All teachers need tools to make teaching easier. Students can find complex concepts much simpler when they are explained through visual aids. Teachers who are looking for the best online teaching tools for classrooms should know what not to look for in order to save time, frustration, and money. These days, there are many online tools but not all are useful in the classroom. Being an effective teacher is making students understand complex topics in easy ways. A good teacher should know which educational tool is best for their class or subject to decrease learning time effectively. With that said, I have gathered a list of online tools that can be helpful for teachers today.
10 of the most popular online tools that both teachers and students prefer to use for online teaching:
Edmodo
Edmodo is a very convenient and easy-to-use educational tool that teachers and students prefer for online studies. It connects all the teachers and students and is assimilated into a social network.
This online tool allows the teacher to create online collaborative groups, monitor and upload educational materials, measure each student’s daily performance, and communicate with the parents of every student, among tons of other innovative functions.
Edmodo is a widely used online tool for online teaching and hence, has more than 34 million users who connect on this app on a daily basis. It helps the teachers and students to create a learning process that is more polished, personalized, and aligned with the facilities brought by the advancement in technology and the digital environment.
Mindomo
Mindomo is one of the best and most useful mind-mapping online tools for online teaching. It can administer and keep a record of all the ideas, strategies, and plans made by the teachers and students.
It does so through a proper working layout with additional features such as attachments, links, media, videos, images, etc. Due to its distinguishing sync feature, you can easily manage your work even if you are in offline mode.
This online tool which can also be called a mind-mapping application is an efficient strategy for both the students and teachers in online teaching. Its cutting-edge features and functions make it one of the bests when it comes to real-time brainstorming and structuring ideas, strategies, and plans.
Skype
Skype is mostly ideal for 1-on-1 online tutoring sessions. Skype is a very mature online tool that comes with a lot of advanced features such as free 1–1 video or voice calls, screen sharing, media sharing, mute/un-mute options and chat.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts mostly concerns itself with group online tutoring discussions or sessions. Google Hangouts, on the other hand, works equally well and is accompanied by a lot of striking features such as scheduling group sessions in advance, recording a lecture, allowing that lecture to be re-watched whenever you are free, etc.
This online tool makes sure that the student does not fall behind even if they fail to attend a few lectures. They also do their best to bridge the communication gap between the teacher and the students with several of its funny and engaging features.
Socrative
Socrative is a very efficient and advanced online tool for online teaching. It is designed by a bunch of entrepreneurs and engineers who are extremely passionate about children’s education.
They made Socrative in a way that it ended up being a system where teachers are able to create quizzes, exercises, and various other educational games. Students can, then, solve them using their mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, personal computers, or tablets.
This online tool also allows the teachers to see the results of the set activities, mark the students according to their performance, and send over the marks received by each student. They can also modify and frame the subsequent lessons in order to make them more personalized.
Basecamp
Basecamp is one of the best user-friendly assignment management tools that you can get your hands on. It is widely used by many English teachers and students all over the world.
It has an immensely powerful search option that is capable of searching all your projects, assignments, activities or tasks that you may be in need of. This is possible because of the way everything is organized so excellently within the app. Another cool thing that is worthy of mentioning about this tool is the centralization.
Basecamp helps you stay on top of the task with no efforts because it connects everyone who is involved in the discussion automatically. This means that you do not have to personally call everyone up and discuss things to get the task done. Instead, you can easily communicate with all your classmates (and for teachers, your colleagues) with the help of this tool.
Idroo
Idroo is an exceptionally mature online tool that provides essential features like real-time document viewing, multiple editing facilities, etc. This online tool has a slick drag-and-drop interface which allows you to add images to your teaching canvas.
It is also compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android so that you can make use of it even without an iPad. However, all good things come with at least one con, so here is Idroo’s.
Idroo’s non-subscription plan allows you to upload only the first two pages of your document for using it further in the canvas. This means you cannot make full use of it for full lessons.
Baiboard
Virtual Whiteboards are an essential item in online teaching. One of the online tools that give you similar facilities is Baiboard. It is best suitable for 1–1 or group tutoring discussions/sessions if you have an iPad.
However, if you are on a Windows or Android tablet, Idroo (mentioned above) is the online tool that you are looking for. Apps like these come in handy for subjects like science and math where it is critical to depict the experience of sitting next to a student, crowded around a single exercise on paper or in a book, and helping him to solve a problem.
This is not possible when the only tools at our disposal are the keyboard and mouse. It gets really tough and clunky to scribble math notation on a problem set with a mouse. But now with the introduction of the iPad (and other tablets) and a host of networked virtual whiteboard apps, everything has changed.
Baiboard is free for unlimited use by students and teachers. It is excellent for organizing group sessions/discussions, as it can accommodate up to 40+ participants on the same call at once. It also offers other facilities like iPad-to-browser sharing, so that the students are free to participate from anywhere.
Groupboard
Groupboard allows you to have a trial before you buy several virtual white boards. It gives you access to most of the same features as Idroo and Baiboard, only with a few important limitations that you should keep in mind: the free plan allows a maximum of five users on one whiteboard.
The background images must be image-formatted. It is the lack of PDF compatibility that acts as a dealbreaker for many tutors. But you can use Google Hangouts instead.
That way you won’t need PDFs at all. The specialty about Groupboard is that it offers a slick integration that embeds a board right into your Hangout session.
Wiziq
WizIQ is a full-fledged e-learning platform which has the unique facility of a flexible canvas. It comes with an accompanying virtual classroom app that includes all of the key features like stored lessons, reviews previous lessons, etc. So if you are running an institution that offers online school facilities with a long-term student base (vs conducting tutoring sessions), then WizIQ is the right online tool for you.
Scribblar
Scribblar is a unique online tool as it allows you to integrate an online virtual whiteboard directly into your own website. This means you do not necessarily have to use the whiteboard on Scribblar’s own site.
All of the Scribblar classrooms have a persistent nature. This allows the students to refer back to the sessions which they had missed or forgotten and keep track of work week-to-week.
CK-12
cK-12 is a very innovative online tool that seeks to alleviate the price of scholastic books for the K12 market in the United States and the rest of the world. The sole objective of this online tool is to create and distribute educational materials through the internet.
Therefore, this platform has an open-source interface that allows the app to do so. However, the catch, here, is that these educational materials can be modified and contain video lectures, audio notes, and collaborative exercises.
These can, of course, be printed and comply with the necessary editorial standards in each region. The specialty of this online tool is that the books that are created in cK-12 can be adapted to the needs of any teacher or student.
Animoto
Animoto is one of the best online tools for online teaching that concerns itself with the slide show video applications. It allows you to produce standard and engaging videos that blend in with text, videos, clip-arts, images, and music in the background.
The best part about this online tool is that you do not have to be a tech-savvy teacher to use it because the video creation process is very simple and easy to follow.
But it is of great importance that you familiarize yourself first with its various features, functions, and procedures before you introduce it to your students. Some teachers prefer to use Animoto in all the stages of their online teaching to improve the student’s learning experience.
Extempore
Extempore is a distinctive online tool built especially for speaking practice between language tutors and their students. With the help of Extempore, students can record their homework answers directly from their devices (smartphones, laptops, personal computers, tablets etc.). This makes it easy for tutors to review the homework in real-time.
Squid
Educators often assign their student’s homework or practice questions to help them properly understand the information that was discussed in class. Mostly tutors use Word Documents, Google Docs, and PDFs. But with the advancement in technology and online tutoring, more and more tutors are using online tools and mobile apps to help with petty things like assigning homework to their students.
Squid is a free online tool which is a handwritten application for taking notes. This online tool is best suitable for Android users and has two great use cases, especially, for teachers.
Firstly, teachers can import PDF/Doc worksheets into Squid where students can do the work directly on the sheets before exporting and sending them back to the teacher for reviewing. Secondly, after the student has sent back the answers for reviewing, the tutors can import the same work that the student has done, mark it up according to the performance, and send it back to the student to see their mistakes.
Educlipper
eduClipper is a distinctive online tool that allows the teachers and students to share and explore various reference materials along with other vital educational materials.
With the help of eduClipper, you can also collect information or data found on the internet and then share it with the members of your class. This can mean members from your previously created groups’ list.
Thus, this online tool offers the possibility to manage the academic content available online more effectively, improve research techniques, and have a digital record of what each student achieves during the course. eduClipper also provides the opportunity for educators to organize fun virtual classes with their students and create a portfolio where all the work carried out is stored in folders.
Best EdTech Tools for K-12
These educational apps and websites make the cut because they are user-friendly and can enrich learning in a valuable way. In other words, they’re not just another bell or whistle for a “techie” classroom: they actually enhance learning in ways that would not be possible without technology.
Plus, by engaging with each of these platforms (though certainly not all at once!), kids can build their tech savvy, learn about online safety, and increase their digital literacy.
1. Kahoot!
This was a favorite of my middle school students; Kahoot! is an interactive platform that transforms traditional hand raising into a game the whole class can enjoy. It makes an appearance in thousands of classrooms for good reason! Ideal for distance learning or jazzing up an in-person activity, the site recently expanded to include pre-made content and tools for group work, assessment, and more.
2. Minecraft Education Edition
From learning to code, to building math and other STEM skills, Minecraft Education Edition has a lot to offer teachers and learners. Kids can bring valuable prior knowledge to the table, and it’s amazing to see their engagement skyrocket because they’re learning alongside the game they love.
Some of you may be thinking – hang on – sure, it’s fun, but can Minecraft be educational? Our answer: absolutely! Check out the many educational benefits of Minecraft.
3. PearDeck
Recently integrated with Google Slides, PearDeck is an excellent tool for elevating direct instruction to include engaged student participation. Teachers can collaborate in creating great content, add audio and gifs, and seamlessly add engagement components to their lessons.
4. FlipGrid
If students could use a little more face time, FlipGrid is an excellent way to bring it into the classroom, virtual or otherwise. It’s a secure platform that allows students and teachers to record video responses, discussions, presentations, performances, and other video content.
5. Storybird
Kids preschool age and up can use Storybird to bring their amazing stories and other creative writing to life. From picture books and comics to poetry and novels, Storybird allows students’ voices to shine and be shared.
6. Google Expeditions and Virtual Tours
Students can feel like they’re there—even in a time when travel is off the table. Plus, the impressive archives of Google Virtual Tours and Expeditions can bring history to life and transport students into hundreds of museums, landmarks, and other fascinating places around the world.
7. Headspace
Kids benefit enormously from building de-stressing, focus, and mindfulness strategies, but unfortunately, these skills rarely appear in official curriculum. Headspace is free for teachers to use and offers a number of exercises and resources for bringing mindfulness and mental health awareness into their classrooms.
8. Edpuzzle
Teachers looking to record key content will love Edpuzzle, a website that makes it easy to create videos for students to reference at any time. Edpuzzle also allows educators to select existing content from YouTube and post the videos with questions that check for understanding, ensuring that students are engaging with what they watch.
9. Tynker
With over 3,700 coding lessons to choose from, it’s no surprise that Tynker is a popular computer science educational site. Teachers who want to bring fun events like Hour of Code into their curriculum or STEM enrichment programs will love how Tynker has something for every experience level.
10. Anchor
Podcasts have taken the world by storm, so why not make creating one a class project? Anchor is a free podcasting tool that students can use to dive deeper into virtually any content area and share their insights with an audience.
11. Prodigy
Reigning supreme among math apps for kids, Prodigy is so engaging, it can get even reluctant mathematicians excited about practicing and studying. Teachers can use Prodigy to extend in-class activities, suggest supplemental practice at home, and track students’ progress.
12. AllSides
I know from experience that teaching kids about media bias and finding quality information online can be challenging, and I wish I had known about AllSides! This website presents what multiple news outlets are saying about contemporary issues and news in a way that helps kids get the complete picture.
13. EmbraceRace
EmbraceRace provides valuable resources for teachers and organizations working to teach kids about inclusivity and racial equity. These can be tough conversations to have, but they’re critically important. This website provides a wealth of useful articles, books, and other resources to help educators have them in a meaningful way.
14. ScreenCastify
Teachers eager to try a “flipped” classroom model should definitely check out ScreenCastify. Its Google integrations make it easy to link to staples like Google Classroom or Slides, and teachers can easily create and share videos with their students. Plus, this tool can be used for sharing personalized feedback with kids, which many teachers report is a time-saving lifesaver.
15. PollEverywhere
Talk about rapid-fire assessment! PollEverywhere makes instant formative assessment a breeze. Teachers can use this as a formal quizzing platform, or they can gather anonymous (to their peers) data that can help inform grouping and indicate who might need extra support or an extra challenge.
16. TED Ed
A great TED Talk can do so much more than fill class time with a nifty video. TED Ed offers a plethora of inspirational material, enriching academic content, discussion questions, and more ways to get kids excited about technology and how it can be harnessed to change the world. Secondary students might enjoy creating their own TED Talk, and kids of all ages can broaden their horizons with TED Ed.
17. Explain Everything Whiteboard
Visual learners rejoice! Explain Everything allows teachers to weave interactive examples into lessons so kids can literally see what they mean. Whether illustrating a science concept, grammar trick, or artistic style, the online “whiteboard” feature makes step-by-step examples accessible to kids that they can watch and rewind at their own pace.
18. YouTube
Educators can be somewhat divided on this one, and we understand why: as an educational tool, YouTube is best used in the classroom with caution and with careful vetting. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you with the ultimate guide to the best educational YouTube channels, and there are some real winners on this list!
Apps and tools for teaching
1- Nearpod
The first app that proves ideal for livening up lessons, and made especially for teachers, is the one called Nearpod. This application allows teachers to present multimedia lessons that students can upload to their mobile devices. The Nearpod app is completely free and offers different layouts, which make it suitable for various teaching activities.
nearpod.com (ios) / nearpod.com (Android)
2- Viper (Windows)
The second app worth mentioning and proving suitable for teachers is the one called Viper. It is in fact a valid Windows application that contains ready-made themes which allow teachers to present them directly to pupils. In this app, students are also able to compare their work to understand how to write better by avoiding grammatical errors, paying more attention to syntax and typos.
viper.en.softonic.com (Windows)
3 – Attendance
The third app that proves effective for teachers, who have an Android device, is the one called Attendance. Teachers can use it to draw up a list of attendance in their various classes, and to help them keep track of the studies and classwork of each individual student. This app also allows a photo to be added to each name so that the teacher can better verify and follow the necessary information.
Attendance (Google Play)
4 – TooNoisy
The fourth app for teachers is a little bizarre, but in some ways useful; in fact, it is called TooNoisy. It was created to detect environmental noises and it can be used for both an Android device and with an iPhone in a classroom. This app specifically emits a beep when the aforementioned noise threshold is excessive. The main function of this app is dictated by the fact that students, themselves, can become more aware of how to behave, and regulate their behavior. It also helps students avoid the risk of punishment by a teacher or educational representative if they aren’t following the rules.
toonoisyapp.com (ios and Android available)
5 – ThingLink
The fifth app that a teacher can download for free from Google Play on his mobile device is the one called ThingLink which is used to keep students attentive during lessons. In addition, the app is useful for creating interactive images for teachers who intend to use them to better explain a topic or make concepts clearer to students who download it on their mobile device.
thinglink.com (Android)
Audience response
6 – AnswerGarden
With this free tool, teachers can ask their students a question which can be answered with a single word or short phrase. Responses are received through a web link, QR code, or AnswerGarden’s iOS app, and begin to populate on a display screen in a word cloud. The words that are submitted most often will appear as the largest in the cloud. This is a very handy tool to use for brainstorming activities with a group in the classroom.
answergarden.ch (ios)
7 – Poll Everywhere
The first company to offer an alternative to clickers, Poll Everywhere started as a service that allowed students to respond to a poll via text message. Now students can also respond through a web browser or through Poll Everywhere’s mobile app. Polls can be created using multiple-choice, ranking graphs, clickable images, and questions that include LaTeX syntax and alphabets from different world languages.
8 – Slido
With Slido, students can submit questions through a regular web browser using a unique event code. Questions which appear on the presenter’s screen can be upvoted by other participants, moving the most popular questions to the top. Once a question has been answered, the presenter or teacher can remove it from the queue. Slido also offers audiences polling with multiple-choice and word cloud options.
Book publishing’s apps
9 -Blurb
This site helps teachers create photo books with text that use templates for a variety of book types: cookbooks, children’s books, portfolios, memoirs, magazines, and more. Books can be kept in digital form or purchased as a paperback, a hardcover, a magazine, or an e-book. Printed books are not cheap; save this for something special.
10 – Book Creator
This flexible tool allows students of any age to create e-books. These books can contain photos, text, audio and video files, and even hand-drawn images, which are embedded in content like Google Maps or Flipgrid grids. Finished books can be shared through a link, downloaded as an EPUB, or even sold through iBooks and Google Play. Teachers can create classroom libraries, and the site has tons of resources and ideas for classroom use.
11 – Lulu
For student writers who want to publish their works, print-on-demand sites like Lulu are growing in popularity. By using this tool, authors upload manuscripts, which they can sell in print or as e-books through markets like Amazon. Authors are not charged a fee to publish, but when a book sells, Lulu earns back the cost of production plus a percentage of the profit, with the author keeping the rest.
12 – Storybird
Although this site is no longer free, it may be worth the price. Users can begin by browsing through a gallery of professional artwork until they find an inspiring image. When they find an image that interests them, they write a story or poem to accompany their chosen visual. Students can choose from a collection of images and build a picture book around them. The site also offers excellent resources for teachers, like writing lessons and private class settings.
13 – WriteReader
This is a great book-making tool for emerging writers. As students type in text, WriteReader will say either the name of the letter or the sound it makes, allowing students to get auditory confirmation that they are choosing the right letters. To enhance their books, students can add images or voice recordings. Teachers are able to include adult-written text below each student’s writing task. Finished books can be printed or downloaded as PDFs.
Classroom management’s apps
14 – BehaviorFlip
This platform was built with “Restorative Justice” practices in mind. Teachers are able to track students’ “coachable” behaviors in two categories—respect and responsibility—in order to help them detect patterns and provide a starting point for talking with students. The tool also lets teachers reward students for behaviors that demonstrate resiliency. It even has a mechanism for indicating whether behavior issues have been resolved after an incident.
15 – Bouncy Balls
This fun web-based tool helps to keep noise at a reasonable level in the classroom. Teachers can open the website and set it up for students to view. When the classroom is quiet, the balls stay settled at the bottom of the screen, but when the noise in class starts to rise, the balls get more active, giving everyone in the room a visual cue about how noisy they’re getting in class.
Conclusion
If your students are online, you must be online. Unless you have a camp, school or university in the middle of nowhere with no connection to the Net, you must provide your students with what they need to connect to the web.