.
• Track Progress: Utilize tools for monitoring and reinforcing learning.

6. Turnitin – Premier for Plagiarism Checking

Turnitin is a critical tool in higher education for maintaining academic integrity. It’s widely used for plagiarism detection and helps educators ensure the originality of student submissions. Turnitin also offers feedback and grading tools, making it a comprehensive solution for managing assignments.

With the dawn of AI writing tools, it’s worth looking into ChatGPT alternatives to better understand Turnitin’s AI content generation feature.

• Plagiarism detection and originality checks, including AI-generated content detection .
• Feedback and grading tools.
• Integration with various LMS platforms.
• Peer review capabilities.
• Robust plagiarism detection.
• Helps maintain academic integrity.
• Streamlines assignment submission and grading.
• Can be costly for institutions.
• May not catch all types of plagiarism.
• Pricing varies based on institution size and needs. Contact Turnitin for a custom quote.

Using Turnitin in Higher Education

• Plagiarism Checks: Employ it for robust originality checks on student submissions.
• Feedback Tools: Utilize integrated tools for grading and providing constructive feedback.
• Standards Tracking: Ensure academic integrity and quality standards in writing.

7. Google Classroom – Top Choice for Integration

Google Classroom streamlines the process of sharing files and communication between students and teachers, making it a popular choice in higher education. Integrated with Google’s suite of tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, it provides a cohesive and user-friendly platform for managing classes, assignments, and feedback.

• Integration with Google Workspace for Education.
• Easy distribution and grading of assignments.
• Real-time feedback and collaborative features.
• Streamlined communication with students.
• Seamless integration with other Google services.
• User-friendly and intuitive interface.
• Free for educational institutions.
• Limited customization options.
• Relies heavily on other Google services.
• Free for educational institutions

Using Google Classroom in Higher Education

• Organize Coursework: Easily create, distribute, and grade assignments.
• Streamline Communication: Facilitate class announcements and discussions.
• Collaborate Efficiently: Share resources and collaborate on documents in real-time.

8. Slack – Best for Communication

Slack is a powerful communication tool that has found its place in higher education for facilitating collaboration among students and faculty. With its organized chat rooms, direct messaging, and integration with numerous other tools, Slack enhances the way educational teams communicate and collaborate.

• Organized channels for different topics or groups.
• Direct messaging and file sharing.
• Integration with a wide range of apps and services.
• Voice and video calling.
• Enhances team communication and collaboration.
• Easily searchable history and archives.
• Customizable notifications and settings.
• Can be overwhelming with too many channels.
• Requires consistent internet connectivity.
• Basic: Free with limited features.
• Standard: $6.67 per user/month billed annually.
• Plus: $12.50 per user/month billed annually.

Using Slack in Higher Education

• Communicate Efficiently: Create channels for classes, groups, and projects.
• Share Files and Resources: Easily distribute materials and collaborate on documents.
• Integrate Educational Tools: Use app integrations for streamlined workflows.

9. Moodle – Ideal for Customization

Moodle is a free, open-source learning management system extensively used in higher education. Its strength lies in its customizability and flexibility, allowing institutions to create a tailored learning environment. Moodle supports a variety of plugins and themes, making it a versatile choice for diverse educational needs.

• Customizable course design and layout.
• Wide range of plugins and add-ons.
• Community support and resources.
• Assessment and tracking tools.
• Highly customizable and flexible.
• Supports a vast array of learning methodologies.
• Free and open-source.
• Requires technical skills for setup and customization.
• The interface can be less intuitive than other LMS platforms.
• Free; hosting and support services may have associated costs

Using Moodle in Higher Education

• Customize Course Content: Easily create and tailor courses to fit specific needs.
• Interactive Learning Tools: Engage students with forums, quizzes, and workshops.
• Track Progress: Utilize analytics and reporting for performance monitoring.

10. Trello – Leading in Project Management

Trello is a versatile project management tool that has gained popularity in higher education for organizing and tracking assignments, projects, and collaborative work. Its intuitive, card-based system allows users to create boards for different tasks or projects, making it easy to manage workflows and deadlines.

• Card-based task management system.
• Customizable boards and lists.
• Integration with various apps and tools.
• Real-time collaboration and updates.
• Highly visual and user-friendly interface.
• Flexible organization suited for various project types.
• Encourages collaboration and transparency.
• Can become cluttered with extensive use.
• Some advanced features require a premium account.
• Basic: Free
• Business Class: $10 per user/month (when billed annually)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing based on the number of users.

Using Trello in Higher Education

• Project Organization: Create boards for different courses or projects.
• Task Management: Use cards to assign and track tasks.
• Collaboration: Share boards with students or colleagues for teamwork.

11. Coursera – Best for Online Courses

Coursera partners with universities and organizations globally to offer a wide range of online courses, making it a valuable resource in higher education. It provides access to courses from top institutions, enabling students and educators to explore and engage with diverse subject matter, perfect for learning and professional development.

• Courses from top universities and institutions.
• Certificates and degree programs available.
• Flexible learning schedule.
• Interactive assignments and peer reviews.
• Access to high-quality educational content.
• Opportunities for professional development.
• Variety of courses across disciplines.
• Certificates and degrees can be expensive.
• Self-paced learning requires discipline and motivation.
• Individual courses: Vary in price.
• Coursera Plus: Subscription-based model for unlimited course access.

Using Coursera in Higher Education

• Access Diverse Courses: Explore a wide range of courses from top universities.
• Earn Certificates: Complete courses to earn certificates or degrees.
• Flexible Learning: Study at your own pace, fitting your schedule.

12. Blooket – Best for Interactive Learning Games

Blooket is an innovative platform in higher education that introduces game-based learning to enhance student engagement. It allows educators to create or choose from a variety of interactive games, which can be used to review educational content in a fun and engaging way.

• Wide selection of customizable educational games.
• Real-time feedback and progress tracking for students.
• Versatile for use in different subjects and topics.
• Easily accessible through web browsers.
• Makes learning interactive and fun.
• Encourages student participation and competition.
• Adaptable to different teaching styles and subjects.
• Some features may require a premium subscription.
• Relies on digital access, which may not be available in all learning environments.
• Free version with basic features.
• Premium plans available for additional features and customization.

Using Blooket in Higher Education

• Game Selection: Choose from various educational games.
• Customize Content: Tailor games to your specific subject matter.
• Track Progress: Monitor student engagement and understanding.

13. Quizlet – Best for Study Tools

Quizlet is an interactive learning tool widely used in higher education for studying and memorizing various topics. It allows users to create custom flashcards, practice tests, and learning games, facilitating a more engaging and effective study process.

• Customizable flashcards.
• Learning games and practice tests.
• Study modes include writing, matching, and multiple-choice.
• Collaborative features for group study.
• Variety of study modes to suit different learning styles.
• Encourages active learning and retention.
• Limited depth in some subject areas.
• Premium features require a subscription.
• Quizlet Plus: $47.88/year

Using Quizlet in Higher Education

• Create/Use Flashcards: Develop custom flashcards for study topics.
• Engage with Learning Games: Utilize interactive games and practice tests for revision.
• Collaborative Study: Encourage group study with collaborative features.

14. Padlet – Premier for Collaborative Learning

Padlet offers a unique and flexible way to create and share content in higher education settings. It’s an interactive digital bulletin board where students and educators can collaborate, share ideas, and organize information in a visually appealing way.

• Customizable boards with different layouts.
• Ability to post text, images, links, and videos.
• Real-time collaboration.
• Easy sharing and exporting options.
• Enhances creativity and collaboration.
• Intuitive and easy to use.
• Versatile for various educational purposes.
• Basic accounts have limited features.
• Can become disorganized with extensive use.
• Pro: $12/month or $99/year

Using Padlet in Higher Education

• Create Interactive Boards: Set up boards for discussions, resources, or project collaboration.
• Encourage Student Participation: Foster engagement with posts, comments, and multimedia sharing.
• Organize and Share Content: Easily curate and distribute educational material.

15. Socrative – Ideal for Real-Time Feedback

Socrative is a real-time assessment tool that allows educators to gauge student understanding and engagement during classes. It’s an interactive platform for creating quizzes, polls, and exit tickets, providing instant feedback and insights into student learning.

• Live quizzes and polls.
• Instant grading and feedback.
• Reports and analytics on student performance.
• Space Race game for competitive learning.
• Promotes active learning and participation.
• Quick setup and easy to use.
• Immediate insights into student understanding.
• Limited question types in the free version.
• Reliant on student device availability.
• Pro: $59.99/year

Using Socrative in Higher Education

• Real-Time Quizzes: Create and conduct live quizzes for immediate engagement.
• Instant Feedback: Provide and receive instant feedback on student understanding.
• Interactive Reports: Generate reports to track and analyze student performance.

16. Nearpod – Best for Interactive Presentations

Nearpod is a dynamic presentation tool designed to create interactive and engaging classroom experiences. It allows educators to integrate quizzes, polls, and interactive elements into their presentations, enhancing student participation and providing instant feedback.

• Interactive slides with quizzes, polls, and videos.
• Virtual reality and 3D objects.
• Real-time student response and feedback.
• Integration with existing lesson plans and slides.
• Creates highly engaging and interactive lessons.
• Offers a wide range of content types.
• Facilitates real-time assessment and engagement.
• Some features require a paid subscription.
• Requires devices for all students for full participation.
• Silver: Free with limited features.
• Gold: Custom pricing based on school or district needs.
• Platinum: Custom pricing with advanced features.

Using Nearpod in Higher Education

• Interactive Lesson Creation: Develop engaging lessons with interactive content.
• Real-Time Engagement: Use live sessions for instant student participation.
• Assessment Tools: Leverage quizzes and polls for immediate feedback.

17. Evernote – Leading in Note-Taking

Evernote is a powerful note-taking and organization tool that’s become essential for many students and educators in higher education. It allows for the seamless creation, organization, and sharing of notes, enhancing study habits and collaborative research.

• Rich text note-taking with multimedia support.
• Organization with notebooks and tags.
• Collaboration tools for sharing and editing notes.
• Integration with other apps and tools.
• Excellent for organizing and archiving notes.
• Syncs across all devices.
• Supports a variety of note formats.
• Premium features can be costly.
• Can be overwhelming for new users.
• Premium: $7.99/month
• Business: $14.99/user/month

Using Evernote in Higher Education

• Note-Taking: Organize lecture notes and research efficiently.
• Content Organization: Create notebooks for different subjects or projects.
• Collaboration: Share notes and collaborate with classmates or educators.

18. Grammarly – Top for Writing Assistance

Grammarly is a widely used writing assistance tool in higher education, helping students and educators improve their writing quality. It offers real-time grammar checking, spell checking, and style suggestions, making it a valuable tool for academic writing.

Key Features:

• Real-time grammar and spell check.
• Style and tone suggestions.
• Plagiarism detection.
• Browser and software integrations.
• Enhances writing quality and readability.
• User-friendly and efficient.
• Valuable for non-native English speakers.
• May not understand the context of complex academic writing.
• Premium: $12/month billed annually
• Business: Custom pricing

Using Grammarly in Higher Education

• Assist in Content Planning and Writing: Apply advanced grammar, punctuation, and style corrections, facilitating lesson content planning.
• Plagiarism Checker: Ensure academic integrity with plagiarism detection.
• Feedback and Suggestions: Receive real-time feedback to improve writing clarity and effectiveness.

19. Asana – Best for Team Coordination

Asana is a project management tool that excels in helping teams coordinate tasks and projects efficiently. In higher education, it’s used for organizing group projects, research assignments, and managing departmental tasks, ensuring everyone stays on track and meets deadlines.

• Task and project management.
• Customizable workflows and boards.
• Integration with various communication and productivity tools.
• Timeline and calendar views for project planning.
• Enhances team coordination and productivity.
• Flexible and customizable for different project types.
• Visual project tracking and progress reports.
• Can be complex for new users.
• Some features only available in premium plans.
• Premium: $10.99 per user/month
• Business: $24.99 per user/month

Using Asana in Higher Education

• Project Organization: Streamline and track academic projects and research.
• Task Management: Assign and manage tasks for collaborative group work.
• Timeline Visualization: Plan and visualize project timelines effectively.

20. Adobe Connect – Ideal for Creative Tools

Adobe Connect offers a suite of creative tools tailored for web conferencing, eLearning, and webinar hosting in higher education. Its flexibility and range of features make it a preferred choice for institutions looking for advanced virtual classroom capabilities and creative freedom.

• Customizable virtual classrooms and meeting rooms.
• Interactive content creation for eLearning.
• Webinar hosting and management.
• Engagement monitoring and analytics.
• Highly customizable and versatile.
• Wide range of interactive and creative tools.
• Reliable performance and security.
• Higher cost compared to some alternatives.
• May require training for full utilization.
• Prices vary; contact Adobe for a custom quote.

Using Adobe Connect in Higher Education

• Virtual Classrooms: Create engaging, interactive online learning environments.
• Webinars and Meetings: Host and manage online meetings and lectures.
• Customizable Content: Personalize learning experiences with adaptable content and layouts.

21. Planboard – Best for Lesson Planning and Organization

Planboard, part of PowerSchool’s suite of tools, is an essential resource in higher education for lesson planning and organization. It assists educators in mapping out their curriculum, scheduling classes, and tracking educational standards, ensuring a streamlined and efficient teaching process.

• Intuitive lesson planning with a daily and weekly view.
• Standards tracking to align with curriculum goals.
• Easy sharing and collaboration with colleagues.
• Integration with Google Classroom and other educational tools.
• Simplifies lesson planning and organization.
• Helps track progress against educational standards.
• Enhances collaboration among educators.
• User-friendly interface with digital integration.
• Requires internet connectivity for full functionality.
• May take time for educators to fully adapt to the digital planning format.
• Free version available with essential features.
• Gold version with advanced features and integrations.

Using Planboard in Higher Education

• Digital Lesson Planning: Streamline curriculum mapping and lesson planning.
• Standards Alignment: Easily align lessons with educational standards.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with colleagues for effective curriculum design.

22. Microsoft Teams – Top for Collaboration

Microsoft Teams is an integral tool in higher education for fostering collaboration and communication. It combines chat, video meetings, file storage, and integration with other Microsoft Office applications, making it an all-in-one platform for academic collaboration.

• Chat and video conferencing.
• Integration with Microsoft Office suite.
• File sharing and collaborative document editing.
• Customizable channels for different classes or projects.
• Comprehensive set of collaboration features.
• Seamless integration with other Microsoft tools.
• Suitable for both remote and in-person learning environments.
• Can be complex to navigate with many features.
• Requires Office 365 subscription for full functionality.
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $5 per user/month
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user/month

Using Microsoft Teams in Higher Education

• Collaboration Hub: Create teams for courses, enabling communication and file sharing.
• Virtual Classes: Host live online classes with chat, video, and screen-sharing capabilities.
• Assignments and Grading: Use integrated tools for assigning, submitting, and grading coursework.

23. Prezi – Premier for Dynamic Presentations

Prezi reinvents the concept of presentations in higher education with its dynamic, zoomable canvas. It allows educators and students to create non-linear presentations that engage and captivate audiences, making it a favorite for presenting complex topics.

• Zoomable presentation canvas.
• Non-linear presentation paths.
• Collaborative editing and presenting.
• Rich media and graphical capabilities.
• Creates visually engaging and memorable presentations.
• Encourages creativity in presenting information.
• Online and offline access.
• Learning curve to master non-traditional format.
• Some features require a premium account.
• Individual: $7/month
• Plus: $19/month

Using Prezi in Higher Education

• Engaging Presentations: Create dynamic and visually appealing presentations.
• Interactive Content: Incorporate multimedia, animations, and interactivity.
• Enhanced Learning: Facilitate engaging lectures and discussions.

24. Duolingo – Ideal for Language Learning

Duolingo is a gamification tool that offers a fun and interactive way to learn new languages, making it a popular tool in higher education for language students and enthusiasts. It uses gamification to make language learning engaging and accessible.

• Gamified language learning experience.
• Wide range of languages available.
• Short, interactive lessons.
• Progress tracking and rewards.
• User-friendly and engaging interface.
• Free access to basic language courses.
• Flexible learning suitable for different levels.
• Limited depth in advanced language concepts.
• Premium subscription needed for ad-free experience and extra features.
• Basic: Free with ads
• Duolingo Plus: $6.99/month

Using Duolingo in Higher Education

• Language Learning: Employ Duolingo to enhance language proficiency.
• Customized Learning Paths: Tailor learning to individual student needs.
• Progress Tracking: Monitor student progress and proficiency levels.

25. TED-Ed – Best for Educational Videos

TED-Ed is an exceptional educational platform offering a vast library of animated educational videos. These videos cover a wide range of topics, making complex subjects accessible and engaging for students in higher education.

• High-quality, animated educational videos.
• Wide range of topics from arts to science.
• Interactive quizzes and additional resources linked to videos.
• Platform for educators to create customized lessons.
• Engaging and visually appealing content.
• Simplifies complex topics.
• Free access to a vast library of educational videos.
• Limited depth on some advanced topics.
• Primarily a supplementary resource rather than a comprehensive educational tool.
• Free access to all video content.

Using TED-Ed in Higher Education

• Curate TED Talks: Select relevant TED Talks to enrich course content.
• Create Custom Lessons: Develop engaging lessons around TED Talks.
• Foster Discussions: Encourage student discussion and critical thinking based on TED content.

26. G Suite for Education – Top for Comprehensive Tools

G Suite for Education provides a comprehensive set of collaboration and productivity tools tailored for educational institutions. It includes applications like Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Classroom, offering a cohesive platform for communication, collaboration, and content creation.

• Integrated email, document creation, and storage solutions.
• Collaboration tools like Google Classroom.
• Seamless integration across all Google apps.
• Secure and reliable cloud-based platform.
• Wide range of collaboration and productivity tools.
• Familiar and user-friendly interface.
• Free or cost-effective for educational institutions.
• Relies on internet connectivity.
• Privacy concerns in a shared environment.

Pricing Plans: 

• Free for qualifying educational institutions.

Using G Suite for Education in Higher Education

• Collaborative Tools: Utilize Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for real-time collaboration.
• Communication: Foster communication through Gmail and Google Meet.
• File Storage and Sharing: Store and share files seamlessly with Google Drive.

27. Schoology – Best for K-12 and Higher Ed Integration

Schoology offers a powerful learning management system that bridges the gap between K-12 and higher education. It provides tools for course management, assessment, and collaboration, fostering a connected and engaging learning environment.

• Comprehensive course management tools.
• Integrated assessment and grading features.
• Collaboration tools for students and educators.
• Customizable interface to suit different educational needs.
• Flexible and customizable for different educational levels.
• Strong emphasis on collaboration and communication.
• Integrates with numerous EdTech tools and platforms.
• Some features might be more suited for K-12 than higher education.
• Contact Schoology for custom pricing details.

Using Schoology in Higher Education

• Course Organization: Streamline course content and resources.
• Communication Hub: Foster student-teacher interaction and collaboration.
• Assessment and Grading: Efficiently assess student performance and provide feedback.

28. SurveyMonkey – Leading in Survey Creation

SurveyMonkey is a widely used tool in higher education for creating surveys, quizzes, and forms. It’s essential for gathering feedback, conducting research, and engaging students in interactive ways. Its ease of use and robust analytics make it a top choice for data collection and insight gathering.

• Intuitive survey creation with various question types.
• Advanced analytics and reporting tools.
• Integration with various apps and platforms.
• Customizable templates and branding options.
• User-friendly interface for creating and distributing surveys.
• Comprehensive data analysis capabilities.
• Versatile for academic and administrative use.
• Advanced features and analytics require a paid plan.
• Can be time-consuming to analyze data for large surveys.
• Standard: $99/month
• Advantage: $32/month (billed annually)
• Premier: $120/month (billed annually)

Using SurveyMonkey in Higher Education

• Create Surveys: Easily design and distribute surveys for research, feedback, or assessments.
• Collect Data: Gather responses and analyze data in real-time.
• Inform Decision-Making: Use insights from surveys to inform course improvements and institutional decisions.

29. Udemy – Top for Diverse Learning Options

Udemy is a popular online learning platform in higher education, offering a vast array of courses across various disciplines. It’s known for its diverse content, provided by experts and professionals in different fields, making it a valuable resource for supplementary learning.

• Wide range of courses across multiple disciplines.
• Courses taught by industry professionals.
• Certificate of completion for courses.
• Extensive variety of courses and topics.
• Access to practical and professional skills.
• Self-paced learning suitable for busy schedules.
• Course quality can vary.
• Certificates may not be recognized by all institutions.
• Individual course prices vary

Using Udemy in Higher Education

• Discover and Enroll: Explore a vast library of courses and enroll in relevant ones.
• Self-Paced Learning: Study at your own pace with lifetime access to course materials.
• Supplement Curriculum: Use Udemy courses to supplement classroom learning.

30. Academic Earth – Best for Free Online Courses

Academic Earth offers free online courses and academic lectures from some of the world’s top universities. It’s a valuable resource in higher education for students and educators seeking to expand their knowledge and explore various academic subjects.

• Free online courses from leading universities.
• Wide range of academic subjects.
• Access to video lectures and related resources.
• Free access to high-quality educational content.
• Variety of subjects from reputable institutions.
• Useful for supplementing existing coursework.
• No formal accreditation or certificates.
• Limited interactive elements.
• Free access to all courses and lectures.

Using Academic Earth in Higher Education

• Explore Diverse Courses: Access a wide range of free online courses from top universities.
• Supplement Learning: Use Academic Earth to complement traditional coursework.
• Enhance Self-Study: Leverage video lectures and resources for self-paced learning.

Take Your Teaching to the Next Level with EdTech Tools for Higher Education

Having explored an extensive range of EdTech tools for higher education, it’s clear that technology can significantly enhance the educational experience in higher education. From enhancing student engagement to streamlining administrative tasks, these tools offer diverse solutions to meet various educational needs.

Now that you’re armed with this information, why not start with the best? Give ClassPoint a try for free and experience firsthand how it stands out in transforming classroom engagement and interaction. 

With its seamless integration into PowerPoint and a multitude of interactive features, ClassPoint is your go-to solution for making learning more dynamic and effective. Start your journey with ClassPoint today and redefine the educational experience in your institution!

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Best 10 free online tools for teaching

Top 10 free online tools for teaching

There are endlessly more free online tools you can use in your classroom, for so many different cases. So, I’m listing the most popular ones for 10 different classroom use cases. I’m sure I’ll follow up with more tools in the future. Chances are you’re already using some of them. If not, give ‘em a try:

For live quizzes: Kahoot

Kahoot is a great little app that puts thrill and fun into learning and assessment. You can use it to wrap up a session and test your student’s knowledge or you can launch a Kahoot quiz in the middle of a lesson to switch things up. Setting up a quiz is easy and takes no more than a few minutes. You can even use templates and existing questions. Your students then join the quiz without any download or signup process. They choose a display name and are ready to go. A leaderboard makes the game even more exciting. Kahoot comes with a host of features that are very useful in class, like YouTube integration, slides, a timer, basic reports, etc.

For fun educational games: Baamboozle

Bamboozle is a huge database of 750,000 freely accessible games, created by teachers. Though not all games have high educational value. Many are just great to break the ice, take a break from learning, or reward your students with a little fun. The website is made up of game cards. Clicking a card opens up the game, which again consists of question cards that you can click to reveal the answer. There’s also a simple search box to help you find what you need. The Baamboozle platform is simple to use. No preparation, downloads, or sign-up is needed.

For spelling and grammar activities: Quill

Quill offers a host of learning tools and interactive activities to improve your students’ writing. It’s obviously a great online tool for teaching English-as-a-second-language, but native speakers will still find many of the exercises useful as it digs into common issues like the proper use of punctuation or compound sentences. Quill’s website is smart, delivering instant feedback on the students’ answers and running diagnostics that will point out which skills the students need to work on. They also have proofreading and grammar modules.

For video responses by students: FlipGrid

FlipGrid connects educators, learners, and families through short video discussions. The teacher creates “grids” that function as message boards where teachers can ask questions and students answer with short video responses, displayed as a tiled grid. Getting started is easy, thanks to FlipGrid’s library of ready-to-use topics and the FlipGrid Camera to spark great discussions from the get-go. I heard many good things about Animoto, too. But FlipGrid is purpose-built for learning and teaching, and you can’t beat the discussion features.

For video-based lessons: TED-Ed

Most teachers know and use Ted-Ed, TED’s youth and education initiative. This online tool for teaching holds an ever-growing library of video-based short lessons, created by teachers, students, and animators, on all sorts of subjects, from Arts to Math and Science. Every video is focused on learning. You can conveniently filter and search the library to find the right video within seconds to illustrate your topic or spark a debate. Most videos are around 5-15 minutes long and come with a quiz (Think), additional information and resources (Dig Deeper), and a discussion board (Discuss).

For community-building, in the classroom and beyond: ClassDojo

Another classic, ClassDojo is a digital communication and sharing platform that connects teachers, students, and families and helps create a strong community around the classroom. We established in previous blog posts that community-building is key to building a successful virtual, blended, or flipped classroom. ClassDojo is centered around creating a positive culture in the classroom, giving students a voice, and engaging parents. Accomplishments and good student behavior are encouraged with real-time notifications and collected into progress reports that can be shared with parents and administrators.

For brainstorming and collaboration: Google Jamboard

Google Jamboard is a feature-rich free online whiteboard that makes sense to use for Google account holders (which is pretty much everyone). Jamboards come with a variety of tools like pens, selection tools, sticky notes, image import, text boxes, and a laser pen for presentation. You can open several whiteboards and switch back and forth between them. The Jamboards are stored in your Google account and integrate with other Google apps, like Google Calendar. If you want an alternative to Google Jamboard we heard good things about Canvas Dotstorming.

For collaborative working and writing: Google Docs Editors suite

The Google Docs Editors suite is a great tool for online collaboration and includes Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. It’s a web-based application that is connected to your Google Drive and makes it easy to collaborate on shared documents in real-time, with editing permissions, a revision history, and comments.

For creating interactive images: Thinglink

Keep your classroom illustrations fresh with interactive images. With Thinglink you can easily create images with audio, visuals, and text, and combine them with hotspots, 360/VR, and other interactive experiences. Thinglink recommends their platform to make online learning feel more real with virtual tours, simulations, and interactive course modules. What’s great is that you can easily share your creations with your students as a standalone file or via social media. Thinglink only offers a free trial, but their paid plans are very democratic.

For real-time assessments: Pear Deck

Pear Deck is an online teaching tool for K-12 schools and teachers that plugs into Google Slides and Microsoft apps to turn them into a powerful active learning tool for students with interactive assessment questions and real-time feedback. The questions come in the form of polls, multiple-choice questions, drawing, dragging, and dropping, and open questions. One of the great features of Pear Deck is that it saves class sessions, so you keep access to student responses.

What are online tools for teaching

Online teaching tools are any web-based software, app, or technology that is purposely designed to enhance a teacher’s ability to present and explain information and help the students process and collaborate over new ideas and concepts.

Online tools for teaching can be: audiovisual and textual editing tools, virtual classroom platforms, photo and video libraries, online communication tools, educational games and quizzes, assessment tools, productivity tools, etc.

The effect of online teaching tools on education

Think about how often you take to the internet to illustrate a topic or have your students perform tasks. Trust that all other teachers all over the world rely on the internet every day for video resources, homework, games, and other free and paid educational tools. Needless to say, the impact of online tools for teaching has been tremendous.

That impact has been mostly positive, with higher student engagement, improved motivation, and better understanding and retention of knowledge. On the downside, the dependency on technology as widened the digital divide and comes with occasional issues like internet downtime, bugs, and other tech-related issues.

Online teaching tools are also an essential driver behind new teaching methods like blended learning and flipped classrooms, because they enable students to complete learning tasks independently from home.

Online vs. offline tools for teaching (pros & cons)

This is also the main benefit of online tools for teaching vs. offline tools. Students can complete the tasks independently at a time that suits them best. Meanwhile, the teacher frees up valuable class time for Q&A, remediation, etc.

Online tools often come with invaluable features for teachers, such as automatic assessment and engagement analytics, direct feedback and commenting tools, and so much more.

The future of online teaching tools

Because the teacher community is very engaged around the topic of online tools for teaching, the market and opportunities are growing and the available tools are constantly being improved. Every year we publish new articles listing the best tools of the moment and every year again we are surprised by the ingenuity, usefulness, and quality of the new tools on offer. We say these are exciting times to be a teacher with all those powerful apps we can avail of in the classroom. We’re already looking forward to what next year will have in store for us. Meanwhile, make sure to try the ten tools we reviewed in this article. Your students will love you for it!

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Immanuel Vinikas

15 Top EdTech Tools For Educators in 2024

Education technology (EdTech) is shaking up the old-fashioned world of education.

These days, it's easier than ever for teachers, students, and even parents to access all sorts of high-quality learning materials.

According to EdWeek , 46% of teachers say that their ability to use technology in the classroom as improved a lot .

EdTech is bridging gaps, providing personalized education experiences as well as improving overall learning experiences and student outcomes.

With all the new tools & Chrome Extensions coming out and the old ones still going strong, you might have found yourself wondering: Which EdTech tool should be used?

That's why we wrote this article! Here is a list of the top EdTech tools for educators in 2023.

Yes, we put Text Blaze first on our list. We might be a little biased, but our users will tell you how much they love Text Blaze .

Text Blaze is a powerful app used by thousands of teachers across the world that helps teachers provide high-quality feedback in a fraction of the time.

It allows you to save smart text templates and insert them anywhere using keyboard shortcuts. Text Blaze makes it easy to write personal and detailed feedback in seconds and free up time.

Text Blaze eliminates repetitive typing (like report card comments ) through keyboard shortcuts that help you quickly paste in text. You can insert basic replies and even entire emails.

Text Blaze is free forever & works anywhere !

Grammarly is one of the most popular proofreading tools in the world, and for good reason.

This powerful tool can detect all sorts of mistakes in your writing and suggest how to fix them.

With Grammarly, you can send emails and messages without worrying about embarassing spelling mistakes. There will be no more typos or grammatical errors holding back your excellent writing.

Kami is easily one of the top EdTech tools and a hot favorite among teachers.

This handy tool lets you upload and annotate documents online, so you can ditch the paper trail and join the 21st century.

Not only is Kami a great tool for solo grading sessions, it's also perfect for collaborations. You can share documents with others and work together in real time, no matter where you are.

And the best part? You can save all your notes on Google Drive and share them with your students, so they can finally see all the helpful feedback you've been giving them. Give Kami a shot and say goodbye to paper grading chaos.

Quizlet provides access to a massive library of study materials and practice tests that are available on any device. You can even create and customize quizzes, flashcards, and other activities to make reviewing a breeze.

It's also a lifesaver for educators. With real-time progress tracking, you can see how your students are doing and adjust your teaching accordingly. You won’t have to wait until the end of the semester to find out that half your class has no clue what's going on.

Nearpod is a highly flexible tool that lets teachers make interactive learning experiences quickly.

With Nearpod, teachers can create engaging presentations, quizzes, and virtual field trips. The app also allows teachers to instantly assess student understanding during a class session.

Teachers can use polls, open-ended questions, 3D, Draw It, and even VR to keep their classes engaged.

Kahoot is the ultimate gamification tool for your classroom. You can create quizzes and surveys that will keep your students excited and engaged.

Kahoot is also super easy to use, as you can create quizzes, check-ins, and exit questions with ease. Plus, you can assign points to each answer to encourage participation and challenge your students to perform their best.

Students can also create their own games and test each other's knowledge. If you're feeling stuck, Kahoot’s site offers plenty of pre-made content and assessment tools to keep things fresh.

Flip (formerly Flipgrid)

Flip is another one of the best EdTech tools that everyone's talking about (and for good reason).

This video-based platform lets you and your students have interactive conversations in real-time, regardless of where you are.

Flipgrid is perfect for remote teaching and can be used on any device with an internet connection. Just assign a topic or question to your class and watch as the video submissions roll in.

Teachers can even respond at their own convenience and don't have to drop everything to be available 24/7.

Flipgrid is also a great tool for students to talk about any topic, reflect on a book or film, and ask questions on any subject. It can turn your remote classroom into a lively video chat hub.

Book Creator

If you're looking for a beautiful tool that allows educators to create, design, and publish multimedia stories all in one place, then Book Creator is a great go-to option.

With this tool, teachers can design their own worksheets with images, text boxes, video links, and audio clips that they can share with fellow teachers and staff.

This app is extremely easy to use and has lots of features to help students create engaging and interactive books. It also has a student rating system so that teachers can easily track the progress of each individual.

You can create books and place them in a private library or share them with the world, where other students can join using a code.

EdPuzzle is a free assessment tool that lets teachers make video lessons for their students that are fun and interesting.

This app makes it simple to add interactive quizzes and audio recordings to videos from any source, including but not limited to: YouTube, National Geographic, Vimeo, TED, and your own creations.

You can also use EdPuzzle’s interactive features to track student progress, give feedback in real time, and even assign scores and grades.

It's a great way to keep your students engaged with content while allowing them to learn and understand at their own pace. EdPuzzle can be used in class or remotely, making it a very useful tool for both educators and students.

As an educator, you need to stay up to date on the subject you teach and the latest technology trends.

Wakelet is the perfect tool for this, as it allows you to curate different media sources, such as articles, videos, images, and audio clips, into one place that can be shared with your students or other teachers.

You can also make boards with different topics and give each one to a different group of students. This allows you to keep track of individual student progress and gives them the opportunity to collaborate with other students on their projects.

Pear Deck , a recent addition to Google Slides, is a great tool for teachers to create interactive presentations.

With this, you can not only incorporate images and text into your slides but also polls and quizzes. It's a great way to engage with students in real time and make lessons more interesting.

Pear Deck also offers tools that help you track responses from each student as well as their progress. This makes it easy to figure out where a student might be having trouble and give them the help they need.

Educators can use Quizizz to create quizzes around any topic.

Quizizz is easy to use and has lots of features that allow teachers to create multiple choices, true or false, and even short answer questions. It also gives students the option to play in teams, making it a fun way for them to learn.

Quizizz can be used both in class and remotely, and its interactive features allow students to track their progress and compare their results with others.

Teachers can assess students' understanding of the material without having to grade exams manually—which is always a big plus.

Motivating your learners is one of the most important tasks you have.

Prodigy is a game-based educational platform that makes learning fun and engaging for students, no matter their age or skill level.

The app comes with lots of interactive features, such as puzzles, quizzes, and mini games, to help keep students engaged. It also lets teachers keep track of their students' progress and give each of them tasks to do.

Schoology is one of the most useful tools educators and administrators can use to manage the classroom from anywhere.

Not only does it allow teachers to create digital classrooms and assign tasks, but it also tracks student progress in real-time, which has cemented its place as one of the top EdTech tools.

Schoology has a collaboration feature that allows students to work together on projects. It also features analytics, which provides detailed data about the performance of individual students and helps teachers identify areas where students may need extra help.

Headspace teaches mindfulness and meditation in order to help people cope with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. It also has an app that allows educators and students to practice mindfulness on the go.

Headspace's "Focus" features can be useful for educators and students, as it helps improve study sessions and your focus. This is a great way for teachers to help their students develop good mental health habits that can benefit them in the long term.

Wrapping Up

The world is changing, and it's no surprise that technology has changed along with it. Schools are incorporating tech tools into curricula in many more ways than before, and teachers are using tech to give students a more meaningful learning experience.

EdTech tools are tremendously useful for teachers. They're an excellent way to keep your classroom running smoothly and your students engaged, and they make it incredibly simple to create an interactive learning environment.

Using Text Blaze's smart keyboard shortcuts, you can create and customize templates to eliminate repetitive typing forever. Provide high-quality feedback and save time doing it with the click of a button.

Need to automate math or ESL report card comments? Text Blaze has got you covered!

Whether you are an educator or administrator, Text Blaze helps you eliminate repetitive typing forever. Give Text Blaze a try for free today !

Hi there! You made it all the way down to the bottom of this article. Take a few seconds to share it.

Want to turbo charge your work with templates and snippets? Text Blaze is the fastest way to do that.

More From Forbes

How education technology can prepare younger adults for stem careers.

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Excited girls using chemistry set together in elementary science classroom

The landscape of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers is evolving rapidly, demanding a new approach to education that prepares younger adults for future challenges and opportunities. At the heart of this transformation lies education technology (EdTech), which has become a vital tool in equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

One of the critical ways EdTech impacts STEM education is by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Traditional education methods often struggle to keep pace with the rapid advancements in STEM fields. However, EdTech tools, such as interactive simulations, virtual labs, and online coding platforms, enable students to engage with complex concepts in a hands-on manner. These technologies make abstract ideas tangible, allowing students to experiment and learn through doing, which is crucial for grasping STEM subjects.

Moreover, EdTech promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability—skills that are indispensable in STEM careers. Through gamified learning experiences and project-based assignments, students are encouraged to approach problems creatively and collaboratively. This shift from rote memorization to active learning helps students develop a deeper understanding of STEM concepts and prepares them for real-world challenges. EdTech platforms also provide personalized learning experiences, catering to individual learning styles and paces, ensuring that no student is left behind.

In addition to enhancing academic achievement, EdTech plays a significant role in making STEM education more accessible and inclusive. Online courses and digital resources can reach students in remote or underserved areas, providing them with opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable. This democratization of education helps to level the playing field, allowing a more diverse group of students to pursue STEM careers. Additionally, EdTech can support students with different learning needs by offering adaptive learning technologies that tailor content to individual requirements.

I recently came across Jeffrey Harvey PE ’s work. Harvey is a seasoned professional engineer and author, who brings invaluable insights into the intersection of EdTech and STEM education, particularly through his recent work in the K-12 space. His research highlights the pivotal role EdTech plays in shaping the next generation of STEM professionals.

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Jeffrey Harvey PE

Harvey's work in EdTech underscores the importance of early and continuous exposure to STEM concepts. By integrating innovative learning tools into K-12 education, students are not only prepared for higher education but are also inspired to pursue careers in STEM fields. His approach emphasizes the need for educators and policymakers to invest in EdTech solutions that foster a lifelong love of learning and curiosity in STEM subjects.

Harvey, with over 30 years of experience in the STEM fields, has dedicated his career to guiding young professionals. Having held leadership roles in Fortune 500 companies, he possesses a deep understanding of the technical and soft skills required in the industry. His latest book , STEM Secrets for Interviewing: 4 Secret Mindsets Essentials to Conquer Interviews Including the Top 71 Interview Questions , offers practical strategies for mastering STEM job interviews.

One of the challenges in integrating EdTech into STEM education is ensuring that teachers are adequately trained to use these tools effectively. Professional development programs and ongoing support are essential for educators to maximize the potential of EdTech in their classrooms. Schools and districts must prioritize teacher training and provide the necessary resources to help educators stay abreast of the latest technological advancements.

Furthermore, the implementation of EdTech must be accompanied by a thoughtful curriculum that aligns with industry needs. Collaboration between educational institutions and industry leaders can ensure that the skills being taught are relevant and up-to-date. Harvey's career, which spans both educational and industrial spheres, illustrates the importance of such partnerships in creating a robust STEM education ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the role of EdTech in preparing younger adults for STEM careers will only become more critical. As technological advancements continue to accelerate, the demand for skilled STEM professionals will grow. By embracing EdTech, we can equip students with the tools they need to thrive in this dynamic field. Jeffrey Harvey's insights and experiences serve as a testament to the transformative power of EdTech in shaping the future of STEM education.

Dr. Katie Bouman , Assistant Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), played a key role in developing the algorithm that created the first-ever image of a black hole, showcasing the power of interdisciplinary STEM research. While Dr. Katie Bouman is primarily known for her groundbreaking work in imaging black holes, she has indeed emphasized the importance of education and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

The integration of EdTech into STEM education is essential for preparing the next generation of professionals. By providing interactive, personalized, and accessible learning experiences, EdTech empowers students to develop the critical skills needed for success in STEM careers. Jeffrey Harvey's work highlights the importance of early exposure, effective teacher training, and industry collaboration in maximizing the impact of EdTech. As we look to the future, investing in EdTech will be crucial in ensuring that students are equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of the evolving STEM landscape.

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The Limits of GenAI Educators

• Jared Cooney Horvath

Three fundamental problems with using LLMs as teachers, tutors, and trainers.

While generative AI tools have been heralded as the future of education, more than 40 years of academic research suggests that it could also harm learning in realms from online tutoring to employee training for three reasons. First, the best student-teacher relationships are empathetic ones but it is biologically impossible for humans and AI to develop mutual empathy. Second, AI might help us bypass the boring task of knowledge accumulation but it is only through that process that we develop higher order thinking skills. Finally, digital tools are notoriously distracting and multitasking diminishes learning. As we think about the benefits of new technology, we must also consider the risks.

Since the widely acclaimed release of ChatGPT 4, generative AI has been touted by many as the savior of education. Case in point: British education expert Sir Anthony Seldon has predicted that by 2027, AI will replace human teachers on a global scale.

• Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator, and author of the best-selling book  Stop Talking, Start Influencing: 12 Insights from Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick . He has conducted research and lectured at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, the University of Melbourne, and more than 750 schools internationally and currently serves as director of LME Global.

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Eyesi direct ophthalmoscope simulator: an effective training tool for medical undergraduates

• Canying Liu 1   na1 ,
• Jicheng Lin 1   na1 ,
• Siting Wu 1 ,
• Yingting Zhu 1 ,
• Yuxian Zou 1 ,
• Qi Zhang 1 ,
• Zhidong Li 1 ,
• Yehong Zhuo 1 &
• Yiqing Li 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  783 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Metrics details

Introduction

Non-ophthalmologists often lack sufficient operational training to use a direct ophthalmoscope proficiently, resulting in a global deficit of basic ophthalmological skills among general practitioners. This deficiency hampers the timely diagnosis, referral, and intervention of patients. Consequently, the optimization of teaching tools and methods to enhance teaching efficiency is imperative. This study explores the effectiveness of the Eyesi Direct Ophthalmoscope Simulator (Eyesi) as an innovative tool for fundus examination training.

Medical undergraduates were randomly assigned to Group A or B ( n  = 168). All participants completed a pre-training questionnaire. Group A received Eyesi training, while Group B underwent traditional direct ophthalmoscope (TDO) training. Subsequently, participants answered questionnaires relevant to their respective training methods. Both groups exchanged training tools and completed a summary questionnaire.

After training, 54.17% of participants believed that images presented by the Eyesi were consistent with the real fundus. Group A scored significantly higher than Group B in fundus structure recognition and self-confidence in examination. The degree of mastery over fundus theory score increased from 6.10 ± 0.13 to 7.74 ± 0.16 ( P  < 0.001) in Group A, but Group B did not demonstrate a significant difference. We also compared undergraduates’ tendencies for different learning purposes, 75.59% of participants preferred the Eyesi to TDO as a training tool, and 88.41% of participants were receptive to introducing the Eyesi in training.

According to subjective participant feedback, Eyesi outperformed TDO in fundus observation, operational practice, and theoretical learning. It effectively equips undergraduates with fundus examination skills, potentially promoting the use of direct ophthalmoscopes in primary medical institutions.

Peer Review reports

The transparency of the tissues in front of the retina, along with retina itself, enables unhindered light transmission, facilitating direct visualization of the retina’s superficial vascular and neural structures. Direct ophthalmoscopes are portable devices for the observation of the fundus and the assessment of retinal diseases. A timely and precise direct ophthalmoscopy examination can not only safeguard a patients’ eyesight, such as instances of retinopathy of prematurity, retinal vascular obstruction and retinal detachment, but also their life in critical situations such as uveal melanomas, elevated intracranial pressure, malignant hypertension, and meningitis [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Direct ophthalmoscopy examination also plays an important role in the early diagnosis, follow-up, and efficacy evaluation of systemic and common eye diseases (i.e. diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and glaucoma) [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Although studies have shown that direct ophthalmoscopy is less sensitive than fundus photography for screening eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, this tool offers the advantages of of great availability, low operational costs, short examination times, and high specificity in detecting sight-threatening eye diseases [ 12 ]. For general practitioners and non-ophthalmologists, the direct ophthalmoscope is the preferred equipment for fundus examination and is particularly suitable for primary medical services. Therefore, the ability to utilize the direct ophthalmoscope is a required skill for medical undergraduates and general practitioners in many countries [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. However, the operational training received by most clinical medical undergraduates and general practitioners is typically insufficient for the use of a direct ophthalmoscope, oftentimes leading to inaccurate identification of common fundus lesions. The lack of basic ophthalmological skills among general practitioners has become a global problem, affecting timely diagnosis, referral, and intervention of patients [ 7 , 13 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Optimizing the teaching tools and procedures in order to improve teaching efficiency has become a pressing issue that requires an alternative solution.

Problems exist in traditional direct ophthalmoscope (TDO) teaching, including learning difficulties that result in a lack of confidence, difficulty identifying fundus structures and diagnosing retinal diseases, and difficulty properly evaluating students’ fundus examination ability [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Moreover, TDO training may be hindered by limited access for students to practice on patients, due to the limited number of patients available with each disease at a given time and the reluctance of patients due to discomfort during the examination. In order to address these issues, we introduced the Eyesi Direct Ophthalmoscope simulator (Model EDO491 #03 × 0127, Platform 2.1, Software v1.8.0.113443, VRmagic GMBH, Mannheim, Germany) [ 27 ], which simulates the shape and all functions of a real direct ophthalmoscope and reaction of patients such as the changing of pupil size with the lighting level. It provides a built-in case database that allows students to learn independently, and offers a test mode that can be used to evaluate skill mastery. It can provide timely feedback on whether there is retinal diseases in the inspected area from the user’s perspective. Teachers can also provide guidance during the operation through the monitoring screen connected to the simulator, and can check the students’ operation scores in real-time through the VRmNet service [ 2 , 27 ]. Experienced doctors considered the simulator realistic and found it met the training needs on how to perform direct ophthalmoscopy [ 28 ]. Currently, the device is not widely used. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the Eyesi, as a training tool for fundus examination, can address and rectify issues that currently exist in TDO teaching.

This prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Study participants

Fourth-year medical undergraduates at Sun Yat-Sen University who came to Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center for ophthalmic preclinical training were included in this study. The study received ethics approval via the Ethics Committee at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University and all participants provided written informed consent prior to taking part. All aspects of the study conformed to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. Our inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) successfully completed the theoretical Ophthalmology course; (2) willingness to participate in the entire study. Our exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) refusal to participate; (2) those who had already learned to operate a direct ophthalmoscope prior to this study.

Questionnaires design

There were four questionnaires administered throughout the duration of the study: the pre-training questionnaire, the questionnaire after the Eyesi training, the questionnaire after TDO training, and the summary questionnaire (Supplementary Tables 1 – 4 ). By referring to relevant literatures, considering the difficulties expressed by students in the previous training and consulting clinical teachers and professors, we set up a series of questionnaires. Composed of basic information, views before and after different training, these questionnaires covered the content assessed in previous studies [ 24 , 29 , 30 ] and provided an assessment of teaching effectiveness based on participants’ self-perception. Consisting of single-choice questions, multiple-choice questions, and short answers, they were built according to the first two levels of Kirkpatrick model [ 31 , 32 ], a four-level evaluation model developed by Donald Kirkpatrick. The first level is about students’ reaction, such as their interest and motivation. The second level is to measure whether students have learned knowledge and/or skills. The questionnaire items were categorized into four dimensions: (1) the importance of learning direct ophthalmoscope operation, (2) competency in direct ophthalmoscope operation, (3) level of theoretical knowledge related to direct ophthalmoscope, and (4) interest in further learning. Questions for each dimension are listed in Supplementary Tables 1 – 4 . And the internal consistency analysis was performed by computing the Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability statistics (Supplementary Table 5 ).

Instructional design

A total of 175 undergraduates who came for ophthalmic preclinical training were divided into six groups; approximately 30 students attended ophthalmic preclinical training at each designated teaching slot. Participants received theoretical teaching including the composition of TDO and its operation. And then one instructor demonstrated the operation of TDO and the Eyesi. The instructors and teaching content remained consistent across all students. Subsequently, students were randomly divided into the Eyesi (Group A) or TDO (Group B) group. Participants were required to complete their corresponding questionnaires, and thereafter the two groups exchanged their training tools. Students filled in the summary questionnaire after completing both training sessions and were given the test of standard operation procedure (SOP). The standards of grading are shown in Supplementary Table 6 . Instructional design of direct ophthalmoscope is shown in Fig.  1 .

Instructional design of direct ophthalmoscope

For Eyesi training, participants would undergo the following training programs (Fig.  2 ): (1) Learning the construction and usage of the direct ophthalmoscope handle of the Eyesi simulator; (2) Identifying scattered landmarks on retina (e.g., triangles, crosses) under mydriatic conditions and repeating the process under normal pupillary conditions; (3) Locating retinal landmarks (e.g., retinal arterioles and venules, macula, optic disc) on a simulated normal retina under both mydriatic and normal pupillary conditions and assessing the cup-to-disc ratio while improving the examination coverage by monitoring the examined area (bright zone) and the unexamined area (dark zone) displayed on the monitor; (4) Examining the retina of typical cases under normal pupillary conditions, identifying pathological areas, and making diagnoses of the lesions. Students also learned about the disease progression and retinal lesion descriptions through the simulator’s built-in case library. Throughout the process, the instructing teachers could monitor observed images of students on the monitor and provide timely assistance, such as helping students adjust the position of the ophthalmoscope to ensure a complete examination of the central and peripheral retina and pointing out any overlooked retinal anatomical structures or pathological areas.

Training Process of the Eyesi Simulator. A ) The Eyesi simulator consists of three main hardware components: a display monitor, a head-face model, and an ophthalmoscope handle. The screen displays fundus images observed through the ophthalmoscope, showing B ) blue landmark in droplet shapes, C ) optic disc structures, and D ) peripheral retinal hemorrhages. E ) The screen displays the currently examining area through the ophthalmoscope handle and the already examined area during the fundus examination. F ) The Eyesi simulator provides an introduction to various typical lesions. ( A : Image captured by the author; B - F : Screenshots from the Eyesi simulator display)

For TDO training included the following training programs: (1) Learning the construction and usage of the traditional direct ophthalmoscope; (2) Students observed each other’s fundus structures, and mydriatic eye drops were provided. Students were allowed to decide voluntarily whether to perform mutual mydriatic fundus examinations; (3) Instructors selected suitable and willing patients for examination, allowing students to study the fundus appearances based on patient medical records and direct ophthalmoscope observations.

Statistical analysis

Data were entered using Microsoft Excel 2017 and all statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 26 (IGM Corp.; Armonk, New York, USA). The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between the four dimensions of the questionnaires and the training status as well as the training tools. One-way analysis of variation was performed to analyze the difference in the mean scores of undergraduates’ degree of mastery of theoretical knowledge, willingness to use the direct ophthalmoscope in future practice, and interest in further learning, before and after training with different tools. Since the data were not normally distributed, Tamhane’s T2 method was used for post hoc testing. An independent-sample t-test was performed to analyze the difference in the mean scores of fundus structure identification, ease of use, and operation confidence with different training tools. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean (M) ± standard error of mean (SEM) is used to describe the mean of all scores in this paper.

Basic information

A total of 168 medical undergraduates were included in this survey, after excluding seven undergraduates with direct ophthalmoscope experience prior to the study. Participants were aged between 20 and 24 years, of whom 51.19% were male. All students had completed the theoretical ophthalmology course (the 9th Edition, published by the people’s Health Publishing House, China) prior to commencement of the study.

Correlation analysis

The results indicate a significant correlation between the training status (whether training was received or not) and three dimensions: the importance of learning direct ophthalmoscope operation, competency in direct ophthalmoscope operation, and the level of theoretical knowledge related to direct ophthalmoscope (Table  1 ). Additionally, there was a significant correlation between the type of training tool used and all four dimensions, encompassing interest in further learning as well as the aforementioned three dimensions (Table  2 ).

Views before training

Direct ophthalmoscopy was considered commonly used and effective clinically but difficult to learn.

92% of respondents agreed that the direct ophthalmoscope is one of the most commonly used inspection tools in clinical ophthalmology; 96% agreed that it is an effective inspection method for the diagnosis of retinal diseases (Fig.  3 AB). However, only 29.17% of the respondents believed that the tool was easy to operate while 44.64% believed that the examination was simple (Fig.  3 CD).

Respondents’ comments on the following statements: A Direct ophthalmoscope is one of the most commonly used inspection tools in clinical ophthalmology; B Direct ophthalmology is an effective inspection method for the diagnosis of retinal diseases; C Learning to use the direct ophthalmoscope is difficult; D The examination steps involved in using the direct ophthalmoscope are complex. The questionnaire response rates for the questions represented in this figure is 100%

Direct ophthalmoscopy was considered necessary to learn and attracted the interest of respondents

70% of the respondents rated a score of eight or higher with regard to the necessity for non-ophthalmologists to master operating a direct ophthalmoscope (Fig.  4 A). Similarly, 68.74% of the respondents gave a score of eight or higher with regard to their interest in learning to operate a direct ophthalmoscope (Fig.  4 B).

Percentage of each score given by respondents to the following questions: A Do you think it is necessary for non-ophthalmologists to master the use of the direct ophthalmoscope? B Are you interested in learning to operate the direct ophthalmoscope? The questionnaire response rates for the questions represented in this figure is 85.71%

Views after training

The fundus images presented by the eyesi resembled the real fundus.

After completing the training, 54.17% of the respondents believed that the images presented by the Eyesi were consistent with the real fundus, while 29.17% believed that the two images were discordant (Fig.  5 ).

The degree of similarity between the images presented by the simulator and the real fundus according to respondents’ comments on ‘Do you think the images presented by the simulator are consistent with the real fundus?’. The questionnaire response rates for the question is 100%

Kirkpatrick’s level 1 evaluation

The eyesi was easier to operate and improved users’ confidence.

Compared with Group B (4.71 ± 0.33), the students in Group A achieved higher scores (6.71 ± 0.21) in “the ease of use of training tool.” Furthermore, scores of “self-confidence to examine for healthy volunteers or patients with retinal diseases in future clinical practice” in Group A (7.47 ± 0.21; 6.93 ± 0.22) were higher relative to Group B (5.94 ± 0.35; 5.17 ± 0.34), P  < 0.001 (Table  3 ).

The Eyesi did not affect the willingness to use direct ophthalmoscope in future practice and improve interest for further learning

With regard to interest for further learning, scores of Group A (8.77 ± 0.15) were significantly higher than scores obtained before training (8.08 ± 0.14, P  < 0.01) and more than scores of Group B (7.49 ± 0.24, P  < 0.001) (Fig.  6 A). Scores of Group B about their willingness to use a direct ophthalmoscope in future clinical practice (7.00 ± 0.28) were significantly lower than that of pre-training scores (8.06 ± 0.15, P  < 0.01) and that of Group A (8.23 ± 0.18, P  < 0.01) (Fig.  6 B).

Influence of learning direct ophthalmoscope with different tools on the willingness to use the tool in the future and interest in further learning. Scores of A ‘Interest in further learning of direct ophthalmoscope’ and B ‘Willingness to use direct ophthalmoscope when fundus examination is needed in future clinical practice’ in Group A (after Eyesi training) and Group B (after TDO training) compared with that before training. The questionnaire response rates for the question represented in figure A are 85.71% before training, 96.94 in Group A and 92.86% in Group B. The questionnaire response rates for the question represented in figure B are 85.71% before training, 95.92 in Group A and 92.86% in Group B

The vast majority of respondents suggested adding the Eyesi training

For the item “Do you recommend adding Eyesi training to ophthalmic preclinical training?”, 145 (86.31%) respondents chose “Recommend”, while 19 (11.31%) chose “Do Not Recommend.” Among the reasons for recommending, 117 chose “being able to learn the normal and diseased fundus intuitively” and “easier to master the examination skills.” Among the reasons for not recommending, 11 chose “prolonging the learning time” and “increasing the learning difficulty” respectively (Fig.  7 ).

Respondents’ feedback on the inclusion of Eyesi training to ophthalmic preclinical training. A Percentage distribution of recommending, not recommending or expressing no difference. Reasons for B recommending and C not recommending the Eyesi direct ophthalmoscope simulator

Kirkpatrick’s level 2 evaluation

The eyesi was more conducive to identifying fundus structure.

In terms of the degree to which the Eyesi or TDO may help students, the average scores of the respondents in Group A were significantly higher than that of Group B ( P  < 0.001) (Table  4 ) with regard to: “focusing on the fundus and obtaining a clear image,” “finding the optic disc and correctly estimating the cup disc ratio,” “observing the morphology feature and distribution of retinal vessels and distinguishing between arteries and veins,” and “finding and identifying typical fundus manifestations of common retinal diseases.”

The Eyesi training was more helpful to consolidate theoretical knowledge than traditional training

After training, scores of Group A with regard to “the degree to which learning direct ophthalmoscope helps consolidate relevant theoretical knowledge” increased from 8.01 ± 0.14 to 8.95 ± 0.13 ( P  < 0.001). However, there was no significant change in scores of Group B (7.86 ± 0.22) (Fig.  8 A). In the self-evaluation of the degree of mastering the fundus course content, scores of Group A increased from 6.10 ± 0.13 to 7.74 ± 0.16 ( P  < 0.001); similarly, there was also no significant difference in Group B (6.43 ± 0.25) (Fig.  8 B).

Influence of learning to use direct ophthalmoscope with different tools on mastering theoretical knowledge. Scores of A ‘The degree to which learning to use the direct ophthalmoscope helps consolidate relevant theoretical knowledge’ and B ‘Your degree of mastery of the fundus course content’ in Group A (after Eyesi training) and Group B (after TDO training) compared with that before training. The questionnaire response rates for the question represented in figure A are 85.71% before training, 96.94 in Group A and 92.86% in Group B. The questionnaire response rates for the question represented in figure B are 85.71% before training, 95.92 in Group A and 92.86% in Group B

All participants passed the SOP test

A score of 80 or above in the sop test was considered acceptable, and all participants passed. The average score of SOP test was 93.71 ± 0.40. All operational errors were pointed out and corrected after the test of each person.

Respondents were inclined to combine training

Most participants believed that the Eyesi was more comprehensible (80.36%) and led to better learning (57.14%) and were more willing to use the tool for assessment (71.43%). However, 78.57% of respondents considered that TDO was closer to tools typically implemented in clinical practice. In terms of learning about the fundus of healthy volunteers, the proportion of the two options was similar, while 63.69% of the respondents preferred the Eyesi for learning retinal diseases (Table  5 ). In general, 75.59% of respondents felt inclined to practice with the Eyesi first before using TDO (Fig.  9 ).

Percentage distribution of answers to the following question: Overall, which one do you prefer to learn and practice the operation of the direct ophthalmoscope? The questionnaire response rates for the question is 100%

Medical undergraduates often have limited specialty knowledge, clinical experience, and confidence in practice [ 33 ]. Many of them consider becoming a doctor as their long-term career plan, with some aspiring to become general practitioners [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Therefore, the primary goal of undergraduate medical education is to deepen their understanding of disease signs and symptoms and train them to skillfully perform fundamental examinations to establish valuable diagnostic foundations. Achieving this objective requires systematic and efficient guidance from teachers.

Fundus examination is vital for the diagnosis of various ophthalmological and systemic diseases. It is widely recognized that all medical students and general practitioners should possess a solid understanding and proficiency in fundus examination [ 38 ]. In our study, a vast majority of respondents agreed that direct ophthalmoscopy is commonly used, effective, and an essential component of their training. However, it was also acknowledged that mastering this technique is challenging. The Eyesi presents various fundus findings to users, enabling them to observe what a traditional ophthalmoscope would reveal. Participants expressed that Eyesi provides realistic fundus images and offers significant advantages in identifying fundus structures compared to traditional direct ophthalmoscopy. Consequently, Eyesi training proves to be feasible and meets the needs of undergraduate medical students.

We conducted a comparative analysis of operational learning and theoretical knowledge between Eyesi and TDO. Novice learners practicing with TDO may experience discomfort and increased pressure due to repeating examination steps on volunteers or patients [ 39 ]. The lack of real-time observation sharing between teachers and students hampers timely guidance, impeding students’ progress.

In contrast, the Eyesi simulator addresses these challenges. While the Eyesi simulator simulates patients’ resistance to light after prolonged examination, it remains an unrestricted practice tool for students. The Eyesi can also automatically time the illumination of the fundus and display the already examined area, reducing patient discomfort due to inexperienced operation and alleviating the psychological burden during the learning process. Moreover, the Eyesi offers the option to simulate different pupil sizes and allows for dilation, enabling students to gradually practice and repeatedly examine until they can observe comprehensive fundus structures, even under smaller pupils, thereby facilitating the learning process. Furthermore, the Eyesi assists in the theoretical learning of relevant retinal diseases. Unlike directly showing fundus images on a screen, the Eyesi simulates the real clinical scenario of using a direct ophthalmoscope, presenting fundus lesions more realistically. Additionally, it displays relevant theoretical knowledge for learning after the user marks the lesions they observe. The Eyesi compensates for the limited availability of clinical patients or cases where patients may not cooperate with students, thereby enabling students to gain insight into typical pathological conditions and reinforce relevant theoretical knowledge. These factors collectively contribute to a more engaging and effective learning experience with the Eyesi simulator. It also emphasizes the importance of performing a comprehensive fundus examination without solely relying on retinal photography, using non-examined peripheral retinal lesions as reminders for students.

The increased confidence observed in Group A can be attributed to these advantages, potentially leading to an improved utilization rate and proficiency of the direct ophthalmoscope in primary medical practice. In conclusion, this training approach aids in identifying fundus structures, enhancing students’ operational abilities, and consolidating their theoretical knowledge of the fundus. Consequently, the Eyesi simulator is expected to be a suitable choice for novices.

The majority of respondents expressed a preference for the Eyesi simulator, considering it to be easier to understand and a more effective learning tool, while TDO is actually implemented in real-world clinical practice. However, starting with TDO as the initial training method may potentially impact participants’ interest in further learning. Therefore, we recommend that undergraduates practice with the Eyesi before transitioning to the traditional method, which is consistent with the preference of most participants in this study. This sequential training method may enhance the learning experience and better prepare students for future clinical settings.

The transition from Eyesi training to using TDO in clinical applications poses multiple challenges for students. They must effectively communicate with patients during the examination process, master precise positioning techniques due to potential instability in patients’ eyes, and adapt to varying pupil sizes. Additionally, the simulator’s limitation to simulating typical retinal lesions contrasts with the diverse and rare conditions encountered in actual clinical practice, necessitating comprehensive understanding and recognition abilities. Furthermore, this transition may lead to confidence and anxiety issues among students. It is important to emphasize that the Eyesi serves as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, real patient experiences in the clinical setting. To address these challenges, educators can offer practical opportunities through simulated clinical practices and real patient training, encouraging students to participate in clinical internships to enhance their clinical competence.

To further investigate whether the Eyesi is a superior training tool, we compared our study with previous studies. With the advancement of technology and the application of virtual reality (VR) in medical education, we have gradually phased out the use of slides or photographs to simulate the fundus in simulators, opting instead for designs that are more closely aligned with clinical practice [ 40 , 41 ]. In terms of its design advantages, the Eyesi distinguishes itself by closely simulating the shape and function of a real direct ophthalmoscope, utilizing a handheld device and a head-face model, making it more akin to the tools used in actual clinical practice compared to other devices [ 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Unlike other simulators utilizing VR technology, the Eyesi does not require wearing bulky VR goggles, and according to our questionnaire results, it more accurately simulates the real fundus state [ 45 ]. Additionally, the Eyesi’s feature of enabling teachers to provide real-time guidance through a monitoring screen is a valuable asset. Furthermore, its built-in case database of retinal diseases allows students to learn independently and addresses the limitations of TDO and other simulators [ 41 ]. In comparison to other study utilizing the Eyesi, and as opposed to conducting separate studies sequentially, our research adopted a parallel-group design to more comprehensively assess participants’ perceptions of different tools simultaneously [ 46 ]. Another study focusing on the Eyesi evaluated only the impact of different tools on students’ confidence but also concluded it to be a beneficial teaching tool [ 47 ]. Regarding the Eyesi’s indirect ophthalmoscope simulator, existing researches have compared the examination time and detection scores of physicians using this tool, which were superior to those of medical students, further supporting the effectiveness of incorporating the Eyesi simulator into training as a supplementary teaching tool [ 48 , 49 ]. The number of respondents in our study was significantly larger than that of past studies [ 25 , 50 ].

From the collected opinions, we found that participants appreciated the Eyesi’s user-friendliness, clarity, adjustable pupil size, and the presentation of typical cases. However, the limited time for practice was noted as an area of improvement. And some challenges with TDO were highlighted, such as a small vision field hindering the identification of common fundus lesions and greater difficulty in operation. Nevertheless, students appreciated its realism and the ability to receive feedback from volunteers. Despite the favorable feedback for the Eyesi, a few students did not fully support its use. To address these concerns, we plan to enhance future courses by allocating additional practice time and thoughtfully selecting built-in cases within the Eyesi.

As for study design, we designed four questionnaires to evaluate the subjective feelings of respondents before and after training and on different training tools, as well as their confidence and willingness to use a direct ophthalmoscope in future work. We also compared undergraduates’ tendencies for different learning purposes, and offered suggestions on learning sequences. Self-reporting questionnaires provide valuable insights into participants’ subjective perceptions, feedback, and satisfaction with course content and training methods [ 51 ]. These assessments shed light on the training’s potential benefits in enhancing learners’ skills and self-assurance, allowing us to optimize the program accordingly for a more engaging learning experience. In our study, we have implemented multiple strategies to mitigate potential biases. Firstly, random group assignment was employed to ensure balanced representation in each training group, minimizing selection bias. Secondly, we crafted unbiased survey questions to prevent information bias. Moreover, measures such as respondent anonymity, blind data entry, and analysis were implemented to mitigate response and observer bias during data processing. While we acknowledge the limitations of self-reporting, we have taken meticulous steps to enhance the validity and reliability of our findings within the scope of our study’s constraints.

However, it is essential to establish more objective evaluation indicators, such as written exams and scenario simulation assessments, to effectively measure the enhancement of participants’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills resulting from the utilization of various training methodologies. Additionally, for evaluating the effectiveness of the Kirkpatrick model’s third and fourth levels, long-term observations will be required to assess the participants’ skills and performance in their daily clinical practices. While we acknowledge the current limitations, it is also essential to conduct further research by integrating feedback from both supervising physicians and patients to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the training outcomes in clinical settings. Recognizing this, we are planning a follow-up study that will address these concerns by focusing on specialized physicians who have undergone the training and gathering insights from experienced providers or faculty regarding the Eyesi. This subsequent research will encompass a more comprehensive assessment, including evaluation by teachers in clinical practice and a blinded evaluation methodology. Furthermore, before commencing further research, we will validate the psychometrics of our questionnaires and further refine them to better meet our survey needs.

In general, the Eyesi has shown potential advantages over the traditional direct ophthalmoscope in fundus observation, operational practice, and theoretical learning. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive design indicate it might effectively assist medical students acquiring fundus examination skills during clinical training. The positive reception of the Eyesi by most undergraduates suggests it could be a valuable contribution to ophthalmic preclinical training. This may help promote the use of the direct ophthalmoscope in primary medical institutions and, as a result, contribute to facilitating the early screening and diagnosis of retinal diseases, and aid in evaluating retinal microvascular abnormalities among patients with systemic diseases. This, in turn, has the potential to reduce healthcare costs and preserve medical resources.

Data availability

The datasets used and analysed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the effort of the teaching team and all of the internship tutors (Dan Ye, Xiaoqing Chen, Xia Gong, Shida Chen, Yunru Liao) at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center for this study.

This research was supported by Teaching Quality Project of Sun Yat-sen University in 2024, the National Key R&D Project of China, No.2020YFA0112701 (to Y.Z.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82171057 (to Y.Z.) and No. 81870657 (to Y.L.), Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou of China, No. 202206080005 (to Y.Z.) and No. 202201020492 (to Y.L.), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China, No. 2022A1515012168 (to Y.L.), and the Open Research Funds of the State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, No. 2023KF01 (to Y.L.), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, 2024A1515013296 (to Y.L.).

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Canying Liu and Jicheng Lin contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China

Canying Liu, Jicheng Lin, Siting Wu, Yingting Zhu, Yuxian Zou, Qi Zhang, Zhidong Li, Yehong Zhuo & Yiqing Li

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Contributions

CL and JL contributed to the primary manuscript text, while SW, YZhu, YZou, and QZ assisted with data collection and analysis. ZL provided valuable insights and guidance throughout the research process. YZhuo and YL coordinated the study, oversaw data interpretation, and prepared the manuscript. All authors participated in reviewing and revising the manuscript for publication.

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Correspondence to Yehong Zhuo or Yiqing Li .

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We thank Editage ( www.editage.cn ) for English language editing.

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During the preparation of this work the authors used ChatGPT to refine the language and enhance readability. After using this tool, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the publication.

Practice points

The Eyesi is superior to TDO in fundus observation, operational practice, and theoretical learning.

We designed four questionnaires to evaluate the subjective feelings of respondents comprehensively.

We offered suggestions on learning sequence of the Eyesi and TDO.

The Eyesi may promote the use of TDO in primary medical institutions.

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Liu, C., Lin, J., Wu, S. et al. Eyesi direct ophthalmoscope simulator: an effective training tool for medical undergraduates. BMC Med Educ 24 , 783 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05780-w

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Roberts was also excited to use the experience to help other coaching teachers in her school. She knows that preparing for an intern can be daunting on top of all that educators manage in their classrooms. She knew the Coaching Academy could help her assist her fellow educators in their own preparation.

“The Coaching Academy totally changed me professionally,” says Roberts. “I built relationships with amazing educators. We grew in ways that I don’t think any of us could have imagined. We have become stronger coaches in all aspects because of these relationships.”

Erin also faced a new experience professionally last year when she mentored a first-year educator who came from a different career path.

“Everything I was learning in this academy directly impacted how I mentored this new educator,” says Roberts. “I learned different styles of coaching from facilitative to directive. I learned types of questions, observations and how to use data to inform our meetings. It truly changed how I approached that mentorship.”

Roberts is preparing for a career switch of her own. She will begin as an instructional coach across two schools this fall. She attributes her confidence in her new role to her academy experience.

“I truly feel like I can now coach my colleagues, and that is a daunting undertaking” says Roberts. “My coworkers have the same degree as me. I have taught with them for years. This academy prepared me for my next step.”

One of the sessions that really helped Roberts was centered on observational questions and question stems. This type of questioning is used to help interns think critically about their work without their coaching educator commenting directly on their performance. Different questions empower different observations.

“We went over empowering, authentic, respectful and inviting questions,” says Roberts. “This activity helped me really plan for my coaching conversations. I know when I enter these discussions with student interns, mentees or colleagues, I can craft inviting questions and help people feel empowered to share. This becomes a discussion instead of a one-sided critique.”

Roberts shared that she realized she often struggles to truly listen or that she listens to respond because she wants to quickly get students to the right answer. By taking a moment to be an engaged listener and guide students to think on their own, she’s helping them solve future problems independently.

“That was really powerful,” says Roberts. “It is not always our purpose or what students need from us. Helping students think on their own will contribute much more to their future success.”

Roberts shares that Coaching Academy founder, Shelly Curcio, Ph.D. , demonstrated the importance of these conversations when she visited Roberts’ school for a coaching conversation. Curcio sat in on Roberts’ talk with her intern and guided a teaching reflection.

“I was trying to apply all that I had learned,” says Roberts. “I received real time feedback and saw how Curcio helped my student clarify some concepts that she had struggled with.”

Roberts was touched that Curcio took the time to visit her school and help her individually. She feels ready and prepared to serve as that touchpoint for her fellow educators and interns. She says that even with her National Board Certification, a master’s degree in education and years of professional development, this was as a profound experience.

“This is some of the best professional growth I’ve seen in myself,” says Roberts. “It’s an opportunity I would take again and something I will be forever thankful for.”

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