Learning Management Systems

Google Classroom, , and  are all learning management systems that offer a centralized hub for both students and teachers. This is a place to manage coursework, share resources, and participate in discussions. Many LMS’s offer productivity tools within their platforms. For example,  which is a widely favored LMS tech tool, integrates other Google tools such as Google Meet, Docs, Gmail, etc. into their LMS platform.

This makes it easy for students and teachers to interact, collaborate, and gain access to information all in one place. This streamlined educational experience is a game-changer for teachers because of all the time they are saving having everything all in one place. Students love it too because of its user-friendly interface and simplified learning experience.

Assessment Tools

Several edtech tools are designed to help teachers evaluate students’ progress and performance.  is one of the most popular tools because it’s a game-based learning platform that engages students through interactive games. Teachers create a fun learning game or access one from the library then add videos, images, or diagrams to engage students further. Student’s answers are saved, and teachers can use this information to gain insight into student knowledge or to help plan future lessons.

Another favorite edtech assessment tool is , which is similar to Kahoot. This tech tool turns quizzes into games, provides instant feedback to students in real time, and gives teachers a detailed report on individual students and the overall class performance. One of its standout features, besides real-time analytics, is how it accommodates diverse learning styles so students can work at their own pace.

Short-form Video Content

Attention spans today are much shorter than they used to be, which is why many educators are choosing short-form videos to help explain the content or illustrate ideas to cater to these short attention spans. Flip (formally Flipgrid) is one of the most popular video discussion platforms.

The way it works is that the teacher creates a discussion prompt by using short video clips, then students respond with their own short video about the given topic. It’s a beneficial tool for less sociable students, too, because they can share their thoughts privately without the stress of speaking in front of others.

Another widely used platform is , which allows teachers to customize video clips with interactive elements like questions, quizzes, voice notes, and audio notes to help actively engage students. It also provides real-time feedback which is beneficial for both students and teachers. Furthermore, it offers detailed analytics on student performance, making it a great edtech assessment tool. Both edtech tools cater to short-from video content and greatly enhance students’ learning experience.

Artificial Intelligence

AI can be a powerful tech tool in the classroom and is gaining popularity by the day because of its ability to personalize students’ learning experiences. One notable AI edtech tool is , which says it’s “shaping the future of technology.” Educators are utilizing this tool to assist in the development of their lesson planning by helping to create or refine their plans to be tailored to each student’s specific needs and abilities.

Meanwhile, students use this tool to clarify topics or provide supplementary information. Additionally, the platform’s new ability to see, hear, and speak is helping students learn new information in an instant making it the most frequently used app.

Other AI tools that have gained popularity are , a well-liked lesson plan assistant, and , a favored AI-assisted grading tool. Both of these edtech tools are making it easier for teachers to do their job so they can focus more on their students.

Collaboration Tools

Collaboration is an essential component in every classroom and can help empower students and deepen learning. One collaborative platform that should be added to your teacher toolkit is the widely favored Google Classroom. Google Classroom isn’t just one of the best learning management systems because of its centralized hub, it’s also highly popular because of its collaborative platform.

Some key collaborative features include the real-time sharing of documents, discussion boards where students can share thoughts and ask questions, announcements and notifications, collaborative grading, an integrated calendar, and parental involvement where parents receive updates.

Another reputable collaborative platform is , specifically Microsoft Teams which is a central hub for communication and collaboration among teachers and students. This is where both students and teachers can communicate through chat or virtual meetings. Additionally, Microsoft Office applications are integrated (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) enabling multiple users to collaborate on the same document and work together on assignments in real-time. Both Google and Microsoft offer an interactive, collaborative work environment that makes it easy to communicate.

The integration of Edtech tools in the classroom has become an integral part of education. From learning management systems to collaborative tools to using artificial intelligence, today’s technology is constantly evolving and adapting to cater to the needs of both teachers and students. Embracing these new technologies opens up endless possibilities for future generations.  

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Zoom

“Let’s do a zoom…” would have had little meaning to anyone just a handful of months ago. Now that phrase is as common-day as “staff meeting.” Zoom has made video conferencing easy, effective, and engaging for students and staff alike across the nation. It offers collaboration features such as one-click content sharing, real-time co-annotation, and digital white-boarding.

Teachers are able to record their live classes or pre-record lessons using Zoom, which has been found helpful for those working under a hybrid learning model. Students have fun being able to change their backgrounds and pretend they are in places like the ocean or the mountains. And teachers enjoy the ability to mute others while they are instructing (think no more blurting and fewer disruptions). Zoom continues to top the charts of video conferencing tools.

eSpark

makes a claim to being the perfect tool for small group, independent, and remote learning, and for the most part, its statement holds true. With eSpark’s standards-based games, engaging videos, and digital activities, students work independently to succeed at their own level and at their own pace.

Students begin by taking a placement test that puts them on an adaptive pathway with direct instruction and an assortment of practice activities. Teachers also have the ability to assign specific standards to reinforce what they are currently teaching or if they want to target specific skills that students need more work in. While there are similar programs like eSpark, the ability to do both math and reading makes it stand out to educators and has become a one-stop-shop as a digital tool.

Prodigy

is one of the top apps of 2020 when it comes to student engagement and students’ excitement for learning. As students explore the Prodigy Math Game world, they answer questions to complete quests and earn in-game rewards. Teachers can align the in-game questions to match their instruction.

Educators can also track student progress with real-time data that creates comprehension and progress reports that teachers can use to guide instruction. Students often mention Prodigy when asked about their favorite app, making it a win-win for students and teachers.

Epic

With 94% of schools in the U.S. using , there must be something good happening in this popular reading app. Epic is currently the leading digital reading platform used by educators. It has a collection of more than 40,000 books that are high-quality, popular, and from some of the world’s best publishers. With the options students have to read independently, have books read to them, or watch educational videos, it isn’t surprising why this app is so popular amongst school districts.

Additionally, teachers can assign students books or create collections of books for students to read. Some of these texts even have short comprehension quizzes at the end, making yet another reason why this app is so widely used.

iXL

is a computer program for students in grades preK-12. It covers four core subjects and is Common Core and State Standards-aligned. A new feature to iXL, the Real-Time Diagnostic, evaluates students’ grade level proficiency in math and language arts at a deeper level than ever before. This provides teachers with about where students are at in their learning.

iXL also uses the insight from student work combined with the diagnostic to generate a personalized guide for each learner. iXL is a great tool to use to take a deeper look into how students are doing, give them more practice on the content being taught, and engage them in a digital program.

Chatterpix

Another top app of 2020 that has been around for quite some time is . It is simple to explain, easy to use, and pleasantly basic (making it suitable for Kindergarten students on up). The idea is that users turn any picture into a talking picture (think: talking pet dog, talking broom, or talking PB & J Sandwich).

This is a great app to use with students for sharing information, answering questions, or just for fun during morning meeting. With how simple this app is, it’s worth a try if you haven’t already discovered its charming features.

Kids A-Z

(which emphases the more widely known Raz-Kids) is an award-winning resource that provides students with leveled books, teachers with progress reports, and everyone involved with another great platform to help practice reading skills.

Built into Kids A-Z is a library of differentiated books at 29 reading levels. These books can be accessed at home or school. It is a great app to use when teaching small group reading, for students’ silent reading time, or for read-alouds.

There are easy-to-use online controls that allow teachers to quickly manage and track their students’ progress. Additionally, there are built-in incentives and rewards that students use to personalize their “Star Zone.” The downfall is that this tech tool does come with a cost, but don’t let that sway you from its many benefits.

Conclusion

It’s hard to pinpoint the best technology tools of 2020 when there are so many wonderful ones available. Zoom, eSpark, Prodigy, Epic, iXL, Chatterpix, and Kids A-Z are just some of the exciting digital resources out there. Whether your students this year are learning in person, in a hybrid model, or completely online, take a look at these top technology tools. They are sure to become some of your favorites, too.

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Not All Students are the Same

Every student that walks into the classroom is unique. They bring different background experiences, different perspectives, and different interests. Not to mention they have different learning styles and different educational needs. That is why selecting one technology tool, app, or gadget does not work. In order to , educators need to get to know their students to find out what they are interested in, how they like to learn, and what kinds of technology they have experience with.

Just as teachers give pretests to find out what students know about material before they start teaching, so too do educators need to figure out what types of technology students are familiar with. This helps with planning appropriate tools to use in the classroom to meet educational learning goals. Not all students are going to use the same tool to reach the learning objective.

Some students will be able to show their learning in one way, and another student may take an entirely different approach. That is the beauty of technology; it gives teachers a gamut of tools to choose from to personalize learning. After all, true equity for students isn’t about everyone in the room having or using the same thing, but every student in the room having what it is they need to learn best.

How to Choose the Right EdTech Tools for Your Students

With over 100,000 apps labeled “education” in the app store, there are many things to consider when choosing the right edtech tools for students. The first is thinking about the learning outcome you want for your students and the means to get there. The can be helpful for educators to use as a guide for how to best implement technology.

Educators can ask themselves, “Is technology being used simply as a substitute for something else, or is it being used to modify or redefine learning?” If a technology tool redefines a traditional task in a way that would not have otherwise been possible, a student’s learning experience is transformed and enhanced. This is the ultimate goal of technology use and necessary to think about when implementing it.

The second thing to consider when using technology is social use. Because learning is socially constructed, it is important that teachers choose tools that allow students to engage together. Tools like Google Docs allow students to work together and collaborate on assignments.

Prodigy is an interactive math game that uses gamification to engage students as they simultaneously work on answering math questions correctly. Students battle each other to earn badges and pets, creating a fun and competitive shared experience with classmates.

Lastly, the third thing to look for when choosing the right edtech tools for students is the possibilities for differentiation. Are teachers able to scaffold based on students’ learning levels or needs? Can teachers assign different content or program the tech tool to meet students at the level they are at? Apps like TeachMonster, Lalilo, or TweenTribune allow for teachers to adjust based on student needs. These are the types of apps that are easy to implement and effective to use for monitoring student progress.

Great EdTech Tools to Consider

The amount of edtech tools out there can make it overwhelming when teachers need to weed through them all for one that redefines learning, creates a socially constructed experience, and has the capability for differentiation. That is why it can feel relieving when teachers find one that fits just that.

EDpuzzle does all of these things. is a website that allows teachers to find a video, add questions throughout it, and assign it to either individual students or the entire class. As the students watch the video, the clip has the ability to pause at various points so students will have to answer a question. This keeps students engaged and ensures that they watch the entirety of the clip. It also provides teachers with feedback on student understanding or allows students to pose a question they might have after watching.

is another great edtech tool to consider. Nearpod is an interactive presentation tool that allows teachers to create and deliver engaging lessons across all devices. Teachers can import existing presentations (like PowerPoint or Google Slides) or start from scratch, adding interactive activities such as Quizzes, Polls, Open-Ended Questions, and even Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trips. The lessons can be taught live, guiding students through the content in real-time, or assigned for students to complete at their own pace. This tool helps keep students engaged by incorporating checks for understanding throughout the lesson and provides teachers with immediate feedback on student comprehension, allowing for timely adjustments to instruction.

Conclusion

When it comes to educational technology tools, one size does not fit all. Teachers need to take this into consideration when planning appropriate tech tools to support student learning. Technology tools should redefine learning, be socially constructed, and have the capabilities of personalization in order to meet each individual student’s needs. This ensures that every student in the room has the tools they need for success.

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Edpuzzle

Video clips are a great way to support student learning, but often come with bothersome popup ads and little opportunity for students to process their learning throughout. changes that. This app allows teachers to pull a video from the internet and then customize it to meet the lesson goals. Teachers can insert questions throughout the video where students need to pause and answer.

Edpuzzle also is able to track how long students are spending on the clip to ensure that nothing is being skipped or fast forwarded through. Educators can even voice over parts of the video where more explanation or clarification is needed. This app has a free version for educators and is compatible with most devices.

Magic School AI

Nearpod

Seesaw

Padlet

Conclusion

Implementing the newest and trendiest ed tech tools into the classroom can be overwhelming, especially with the multitude of options available in 2025. By starting with worthy options like Edpuzzle, Magic School AI, Nearpod, Seesaw, and Padlet, students will be effectively engaged and their learning will be positively impacted.

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Canva for Education

 is a graphic design platform that can be an effective useful resource for educators. Teachers can use this powerful digital tool to create and bring visually engaging lessons to life. If you’re not too keen on creating lessons or digital resources from scratch, then you’ll be happy to learn that the app comes preloaded with thousands of free templates for you to customize.

It’s not just for teachers, students too can use Canva to create projects, posters, videos, and more. They can create mind maps, manage study groups or group projects, add amination to videos and presentations, and so much more. As long as you are an active teacher with a verified educational email you can access Canva for free.

Flip

Flip, formally known as Flipgrid, is a video discussion platform from Microsoft where students have digital discussions through an app in a fun and engaging way. The way it works is that teachers create a group which Flip calls a “learning community” and invite students to the group. The teacher then creates a topic that will spark a conversation and each student responds to the prompt by recording and sharing short videos about the given topic.

This no-cost educational app is a great way for students to express themselves and share their thoughts and ideas in a fun and exciting format. It’s also an excellent tool for less sociable students because they get the opportunity to record their responses without the added stress of being called upon by the teacher or having to speak in front of the classroom. Flip has gained popularity among students because it provides a social media-type experience with peers, allowing them to enhance their videos by adding stickers, emojis, and drawings.

Quizlet

 is a widely popular educational app for learning and studying and it just got better with the integration of their AI-powered tools. Teachers love using this app because it can engage all students of all levels. With various study modes, flashcards, matching, and tests, students can pick which method works best for the way they like to learn. Additionally, with the integration of AI students can now use the platform to turn their notes into flashcards or other modes of learning, as well as get personalized homework help with AI-powered tutoring. The app also incorporates gamification elements like achievements and leaderboards to help students stay engaged in what they are learning. Overall, this app makes the learning process more enjoyable for students.

ChatGPT

Open AI developed  a groundbreaking artificial intelligence chatbot system that is taking the world by storm. This new tech tool is and students learn. Educators are using this valuable tool to assist in their lesson planning by brainstorming new lesson ideas and/or to help refine their lesson plans. It’s also useful for creating educational content like quizzes or worksheets which can be tailored to each students’ specific needs.

Another key benefit of ChatGPT is its ability to help answer students’ questions. This feature can be handy when students need further clarification or additional explanation on what they are learning in the classroom. It’s important to note that ChatGPT is something new, and since we don’t know a lot about it just yet, the information that it gives out should be thoroughly evaluated and only used as a complementary resource.

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is another top choice for best educational apps mainly because it seamlessly integrates with all other Google apps and services like Google Docs, Slides, etc., making it a central hub for teachers to provide students with information directly. Teachers can make announcements, start discussions, provide feedback, create assignments, collect assignments, and provide grades all within the platform.

This streamlined process is a game-changer for teachers because it not only saves time but also enhances the assessment process. Students love it too because it’s easy to navigate, they can access all of their classes within one app, and the platform sends notifications helping students stay on top of their responsibilities.

Selecting Classroom Apps

When selecting classroom apps, consider your audience. Will younger children or adults be using this app? If so, you may want to look for an easy-to-use interface. Also, think about your learning goals. Does it align with your curriculum? What will the students get from using this app? In addition, you’ll want to consider if the app can be customized to meet the needs of all learners and if it’s engaging and motivating for students. Is it compatible with all devices, or is it only available for specific devices? Carefully consider these questions when choosing your educational apps for the classroom.

The options for educational apps seem endless, but when you do your research and carefully evaluate each app based on your wants and needs, then you will find the right apps for your classroom needs.

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Social studies often gets a bad rep for its lengthy textbooks and sometimes dry lessons. But social studies does not have to be that way. With the help of educational technology, social studies can be one of the most exciting parts of your daily schedule. Below is a look into some websites, apps and tools that can help revibe social studies instruction.

Over the course of her career, Justice O’Connor had become concerned about the growing lack of understanding for our systems of government. After she retired from nearly 25 years on the bench, she decided she needed to do something to turn her disappointment into action in regards to how dry and uninspiring education in social studies had become. In 2009, Justice O’Connor founded iCivics as a way to transform civic education. Through engaging games and interactive resources, iCivics is a powerful resource for educators planning social studies instruction. Teachers can search via state standards or content. 91�㽶��Ƶ plans, downloadable resources, and games filter into the search you are looking for. This website is easy to navigate and entirely free for educators. It is a “one stop shop” in many ways and worth some time exploring all that the website has to offer educators.

Founded in 2013, Newsela is a database of current events. Newsela’s content comes from primary sources, historic news articles, and famous speeches. It is aligned to state standards and puts emphasis on being diverse and inclusive. Because news happens and evolves by the minute, Newsela is updated daily with up to 10 new texts. This makes instruction on current events, which are so important for students to learn about in an unbiased and fact-checked manner, easy. Newsela is not just limited to social studies content, making it a great landing page for many disciplines.

Scholastic News is a magazine that features nonfiction, high-interest, and informative articles. It is aimed at grades 1-6 and its magazines are interesting to students and equally as impressive to teachers. While it comes at a price, the sticker tag should not discourage school districts from its valuable resources. Educators can choose to have a digital version or physical copy of the magazines. A subscription provides access to interesting videos, games, and hands-on activities.

Scholastic also provides personalized instruction through their differentiation tools such as reading levels, audio support, and text-to-speech read-alouds. Additionally, there are built in scaffolding and vocabulary practice for striving readers and ELL students. With something for every unique learner in your classroom, Scholastic News is sure to enhance your social studies instruction.

An oldie but a goodie, Padlet is a digital bulletin board that continues to be mentioned as a favorite for educators. What makes it so enjoyable is that students can interact on Padlet simultaneously. Additionally, there are interactive maps and opportunities to build timelines. A teacher could present a topic (ancient egyptian medicine, civil war, 9/11), and students can use Padlet to create a shared poster. To review for a test, educators could ask questions and have students type in their answers. The content filtering ensures that inappropriate words do not get displayed and the analytics provide feedback on who viewed the padlet and who may have skipped out.

App

Kids Planet Discovery is an exciting app for primary students. This app takes young learners on virtual adventures around Planet Earth to learn about different cultures, animals, music, dress, geography, and more. Through engaging puzzles, manipulative maps, and fun characters, this app submerges students in another culture. As they travel to other countries they learn where to find that country on a map, what traditional dress looks like, what costumes the culture has, and what animals are found in that part of the world. This app is sure to be a favorite for any student in early childhood.

A simple way to sneak in some historical facts for students is through the app, “This Day in History.” This interactive and multimedia calendar displays historical events for the current day or for any selected day the user chooses. It shows related media such as photos, illustrations, music, and speeches. Students enjoy being able to hear national anthems of countries on the day they became a nation or listening to a former president’s speech on the day of their inauguration. Students love seeing what happened on this day in history, and with the user friendly interface, this app is hard to beat.

Social studies is an important discipline that often gets a bad rep for being dry and, to be frank, not all that exciting. However, social studies can be just as engaging and inspiring as other subjects if only given the platform to make it so. Through educational tech tools like iCivics, Newsela, Scholastic News, Padlet, Kids Planet Discovery and This Day, students will find that social studies is not only important for figuring out their role in society and their place in history, but it is also fascinating and remarkable in so many ways.

*Updated February, 2021

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