We’re living in exponentially fast-paced times, and it can be difficult to keep up with all of the coolest tools available to make teaching more interactive, efficient, and—well—fun! Here’s a list of some of the best tech tools for teachers.
Best for Presentations
Whether you will be giving presentations yourself or having your students use the tool to create their own, there are some great tools that go far beyond the basics of PowerPoint.
- Google Slides – While the basic presentation of Google Slides is very similar to PowerPoint, the ability to work in groups with ease makes this an excellent tool for collaboration.
- Prezi – Not every idea can be presented in a linear way, and Prezi allows presentations that zoom from big to small and off on tangents, creating a dynamic and stunning visual display that also allows for easy video embedding.
- Animoto – Make your presentation come to life with Animoto, which allows you to create dynamic videos with ease.
- Biteable – If you aren’t confident in your presentation making skills, Biteable allows you to easily create stunning video presentations with a large library of pre-made and editable video templates.
Best for Quizzes
Want to make quizzes that are engaging and interesting? How about some that grade themselves, giving students instant feedback on their progress? There are tools for all of that!
- Quizlet – Create games, flash cards, and other interactive ways to study and nail all of those key concepts.
- Kahoot! – This learning platform is all about a games-based approach to learning and retaining information, and it has lots of different options to meet learners’ interests.
- Hot Potatoes – Make multiple choice quizzes and more with this simple, easy-to-use platform.
- Quizzizz – This is another great tool for creating quizzes that can help save you time and give your students the feedback they need to thrive.
Best for Collaboration
Help your classroom expand beyond your four walls with these tech tools that help you build a real sense of community and support.
- Flipgrid – Teachers pose a question, and students can respond with short videos that then become shared through the group. It’s face-to-face communication for the text-savvy age.
- Padlet – This “virtual wall” allows students to collaborate together to create a visually-appealing space around a theme or idea.
As new tech tools are constantly introduced, it can feel like a lot of pressure to keep up with them all. However, it’s important to remember that these tools are meant to enhance what you’re already great at brining into the classroom. They’re a way to magnify your voice and focus your efforts—not to reinvent the wheel.
Choose the tools that work with your own teaching style and give yourself time to experiment and figure out how they work for you. Start small and build up to using the tools you find most useful more frequently.
And remember—have fun!
