Top 16 Edtech Tools To Try This Year
As a teacher, you’re always finding new and exciting ways to fill your students’ minds with the information they need to succeed.
Whether it’s educational podcasts, websites, or apps, embracing technology in the classroom is a great way to make learning fun and engaging while also helping you maximize your time and be on top of your game.
Continue reading our blog to discover how technology can benefit your classroom and find out which edtech tools teachers are raving about right now.
Benefits of Technology in Education
No doubt using technology in the classroom can benefit students and teachers alike.
If you’re on the fence about incorporating technology in your classroom, take a moment to consider a few of the benefits of technology in education.
Provides access to information and resources.
Students can explore various subjects, conduct research, and access educational materials that may not be available in traditional textbooks.
Improves digital literacy.
Students will learn to navigate digital platforms, use productivity tools, collaborate online, and effectively communicate using digital mediums.
Supports different learning styles.
Teachers can address diversity in learning styles and experiences with the proper tools. Technology can be especially useful for ELL students.
Adds a fun and engaging element to learning.
Many students use technology in all aspects of their lives, so using it in the classroom shows them that learning can be fun and exciting, and come in many different forms.
How to Choose the Right Classroom Technology Tools
Technology is all around us which is why it seems like there is always new technology for teachers to use in their classrooms.
However, with the vast number of educational technology choices, it can be difficult for teachers to decide which tools are best suited for them and their students.
Whether you’re using technology in class for the first time or looking to add to your list of tried-and-true tools, following these tech tips for teachers is guaranteed to help narrow down the choices.
Focus on overall goals and needs.
Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve with technology is the first step to finding what works best for your students. To figure this out, you can try asking yourself a few questions:
- What are your learning objectives and outcomes for your subject and/or grade level?
- Are there specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes that you want your students to develop?
- How will you assess and monitor your students’ progress?
Think about content and context.
Finding the tools that work for you is important, but keeping your students in mind is just as crucial. Consider what each tool has to offer and how those features or elements will fit into your students’ daily lives and learning styles. Some tools are designed specifically for English learners or students with special needs. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What are your students’ needs, interests, preferences, and abilities?
- Are your students familiar with technology and is it accessible to them outside of the classroom?
- How do they communicate with each other and you? How do you communicate with their parents?
Assess quality and sustainability.
Finally, you need to be able to use tools that work for you and your classroom. Just because an edtech tool works well for another teacher doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for you. While this may take some trial and error, these 5 factors can help you find the tools that are sustainable for your classroom:
- Relevance- Does it match your goals and needs?
- Effectiveness- Does it enhance your teaching, classroom management, and learning outcomes?
- Ease of use- Is it simple and user-friendly for all students?
- Affordability- Is it free, and, if not, does it fit into your classroom budget?
- Reliability- Is its functionality, security, privacy, and support up to your standards?
Remember the main goal of using edtech tools in the classroom is to align them with your curriculum, standards, and teaching style. However, students also love to feel involved, so consider offering them options or asking them what types of tools they would like to use.
16 Teacher-Approved Edtech Tools
Now that you know how to pick the right tools for your classroom, it’s time to look at some of the most popular and efficient edtech tools for teachers.
When browsing edtech tools, see what other teachers like or dislike about each platform. Chances are you’ll be able to hear an assortment of opinions and recommendations that can also help guide you in your search.
1. Kami
Use for: Everyday instruction
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This digital tool allows teachers to annotate documents online whether it be for solo grading sessions, collaborative projects, or lesson plans. Teachers can save all their notes and share their feedback; students can reply with questions, comments, or other insights.
2. Piktochart
Use for: Everyday instruction
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: Teachers can easily turn complex data or lessons into visual pieces for students to better understand the content. They can create high-quality infographics, reports, classroom posters, presentations, brochures, and more.
3. Scribe
Use for: Everyday instruction
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This tool helps teachers create simple, shareable step-by-step guides for students, parents, or colleagues. The extension captures screenshots and generates directions that can be shared with anyone with the link.
4. Pear Deck
Use for: Everyday instruction
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: Integrated with Google Slides, this add-on allows teachers to create compelling and interactive presentations to boost student engagement. Teachers can create new presentations or elevate existing content.
5. SplashLearn
Use for: Learning content platform
Price: Free
Grade ranges: PreK-5
What it does: SplashLearn allows teachers to differentiate instruction by assessing learning gaps and grouping students. Teachers can access games, play sheets, decodable books, and stories as well as create personalized learning plans and gain insight into student and class progress.
6. Nearpod
Use for: Learning content platform
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This tool is available on a variety of devices/platforms that can be used in the classroom, distance, or hybrid learning. Teachers can receive live insights into student comprehension through interactive lessons, videos, games, and other activities.
7. Quizlet
Use for: Lesson planning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: Teachers can create study tools, like flashcards, notes, and quizzes to help students memorize and learn lessons while also preparing for tests. The app offers a variety of tools that can be used at home or in the classroom for all grade levels.
8. Canvas
Use for: Lesson planning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This platform allows teachers to upload curricula, share education apps, differentiate assessments, and track student progress. Teachers can create a custom learning environment across all content areas and grade levels with specialized tools, assignments, quizzes, discussions, and video conferences.
9. Wakelet
Use for: Lesson planning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This tool allows teachers to customize lesson plans, discussion boards, assignments, portfolios, and more. They can also create, save, organize, and share different content types with students, colleagues, and other learning communities.
10. Common Curriculum
Use for: Lesson planning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: Teachers can plan their lessons, units, and assignments all in one place to share with students and parents. This platform offers the ability to align lesson plans with standards in seconds and collaborate with other teachers.
11. Plan Book
Use for: Lesson planning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This tool helps teachers plan lessons easily and quickly on any web browser and a variety of other Google apps. Plan books and lessons can be shared with colleagues, administrators, or substitute teachers.
12. Socrative
Use for: Lesson planning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: Teachers can create a variety of lessons, quizzes, activities, and rooms for students to participate in daily learning. The tool offers students a collaborative learning environment while teachers can track and monitor student progress and participation.
13. Poll Everywhere
Use for: Social learning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This web and mobile app helps teachers connect students within the same class as well as other workspaces through interactive activities. It includes live online polling, surveys, Q&A forums, formative assessments, and more.
14. Padlet
Use for: Social learning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: A collaborative learning app where teachers can create discussion forums, idea boards, timelines, maps, and portfolios. Each digital board updates in real time to show students’ thoughts, ideas, and questions.
15. Flip
Use for: Social learning
Price: Free (basic plan)
Grade ranges: K-12
What it does: This app allows teachers to create video prompts and safe discussion forums for students. Students can respond, comment, and share their ideas with others through short videos, audio messages, or text messages.
16. Canva
Use for: Social learning
Price: Free for teachers and students at eligible schools.
Grade ranges: K–12
What it does: Choose from a library of resources or create personalized lesson plans, infographics, posters, videos, and more.
Teacher’s Corner
We consulted one of our TAG members, Benita Afonso, to see how she uses edtech in her classroom. Read about her favorite tools and tips below.
Do you have a favorite edtech tool?
I have many tech tools that I use in my standalone classroom setting as well as in an integrated setting. The most important tool that I use in my classroom is Google Classroom. I have set up different activities that target the 4 modalities of learning language (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing). They are linked with Google Slides…It is very versatile [because] I can share all of my activities with other teachers, student groups, and parents.
Another favorite is Flip. My students have the opportunity to record and videotape themselves as they are presenting their finished product…This platform promotes active participation and engagement through their video responses…It facilitates collaborative learning which allows students to view and respond to each other’s videos and peer-to-peer interaction. It supports inclusivity by providing accessibility that accommodates various learning needs.
In the integrated setting, we are using Canva and Class Dojo. [They] are very popular. Canva serves as a platform for students to create their own stories and add backgrounds and pictures and gifs.
How have your students benefited from incorporating edtech tools into your classroom?
I believe the students benefit from using these tools with guidance and support. Students get excited when they use Flip Grid and Canva because they get to showcase their work for their parents and classmates to view. They love the fact that they are real authors and their work is published for everyone to see.
What kind of strategies do you use to incorporate edtech tools into your classroom?
Depending on what we are learning in the integrated setting, we introduce to the whole group step by step in Canva [along with] all the tools that they will be using. The following day we break up into small groups and discuss what the students’ plan of action would be. Each day they work in a small group setting until they are comfortable working on their own. By the third day, students can navigate on their own.
What is one tip you would give to a fellow teacher who is interested in incorporating edtech tools into the classroom?
Using technology in the classroom can be intimidating but it takes time and patience. I would suggest working in small groups over a period of time.
Finding the edtech tools that work for you and your students may seem daunting at first, but once you’re able to narrow down the options, you’ll find that using technology in the classroom can help improve learning and set your students up for success.
Online interactive lessons feature a gradual release model to help English learners make gains in classroom writing.
Thank you to Benita Afonso, ENL/Building Point Person for grades 1 and 2 in Sleepy Hollow, New York, for contributing to this blog post.