Tech Tools to Enhance Classroom Learning: Apps and Tools You Can Use
In today’s digital age, integrating technology into the classroom is more important than ever. As an educator in Ontario, I’ve found that the right tech tools can significantly enhance student engagement, personalize learning experiences, and help manage classroom activities more effectively. Whether you’re teaching remotely or in-person, there are plenty of tech tools that can transform how students learn, collaborate, and interact with content.
In this post, I’ll share some of the best apps and tools I’ve used in my own teaching practice to support student learning and make lessons more interactive, organized, and fun.
1. Google Classroom: The Ultimate Classroom Hub
Google Classroom is an indispensable tool for organizing assignments, sharing resources, and communicating with students. It simplifies the process of assigning and grading work, while also providing a central location where students can access course materials.
Why it’s great:
Easy to use and integrate with Google Docs, Slides, and Drive.
Supports collaboration and communication between teachers and students.
Provides a paperless environment, reducing clutter and organization time.
Students can submit assignments, receive feedback, and track their progress.
Pro Tip: You can organize assignments by units, lessons, or topics, and use the Google Classroom “Stream” to post announcements, reminders, and share links to online learning materials. It’s a great way to keep everything in one place and ensure students stay on track.
2. Kahoot!: Making Learning Fun with Quizzes
If you want to engage students while reinforcing concepts, Kahoot! is the tool to use. This game-based learning platform allows you to create quizzes, polls, and discussions that students can participate in live, making learning more interactive and competitive.
Why it’s great:
Students love the competitive element and real-time results.
You can create quizzes tailored to any subject and adjust the difficulty.
It’s fantastic for quick formative assessments or revising content in a fun, low-stakes way.
Pro Tip: Use Kahoot! as a formative assessment tool to gauge student understanding after each lesson. You can also use it as a review tool before exams or tests, offering students a chance to reinforce their knowledge.
3. Seesaw: A Digital Portfolio for Students
Seesaw is a versatile platform that helps students showcase their learning through multimedia. From photos and videos to drawings and written reflections, Seesaw enables students to create digital portfolios that demonstrate their progress over time. It’s a great tool for both elementary and secondary students.
Why it’s great:
Allows students to document their learning in various formats (video, text, audio, and images).
Provides a way for students to reflect on their work, fostering metacognitive skills.
Teachers can provide individualized feedback and track student progress.
Pro Tip: Encourage students to use Seesaw for project-based learning, where they can document every stage of their work—from brainstorming ideas to reflecting on the final product. It’s a fantastic tool for building a portfolio of their work that they can share with their parents or use for self-assessment.
4. Flipgrid: Empowering Student Voice
Flipgrid is a video-based discussion platform that encourages students to share their thoughts, ideas, and reflections on a variety of topics. It’s a great way to build a sense of community in the classroom and allow quieter students to participate in discussions at their own pace.
Why it’s great:
Fosters student voice by allowing them to respond to prompts through short video clips.
Provides an opportunity for students to engage in discussions asynchronously.
Teachers can set specific prompts related to the lesson and have students respond to each other’s videos, creating a collaborative learning environment.
Pro Tip: Use Flipgrid for discussion-based activities, book reviews, or project reflections. It’s a great tool for encouraging peer feedback and allowing students to share their opinions in a safe, supportive space.
5. Padlet: Interactive Brainstorming and Collaboration
Padlet is a versatile tool for collaboration, brainstorming, and sharing ideas. It allows you to create virtual bulletin boards where students can post text, images, videos, links, and other media. It’s especially effective for group work and interactive lessons where students can collaborate on ideas in real-time.
Why it’s great:
Easy to set up and visually appealing for students.
Ideal for group brainstorming sessions or organizing project ideas.
Students can contribute asynchronously, making it great for hybrid or remote learning setups.
Pro Tip: Create a Padlet board for each lesson or project. Encourage students to post their thoughts, research, or even questions they might have. You can also use Padlet for collaborative mind maps or study notes.
6. Trello: Keeping Projects Organized
When it comes to project-based learning or managing multiple tasks, Trello is an excellent tool for both students and teachers. It’s a visual project management tool where you can create boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks and track progress.
Why it’s great:
Students can manage their own projects and tasks in an easy-to-use, visual format.
Teachers can track student progress and provide feedback in real-time.
Encourages organizational skills, time management, and accountability.
Pro Tip: Use Trello for long-term projects or group assignments. Break down each task into smaller steps and assign deadlines. Students can track their own progress, and teachers can monitor the status of projects.
7. Edpuzzle: Interactive Video Lessons
Edpuzzle allows you to turn any video (from YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) into an interactive lesson by adding questions, comments, and quizzes at specific points in the video. It’s an engaging way to check for understanding as students watch instructional videos or video lectures.
Why it’s great:
Makes passive video watching more active by adding questions and pauses.
Allows you to track which students have watched the video and how well they understood it.
Provides instant feedback and insights into student progress.
Pro Tip: Use Edpuzzle to supplement your lessons with video content. Add comprehension questions or short reflections during the video to ensure that students are engaged and following along. It’s also a great tool for flipped classrooms!
8. Canva for Education: Design and Create with Ease
Canva for Education is a free version of the popular design tool, tailored for teachers and students. It’s a powerful platform for creating visually appealing presentations, posters, infographics, and more.
Why it’s great:
It’s user-friendly, even for students with little design experience.
Students can create digital posters, slideshows, reports, and other creative assignments.
Offers a wide range of templates and design elements that make projects look polished.
Pro Tip: Use Canva for students to design final projects, presentations, or portfolios. It’s also great for creating classroom materials like newsletters, classroom posters, or even interactive worksheets.
9. Quizlet: Boosting Memory and Review
Quizlet is an excellent tool for creating flashcards and study sets that help students memorize key concepts, vocabulary, and terms. It’s ideal for test prep or reinforcing lessons in a gamified format.
Why it’s great:
Allows students to create their own flashcards or use pre-made sets.
Offers several study modes, including quizzes, games, and matching exercises.
Provides a mobile app, so students can study on-the-go.
Pro Tip: Use Quizlet to create vocabulary lists or review materials after each unit. It’s a fantastic tool for helping students prepare for tests or build mastery over key concepts.
Conclusion: Empowering Students with Technology
Integrating these tech tools into your classroom can help create more engaging, interactive, and personalized learning experiences for your students. Whether you’re teaching elementary or secondary students, these tools provide diverse ways to connect with learners, track progress, and make lessons fun and meaningful. The key is finding the right combination of tools that best suit your students’ needs and your teaching style.
By leveraging technology in the classroom, we’re not just enhancing learning—we’re preparing students for the digital world they will navigate beyond the classroom. Happy teaching!