tools for classroom presentations

20 Digital Tools for Classroom for Innovative Teachers & Students

Digital tools for making infographics, presentations, videos, animations, as well as tools for assessments, quizzes, and more.

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By Iveta Pavlova

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Updated April 21, 2022

In the world we live in, technology is literally everywhere and the kids adapt to it more than anyone else. Unlike teachers, students are being raised in a digital world. It is absolutely natural for students of all ages to use technology in every aspect of their lives. This is why digital tools in classroom are becoming more and more crucial. Traditional methods for teaching are already going through a transformation to adapt to the needs of 21st-century students and to enhance the professional practice of teachers. The digital future is literally happening now.

Using technology for education provokes students’ curiosity, boosts their engagement, and leads to better learning and comprehension. These factors are a priority for every effective teacher and today they can be easily achieved by using digital tools in classroom. We’ve selected 20 innovative digital tools for classroom which foster responsibility, relationships, and respect, and can be used by educators and students.

Do you want to check out The Best Online Learning Platforms in 2022 ?

Article overview:

• suitable for students of all ages
• suitable for teachers

Prezi is a digital software for creating interactive presentations. According to their research, the innovative way Prezi helps you make presentations – by zooming, leads to more effective, more persuasive, more effective, and more engaging presentations than presentations made with PowerPoint. If you are still unaware of what you can do with the software, we strongly recommend that you check it out and present it to your students. Who knows, maybe this would be one of the digital tools for classroom that would help you keep the attention of the kids.

Here is a useful tutorial that will help you get the hang of the software:

2. Haiku Deck

• suitable for students and teachers

A digital tool with whose help you can easily make presentations on your iPad, iPhone, and the web. The tool works online and offers a huge database of stock photos with which you can create image-based slides. Haiku Deck makes it easy to create presentations on the go and literally carry them in your pocket. Haiku Deck can be also integrated into Google Classroom which has been very popular lately. See a quick video of how Haiku Deck makes presentations fun and easy:

• for students primarily between 8 and 16 years old

Although mainly purposed for students, Scratch can be used by people of all ages. This digital tool lets students create engaging projects like games, animations, interactive art, stories and more. If your students have an interest in making programs, Scratch is definitely one of the digital tools for classroom you have to introduce them to. This program would give the little ones a brilliant start to make them think in an innovative and creative way. If you wonder how to help them start, here is a video tutorial “Make Your First Program” with Scratch:

Video is one of the most engaging mediums of the modern-da society which is why you should definitely incorporate it into your classroom. Animoto is one of the digital tools for classroom that can be used by both teachers and students for educational purposes. Animoto helps you create animated videos easily. You can create photo slideshows, stitch various videos together, and add text and more images to come up with a truly engaging video in the end. Check out this video tutorial before starting your first Animoto video:

Why make students write a story when they can draw it for a change? Digital tools for classroom like Pixton boost the children’s visual thinking and creativity while it engages them to the fullest. This tool allows little and big students to make comics and storyboards. This activity can be both educational and fun. If you are an educator, you can try Pixton for free before introducing it to your kids. A perfect tool to boost the students’ imagination! See how it works:

6. BoomWriter

7. Explain Everything

• suitable for educators and upper-class students

Explain Everything is all about interaction in a virtual environment. This digital tool allows students and teachers to collaborate on an interactive whiteboard thus encouraging group activities. This software can also be integrated with Schoolwork, Dropbox, Evernote, GDrive, OneDrive, and more useful apps. With the drag-and-drop options, Explain Everything is super easy and intuitive to work with. See how you can get started and how collaboration works via the following video:

You may also be interested in GraphicMama’s Free Coloring Book: 60+ Coloring Pages (Free Printable PDF)

8. Educreations

9. Glogster

Glogster is one of the amazing digital tools for classroom which helps children learn by using visual content. This app allows you to create multimedia posters by combining text information, photos, and videos. The creations are called glogs and stored in a special library called Glogpedia. Containing over 40 thousand different glogs on various subjects and topics, this tool can become one of your most trusted tools for teaching children effectively. Learn more in the video below.

10. Flipsnack

• suitable for students and educators

• suitable for the whole class to use

Padlet is a digital pinboard that allows participants (students and teachers) contribute by pinning different images, videos, text files, links, and more. Digital tools for classroom like Padlet motivate students to work together and brainstorm like a team. You can customize the background to a corkboard, blackboard, wood, sand, and many more options, the layout to a grid, stream, or freeform, as well as control who has access to the board. Here is a tutorial you can check out:

12. VoiceThread

• suitable for K-12 students

13. StoryJumper

14. Storybird

• suitable for K-9 students

15. Quizlet

16. Socrative

• for educators

• for students, teachers, and parents

Edmodo is an Education Network that teachers, students, and parents can join. Edmodo provides a digital classroom environment and gives you access to many resources. At first sight, it pretty much looks like the social media networks we know, so you will intuitively understand what, where, and how to join groups and communities, and collaborate with other users in the network. Edmodo gives you the opportunity to create a digital classroom where you can invite your students and even start sending digital assignments. Check out this explainer video to learn more about the Edmodo education network:

18. Schoology

Schoology is a learning management system that is free to use and it allows teachers to create and distribute materials, give assessments, track progress, etc. Basically, with Schoology, you can do everything that you do in Google Classroom , plus more features. You can organize content much more easily, embed multimedia within the assignment description, record audio or video within the platform, have a grade book, set completing rules, and many more. Check out an introduction video below.

19. Piktochart

One of the great digital tools for classroom which provides educators and students with tools to create infographics, presentations, reports, and more visual content materials. Visme provides all kinds of templates and graphic resources to help visualize any kind of data or assignment. You can insert videos, make animations, insert links, etc. Check out the following to see what you can do with Visme.

     

Technology is a friend of education and there is no reason to fight this trend. Right on the contrary, by incorporating digital tools in classroom, you become an effective school leader who fosters innovation.

Here, at GraphicMama, we support educators with innovative thinking who encourage students to learn and develop. This is why we create cartoon characters that are great for educational purposes and can be used in many ways: in digital tools for making infographics, creating presentations, video making, and animations, as well as all kinds of tools for conveying visual concepts and ideas.

We hope we’ve been helpful. If you can think of other useful digital tools for classroom or more ways to use cartoon characters for digital education, we can’t wait to see your thoughts in the comments below. See ya!

You may also be interested in these related articles:

• The Best Online Graphic Makers with School-Related Design Templates
• 5 Great Ways to Teach Creativity & Make Learning Effective

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Iveta Pavlova

Iveta is a passionate writer at GraphicMama who has been writing for the brand ever since the blog was launched. She keeps her focus on inspiring people and giving insight on topics like graphic design, illustrations, education, business, marketing, and more.

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8 Digital tools for engaging classroom presentations

By Diana Zinveliu

Whether online or face-to-face, teachers are always looking for ways to create engaging learning experiences. Integrating presentations in teaching is an accessible way to bring technology to the classroom and make the best digital tools available. A slideshow lesson conveys information effectively and supports learning since most of it is done visually.

Teachers and students can use presentations to support learning and develop creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. However, the final goal is to make information clear and easy to remember, as visuals complement words. For this reason, presentations should remain simple, focused on images and keywords. To achieve this, you need more advanced tools.

Digital tools for engaging classroom presentations

Here are eight digital tools to look for when creating the best presentations for your classroom: 

Google Slides  

Google Slides is a free app that allows teachers and students to create and edit presentations using many features such as the multimedia embedding option and the variety of themes available. Users can also import their favorite themes from an outside source.

Creating new presentation templates can be time-consuming, so teachers can import other presentations they already have. Google Slides allows you to open, edit, and save Microsoft PowerPoint files. You can also present and share presentations on any device, browser, and even Chromecast Hangouts and Airplay.

Tip : Google Slides promotes collaboration and helps you assign teamwork. Students can work with Google Slides at the same time, and changes are saved automatically. Teachers, group coordinators and team members can leave comments and chat.

Read more: 4 Ways to promote collaboration in digital spaces

Microsoft's Sway has a user-friendly interface compatible with any device to help users create striking presentations.

 Sway offers easy editing, like drop-in photos, videos, and other multimedia files. You can choose from three available layouts, seven core styles with different content laying, decorators, image captions, color, and textures.

Users benefit from additional design options in the Customize style panel and can explore different styles on the spot with the Remix button.

Tip : Sway presentations can be co-edited for instant collaboration and visualized on any device or screen size via an automatic optimization feature. It’s perfect for teachers who want to organize their lessons and synthesize information for students. 

Nearpod gives users the possibility to create interactive slide-based lessons boosted by the extra tools available. Teachers can add a quiz, a poll, and open-ended questions to any slide-based lesson.

You can also customize any lesson from the Nearpod Lesson Library, including hundreds of already made slide-based lessons. A Nearpod lesson is easy to create using the drag and drop option, allowing users to import Google Slides, PDF files, or PowerPoint presentations.

Tip : Nearpod is helpful when you want to provide extra support for students, guide teaching, check for student understanding and improve student outcomes. Also, Nearpod helps students make real-world connections in integrated VR, PhET simulations, and Immersive Reader.

Read more: 5 Benefits of including VR in classroom activities

Pear Deck is an add-on tool for Google Slides that makes any presentation interactive. Teachers can present their content, include tasks for students to solve online, and check for understanding through questions and quizzes. Pear Deck offers a library of templates from which teachers can choose to support the learning objectives.

Tip : Pear Deck is perfect for online classes because you can invite students to actively participate in the lesson, monitor their work and offer instant feedback. 

Haiku Deck  

Haiku Deck is suitable for any web browser, iPad, iPhone, and Chromebook and makes presentations straightforward.

Due to their professional design with stylish fonts, layouts, and image filters, each presentation will be beautiful on any screen. Teachers can also ensure a learning continuum using clear and consistent formatting options.

Tip : You can create meaningful presentations by emphasizing images over words which simplifies the message of any lesson and makes it easier to remember. Teachers and students alike can select from many templates and access over 40 million Creative Commons-licensed images with automatic attributions upon import, promoting digital citizenship.

Read more: Meeting the needs of Gen Z students with visual learning

Sutori allows teachers to offer lessons that focus on collaborative learning as well as promote research, inquiry, critical thinking, and collaboration in any school subject. Using Sutori in the classroom will enhance student literacy, creativity, and communication skills, providing the perfect ground for self-reflection.

With access to many templates and lessons, every presentation will provide structure to learning with the benefits of its versatility and simplicity.

Tip : Teachers can also add social media in their slideshows or scroll down presentations making the best visual quality and connecting to the digitally native world. 

Prezi helps you create meaningful learning experiences through memorable presentations while providing information, explaining an assignment, or boosting test preparation in face-to-face or online classrooms. Also, students can use Prezi slideshows in the flipped classroom to access the resources needed to get ready for class.

Teachers can foster interactions and leverage emotional connections with their lessons using visuals and stories.

Tip : Prezi is perfect for online teaching, allowing teachers to present information in a slideshow while simultaneously interacting with students.

Read more: Creating more interactive learning spaces in the new school year

Canva helps users design powerful and engaging presentation slides that provide a great visual component to support lessons.

Teachers can choose from hundreds of beautiful layouts, a wide range of presentation templates in various styles and themes, add animations, videos, and audio for the best slide-based lessons, which they can easily share with students.

Tip : Save the slides and use them as handouts. 

Presentations are easy to integrate into face-to-face, hybrid and online lessons. With so many online tools available, teachers can share information with students, assist them in the learning process, ensure they understand and remember key concepts, and provide support.

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Best Interactive Presentation Tools for Teachers and Students

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: May 17, 2024

The purpose of today’s post is to share with you some of the best interactive presentation tools you can use to create engaging presentations without the need for any graphic design knowledge. All of these platforms offer pre-designed customizable presentation templates that you can easily edit and personalize to your preference.

Almost, all of these tools include integrated libraries where you can search for and use stock images and multimedia materials. They also empower you with a wide variety of helpful features including collaborative ones enabling you to invite team members and work collaboratively on the same presentation.  

While some of the featured presentation tools below provide interactive features, there is always the possibility to make your presentations super interactive using tools that are designed specifically for that purpose.

I have already reviewed some of  engagement-promoting applications that teachers and educators can implement to turn their presentations into lively dialogic hubs using live polls, Q&A, questionnaires, word clouds, and quizzes. These engagement tools are perfect to integrate with the presentations tools below. 

Interactive Presentation Tools

Check out our picks for best interactive presentation tools:

1. Google Slides

Google Slides is another good presentation tool I recommend for teachers and educators. It  offers a wide variety of powerful features, all for free. Besides the basic things that you can do on any editor (e.g., insert images, add text and shapes, change colour, etc), Google Slides also offers collaborative features that enable team members to collaborate on the same presentation in real time.

Collaborators can insert comments and chat with those who are viewing the presentation. As the owner of the presentation, you can always keep track of changes made to the presentation and at any time reverse to earlier versions. 

Presentations you create via Google Slides can be downloaded in different formats including Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe PDF. They can also be emailed, published online as a webpage or be embedded in a website or blog. When you share your presentation with others you get to control what they can do (e.g., editor, commenter, or viewer). 

3- Flipsnack

Flipsnack is an interactive presentation maker that allows users to create and share animated presentations with a realistic 3D page flip effect. This software allows you to either create from scratch your presentation or you can simply pick one of the fully-customizable templates available in the built-in library and adjust it to your own taste and needs.

In terms of customization, Flipsnack comes equipped with a large variety of interactive elements, such as photo-slideshows; GIFs; audio and video elements; social media buttons, and map embedding.

Flipsnack also offers multiple download options, so you can download your presentation as HTML5; web PDF; PDF for print; GIF; PNG; JPEG, and MP4, or just share it online with your target audience. Check out Flipsnack’ s teacher review to learn more about this platform.

4. Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck is another powerful presentation making tool for teachers. It works on the web, iPad, and iPhone. Some of the interesting features it offers include over 40 million  free Creative Commons licensed images to use in your slides together with the ability to upload and add your own images, access to a huge collection of layouts and fonts, tons of professionally designed templates to choose from, seamless and real time syncing between the web and mobile apps, and many more.

Another interesting functionality provided by Haiku Deck is the ability to use your phone as a teleprompter allowing you to turn it to a remote in presentation mode. When it comes to sharing your Haiku Deck presentations you have various options to choose from including the ability to share decks through email, on social media, present decks on a projector, embed or export decks to PowerPoint or Keynote, download as PDF, and more.

Haiku Deck has a special version for the education community called Haiku Deck Classroom. Teachers use it to help students create  engaging presentations and showcase their learning.

Some of the features it provides includes advanced privacy settings for the class, YouTube embeds, presentation audio, save to video, broadcast presentations to the entire class, and many more. Haiku Deck Classroom costs $99/year for a single teacher and 150 students.

Visme is another good presentation tool to consider. It offers a number of key features including real-time collaboration, beautiful pre-designed templates and pitch decks, tons of free stock images and icons, interactive maps, over 50 charts and graphs, mind maps, and many more.

You can either start creating your presentation from Scratch or choose from the collections of ready-made templates. Customize the presentation to your own needs and when you are done present and share with others. 

Using Visme’s Presenter Studio, you can easily record your screen (audio and video or audio only) and share it asynchronously with others. Other interesting features provided include the ability to import and export Microsoft PowerPoint as editable presentations, access to 125 fonts, create processes and workflows using tables and diagrams, create your own library of icons and PDFs for future presentations, and more.

6. Piktochart

Piktochart is probably one of the best alternatives to Canva and Visme. It is ideal for creating different types of visual content including presentations, posters, infographics, flyers, videos, and many more. The templates library features a huge selection of customizable presentation templates including a section specifically for education. 

Piktochart also offers real-time collaborative features allowing users to co-create presentations. Other interesting features provided by Piktochart include the ability to upload your fonts, design custom colour palette, access stock photos or upload your own, add interactive maps to your presentations, present online or download your presentation in .ppt or PDF format, and many more. 

7. Online whiteboard tools

While they are not presentation tools in the conventional sense of the word, online whiteboarding tools can also be used for creating and sharing presentations. They are especially ideal for teamwork collaboration.

They enable you to work together, brainstorm ideas, organize throughs and communicate complex data in visually engaging formats. Some of my favourite online whiteboards include Google Jamboard, Lucidspark, and Conceptboard. For more details about each of these platforms check out   best visual collaboration tools for teachers .

8-  Canva Presentation

Canva, the popular design platform, is one of my favourite presentation tools out there. The site features a huge library of beautifully designed templates and offers tons of features and multiple presentation modes.

Here is how to make a presentation on Canva: head over to Canva and type ‘Presentation’ in the search box. Browse through the pre-made presentation templates. You can filter your search by theme and style. 

The Education section embeds a wide range of awesome templates created specifically for the education community. Once you find the template you are interested in, click to open  it in Canva editor where you can start editing it the way you like.

You can add photos, GIFs, insert videos and music, add shapes and fonts,  etc. Use animations to add a creative effect to your slides. Once your presentation is ready you can choose among various presentation modes.

“Choose from standard presentation, presenter mode, video recording. Or, on bad hair days, choose an audio-only video presentation mode. Save your slides as a PDF for handouts, export them as PowerPoint .pptx files, or turn them into an interactive website!”

Canva also offers collaborative features that allow you to invite your team members to help with the creation of your presentation. “To create a team, simply choose those who you would like to collaborate with and once the invitation is accepted you can instantly start creating your presentation together. Play with illustrations, colours, leave comments, and resolve suggestions all within the Canva editor. Teamwork is made easier with Canva’s presentation tool”.

Canva for Education  is a version created especially for us in education and offers special pricing and features. Check it out to learn more.

Final thoughts

Today’s post highlights a suite of interactive presentation tools that are transforming the way educators and students create and share content, all without the need for extensive design skills. With user-friendly interfaces and a multitude of customizable templates, these tools open up a world of creativity and collaboration.

They come packed with features like stock image libraries and multimedia integration, elevating presentations from static slides to engaging stories. Tools like Google Slides and Canva cater to real-time teamwork, while Haiku Deck and Visme offer unique ways to animate ideas. For those seeking to make their presentations even more dynamic, integrating live polls, Q&As, and quizzes can turn a simple lecture into an interactive learning session.

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Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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Transitioning From Undergraduate to Grad Learner: Everything You Need to Know

College textbooks costs: everything you need to know, what is an ahk file, keeping yourself safe in college: everything you need to know, myths about online high schools: everything you need to know, reasons you should study geography: everything you need to know, the vtoman jump 1800 portable power station: the best of the best, key roles of a school superintendent: everything you need to know, is earning a degree online worthwhile and beneficial, why learners cheat: everything you need to know, 8 must-have classroom presentation apps and tools.

It’s important for teachers to master the art of presenting engaging lectures that keep kids interested in the material as the weeks wear on. However, it’s equally important for students to master the same trade. As kids progress through school, higher education and, eventually, their professional lives, they’ll need tools besides PowerPoint to effectively pitch ideas and communicate dense material to seminars of bored classmates.

We’re breaking down 8 must-have presentation apps to help both teachers and students find their inner aesthetic and create drool-proof, prize-winning presentations.

• Eiki International, Inc .: Not all classroom projectors are created equal. Some may be user-friendly, but lower in quality, while others show crystal clear images, but prove difficult to operate. One thing that teachers should never have to jeopardize is quality, and one thing they absolutely can’t afford to waste is time! That’s why Eiki International Inc.’s EK-100W “Entry” Series Projector is the perfect classroom companion for teachers: great picture, easy functionality, plus it’s equipped with Eiki’s revolutionary 10,000 hour lamp technology. You can display HD video from your smartphone or tablet and it accepts composite, component and S-Video in all major standards.
• Board Builder : Board Builder acts like a digital poster board that allows teachers and students to begin with a blank canvas and personalize presentations. Customize backgrounds, add imagery, video clips, documents, change fonts, and tie everything together with built-in color schemes that keep slides both engaging and aesthetically pleasing.
• Emaze : With everything that teachers have on their plates – from lesson plans to addressing behavioral problems to making sure struggling students receive extra help – it’s understandable that there’s little time left to customize every presentation. Emaze is an easy , user-friendly presentation app that allows creators to plug in lesson information and aesthetic preferences and watch as built-in templates take over. Choose from learning aids, 3D imagery, transitions, and presentation formats that look professionally crafted. The software is also cloud-based, so Emaze presentations can be edited from any device online.
• Powtoon : Ask any marketing professional how to capture the attention of millennials, and they’ll say video Start thinking of your students like consumers who have hours and hours of advertisement thrown at them every second because, with a smartphone in reach, it’s true that students have content they’d rather be focusing on. It’s your job to grab their attention and, like the best marketing strategists, create custom videos. Powtoon allows users to create animated videos that grab everyone’s immediate attention easily. When was the last time your kids watched a personalized, animated video outlining photosynthesis?
• Educreations : In the same video vein, Educreations is an interactive white board that captures a teacher’s voice and handwriting to create shareable video lessons. Educreations is perfect for struggling students who like going through the material with teachers one-on-one, but still, need refreshers after the review session ends. Educreations records the session and lets students replay the video afterward to review every detail of their personalized instruction.
• Prezi : Prezi is a free tool that takes PowerPoints to the next level. If you’re in a rush, you can import previously created PowerPoints into Prezi and watch as your once plain presentation gets new movement and flare. Otherwise, Prezi lets you create a unique presentation from scratch. Zoom in on images, zoom out to reveal larger backgrounds for dramatic effect, easily incorporate audio components, and choose from endless themes. If you’re struggling for inspiration, Prezi offers suggestions and interesting tools that help boost even the most boring series of slides.
• ClickShare : Is your classroom prone to technical troubles? No IT professional on site? ClickShare is a wireless presentation and collaboration tool that projects slides from any device with the touch of a button. Connecting slides to projectors is so easy that a glitch will never delay the start of a presentation in your classroom again. ClickShare also fosters collaboration, letting multiple students and teachers work together on different accounts. If you want to be there while students master the art of presentations, monitor their progress and provide input when students begin struggling.
• DyKnow : DyKnow allows teachers to create SMART boards from any ordinary whiteboard. The tool opens like PowerPoint and allows teachers to write on computers using special pens while projecting the presentation to students in real time. Students can view presentations on their personal devices and, to be sure students are actually watching, teachers have the power to block websites so students can only access presentations. Have students out sick? Save presentations to a server and kids can access them anytime, anywhere.

With the smartphone and tablet and VR phenomenon exploding from generation to generation, kids have more distractions than ever before. That means teachers today face an especially tough challenge in keeping kids’ attention towards their lesson plans and away from a separate screen sitting in backpacks and laps.

If students are bored with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other generic presentation tools, WOW them with video, audio, and imagery that mirrors the content they spend hours watching on YouTube and Netflix. As teachers learn to master the art of engagement, kids will inevitably learn by example and begin creating powerhouse presentations of their own.

Disclosure: This preceding post was sponsored. We were compensated by the sponsoring company, and consider this to be an advertisement. However, we only endorse or recommend services or products that we think would be a good fit for our readership. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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7 presentation tools for teachers

Top 7 presentation tools

• Google Slides
• Microsoft PowerPoint

A primary goal for educators is to create engaging learning experiences that help students retain information. One of the best ways to do that is to choose an effective presentation tool for teachers, one that allows you to create interactive lessons and help you improve educational outcomes.

But with so many presentation tools to choose from, how do you gauge which one is best for your needs as a teacher? The seven tools below offer key features and benefits that make it easy for educators to create interactive in-class presentations that engage students effectively.

Leveraging presentation tools for enhanced learning

Presentation tools allow educators to organize information into a slideshow format and create dynamic, interactive presentations using text, images, audio, video, quizzes, and other multimedia elements to help bring lessons to life. Because most presentation tools are collaborative, interactive, and visually engaging, they help improve learning outcomes, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

When reviewing presentation tools, there are several key factors you want to look for. The tool you choose will, of course, depend on your needs in the classroom, but at a minimum, look for a presentation tool that are

• User-friendly
• Easy to use (even for those who aren’t tech-savvy)
• Visually appealing

The presentation tools below incorporate these factors, so read on for the overview of each tool and the pros and cons of each.

1. Google Slides

Google Slides is a free presentation tool that allows you to insert images, add text and shapes, change colors, and collaborate with others on the same presentation in real time. Plus, collaborators can insert comments and chat with others viewing the presentation. Users can download Google Slides presentations in other formats as well, such as PowerPoint or PDF, and share them via email or publish them to a website or blog. As a web-based tool, Google Slides is accessible from any device with an internet connection.

Pros: It allows for collaboration and real-time co-authoring. It’s also free to use, user-friendly, and web-based. It offers a multimedia embedding option and the ability to import presentations from PowerPoint. It also provides a variety of templates, fonts, and colors for customization.

Cons: It has limited functionality without an internet connection. It also has a limited selection of slides, templates, effects, and theme design choices, as well as generic graphic assets.

2. Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck is a cloud-based presentation tool that allows users to create slide presentations using images, text, charts, graphs, and audio and video. Users can download presentations as videos or into a PowerPoint format to share via email, social media, or a website. Users have access to millions of Creative Commons licensed stock photos and a wide array of fonts, layouts, and image filters, and they can choose from a variety of preloaded themes.

Pros: Users get access to millions of free images, and it offers lots of design choices, tutorials, and sharing options. It also offers special pricing to qualifying nonprofits, students, and educators.

Cons: There’s no built-in collaboration capability, and most features require the user to be online. The free version only offers one presentation, and users must pay to export slides.

Canva is an online graphic design platform that’s useful for creating classroom presentations. The tool features a large library of premade presentation templates that are searchable by theme and style and created especially for the education community. You can add shapes, fonts, GIFs, animations, video, and audio to your presentations, and you can easily save your slides to use as handouts.

You can also create other assets, such as posters, calendars, and social media graphics. Canva for Education is free for eligible students and teachers; there’s also a paid Pro subscription tier.

Pros: Canva offers a free plan and access to a free, video-based Canva for Beginners course. It’s easy to use for designers and non-designers alike, and there’s a wide variety of templates and features.

Cons: Some features aren’t available on a mobile device. There aren’t a lot of customization options available, and it’s difficult to use on a small screen.

4. Piktochart

Piktochart is an easy-to-use, intuitive presentation tool. Features include a large selection of customizable presentation templates, including a selection specifically for educators. It also offers real-time collaboration functionality and the ability to upload fonts, access stock images, and add interactive elements to your presentations. You can also create other visual content like posters, infographics, flyers, videos, and more. Presentations are downloadable in PowerPoint and PDF formats.

Pros: It offers customizable presentation templates specifically for educators. Its real-time collaboration features allow users to co-create presentations, and it has a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Cons: Much of Piktochart’s functionality is only available with paid Pro accounts, and real-time co-authoring isn’t available.

5. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint is probably the most well-known of all presentation tools. If you haven’t used PowerPoint in a while, you might not know that it’s improved significantly over the years. Its rich features get high ratings from many educators.

PowerPoint offers both desktop and cloud-based functionality that enables third-party content like 3D objects and animations. The web version of PowerPoint, called PowerPoint Online, is included with Microsoft Office suite, and it’s free with a Microsoft 365 subscription. PowerPoint Online allows real-time collaboration with others on presentations.

Pros: It offers preformatted layouts and has smartphone laser pointer functionality. It integrates seamlessly with OneDrive and other Microsoft apps. Office 365 Education is free for eligible institutions, and most educators are already familiar with the tool.

Cons: The track changes function is only available in the desktop version, and it’s limited when it comes to offering collaboration and interactive features that make presentations more dynamic.

Prezi is popular with educators for a few key reasons: It’s free, it easily integrates video, and it’s accessible online. Instead of using slide decks, Prezi features a single canvas on which you place presentation elements, allowing you to highlight items without switching slides. Prezi “paths” allow you to present text, pictures, and video clips in the order you choose. This feature provides lots of flexibility and a more dynamic presentation, but it also means there’s a steeper learning curve.

Pros: It features animations and a videoconferencing integration. Users have the ability to present a slide deck while interacting with students in real time.

Cons: It can be difficult to use — the learning curve is steeper than for some of the other presentation tools here.

Visme is a presentation tool that offers features like real-time collaboration, free stock images and icons, predesigned templates and pitch decks, and lots of interactive elements, including charts, graphs, animations, and mind maps. Visme offers offline presenting as well. Presentations are customizable, and you can even record your screen and share it with others via both audio and video or audio only.

Pros: A free plan is available. It’s a browser-based tool, so you can access it from any internet-connected device. There’s also a support team available to answer questions.

Cons: It’s more challenging to learn than a simpler tool like Canva. The free plan offers a limited number of features.

Jotform resources for educators

Jotform offers a number of tools that you can pair with presentation software to enhance classroom engagement, including interactive forms, quizzes, surveys, and Jotform Report Builder.

Our free online quiz maker allows educators to build interactive, multiple-choice quizzes and even grade answers automatically — no coding required. Choose one of our classic form templates or select a ready-made quiz template and customize it to meet your needs. You can even embed these quizzes within presentations to gauge student understanding.

If you’re looking to gather classroom feedback, our free drag-and-drop survey maker makes it easy. Simply add your questions, drag and drop elements to customize the design, and share your survey through a link, email, or QR code to start collecting responses instantly.

You can then turn survey results into a presentation using Jotform Report Builder , which instantly converts survey responses into beautiful visual reports. You can analyze data, present your reports, or share them in seconds — all for free.

Jotform discounts for educators

Get started with our data collection tool today and receive a 50 percent educational discount for any paid plan . With the discount, the Bronze Plan is just $19.50 per month and includes 25 forms and 1,000 monthly submissions. The Silver Plan is $24.50 per month and includes 50 forms and 2,500 monthly submissions, and the Gold Plan is $64.50 per month and includes 100 forms and 10,000 monthly submissions.

Jotform also offers a 30 percent discount on Jotform Enterprise for educational institutions. Jotform Enterprise is easy to use and highly customizable, allowing you to create beautiful, powerful forms and securely store all response data online.

Whether you’re design savvy, a tech genius, or neither of those things, one of the seven tools mentioned here likely has just the right features for your purposes in the classroom. Although there are dozens more you could choose from, we’ve highlighted the ones we think align best with the needs of educators today.

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Thank you for helping improve the Jotform Blog. 🎉

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The 10 Best Presentation Tools for Students in 2023

Presentation tools for students have come a long way.

Students have access to all sorts of digital presentation tools, from legacy slide-based tools like PowerPoint to truly inventive and experimental new formats that incorporate live and prerecorded video and audio. The rise in virtual, hybrid, and flipped classrooms has made the need for education-focused online presentation tools for students all the greater.

Wondering which tools will help your students create the best presentations? We’ve shown you tools before, like 20 classroom technology tools you may not know , but many of those were teacher-focused. Here are 10 of the best student presentation tools your kiddos can use in 2023. And listen to this episode of EdTech Heroes with Sultan Rana to see how you can revolutionize presentations for students this year!

Importance of students learning to use a range of presentation tech tools 🎬

Before we get into this list, it’s fair to ask: Is it really all that important for students to get comfortable using technology-based presentation tools? 🤔

We believe the answer is an emphatic “Yes!”

The modern world we live in already depends on all sorts of tech and that dependence will only increase. Today’s students are tomorrow’s adults, and it’s vital they develop media literacy skills now. This is behind the push for digital citizenship , or teaching children to use tech safely and responsibly so they can effectively participate in society in the future.  

Many students are already comfortable navigating smartphone apps, video games, smart TVs, and social media. But throw a PowerPoint or other business tool in front of them, and it’s another story. They aren’t technology averse. But neither are they automatically comfortable with all the different software and user interfaces that they’ll encounter in the professional and business world.

As the world grows more technologically complex 🤖, the professionals of tomorrow need exposure today to the language of technology. 

By engaging with a range of presentation tools — along with edtech tools like Google Classroom and other LMS platforms — students gain a more well-rounded understanding of how to interact with productivity-oriented tech. They learn how to communicate their ideas and collaborate across physical and virtual spaces with ease. 

With that question answered, let’s jump into the top 10 student presentation tools that will support your students’ tech skills and overall growth. 

1. Screencastify Submit

Screencastify Submit does many things. It allows teachers to create presentation assignments for students. It also allows students to easily record and submit these short video assignments on any device. It’s a great way to practice giving live presentations without the pressure of an audience, plus it helps students gain skills with talking and presenting on camera. 🎥

Another advantage for students: Students can practice their presentation skills and wait to submit until they’ve recorded their favorite take. 

Screencastify Submit is simple because it’s designed to be a secure, closed system between teachers and students. However, the broader Screencastify suite — one of the top Google Chrome extensions for educators and students — has plenty of integrations with popular LMSes and edtech platforms. 

2. PowerPoint and Google Slides

Two of the classic slide-building apps, PowerPoint and Google Slides feel very traditional compared to many of the other tools listed here. Still, both apps are easy introductions to the concept of creating basic 2D designs and visually appealing presentations. PowerPoint Presentations and Google Slides allow students to create slideshow content with transitions, animations, multiple slide layouts, and more.

These presentation software solutions help students prioritize the information that’s most useful to their audience and hone the ability to present that material in a visually engaging way. They can also be used in conjunction with screencasting or screen sharing to present in a more live or interactive manner.

These apps are both widespread and integrate seamlessly with a variety of tools. For Apple users, Keynote is another option in this same style, but it’s limited to only macOS and iOS, making it less widely adopted.

Note that Google Slides is free for everyone with a Gmail account, but PowerPoint requires an individual subscription or a school-wide license.

3. Prezi Next

The original Prezi was like a cooler, snappier version of PowerPoint. It did away with the feeling that every slide was a static rectangular image and let users create presentations that felt more like unique little worlds 🌍  than like conference room snooze-fests 😴 .

Unfortunately, it was built on Adobe Flash, which is dead and gone .

Prezi Next is the new generation of Prezi, built fresh in HTML5. It keeps the feel of the original and enables students to produce creative, imaginative presentations full of both whimsy and functionality. Templates in Prezi Next allow students to be creative, detailed, and look great in the process.

Prezi also integrates with major video conferencing apps like Google Meet and Zoom, allowing students to present their Prezi live. 

4. Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck is another slide-based presentation app. It’s entirely cloud-based, meaning you can access Haiku Deck from the web. The big differentiator with Haiku Deck is its automated image search. The app intelligently analyzes the text that your students add to their slides, then it suggests photos and slide designs that make sense for that text.

Haiku Deck gives users access to over 40 million royalty-free images (meaning no more watermarks or pixelated backgrounds) and includes dozens of themes designed by pros, complete with complementary fonts picked out for each one.

Haiku Deck is mostly a standalone tool. So, while you don’t get deep integrations with other tools, you might not really need them.

Related: Learn about the best tools for student engagement in this episode of EdTech Heroes !

5. Pear Deck

Before they ever explain what Pear Deck is, the team behind Pear Deck points to research showing that learning has both social, emotional and academic components and goes into great detail about the research-backed instructional strategies that the platform supports.

So, this tool comes from a team that’s dedicated to improving educational outcomes for all kinds of learners. But what does it do, exactly?

Essentially, Pear Deck operates as an add-on to Google Slides or PowerPoint and allows you to turn those static presentation tools into dynamic, interactive educational experiences. You can embed quizzes, tutorials, and other interactive content and see student responses in real time.

Although it’s aimed at teachers, it can be used by students to enhance their own presentations with engaging content like Q&A or audio and video, and gives them more creative freedom. 

Sutori is a tool that’s purpose built to help students create timelines and roadmaps and tell stories. It’s simple and streamlined, making it easy for students of all ages to use. Students can even embed media on their Sutori timelines, and Sutori is easy to use online and via remote learning.

Sutori’s timeline focus makes it perfect for social studies or history and any other linear, time-based lessons. The company also lists use cases for English, Language, Arts, and STEM teachers. It’s a great tool for fostering multimedia collaboration, critical thinking (via both primary and secondary sources), and research skills.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words 📸, and if that’s true, how much more is an infographic worth? A lot, when it comes to the classroom. Infographics are great storytelling tools, not to mention visual aids. The trouble is that making great infographics from scratch have required graphic design skills🧑‍💻  — until tools like Easelly.

Easelly lets anyone make quality infographics in a wide range of styles. Students can better visualize data and content, which is great both for their own critical thinking and logic skills as well as their public presentation skills.

Easelly includes numerous templates that make it easy to transform content from dry text and statistics into beautiful infographics.

Easelly doesn’t directly integrate with other tools, but infographics created in Easelly can easily (hence the name) be exported to other tools to be shared or presented.

8. Glogster

Glogster is a tool for creating multimedia posters that can include 3D elements. Students can embed a wide range of media into a Glogster, including screencast videos, graphics, images, audio, and even 3D and VR objects.

Glogster is somewhat like an oversized poster board to make a class project or report, but also interactive and zoomable. It’s a digital canvas that makes just about anything visual possible, all within one space.

Students can practice their visual storytelling skills and get comfortable navigating and embedding multiple media types with Glogster.

9. VoiceThread

VoiceThread is a unique tool that lets users collaborate and discuss just about anything: videos, images, documents and more using features like annotations, highlights, pausing, zooming. It’s essentially a media-focused video chat tool.

In the K-12 landscape, VoiceThread is great for students who want to share a specific media file with others and collaborate either in discussion or in a Q&A after a presentation. Viewers can add video comments and questions directly to a presentation, giving a more personal level of engagement especially for fully remote classrooms. Students can develop great conversational and presentation skills using VoiceThread, too.

Miro is a visual collaboration tool designed primarily for teams to get work done. In other words, it’s a business-focused digital whiteboard tool that has a lot of value for classrooms too. 

Students (and teachers) can use it for idea mapping 🗺, brainstorming, creating workflows or diagrams, and all sorts of other visual collaboration and presentation needs. 

It’s great for group projects where students might want to get a bunch of ideas mapped out prior to creating their polished presentation in another tool. Miro also has some effective templates that can help students work quickly.

Because it’s a business tool, Miro has all kinds of integrations with all the top business apps. Some of these are useful in education, such as Zoom, Google drive, and Microsoft Teams integrations.

Find out why students and teachers love Screencastify 🍎 

Screencastify is fantastic for any teacher who needs to create screencast videos quickly and easily. But it’s great for students, too! 

Students can use Screencastify Submit to easily create video responses to their teachers’ assignments, using the desktop, laptop, or mobile device they have at home. Older students can even use Screencastify themselves to create their own screencast presentations for virtual reports, class presentations, and more.

Click to learn more about what Screencastify can do for educators and students alike.

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15 Best Innovative Tech Tools for Teachers

1. SplashLearn

2. edpuzzle, 3. pear deck, 4. google classroom, 5. classdojo.

As teachers, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to make our lessons more engaging or to streamline the endless administrative tasks that come with teaching. In today’s digital age, educators’ quest for effective classroom solutions is universal. The good news is that the right tech tools for teachers can transform these challenges into opportunities for innovation and engagement.

SplashLearn: Most Comprehensive Learning Program for PreK-5

SplashLearn inspires lifelong curiosity with its game-based PreK-5 learning program loved by over 40 million children. With over 4,000 fun games and activities, it’s the perfect balance of learning and play for your little one.

This blog will take you through a curated list of the best tech tools for teachers to elevate the educational experience. By integrating these tools into your teaching practice, you can save precious time and create a more dynamic and inclusive learning environment. Let’s explore how these innovative solutions can help you bring out the best in your students and yourself.

15 Best Tech Tools for Teachers

Math & ela | prek to grade 5, kids see fun ., you see real learning outcomes ..

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SplashLearn is one of the best free tech tools for teachers that revolutionizes the classroom with an engaging, adaptive platform for math , reading and early skills instruction, making learning personalized and fun. With over 10,000 educational games and worksheets , SplashLearn ensures a rich variety of content to cater to different learning styles and levels.

Features for Teachers:

• Uninterrupted Teaching: Ensures seamless integration with your rostering tools for both remote and in-class teaching.
• Parent Involvement: Engages parents by sharing insights into student progress and alerts, fostering a collaborative learning environment.
• Instructional Differentiation: Identifies learning gaps , facilitates student grouping, and evaluates lesson effectiveness for targeted instruction.
• Personalized Learning Plans: Adapts to every student’s unique needs, offering personalized practice to bridge learning gaps.
• Class Progress Insights: Provides detailed analytics on class performance, enabling tailored and more effective teaching strategies .
• Customizable Lesson Plans: Offers customizable lesson plans to meet the diverse needs of your classroom.
• Interactive Virtual Learning Tools: Incorporates a variety of interactive virtual learning tools that make online education more engaging and effective. 

Price: Free

Best for: Personalized learning, parent engagement, assessing student progress, and interactive virtual learning.

Edpuzzle is a standout among teaching tech tools, offering a unique platform that allows teachers to create interactive video lessons. With Edpuzzle, educators can take any video from the web, including those from popular platforms like YouTube, and customize them with quizzes, comments, and voiceovers. This customization makes lessons more engaging and allows for real-time feedback and assessment . 

Price: Free version available; Pro version pricing varies by school size starting from

13.50$ Per month

Best for: Interactive video lessons and student engagement.

OS: Web , iOS , Android

Pear Deck is an innovative addition to classroom tech tools designed to enhance presentations with real-time student interaction. Teachers can create slides and add interactive questions or polls that students can respond to from their devices. This immediate feedback loop helps keep students engaged and allows teachers to assess understanding and adjust instruction. Pear Deck integrates seamlessly with Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint, making it a versatile tool for any classroom setting.

Price: Basic version is free; Premium features require a subscription starting from 125$ annually

Best for : Interactive presentations and formative assessments .

OS: Web-based

Google Classroom is a cornerstone of useful technology for teachers. It streamlines managing and organizing assignments, fosters communication, and facilitates student collaboration. It allows teachers to distribute and grade assignments paperlessly, share resources, and create a class calendar to keep everyone on track. Google Classroom’s simplicity and integration with other Google tools make it an invaluable resource for educators looking to organize their classrooms digitally.

Price: Free for schools using Google Workspace for Education.

Best for: Classroom management and communication.

ClassDojo is a classroom communication app designed to help teachers, students, and parents share what’s being learned in the classroom through photos, videos, and messages. It’s one of the teacher tech tools that focuses on building positive classroom communities, encouraging student engagement, and facilitating seamless communication between teachers and parents. With features like classroom-related updates, encouragement of positive feedback, and a platform for students to showcase their work, ClassDojo makes classroom management more effective and inclusive.

Price: Free 

Best for : Classroom management, parent communication.

OS : Web , iOS , Android .

Seesaw is a student-driven digital portfolio tool that empowers students to document what they are learning at school independently. As one of the technology tools for teachers, it allows students to use photos, videos, drawings, text notes, and links to show their learning. Teachers can gain insights into student progress and provide personalized feedback. Moreover, Seesaw facilitates family engagement by sharing student work, thus bridging the gap between classroom and home.

Price : Free version available; Seesaw Plus and Seesaw for Schools with additional features at a cost.

Best for: Student portfolios, family engagement.

OS: Web , iOS , Android .

Prezi stands out among tech resources for teachers by offering a dynamic, zoomable canvas that makes presentations engaging and storytelling more vivid. Unlike traditional slide-based presentation tools, Prezi allows you to move freely between topics, keeping your audience more engaged. It’s perfect for teachers who bring creativity into their lessons and presentations, with features that support collaborative creation and interactive discussions.

Price: 3$-5$ per month

Best for: Interactive presentations, creative projects.

OS: Web , with viewers available for iOS , Android

Padlet is a versatile digital canvas that offers a flexible space for students and teachers to collaborate, share ideas, and showcase work. As one of the top tech tools for teachers, it supports various content types, including text, images, videos, and documents, making it ideal for brainstorming, project planning, and creating interactive lessons. Its simplicity and adaptability make it a valuable resource for enhancing collaboration and creativity in the classroom.

Best for: Collaboration, project-based learning.

Flip is a social learning platform that allows students to create and share video responses to teacher-posted prompts, fostering a vibrant, interactive learning community. It stands out among tech tools for teachers by encouraging student voice and offering a new way to engage with content, peers, and educators. Flipgrid is particularly effective for discussions, reflections, and sharing learning experiences, making it a powerful tool for active learning.

Price : Free

Best for: Student engagement, video discussions.

Mural is a digital workspace for visual collaboration, enabling teams (including classroom groups) to innovate and manage projects using digital sticky notes, diagrams, and images. It’s recognized as one of the tech tools for teachers that facilitates creative thinking and collaborative problem-solving. With Mural, teachers can organize brainstorming sessions, design thinking workshops, and planning activities in a visually engaging environment.

Price: 9.99$ per month

Best for: Visual collaboration, creative projects.

Trello offers a flexible, easy-to-use project management platform that helps teachers organize tasks, projects, and classroom activities through boards, lists, and cards. This tool simplifies the tracking of assignments, project progress, and deadlines, making it a staple among tech tools for teachers. Trello’s visual layout and customizable features support individual and collaborative work, helping teachers and students stay organized and focused.

Price: Free; paid plans starting from 5$ per month for more features.

Best for: Task management, project organization.

Paymo is a work management platform that goes beyond traditional project management, offering features like task management, time tracking, and invoicing. It’s particularly useful for educators managing multiple projects or collaborative classroom activities. By streamlining the organization of tasks and tracking the time spent on each project, Paymo stands out as a practical tool for educators looking to optimize their workflow and manage classroom projects efficiently.

Price: Free for schools, paid plans for teams with additional features starting from 4.95$ per month.

Best for: Project management, time tracking.

13. Socrative

Socrative is an interactive assessment tool that allows teachers to create quizzes, polls, and games to gauge student understanding in real-time. Its simplicity and effectiveness in providing immediate feedback make it a valuable asset in the classroom. Socrative supports a variety of question types, enabling teachers to assess students’ learning in a fun and engaging way, thereby enhancing the overall learning experience.

Price: 89.990$-179.99$ annually

Best for: Real-time assessment, interactive quizzes

14. Mentimeter

Mentimeter is an interactive presentation tool that enables teachers to engage their audience with live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&A sessions. It’s an excellent way to make lectures more interactive and to gather feedback or opinions from students in real-time. Mentimeter fosters a more dynamic and participatory learning environment by incorporating students’ input into presentations.

Price: Free; paid plans starting from 11.99$ per month for more features.

Best for: Interactive presentations, live polling.

15. Learn Around the World

Learn Around the World offers a unique educational experience by connecting classrooms with virtual field trips and global guest speakers. This platform allows students to explore new cultures, environments, and perspectives without leaving their classroom. It’s an innovative way to bring global education into the classroom, encouraging curiosity and understanding among students about the world around them.

Best for: Virtual field trips, global education.

How to Choose the Best Tech Tool for Yourself as a Teacher

1. identify your goals.

Determine what you want to achieve with the tech tool. Is it to enhance engagement, improve understanding, facilitate communication, or something else? Your goal will guide your choice.

2. Consider the Age Group

Choose tools that are age-appropriate. The tool should match the cognitive and developmental stages of your students to ensure it’s both accessible and challenging.

3. Ease of Use

Opt for tools with intuitive interfaces. If a tool is too complicated, it can become a barrier to learning rather than a facilitator. Simple, user-friendly tools are more likely to be embraced by both teachers and students.

4. Engagement Factor

Look for tools that will actively engage your students. Interactive features, gamification elements, and multimedia capabilities can make learning more enjoyable and effective.

5. Educational Value

Ensure the tool has clear educational benefits. It should support curriculum objectives and enhance the learning experience, not just be “fun” without substance.

6. Cost-Effectiveness

Consider your budget. Many excellent tools offer free versions with basic features that are often sufficient. Weigh the benefits of paid features against their cost.

7. Feedback and Assessment

Choose tools that offer feedback and assessment features. Being able to track progress and understand areas of improvement is crucial for effective learning.

8. Privacy and Security

Prioritize tools that are compliant with privacy laws and have strong security measures in place to protect student information.

9. Compatibility and Integration

The tool should work well with the devices and systems your school uses. Also, consider whether it integrates with other tools you’re already using.

Conclusion 

The right tech tools for teachers can significantly enhance the learning experience, making education more engaging, interactive, and accessible for students. By carefully selecting helpful educational tech tools that aligns with your educational goals and needs, you can transform your teaching and help your students thrive in a digital world.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is technology as a teaching tool.

Technology as a teaching tool refers to the use of digital devices, software, and the internet to facilitate and enhance learning. It includes a wide range of resources like educational apps , websites, and interactive whiteboards to support instruction and engage students.

What is the most used technology in the classroom?

The most used technology in the classroom is often interactive whiteboards or smartboards, followed closely by tablets and laptops. These tools have become fundamental in creating interactive and engaging learning experiences for students.

How often do teachers use technology in the classroom?

Teachers’ use of technology in the classroom varies widely but has been increasing steadily over the years. Many educators incorporate technology into their daily lessons, using it for everything from presenting new material to facilitating assessments and encouraging student collaboration.

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It’s important for teachers to master the art of presenting engaging lectures that keep kids interested in the material as the weeks wear on. However, it’s equally important for students to master the same trade. As kids progress through school, higher education and, eventually, their professional lives, they’ll need tools besides PowerPoint to effectively pitch ideas and communicate dense material to seminars of bored classmates.

We’re breaking down 8 must-have presentation apps to help both teachers and students find their inner aesthetic and create drool-proof, prize-winning presentations.

• Board Builder : Board Builder acts like a digital poster board that allows teachers and students to begin with a blank canvas and personalize presentations. Customize backgrounds, add imagery, video clips, documents, change fonts, and tie everything together with built-in color schemes that keep slides both engaging and aesthetically pleasing.
• Emaze : With everything that teachers have on their plates – from lesson plans to addressing behavioral problems to making sure struggling students receive extra help – it’s understandable that there’s little time left to customize every presentation. Emaze is an easy , user-friendly presentation app that allows creators to plug in lesson information and aesthetic preferences and watch as built-in templates take over. Choose from learning aids, 3D imagery, transitions, and presentation formats that look professionally crafted. The software is also cloud-based, so Emaze presentations can be edited from any device online.
• Powtoon : Ask any marketing professional how to capture the attention of millennials, and they’ll say video Start thinking of your students like consumers who have hours and hours of advertisement thrown at them every second because, with a smartphone in reach, it’s true that students have content they’d rather be focusing on. It’s your job to grab their attention and, like the best marketing strategists, create custom videos. Powtoon allows users to create animated videos that grab everyone’s immediate attention easily. When was the last time your kids watched a personalized, animated video outlining photosynthesis?
• Educreations : In the same video vein, Educreations is an interactive white board that captures a teacher’s voice and handwriting to create shareable video lessons. Educreations is perfect for struggling students who like going through the material with teachers one-on-one, but still, need refreshers after the review session ends. Educreations records the session and lets students replay the video afterward to review every detail of their personalized instruction.
• Haiku Deck : Another user-friendly tool is Haiku Deck. Haiku Deck includes thousands of templates that teachers and students can build from to create slides with fonts that coincide and color schemes that correlate. It’s almost impossible not to create something beautiful, neat and aesthetically pleasing. If you’re in need of charts but don’t have time to master Excel, Haiku Deck lets you pick from templates of different charts and customize them to mirror your own data.
• Prezi : Prezi is a free tool that takes PowerPoints to the next level. If you’re in a rush, you can import previously created PowerPoints into Prezi and watch as your once plain presentation gets new movement and flare. Otherwise, Prezi lets you create a unique presentation from scratch. Zoom in on images, zoom out to reveal larger backgrounds for dramatic effect, easily incorporate audio components, and choose from endless themes. If you’re struggling for inspiration, Prezi offers suggestions and interesting tools that help boost even the most boring series of slides.
• ClickShare : Is your classroom prone to technical troubles? No IT professional on site? ClickShare is a wireless presentation and collaboration tool that projects slides from any device with the touch of a button. Connecting slides to projectors is so easy that a glitch will never delay the start of a presentation in your classroom again. ClickShare also fosters collaboration, letting multiple students and teachers work together on different accounts. If you want to be there while students master the art of presentations, monitor their progress and provide input when students begin struggling.
• DyKnow : DyKnow allows teachers to create SMART boards from any ordinary whiteboard. The tool opens like PowerPoint and allows teachers to write on computers using special pens while projecting the presentation to students in real time. Students can view presentations on their personal devices and, to be sure students are actually watching, teachers have the power to block websites so students can only access presentations. Have students out sick? Save presentations to a server and kids can access them anytime, anywhere.

With the smartphone and tablet and VR phenomenon exploding from generation to generation, kids have more distractions than ever before. That means teachers today face an especially tough challenge in keeping kids’ attention towards their lesson plans and away from a separate screen sitting in backpacks and laps.

If students are bored with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other generic presentation tools, WOW them with video, audio, and imagery that mirrors the content they spend hours watching on YouTube and Netflix. As teachers learn to master the art of engagement, kids will inevitably learn by example and begin creating powerhouse presentations of their own.

Disclosure: This preceding post was sponsored. We were compensated by the sponsoring company, and consider this to be an advertisement. However, we only endorse or recommend services or products that we think would be a good fit for our readership. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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10 online tools to help you create beautiful classroom presentations.

By DefinedSTEM,

By Gloria Kopp

Slideshows and presentations, whether they are PowerPoint or otherwise, are a great way to introduce new concepts and educate your students in new and exciting ways so they can grasp the data a lot easier.

Most children these days are very visual learners and instead of having teachers stand at the front of the class simply relaying information out of a textbook, using a PowerPoint presentation is a great way to make things easier and a lot easier to understand.

However, having a poorly made presentation or slideshow is only going to make things even more difficult to understand. So you can create the best quality presentations, here are 10 tools you can use at home or even with your class in the lessons!

Glogster is a leading multimedia creation app which works online to help you create interactive posters that can be used in your presentations, slideshows and individually to convey any information you want to convey professionally and in an easy to read format.

Marketed as one of the best things to happen to the presentation industry, Prezi is ideal for creating high-quality presentations to use for any subject you can think of, whether it’s from scratch or using any of the pre-made templates. One of the leading features is the incredibly easy to use drag and drop function.

A free online tool that offers high-quality presentation templates. The easy-to-navigate platform allows you to create, edit and share presentations with your colleagues quickly and easily.

Within your presentations, it’s sometimes a lot easier to use videos to explain certain points or to share videos that your class may have made during a few lessons. Animoto is an easy way to create beautiful videos from clips or photos organized into a slideshow format.

Easy Word Count

A free online tool you can use when creating the written content for your presentations. When creating presentations, you need to make sure that the information isn’t just blocked onto the presentation but is more like notes. Use this tool to track that you aren’t writing too much.

State of Writing

When writing the content for your presentations, you want to make sure that the text is correct, both factually and in the sense of the way, it’s written, such as grammar and punctuation. Of course, it’s easy to overlook these things when creating a visual presentation, which is where State of Writing can help.

In regard to your written content, when it’s all written out and just before you do your final proofreading checks, you’ll want to make sure that you’re communicating the message that you want to communicate. When it comes to editing, use this tool to teach you everything you need to know.

An online movie maker where you can stitch together clips, movies and photos into one clip that you can add to your presentation to create a new visual style of learning within your classes.

An easy to use and 100% free slideshow maker you can start using directly from your web browser to create high-quality presentations for your class or with the help of your students. This is a great tool for teaching students how to make their own presentations.

Boom Essays

A professional online writing tool you can use to help you proofread your presentation slides and content to make sure that it’s free from errors and reads well, ensuring the highest quality content.

This is a free online tool you can use for adding citations, references and quotes to your presentation in a professional format so they are easy to read, contain all the information that professional quotes should have and have the maximum amount of educational value.

As you can see, there is a wealth of tools available at your disposal that you can use when creating presentations for your class to make it yet while making sure everything is perfect for the best educational experience.

Gloria Kopp is an educator and a tutor at  Academized . She shares her tutorials and guides at HuffingtonPost , Engadget, Microsoft and  Paper Fellows  blogs. Gloria is also an author of  Studydemic  educational project for students and educators

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13 Best Classroom Technology Tools for the Modern Teacher

Written by Victoria Hegwood

Find out what math skills students struggle the most with in our Math Performance Report.

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What is educational technology?

Learning game tech tools, assessment tech tools, presentation tech tools, lesson plan and class material tech tools.

Education has changed a lot in the last 20 years. And not just what we’re teaching, but how we’re teaching. 

In the 21st century, and especially since the COVID pandemic, hybrid schedules of virtual and in-person learning are more common than ever. And it’s definitely no easy task to take on. Teachers have had to adapt and learn how to teach effective lessons across multiple platforms. 

This is where classroom technology tools can come in handy. There are some great tools out there that help teachers create interactive learning environments that keep students engaged regardless of how they’re attending the lesson. 

Now, we know that you don’t have time to download, test and weed out all of the tools that are available to you. So we’ve put together a list of 13 of our favorite classroom technology tools. With the help of these tools, you’ll be creating lessons that are the talk of the school. 

Educational technology is a pretty broad term that covers anything digital that is used to facilitate learning. It can be everything from apps to grading systems to teaching platforms. 

If you’re not quite sure where to begin or don’t feel confident enough to use technology in your classroom, you’re not alone! But there is a solution. 

Many individuals have set out to create a rich library of professional development resources online. These resources help teachers become more confident in their use of technology in the classrooms, answering whatever questions you have about how to use a certain tool or type of technology.

13 Must-have tech tools for your classroom

We’ve talked to a lot of teachers to find out what really works in their classroom (and what really doesn’t!) These 13 tools are must-haves for creating interactive, engaging lessons that students are excited to participate in. 

This list is broken down into learning game tech tools, assessment tech tools, presentation tech tools and lesson plan and classroom material tech tools. Feel free to skip ahead if there’s a specific type of tool that you’re looking for.

Prodigy allows students to practice math and English skills in an immersive, game-based environment. As students play Prodigy Math and Prodigy English, they'll answer teacher-made, curriculum-aligned questions tailored to their level. Its adaptive algorithm tweaks the skill practice based on their understanding of the content, so they are able to build on struggle areas while they enjoy.

Prodigy naturally supplements many teaching strategies and techniques. You can use Prodigy to:

• Easily provide differentiated skill practice
• Gain feedback from entry and exit tickets
• Give students homework that engages them
• Prepare and deliver formative and summative assessments
• Connect parents to classroom learning and students' progress

The teacher dashboard offers one convenient place to gauge student progress, monitor who is mastering each concept and evaluate who needs more support. Best of all, it’s all available at no cost to teachers and schools.

See what other teachers think about Prodigy below!

Our world has very quickly shifted to many jobs, services and experiences being offered totally online. Because of this, the skills our students need to learn to be successful have changed. Introducing STEM programs like coding and computer science early will set up students for success in the later stages of education and in the workforce. 

Tynker provides a great first exposure to coding with approachable tutorials. It covers skills from the most basic to more advanced.

Best for: Helping students engage in technical skill practice.

Cost: $29 USD per month for standard account, with upgrades available.

NearPod is a more accessible and affordable virtual reality option for teachers to bring into their classrooms. Virtual reality can be an immersive experience that allows students to explore concepts in 3D and deepen their understanding. 

NearPod offers over 450 VR experiences ranging from the exploration of volcanoes to a trip to the American revolution battlefields. There are lessons for students of any grade level and every subject. 

Best for: Helping students engage in content using technology.

Cost: Free plan available, with paid plans starting at $159 USD per year.

Kahoot is a teacher favorite for in-class questionnaires and quizzes. The best part of this tool is how adaptable it is. It is compatible with many devices, and assessments can be joined remotely or in person. 

Kahoot can turn a dreaded quiz into an experience that feels like a game show. This element of fun has been shown in studies to not only increase student attendance but also their engagement.

Best for: Helping students engage in quiz-based assessments.

Quizlet allows teachers to create study sets, review materials, flashcards and learning games for their whole class for any subject. It’s easy to access templates that you can use to make the process even faster and easier.  There are also premade study sets from other teachers and even students on a variety of topics.

Best for: Helping students review content in subjects like foreign languages, history or sciences.

Cost: Free for basic features, extra features require a teacher account at $35.99 USD per year.

6. Socrative

Socrative provides formative assessment tools to connect teachers with students in real-time as learning is happening. This quiz-based app helps teachers create engaging and fun assessments catered to match different learning styles.

This tool can also be used to gauge each student’s understanding and offers multiple feedback options. With all this extra information, you can create targeted lesson plans to encourage student success.

Best for: Teachers looking to assess students through quizzes.

Cost: Free with limited features. Paid plans start at $89.99 USD per year.

Parlay Ideas is designed for assessments that spur deeper discussions about the learning material. Teachers can see students' responses, provide feedback and give out a grade all in one place. It simplifies how you collect response data so you have more time to review student work and can understand better where each student is at.

Best for: Teachers looking to assess and get student feedback.

Cost: $160 USD per year, with free teacher trial available.

Previously known as Flipgrid, Flip offers a way for teachers to bridge the classroom experience and what a student is working on at home. On the platform, you can prepare discussion topics and record a video of yourself presenting the topic. Students will then respond in a discussion forum with a video of their own. Making this an at-home assignment gives students time to brainstorm their answers and feel more comfortable in front of the camera. 

This edtech tool resembles the popular social media app Snapchat, where one video is replied to with another video. The fun and novelty of this way of learning can increase student engagement and excitement about academic topics. 

Best for: Helping middle and high school students discuss learning material and share feedback.

Prezi is commonly used as a presentation tool by students, but it can also be used by teachers. This virtual presentation software allows presenters to be on the same screen as the graphics, creating a more engaging presentation that doesn’t just have a voiceover. 

While Powerpoint has been an extremely useful tool for many years, Prezi has more capabilities to create visually appealing presentations with personal touches.

Best for: Making presentations more interactive and engaging for students to follow.

Cost: $3 to $5 USD per month for student and educator accounts.

10. Storybird

Storybird is a digital platform that encourages students to become better writers by adding images to their stories. It can pair up an entered word with an image or vice versa when a picture is added first. 

This tool can be especially handy for visual learners or when learning concepts like the different parts of plant cells. Each vocabulary word can be followed by a picture of that part of the plant. 

Additionally, Storybird can be a great collaboration tool where one student picks the words for a story and another selects the pictures.

Best for: Encouraging students to visualize their learning.

11. Venngage

Venngage is a fun and easy-to-use design software that students love to use. It can be used to create infographics to visualize data and clearly present ideas. The graphics are saved online and can easily be shared with current and future students, making them a good replacement for traditional posters.

Best for: Helping students turn learning insights into visually engaging graphics and study aids.

Cost: Free for limited features, plans start at $19 USD per month.

12. Google Classroom

Google Classroom has become a popular learning management system in recent years since it’s free to use for everyone with a google email account. Students enjoy the flexibility of being able to log in from a laptop or mobile device. 

In Google Classroom, students can see all of their assignments, documents and discussion in one place. It can also be used for video conferencing with remote learners or messaging teachers with homework questions.

Best for: Managing multiple subjects or classes in one classroom admin platform.

Cost: Free, with a paid Enterprise for Education also suite available.

P.S. Check out these tips and tricks for using Google Classroom below!

Canvas is another learning management system, though it does have a cost to use it. This platform connects teachers and students for lessons as well as monitor grades and check attendance. It provides a singular place to share course documents and class rubrics. The messaging feature is also useful for communication between teachers and students.

Cost: Limited teacher tools are free, paid plan needed for full features.

Technology tools to engage your classroom

Classroom technology can make your life a lot easier as a teacher. And, just as importantly, it can help your students be more engaged and successful in the classroom. If there’s a part of your classroom that isn’t running smoothly, don't be afraid to try out a technology tool out there that can help you. 

Prodigy is a fantastic classroom resource that both frees up some of your time and can help your students stay engaged, master skills and enjoy learning.

Are you ready to see how your students can excel with Prodigy Math and English? Bring the benefits of game-based learning into your classroom, sign up for your teacher account today!

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7 alternative presentation tools for classroom use.

To learn about more alternatives to the typical presentation, check out this on-demand training video,  Alternatives to Slide Presentations – Free Tools for Student Projects . Join technology trainer Lauren Boucher as she introduces free tools for student projects that go beyond the slide show. In addition to sharing the free tools, Lauren provides project ideas and classroom tips that can be used across curriculum and grade levels.

Which of these tools are you planning on using first? Let us know how you like to present information in your classroom — please leave a comment on this article below.

Kimber Thompson is a Lead Moderator for SimpleK12 webinars and a Contributing Editor for SimpleK12.com. She writes frequently about education topics, and is passionate about tools and techniques that inspire young learners. You may reach her with ideas and comments at [email protected] .

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6 Productivity Tools Every Teacher Should Know About

Educators say these tools can drastically reduce administrative and planning burdens, freeing up time for engaging with students.

It’s no secret that a teacher’s day is filled with a multitude of tasks, many of which are completed outside of school hours. Research shows , in fact, that the average teacher puts in nearly 11 hours of work each day—three more than they’re paid for—once you factor in time spent on lesson planning, completing administrative tasks, emailing, and analyzing and documenting students’ academic performance.

Tools that can save teachers time on some of these tasks are of the utmost importance, and with recent advances in AI, a hoard of new options have appeared that promise to do just that. But determining which of these tools are truly useful is another time-consuming task—which is why we asked our audience of educators what tools they find most useful these days for increasing their productivity.

They pointed us to a handful that help them more easily do things like plan lessons, create assessments, manage some administrative tasks, and improve their efficiency in communicating with students and families.

Rather than point you to the popular tools that many of you are likely familiar with by now—ChatGPT and Canvas, for example—we’ve focused on curating a list of tools you may not have heard of, or haven’t yet tried, and we’ll share teachers’ input on how they can be used to save you valuable time and effort.

MagicSchool

MagicSchool.ai was developed by teachers, and according to educator Tiffany Sutter , it’s “a teacher’s best friend.” Sutter says she uses MagicSchool to “create lesson plans and questions for passages, differentiate texts, write letters of recommendation, identify accommodations for students, design math and reading work, and summarize YouTube videos.”

The tool can generate text outputs for almost any purpose or need, including emails to parents, worksheets, multiple choice questions, custom thank-you notes, and gift ideas.

High school social studies teacher Kristen Starnes told Edutopia that she often uses MagicSchool to create high-quality text from a prompt. For example, in an 11th-grade world history class, she will ask it to write a specific number of pages on a topic as broad as “British imperialism in India, including the concept of nonviolent resistance, replete with relevant literature from both British and Indian authors.” 

While the text won’t be perfect—it must be vetted for accuracy, as with all AI-generated text—Starnes said the output buys her time she would have spent researching on her own, and is generally a useful starting point to help her introduce difficult, broad concepts to students quickly.

Diffit 

If you’re on the hunt for a tool to help you solely with differentiation, Diffit may be just the thing.  Educator Michele Haiken calls Diffit an ideal tool to enable “all students—regardless of reading level—to access grade level concepts, while providing curriculum-aligned reading practice in students’ zone of proximal development.” 

Diffit can take writing from various formats—pdfs, slides, Word or Google docs, or even transcripts from YouTube videos—and parse and distill the text into simpler or more complex language, depending on your students’ needs.

In addition to differentiating reading for students in various grade levels, or for varying reading levels within one classroom, Diffit can also produce summaries, vocabulary lists, and questions from the text, as well as translate the text into different languages.

Many teachers say they use the app to generate assessments based on the text it creates—both multiple choice and open-ended questions—that can be tweaked as needed.

Curipod helps teachers create scaled, interactive lessons complete with presentations, background information, images, polls, word clouds, exit tickets, and more.

What makes the tool stand out, however, is the automated feedback it can provide to students on the assessments they complete on the platform—feedback that high school science teacher Bonnie Nieves says is accurate, helps kids learn from their mistakes promptly, and frees her up “to be able to pull the kids aside that are not doing well and be able to support them myself.”

Nieves told Edutopia that when she asked Curipod to create a lesson on one of her most difficult subjects, gene editing in biotechnology, the output wasn’t perfect but did draw from a wide body of knowledge—effectively conducting the sort of research and planning that would have taken her hours to do on her own.

Middle school math teacher Shanna Martin says she finds Curipod useful for the interactive presentations it can easily whip up, but what sets those presentations apart are the various types of questions—from open-ended, to drawing based, to multiple choice—that the tool will weave into presentations.

“This variety ensures that students are actively engaged and can demonstrate their understanding in different ways,” Martin said.

This Chrome extension can help you quickly elevate feedback to students, making it more interactive and relevant.

Kami allows teachers to annotate various file types—pdfs, scanned documents, images, and more—with comments, drawings, and audio and visual comments. Educator Lexi Rose says she uses Kami daily . “It’s great for annotating documents/pdfs from Google Drive on your SmartBoard,” she writes, adding that her older students also use it to complete worksheets quickly and take notes.

This helps Rose quickly provide personalized feedback on student assignments, including audio and video feedback that might give students more clarity than simple written comments. The tool is a two-way street, too, as students can interact with the feedback they receive in the form of drawings, written responses, and audio and video comments. For an example of what this exchange can look like, check out this video .

Kami can also be used to digitize worksheets, exams, and any other printed material teachers might normally distribute to or collect from students—which can save tons of time at the printer each morning and reduce the amount of clutter in the classroom. Digitizing these workflows can also help streamline grading, as you can use Kami to quickly grade assignments, leave feedback, and return them to students online.

Educator Stephanie Rothstein says Kami’s collaborative learning and whiteboard tools make it a great replacement for Google Jamboard, which the company has announced will be shut down later this year. According to Rothstein, Kami offers security options that allow teachers to turn off particular features for students. “Students can add annotations and can only alter their own text,” Rothstein said—the security options prevent students from moving or deleting the work of other students.

Classroomscreen

To create an easier classroom management experience, many educators turn to the web-based app Classroomscreen , which is full of interactive and customizable widgets such as timers, clocks, group randomizers, polls, classroom noise level monitors, and more. Educator Caitlin Grisham calls the app “indispensable,” while Mike Bettes says he’s found the various widgets “super handy” for cutting down on administrative tasks and providing him more time for teaching.

The timers and stopwatches are useful for keeping students on task, keeping track of timed activities, and pacing lessons and classroom transitions. 

The randomizing functionality, meanwhile, saves time when it comes to doing things like forming groups, choosing students to answer questions, or deciding what order students present information to the class—while keeping decision making objective and fair. 

Text Blaze 

This Chrome extension can help teachers more efficiently communicate with students, parents, and others by letting them easily grab “snippets” of frequently used text that can be inserted into any text field with a simple shortcut. High school English teacher D.J. Conger says that the tool saves her “so much time entering oft repeated messages.”

According to educators, Text Blaze comes in handy for comments on student work related to common errors—comments that are often written over and over during the grading process. (Watch this video to get a sense of what this looks like in real time.) The tool is also useful for communications with parents or students over email, in which teachers may receive similar questions and find themselves spending time writing out the same response over and over.

Templates that teachers develop can also include placeholders for customization, which educator Med Kharbach writes helps ensure that teachers can “maintain a personal touch in their communications without the time-consuming process of typing out each message from scratch.” Reducing the time spent on administrative tasks like these can help teachers “free up more time for meaningful educational activities,” Kharbach added. 

If there are tools you think we should add to this list—very effective, but not used as much as you think they should be—please tell us in the comments.

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New advances in technology are upending education, from the recent debut of new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT to the growing accessibility of virtual-reality tools that expand the boundaries of the classroom. For educators, at the heart of it all is the hope that every learner gets an equal chance to develop the skills they need to succeed. But that promise is not without its pitfalls.

“Technology is a game-changer for education – it offers the prospect of universal access to high-quality learning experiences, and it creates fundamentally new ways of teaching,” said Dan Schwartz, dean of Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE), who is also a professor of educational technology at the GSE and faculty director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning . “But there are a lot of ways we teach that aren’t great, and a big fear with AI in particular is that we just get more efficient at teaching badly. This is a moment to pay attention, to do things differently.”

For K-12 schools, this year also marks the end of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding program, which has provided pandemic recovery funds that many districts used to invest in educational software and systems. With these funds running out in September 2024, schools are trying to determine their best use of technology as they face the prospect of diminishing resources.

Here, Schwartz and other Stanford education scholars weigh in on some of the technology trends taking center stage in the classroom this year.

AI in the classroom

In 2023, the big story in technology and education was generative AI, following the introduction of ChatGPT and other chatbots that produce text seemingly written by a human in response to a question or prompt. Educators immediately worried that students would use the chatbot to cheat by trying to pass its writing off as their own. As schools move to adopt policies around students’ use of the tool, many are also beginning to explore potential opportunities – for example, to generate reading assignments or coach students during the writing process.

AI can also help automate tasks like grading and lesson planning, freeing teachers to do the human work that drew them into the profession in the first place, said Victor Lee, an associate professor at the GSE and faculty lead for the AI + Education initiative at the Stanford Accelerator for Learning. “I’m heartened to see some movement toward creating AI tools that make teachers’ lives better – not to replace them, but to give them the time to do the work that only teachers are able to do,” he said. “I hope to see more on that front.”

He also emphasized the need to teach students now to begin questioning and critiquing the development and use of AI. “AI is not going away,” said Lee, who is also director of CRAFT (Classroom-Ready Resources about AI for Teaching), which provides free resources to help teach AI literacy to high school students across subject areas. “We need to teach students how to understand and think critically about this technology.”

Immersive environments

The use of immersive technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality is also expected to surge in the classroom, especially as new high-profile devices integrating these realities hit the marketplace in 2024.

The educational possibilities now go beyond putting on a headset and experiencing life in a distant location. With new technologies, students can create their own local interactive 360-degree scenarios, using just a cell phone or inexpensive camera and simple online tools.

“This is an area that’s really going to explode over the next couple of years,” said Kristen Pilner Blair, director of research for the Digital Learning initiative at the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, which runs a program exploring the use of virtual field trips to promote learning. “Students can learn about the effects of climate change, say, by virtually experiencing the impact on a particular environment. But they can also become creators, documenting and sharing immersive media that shows the effects where they live.”

Integrating AI into virtual simulations could also soon take the experience to another level, Schwartz said. “If your VR experience brings me to a redwood tree, you could have a window pop up that allows me to ask questions about the tree, and AI can deliver the answers.”

Gamification

Another trend expected to intensify this year is the gamification of learning activities, often featuring dynamic videos with interactive elements to engage and hold students’ attention.

“Gamification is a good motivator, because one key aspect is reward, which is very powerful,” said Schwartz. The downside? Rewards are specific to the activity at hand, which may not extend to learning more generally. “If I get rewarded for doing math in a space-age video game, it doesn’t mean I’m going to be motivated to do math anywhere else.”

Gamification sometimes tries to make “chocolate-covered broccoli,” Schwartz said, by adding art and rewards to make speeded response tasks involving single-answer, factual questions more fun. He hopes to see more creative play patterns that give students points for rethinking an approach or adapting their strategy, rather than only rewarding them for quickly producing a correct response.

Data-gathering and analysis

The growing use of technology in schools is producing massive amounts of data on students’ activities in the classroom and online. “We’re now able to capture moment-to-moment data, every keystroke a kid makes,” said Schwartz – data that can reveal areas of struggle and different learning opportunities, from solving a math problem to approaching a writing assignment.

But outside of research settings, he said, that type of granular data – now owned by tech companies – is more likely used to refine the design of the software than to provide teachers with actionable information.

The promise of personalized learning is being able to generate content aligned with students’ interests and skill levels, and making lessons more accessible for multilingual learners and students with disabilities. Realizing that promise requires that educators can make sense of the data that’s being collected, said Schwartz – and while advances in AI are making it easier to identify patterns and findings, the data also needs to be in a system and form educators can access and analyze for decision-making. Developing a usable infrastructure for that data, Schwartz said, is an important next step.

With the accumulation of student data comes privacy concerns: How is the data being collected? Are there regulations or guidelines around its use in decision-making? What steps are being taken to prevent unauthorized access? In 2023 K-12 schools experienced a rise in cyberattacks, underscoring the need to implement strong systems to safeguard student data.

Technology is “requiring people to check their assumptions about education,” said Schwartz, noting that AI in particular is very efficient at replicating biases and automating the way things have been done in the past, including poor models of instruction. “But it’s also opening up new possibilities for students producing material, and for being able to identify children who are not average so we can customize toward them. It’s an opportunity to think of entirely new ways of teaching – this is the path I hope to see.”

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6 ways to use Microsoft Copilot for end-of-school-year tasks

May 14, 2024.

By Microsoft Education Team

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The end of the school year is a hectic time for educators everywhere. Between reviewing content, completing assessments, and maintaining classroom management, it’s easy to feel the pressure of too many responsibilities and not enough time to accomplish everything.

Whether closing out the academic year in the northern hemisphere or preparing for the next one in the southern hemisphere, Microsoft Copilot offers innovative and efficient ways to complete many of the tasks that occupy these transitional times of year. From drafting student feedback to composing newsletters and offering planning suggestions for events, Copilot adapts to whatever task it’s asked. To get started, all you need is a basic understanding of how to access and use Copilot.

Start using Copilot for your end-of-school-year tasks

You can learn how to use Copilot by visiting Meet your AI assistant for education: Microsoft Copilot .

When you’re ready to get started, go to copilot.microsoft.com or download the iOS or Android mobile app.

Writing prompts for the end of the school year

Prompting Copilot to generate content requires practice. Including specific information in your prompt helps produce more relevant responses.

An effective Copilot prompt:

• Asks the tool to take on a role called a persona .
• Provides an objective  that tells the tool what to do or produce.
• Defines the audience  who will be using whatever Copilot generates.
• Includes context  that gives the tool background information.
• Sets boundaries  that limit or constrain responses.

Elements of a Good Prompt infographic which includes tips for writing prompts that produce more relevant responses.

Throughout this post, you’ll find sample prompts that include these components. We recommend borrowing inspiration from them and adjusting to make them fit your own classroom, or you can copy and paste the examples without modifications if you are just beginning.

Now let’s learn how Copilot can help you complete six common end-of-school-year tasks.

1. Craft student feedback at the end of the school year

Copilot can help you write end-of-school-year feedback in a style and tone that all students can understand. Simply craft a prompt that includes the subject area and details about the feedback you want to provide, and Copilot can draft a constructive, supportive statement written specifically for students. For example:

You are a fourth-grade teacher who is writing feedback on a student’s current reading skills. The student uses details to explain what text means but is unable to draw inferences in fiction. The student can identify in-text examples that illustrate a given theme but is unable to independently produce a theme without guidance. Write a short statement that explains this feedback to a student. Include a description about why using details is important and 1-2 ways to develop this skill. The paragraph should be written with plain text so that a fourth-grade student will understand.

You can always refine your prompt if the response is not what you expected. Simply include something like, “Re-write this feedback in Spanish” without selecting New topic , and Copilot will continue where you left off. Give it a try.

2. Write end-of-school-year reflections

Educators often write end-of-school-year newsletters for families, update class blogs with a final post, and draft reflections on school year goals. Copilot can assist with all these tasks and can help you create personalized, engaging visuals for your content. For example, you can use the following prompt to produce a summer newsletter for families.

You are the science department leader for a middle school in New York City. Draft a summer newsletter for families that includes an introduction that talks about the past year and 5 sections: Science Books for Young Adults, Science at Home, Science Summer Camps, Science Events in NYC, and NY Science Museums. Only include information that can be linked to a website to learn more. The newsletter should be written in plain text using an informal tone.

You can also share your experiences, memorable moments, and insights from the school year and Copilot will help you find creative ways to share this information with colleagues, families, and students.

3. Organize classroom materials at the end of the school year

The last few weeks of a school year includes packing up classrooms for the summer, collecting books and devices, and organizing materials for the next year. Copilot can create checklists or reminders for end-of-school-year tasks like these and offer suggestions that you might not even consider. For example:

You are a high school media specialist who checks out technology to administrators and educators. Write a checklist of the 3 most important things to do before returning each of the following devices: document camera, tablet, digital projector, games, and wires. Make each device a section heading and use bulleted lists for the content. Write the checklists so that the content is easily understood by people with varying levels of technological expertise.

Another way to use Copilot when you are organizing classroom materials is to ask for suggestions for efficient ways to declutter and prepare your classroom for the next school year.

4. Plan an end-of-school-year celebration

Many schools celebrate major milestones like the start of summer or moving from lower grades to higher grades with a party or ceremony. Copilot can be your personal planner and assist with brainstorming ideas for end-of-school-year events, awards ceremonies, or virtual gatherings. It can even suggest ways to be more inclusive in areas you might not have considered, like food options in the prompt below.

You are a guidance counselor in charge of helping rising eighth-grade students transition from middle school to high school. Draft a letter to middle school teachers that shares the biggest differences between middle school and high school. Include paragraphs on class schedules, touring the high school, meeting educators, extracurricular activities, and summer reading books. The letter should be written in a formal, conversational tone.

Whether you are creating invitations, planning activities, or drafting speeches, Copilot can be your creative collaborator.

5. Develop transition materials at the end of the school year

When students enter elementary school or move to middle or high school, everyone involved in the transition needs to know how to prepare for this change. Students need to know what to expect, families need to know how to support their children, and current educators need to provide relevant information. Copilot can help create transition materials so that everyone stays informed using a prompt like this example:

You can also use Copilot to write welcome letters, tips for success, or information about what to expect in the upcoming year.

6. Streamline parent communication at the end of the school year

Copilot can help you create templates for parent-teacher conferences at the end of the school year, as well as student progress updates, and letters to families. For example, you can ask Copilot to create a message to families about signing up for conferences with the following prompt.

You are a high school math teacher who teaches introductory algebra. Write a letter to families about parent-teacher conferences. Include an introductory paragraph that thanks families for their ongoing support and paragraphs about what will happen during the conferences, why conferences are important, who should attend, and how to prepare for the meeting. Conclude the letter with a paragraph about how to sign up for a conference slot. Write the letter using an approachable, informal tone.

Microsoft Copilot is a versatile AI tool for educators that adapts to your specific needs. To learn more about Microsoft’s AI solutions and resources, check out Smart learning: AI resources every educator should know and the  AI for educators learning path on Microsoft Learn. Most importantly, enjoy the end of the school year with your students and the time you saved by using Copilot. 

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