Quantum computing could mark the next revolution in tech. Giants in the industry such as Google and IBM are making big investments in these next-gen computers, and industry is not alone. In June, the U.S. Department of Energy announced its Quantum Genius Initiative, which aims to develop and deploy fully “scientifically relevant quantum computing capability for research and development by 2028." In July the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced Project Triad, an initiative that seeks to unify “three domains of quantum technology — sensors, computers and networks — in a unified, functional system.”

Instead of the bits used by classical computers, quantum computers utilize qubits. While a classical bit can be represented as either a 1 or 0, qubits take advantage of the strange properties of the quantum world to be both 1 and 0 at the same time. This, paired with other quantum characteristics such as entanglement, allows quantum computers to achieve levels of computational power that aren’t possible with classical computers.

As exciting as quantum computing is, there’s a problem.

“The field of quantum technology is growing faster than the current workforce can support,” says NSF Spokesperson Miriam Kleiman. She adds, “There is a significant shortage of qualified people.”

In an email, Kleiman shared steps educators can take to help their students learn about emerging quantum industries and how to potentially play a role.

Taking Steps To Prepare Students for Quantum-Related Careers

In addition to teaching core ideas from quantum mechanics, computer science, and mathematics, Kleiman says NSF scientists advise teachers to bolster these lessons by adding “simple hands-on activities, like writing basic programs for quantum devices, and exposing students to real tools and demonstrations.”

She adds, “Partnering with industry for guest talks or internships and using local training opportunities strengthens the connection to careers.”

Existing curricula that educators can utilize are available from NSF-supported centers. These include:

• Robust Quantum Simulation’s K-12 materials
• HQAN (TeachQuantum and Wonders of Quantum Physics)
• National programs such as the A Collaboration To Support Quantum Education, Chicago Quantum Exchange and QuSTEAM.

Tech & Learning has published an overview of some quantum computing resources that explores some of the mind-bending science behind it all.

Things All Students Should Know Regardless of Career Path

Whether or not a student is interested in pursuing a career in quantum computers, there are still aspects of this technology of which they should be aware.

“Every student should understand the basics: what a qubit is and how it differs from a traditional bit, plus the key concepts of superposition, entanglement, and decoherence,” Kleiman says. “With this foundation, students can see how quantum computers differ from classical machines, grasp where the technology is useful, and think critically about its social and ethical impacts.”

Those impacts are potentially profound. “Quantum technology could help solve problems that overwhelm today’s computers,” Kleiman says. “It may enable accurate simulations of complex molecules and materials—supporting drug discovery, better battery chemistry, and cleaner fertilizer production.”

Kleiman adds it could increase efficiency in global shipping and various supply chains as well as areas such as city transit. Additionally, it will have a significant impact on the fields of data security and cryptography.

Despite misconceptions to the contrary, quantum computers are unlikely to replace classical computers. Ultimately though, these devices will used for specific problems and are expected to have a huge impact on society.

“For certain math-heavy problems, quantum approaches promise much greater efficiency and better results,” Kleiman says.

When you step up to the front of a class as a new teacher, there’s a lot you don’t know. For many new professors, the experience goes differently than they expected, and while most do a good job, it can take a semester or two to really start to feel comfortable in the job.

I know this from my own experience from having directly supervised new college professors in the past, and from conversations with many former graduate students who go on to teach.

From all this, I’ve noticed some common mistakes that arise. Some are unique to college professors, many of whom, ironically, start teaching with far less pedagogical training than teachers at other education levels. However, some of these mistakes, I suspect, apply to all new teachers.

While most educators work through these on their own, here’s a look at the common mistakes I see, with advice for overcoming.

1. They Over-Prepare

Preparation is great; too much preparation makes the job of being an educator harder. It also eliminates spontaneity and makes for ineffective class sessions and lessons.

New teachers tend to err on the over-preparation side of things. This can mean slideshows with too many slides and too much information per slide, as well as a semester with classes planned to the minute.

Not only does this stifle creativity, but it can lead to frustration when it all doesn’t go as planned, as it will inevitably will.

How to overcome this: Often this tendency comes from insecurity on the part of new teachers. I remind them to trust their instincts and that they’re knowledgeable enough to improvise and let the class go where it will go (within reason).

More specifically, if someone is struggling with their slides, I suggest alternatives such as using digital handouts. Teachers can also focus on activities and lessons that can be more open-ended and student-driven. For example, early on I spent a lot of time lecturing about interviewing best practices for new journalists. Now I spend more time answering questions students have about conducting interviews and doing more in-class interview exercises. Students pair up and interview each other, or find people to interview on campus, etc.

2. They Think They Need To Have All The Answers

Nothing can be more terrifying as a new teacher than when a student asks you a question that you feel you should know the answer to but don’t. This was something that caused me a lot of stress when I started teaching but is not a concern now. That’s definitely not because I now have all the answers, but rather because time and experience have made me okay with not having all the answers. I’ve also increasingly grown somewhat distrustful of anyone who does claim to have them.

How to overcome this: Embrace a mindset shift that moves from the "sage on the stage" thinking to "a guide on the side" mentality. This creates a space in which it is acceptable for you and students to say “I don’t know” and one where you can work on finding the answers together.

I also share with my students that in the spirit of Socrates, I believe one of the most intelligent things a person can say is, “I don’t know.”

3. Underutilizing Technology

So much more technology is available to educators today than many new professors realize. It is rarely a cure-all, and some so-called solutions are counterproductive. But it’s worth exploring potential options as there are many tech tools that are easy to use and can make your teaching more productive and effective, as well as save you time.

How to overcome this: Spend a little time experimenting with technology. Ask colleagues what resources they use for activities such as lesson planning and how they handle quizzes, etc.

Some technology can really make a difference. For instance, I used to waste a lot of time and paper making and printing handouts. Then I learned how easy it was to generate QR codes and started doing digital handouts instead.

4. Not Asking Enough Questions

We’re always encouraging students to do this but sometimes have trouble doing this ourselves, especially when we start.

New teachers often spend a lot of time developing class resources such as quizzes and slideshows that their colleagues have at the ready. Other educators can also offer guidance on everything from managing difficult students to creating effective class sessions and assessments. But much of this knowledge goes unutilized.

How to overcome: This one is easy: Ask more questions! Think out loud with colleagues during lunch or in conversations in the hall. Email former classmates who are teaching to see what they’ve learned and share what you’ve seen.

One of the challenges of teaching early on is how lonely the process can feel. Actively reaching out to colleagues and tapping into their experience fixes that and helps make you a better teacher in the process. It’s a true win-win.

For educators, rubrics have become a familiar tool to help clarify expectations, support consistent grading, and give students a sense of what successful work should look like. However, there is a downside to making a rubric, exemplar, or step-by-step checklist the starting point for every assignment: students can become very good at following directions without becoming very good at figuring things out.

As schools place greater emphasis on creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, innovation, and AI literacy, educators may want to reconsider how much structure they provide upfront. Technology makes it easier than ever to generate polished work that checks every box. The more predictable the assignment, the easier it can be to optimize for completion whether the optimizer is a student, a search engine, or an AI tool.

This doesn't mean abandoning rubrics, but we have to be more intentional about when we use one. For many years, I have intentionally not provided rubrics for many of my leadership courses, as leaders are rarely given a clear checklist of how to complete a task in the real world.

Sometimes, the most valuable assignment is the one in which students are not entirely sure what the finished product should look like. I understand students do not like that ambiguity, but it mirrors the real world into which they will graduate.

Here are ten reasons to consider putting the rubric away and improve learning outcomes in the process.

1. Creativity Needs Room to Breathe

Give students a template, and many will use it. Give them an exemplar, and many will imitate it. Give them a detailed rubric, and many will work backward from the criteria. None of those behaviors are inherently bad but can limit the creative process.

When students have room to decide what a product should look like, how it should be organized, or which approach might work best, they must make creative decisions rather than simply execute someone else's. If we want to nurture creativity and innovation, we need to give them something to be creative about.

2. The Real World Rarely Provides Rubrics

Consider what happens after students leave school: A sales manager may be told to increase customer engagement; a teacher may be asked to improve student participation; a designer may be asked to solve a user problem; an entrepreneur may recognize an unmet need. Where is the rubric for any of these?

Professionals are expected to determine what success looks like, identify the constraints, develop an approach, test their ideas, and adjust along the way. Students should receive assignments that provide opportunities to build those skills before they enter the workplace.

3. Exemplars Can Become Templates

Showing students an example seems like an obvious way to help them understand an assignment. However, in my experience, it becomes a stencil for the students to copy. Instead of asking, "What could I create?" students ask, "How can I make mine look like that?" This is particularly noticeable with presentations, multimedia projects, websites, videos, and other creative products. Give a class one strong example, and you may end up with 25 slightly different versions of the same idea.

Consider providing fewer examples and guidance to encourage and generate more possibilities and results.

4. Students Need to Experience Productive Uncertainty

Learning isn't always comfortable, and there is value in giving students a challenge and allowing them to sit with the question: How am I going to approach this?

Allowing for uncertainty can lead to brainstorming, research, experimentation, questions, failure, feedback, and revision. These are not obstacles to learning but key to building critical thinking skills. If every assignment comes with a prescribed sequence of steps, students have fewer opportunities to develop the confidence to navigate an unfamiliar problem.

5. A Rubric Can Turn Learning into Point Hunting

We've all heard students ask questions such as, "How many points is this worth?” "Do I have to do this part?" or "Is this on the rubric?" Those questions are often evidence that students have learned how the system works.

By not providing a detailed rubric with specified requirements, students are more likely to ask, "How can I make this better?" instead of "Have I done everything I need to get full credit?" Those are different learning experiences.

6. AI Changes the Equation

Generative AI has made this conversation even more important. A well-crafted prompt containing the assignment directions, grading criteria, format, and desired characteristics, can produce a response designed to satisfy those requirements.

Educators should consider whether some assignments are overly optimized for compliance, and look to improve their overall approach to boost critical thinking and other skills. Many of our students can comply with instructor expectations, but that does not mean they are learning the critical thinking skills they will need to be successful.

7. Students Can Learn to Define Quality

What if students didn't always receive the definition of a "good" product before they began?

After students explore a problem or create an initial draft, teachers can ask: “What makes this effective?” Students can analyze their own work, examine different approaches, provide peer feedback, and identify characteristics of quality. The resulting criteria can become more meaningful because students helped discover what’s needed for success.

In this model, the rubric isn't the recipe for learning but a reflection of what students learned about quality. This reflection process will become more important as instructors and students optimize AI tools to support their learning.

8. Open-Ended Assignments Encourage Better Questions

A tightly structured assignment tends to produce tightly structured questions. Requiring an open-ended approach requires students to think about decisions rather than directions.

In a world where information is increasingly easy to access, knowing what questions to ask may be more valuable than knowing how to follow a predetermined process.

9. Teachers Get a Better Look at Student Thinking

Another benefit to removing some of the scaffolding is that teachers may learn more about how students think.

By allowing students to determine how to approach a task, their choices become evidence. One student may create a video. Another may develop an interactive presentation. A third may write an article. A fourth may devise an approach the teacher never anticipated. Those differences can reveal strengths, misconceptions, interests, and problem-solving strategies that a highly structured assignment might never expose.

10. Independence Is the Ultimate Goal

Perhaps the strongest argument for occasionally removing the rubric is simple: we want students to become independent learners. Eventually, students will encounter problems for which no teacher has provided a checklist. They will have to figure out what matters, determine where to begin, seek help when necessary, make decisions, evaluate their own work, and revise.

Students do not become independent by always being given the next step, but by practicing what to do when nobody gives them the next step. Taking off the “training wheels” of a rubric can give students the confidence and encourage them to ride off on their own!

Flipping The Rubric Script

This is not an argument against rubrics, which have an important place in education. Rubrics can make expectations clearer, support equitable assessment, help students understand feedback, and provide valuable structure, particularly when students are learning a new skill or when specific standards must be demonstrated.

Consider occasionally flipping the rubric script by starting with a compelling question or authentic problem. Let students brainstorm possibilities and give them time to develop an approach. Allow them to struggle productively. Have them share drafts and provide feedback. Then, once students have a better understanding of the task, introduce or co-create criteria for quality.

In this process, the rubric becomes something students use to evaluate and improve their thinking, rather than a checklist they use to avoid thinking.

I can vividly recall being a new leader of a middle school with raw nerves when veteran teachers charged in to see me, upset about the outfits of some students. They expected me to address this with an iron fist, and I recognized it would be one of many tests along the way to me gaining their respect. Yet it was a complex test to pass: Almost all of the complaints were about female students' dress.

This presented two immediate problems.

First, as a young male administrator, I had real concerns about how me addressing a female student's dress would be perceived.

Second, there was an obvious gender bias gap apparent. What about male students and some of the questionable attire they wore on a given basis? It didn’t seem to matter, implicit bias was rampant and I had to figure this out.

That was the 1990s. More recently, I have written about dress code and engaging students in the process of developing fair equitable expectations and ways to respond. But back then, there were those unflinching veteran teachers, waiting and watching–administrators would face their wrath! Many times, their concerns were legitimate, sometimes their expectations disproportionate to the issue, like the dress code police.

I learned quickly (and mostly on my own) that I had to show these teachers support or I would lose them. Even before coverage around students being “dress-coded” surfaced years later, and especially since almost none of the students being reported had any behavioral concerns, I had to balance my response. We can learn how to help kids who can be disruptive and disrespectful, if we approach it the right way.

While I saw the implicit bias all the way glaring back at me then, I couldn’t quite put a finger on it–we weren’t there yet, at least in New Jersey. I have since taught teachers about implicit bias, its natural influence on how we respond, that it is a normal part of humanity, and most importantly, that being aware of it can help us react with better impact and respect.

Come Sail Away

I learned to sail as a child. I loved it! There were a lot of survival rules to follow, the most important of which was knowing the keel was sound. This is the odd-looking apparatus hidden in the belly of the boat that sits in the water to counter waves and turns. One false move and you capsize. The same is true with balancing the strong beliefs of one party that are in conflict with those of another.

Like every administrator, new and veteran, I face the delicate balance of managing discipline between the angry teacher and the upset parent. I learned over time that while I had to remain even-handed in disciplinary decisions, the way I approached each with differing viewpoints mattered.

Consider one scenario: A student was being redirected by a teacher to play safe at recess. The student ignored the teacher and continued with aggressive actions toward others and themself. The teacher became upset and raised their voice. The student turned to the teacher and said, “You can’t tell me what to do, that’s what my mom said ….”

Any adult redirecting a child who came across “fresh” would have understandably strong feelings. My recommendation would be to never show that side. If necessary, breathe and take a moment. That didn’t happen in this scenario. A few moments later, the student was seated in the office, hands crossed smiling as the teacher was standing over them, pointing and demanding, “Wipe that smile off your face!”

If you have been a school leader or are becoming one, you have, or most certainly will, experience something like this and it is one of the most challenging scenarios to navigate.

What made this more problematic is that the student was probably right; the parent had told her teachers can’t make her do anything.

De-escalating Psychological Warfare

On one side, I have a teacher demanding “justice,” and on the other, a parent who if approached incorrectly, is ready for a long, drawn-out fight. How do I manage the balance between them?

The first order of business was to get the teacher away from the student. This is the “Let’s take a walk back to your classroom” shift I offer. During this slow, steady stroll, I let the teacher vent. I don’t have to agree with them, but acknowledging alone goes a long way in making them feel validated. A simple but direct response, “I understand, I will take care of this,” is what I convey. Certainly, there may be a time, not at that moment but later, because they felt supported when I can offer some valuable feedback on implicit bias, temperament, etc. But that comes later.

After speaking with the student and getting their story, I explain how this was a matter of safety. I stay away from the attitude issue the teacher contested. Then it becomes about an adult acting the kids' age. No-win situation. Upon calling the parent, I discuss with the student present so there is no “That’s not what happened!” claim from the student later that night, and then an angrier email from the difficult parent just as I’m settling in for the evening.

Talking through the incident with a focus on safety, I don’t hide that the student made comments, I just report them objectively. This parent finds that information irrelevant, as expected, and I focus the reason for discipline on safety. “I wouldn’t want her or others to get hurt,” I say. While the parent may (and likely will) try to personalize this about the teacher, I continue to steer back to the safety issue.

Ultimately, the parent cannot disagree with safety. Next, I return to the teacher and let her know, “I took care of this.” The emphasis is on acknowledging (not agreeing with) the teacher’s concern and that discipline was subsequently meted out. The teacher was satisfied and I kept the keel stable on both sides.

What’s most valuable about conveying this response in two very different ways is the psychology that both sides felt supported and heard, and we approached each very differently. Free advertising from the teacher (“He backed me up!”) and the parent (“What an understanding administrator he was!”) echoes far beyond and we win on both sides of the coin. That’s powerful yet simple psychology.

By anchoring every decision in objective principles rather than emotional conflicts, effective school leaders can satisfy both passionate educators and defensive parents, keeping the school's keel steady through the stormiest waters.

Throughout my work with educators and district leadership teams across the country, I have seen growing interest in and a need for AI professional learning. Educators want to understand what AI is, how it works, and how it can support their work, but they also want practical guidance about data privacy, academic integrity, bias, responsible classroom use, and appropriate student use. They need clear and consistent guidance that supports their practice.

A single workshop or training will not adequately prepare educators for everything they need to know and do. I have been passionate about this work for the past four years since starting my doctoral research, which focused on the need for effective AI professional development for educators.

A key takeaway from my research was the importance of ongoing, relevant, and supportive professional learning. My work with schools and educators has continued to reinforce that finding.

Effective AI professional learning cannot simply be about showing teachers the latest tools. Tools change, policies evolve, and new concerns emerge. If PD focuses primarily on a platform, what educators learn may become outdated before they have an opportunity to apply it in their practice. We need to build knowledge, confidence, and skills that educators can transfer regardless of what AI tools are available.

Start With Purpose, Not With Tools

For years, when I provided PD, I often focused on the tools. Over time, I recognized that technologies change, and what matters most is understanding the why behind using technology. The same is true with AI. Begin by asking why an educator might use AI rather than asking which AI tool they will use.

When I work with educators, I challenge them to identify specific needs in their own practice. Do they want to differentiate instruction? Create more accessible materials? Provide feedback? Redesign an assessment? Generate ideas? Reduce time spent on repetitive tasks? Starting with an instructional need keeps the focus on teaching and learning rather than technology for technology’s sake.

Providing guiding questions helps educators decide when AI is useful and when it is not. Effective professional learning should guide teachers to ask:

• What is the learning goal?
• What thinking should students do independently?
• Where might AI provide meaningful support?
• What would be gained or lost by using AI?
• What happens if AI completes too much of the work?

These questions will remain relevant even as the technology changes.

Connect Learning to Real Classroom Practice

Just as relevance makes learning more meaningful for students, professional learning needs to connect to educators’ actual roles and responsibilities. A kindergarten teacher, high school science teacher, school counselor, special education teacher, instructional coach, and district administrator may ultimately use the same AI platform, but they will not necessarily use it in the same way.

Professional learning should include realistic scenarios for grade levels and content areas, and provide an opportunity for participants to create something they can use right away. Teachers might revise an assignment, develop expectations for student AI use, evaluate an AI-generated response, design a differentiated resource, or create a lesson that requires students to verify AI output.

In my sessions, educators have found it valuable to work through scenarios with colleagues rather than just learn what AI can do. Some scenarios I use include a student using an unapproved chatbot, evaluating a biased AI-generated response, considering the consequences of exposed student information, or addressing suspected AI-assisted student work.

Discussions enable educators to collaborate and think about what they would do, consider the benefits and cautions of AI, and learn together. These conversations help them leave with a clearer understanding of AI and specific next steps for their own learning and practice.

Differentiate the Professional Learning

We differentiate learning for students, so we should think similarly about professional learning for educators. Everyone needs a solid foundation in AI literacy, but not everyone needs the exact same training.

Effective professional learning should provide opportunities for educators to explore how AI connects specifically to their work. Classroom teachers may need more support with instructional design, assessment, AI literacy, and appropriate student use. Administrators may focus more on leadership, policy, implementation, and communication. Technology teams may need more time on data privacy, security, and vendor vetting.

Professional learning should also account for differences in experience and comfort with AI. Two teachers in the same department may have very different starting points. One may already be experimenting with AI while another is still learning the basics. Providing opportunities for choice and time to learn with colleagues meets educators where they are without overwhelming them.

Address Privacy, Law, and Ethics

Responsible AI use cannot be an add-on at the end of professional learning. Privacy, safety, ethics, accessibility, and legal considerations need to be woven throughout the experience.

As an educator and attorney, I frequently work with schools that have questions about student data, approved tools, vendor agreements, copyright, accessibility, and academic integrity. Many educators have expressed not having enough guidance about what information can be entered into an AI platform or how to determine whether a tool is appropriate for students.

Educators need practical guidance rather than a list of laws without classroom context. Questions to consider:

• Why does entering identifiable student information into an unapproved platform create risk?
• What do age requirements mean for student access?
• What should educators look for in privacy policies?
• Why must AI-generated content be reviewed for bias and accuracy?

Schools need consistent expectations. Professional learning should connect directly to district policies and show what those policies mean in practice.

Make Professional Learning Active and Ongoing

In schools, a keynote or introductory workshop helps to build awareness and momentum, but it should serve as the beginning of the learning process rather than the entire strategy. Ongoing support might include workshops, content- or grade-level coaching, professional learning communities (PLCs), office hours, model lessons, and ongoing conversations.

The goal is not to become an AI expert. Educators need enough understanding and confidence to make informed decisions, recognize when AI adds value and when it does not, and guide students to do the same. When this is possible, we move from simple awareness of AI and its possibilities to intentional implementation.

Include Students and Families

AI professional learning should help educators understand how students are using these technologies. Students may be employing AI to brainstorm, translate, summarize, study, create images, or complete assignments. Some students may understand the limitations of these tools, while others may trust the output without questioning it.

Ask students how they are using AI. What do they think is permitted? What do they consider cheating? When do they believe AI helps them learn? When might they be relying on it too much? What do they know about the information they are sharing with AI tools? Student voice can reveal gaps between school policies and actual classroom practices. It can also help schools develop expectations that are realistic, understandable, and responsive to student needs.

Families should be part of the conversation as well. Parents and caregivers may have questions about why AI is being used, what tools students can access, how their children's information is protected, how schools define appropriate use, or how AI changes the expectations for student work. Professional learning should prepare educators to answer these questions.

Build Systems That Can Adapt

Effective AI professional learning should be part of a larger system that involves leadership, policy, curriculum, technology, families, and students. District leaders must communicate a clear vision, provide guidance about approved tools, and reflect on decisions as the technology changes. Schools should also evaluate whether professional learning is making a difference in educators’ confidence, classroom decisions, assessment practices, and understanding of privacy expectations.

The measure of successful AI professional learning goes beyond the number of tools educators explore during a workshop; it is what happens after the workshop. Are educators asking better questions? Are they protecting student information? Are they making intentional choices about when AI adds value?

The tools in use today may not be the tools used next year, which is why understanding the fundamentals of AI and how it enhances learning is essential before diving into specific tools. Effective professional learning is not an experience that tells educators to embrace every new tool or avoid AI completely. The best learning helps educators understand AI, its capabilities, and guides them to approach it with curiosity, caution, and confidence, with the human side of education at the center.

Sometimes teachers need a quick, useful resource that can slot into a lesson without hours of preparation, which is exactly what Rumie is designed to provide.

Rumie Learn is a nonprofit learning platform built around short, interactive "Bytes," with more than 2,500 published learning experiences covering everything from digital literacy and career skills to health, financial planning, and learning strategies. The platform has reached more than 2.5 million learners, with new Bytes added regularly.

This doesn't use lengthy courses, but instead breaks down subjects into small chunks that can generally be completed in around five minutes. That makes it great for teachers looking for starters, discussion prompts, flipped-learning activities, or quick ways to introduce a new topic.

What is Rumie?

Rumie is a free online library of microlearning content designed to make useful knowledge easier to consume and remember.

The basic unit is the Byte. These are short learning experiences, generally under 10 minutes, built around a specific concept or practical skill rather than an entire subject. Rumie says its Bytes use a chunked structure intended to make learning more efficient, while its lessons commonly combine short pieces of text with images, GIFs, memes, and quizzes.

That format makes Rumie rather different from a traditional learning management system. It doesn't have a huge course to enroll students in and work through from beginning to end. Instead, teachers can search the library for a specific idea and use an individual Byte when it makes sense for their lesson.

The library covers categories including Career Skills, Digital Literacies, Civics, Health, Business Acumen, Learning to Learn, and Innovation. More specific topic tags are also available, making it easier to find resources around particular skills or learning approaches.

Importantly for schools, the content isn't restricted to traditional academic subjects. A teacher could use one Byte to introduce digital citizenship, another to explore critical thinking, and another to help students understand financial planning.

That gives Rumie a useful role alongside existing classroom resources rather than trying to replace them.

How does Rumie work?

The simplest way to use Rumie Learn is to search its library, find a relevant Byte and share it with students.

Rumie also has guidance specifically for teachers on using Bytes as part of a lesson. Its recommended approach is to choose a Byte based on the skill being developed, share it with students, and then use the content as a starting point for discussion and application. That means a Byte doesn't have to be the lesson. It can be the thing that gets the lesson moving.

For example, students could complete a five-minute Byte before class as a flipped-learning activity. The teacher can then spend classroom time discussing what students learned, challenging their understanding, and asking how they could apply the idea.

Alternatively, the whole class can work through the Byte together. Rumie's own lesson-planning example suggests reading a Byte as a group or having students work in pairs before discussing their thoughts as a class.

This is where the short format becomes useful. A teacher can introduce a new concept without committing an entire lesson to a digital course, leaving plenty of time for explanation, debate, practical work, or assessment.

The platform is also designed around accessibility of learning rather than assuming students have hours available. Rumie describes its Bytes as quick, commitment-free learning experiences that can build toward broader skills over time.

What are the best Rumie features?

Thousands of short learning resources
The biggest advantage is simply the size and breadth of the library. Rumie currently lists more than 2,500 published Bytes, while its homepage highlights topics ranging from career skills and digital literacy to health, civics, and learning strategies.

New Bytes are published regularly, giving teachers an expanding pool of material from which to draw. That makes the platform useful when you need something specific rather than a complete curriculum.

Microlearning that fits into existing lessons
A five-minute resource is much easier to fit into a normal lesson than a 40-minute online course. A Byte can become a starter activity, homework task, revision exercise, discussion prompt, or introduction to a new topic. Teachers can also combine several Bytes around a broader theme.

Rumie's own classroom guidance suggests using Bytes in sessions ranging from 30 to 60 minutes, with time built in for discussion and applying the learning.

Interactive content
Rumie uses visual content, GIFs, memes, quizzes, and other interactive elements to make short lessons feel less like reading a textbook. The format is designed to keep the learner moving through a single idea rather than presenting a large amount of information at once.

Content created by professionals
Bytes can be produced by corporate employees taking part in volunteer workshops, community partners, and Rumie's own learning designers. Rumie says its learning designers plan, author, and peer-review Bytes, while the organization vets content against its standards.

Each Byte also identifies its author and, when applicable, the organization behind the content. That provides teachers with some useful context about from where a particular learning resource came.

Useful beyond traditional subjects
Rumie can be valuable for the skills that don't always fit neatly into a timetable. Its library includes resources covering areas such as communication, career planning, financial skills, digital citizenship, mental health, and learning strategies.

Classroom-specific resources are available, covering topics such as inclusive classroom management, facilitation techniques, and accessible worksheets. That makes it a potential source of material for PSHE, pastoral learning, careers education, digital citizenship, and tutor time as well as more conventional lessons.

How much does Rumie cost?

Rumie is free to use. That's one of its biggest attractions for teachers and schools. Rumie is a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to make learning accessible, and its public Learn platform provides access to its library of Bytes without charging learners for the individual resources.

Separate Rumie products are aimed at organizations, including Rumie Connect and Rumie Build, which allow for the curation of learning experiences or the ability create their own microlearning content. Those are part of Rumie's broader learning platform rather than requirements for using the public Rumie Learn library.

For an individual teacher looking for ready-made learning material, however, there's no subscription to pay for simply browsing and using the public Bytes.

Rumie Tips

• Use Bytes as lesson starters
  Don't feel you need to build an entire lesson around Rumie. Find a five-minute Byte that introduces the concept you want to teach, then use it as the springboard for your own explanation or activity.
• Try flipped learning
  Send a Byte to students before a lesson and use the classroom time to discuss it. This allows students to encounter the material before they arrive and gives teachers more time for questions and application.
• Make students explain the learning
  After completing a Byte, ask students what surprised them, what they found useful and how they could apply the idea. This turns a short digital activity into a discussion rather than another piece of passive screen time.
• Build a themed sequence
  Search for several Bytes around a common subject and use them across multiple lessons. Because each resource focuses on a relatively small concept, teachers can gradually build a broader learning journey without asking students to complete one enormous course.
• Let students explore independently
  Rumie's huge range also makes it useful for independent learning. Ask students to choose a Byte on a subject they know little about, complete it and then present the most useful thing they learned to the class.

Atlas is an AI-powered learning platform designed to help students study more effectively by providing personalized support across subjects. Unlike a simple chatbot, it aims to become a study companion that can answer questions and more. It helps to explain concepts, summarize documents, create revision materials, and even work with a student's own course content.

To minimize the risks of overreliance or academic dishonesty, Atlas positions itself as a platform built specifically for learning, with features designed to encourage understanding instead of simply producing finished answers.

Students can upload class notes, PDFs, presentations, and assignments, allowing Atlas to provide responses based on their own learning materials rather than generic internet information. The platform also supports lecture recordings, helping students revisit lessons and generate summaries or revision resources after class.

For educators, Atlas is an example of how AI is evolving beyond general-purpose chatbots into subject-focused learning assistants. While it shouldn't replace classroom teaching or critical thinking, it can help students review difficult topics, organize information, and prepare for assessments when used appropriately.

Here's everything you need to know about Atlas and how teachers can use it to support learning.

What is Atlas?

Atlas is an AI study assistant designed to support students throughout the learning process. It works across a broad range of academic disciplines, including mathematics, science, history, literature, languages, economics, and more.

Students interact with Atlas through a conversational interface similar to other AI chatbots. However, the platform places greater emphasis on learning by allowing users to upload their own educational materials and receive answers based on those resources.

This means a student can ask questions about a textbook chapter, a teacher's presentation, research papers, or their own lecture notes. Atlas can then explain concepts, summarize information, identify key themes, generate quizzes, or create revision flashcards tailored to that material.

The platform also supports image uploads, allowing students to ask questions about diagrams, handwritten notes, worksheets, or mathematical problems.

Responses can reference a student's own course content, so Atlas can often provide more relevant support than general AI assistants that rely solely on their existing training data.

How does Atlas work?

Atlas uses large language models alongside retrieval techniques that allow it to search through documents and resources uploaded by the student.

After creating an account, you can upload PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, research articles, lecture slides, handwritten notes, or images. These materials become part of the student's personal knowledge library.

Instead of answering every question using general AI knowledge alone, Atlas can search those uploaded resources and incorporate these into its responses. This helps students receive explanations that align more closely with the material they are actually studying.

Students can also upload lecture recordings. Atlas generates transcripts, produces summaries, highlights key concepts, and creates revision notes from the recording, reducing the amount of manual note-taking required after class.

Another useful feature is its ability to generate study resources automatically. After analyzing uploaded content, Atlas can produce flashcards, quizzes, practice questions, and condensed revision guides that students can use before exams.

For mathematics and science subjects, Atlas is capable of breaking problems into multiple steps rather than simply displaying an answer. Teachers may find this particularly useful when encouraging students to understand problem-solving processes instead of memorizing solutions.

The platform also supports essay planning and writing assistance. Students can brainstorm ideas, organize arguments, identify supporting evidence, improve structure, and refine drafts.

Atlas can also connect with learning management systems such as Canvas, allowing students to organize coursework and access AI support within the context of their classes.

What are the best Atlas features?

Personalized learning using uploaded resources
One of Atlas's top features is its ability to answer questions using a student's own learning materials. It doesn't just offer generic explanations, but instead can reference lecture slides, course readings, textbooks, and notes that have been uploaded to the platform. This makes responses more relevant to individual classes and assignments.

Lecture summaries
Students can upload recorded lectures and generate summaries, transcripts, key takeaways, and revision notes.

This can help learners revisit lessons, and is especially useful if English is an additional language or if they need extra time to process complex material.

Automatic flashcards and quizzes
Atlas can convert notes and documents into revision materials without requiring students to build flashcards manually. Teachers could encourage students to use these self-generated quizzes as formative assessment before classroom tests.

Step-by-step problem solving
Rather than simply producing answers, Atlas can explain the reasoning behind mathematical calculations and scientific concepts. This makes it more useful as a tutoring tool when students need additional support outside lesson time.

Essay support
Students can brainstorm ideas, organize essays, improve structure, summarize research, and refine written work.

Teachers should make clear expectations around academic integrity so AI supports learning rather than replacing independent writing.

Course organization
Because Atlas stores uploaded learning materials in one place, students can build a searchable knowledge base throughout the school year. Instead of searching through multiple folders, notes, and documents, they can ask questions directly about their existing resources.

How much does Atlas cost?

Atlas offers a free plan that includes daily AI usage limits, allowing students to upload course materials, generate summaries, create flashcards and quizzes, and chat with their documents.

Those who need more extensive access can upgrade to Atlas Pro, which removes many of the usage limits and provides significantly more AI interactions for intensive studying.

Atlas also offers weekly, monthly, and annual subscription options, with prices varying by region and platform. At the time of writing, U.S. subscriptions range from $9.99 per week to $19.99 per month, while a yearly plan is available for $129.99 through Apple's App Store.

Educators should check the Atlas website or app for the latest pricing before recommending the service, as subscriptions and regional pricing may change.

Atlas Tips

• Encourage students to upload class resources
  Students will generally receive more useful responses if Atlas can reference the same materials used in class rather than relying entirely on general knowledge.
• Use AI-generated quizzes for revision
  Ask students to create practice quizzes from lesson notes before a test. This encourages retrieval practice while reducing preparation time.
• Compare AI explanations with classroom teaching
  Have students compare Atlas's explanations with textbook content or classroom instruction. This helps develop critical thinking while reinforcing subject knowledge.
• Teach responsible AI use
  Discuss when AI can support learning and when independent work is expected. Clear classroom expectations help students use the technology ethically.
• Remind students to fact-check
  Like all generative AI tools, Atlas can occasionally provide inaccurate or misleading information. Encourage students to verify important facts using trusted academic sources before relying on AI-generated responses.

As a longtime educator, I’ve spent a great deal of time designing assessments that promote student choice and voice and enable students to truly show what they know and can do. However, with the rise of artificial intelligence in education, deciding how to assess students has become more challenging.

Students may have access to AI both in and outside of our classrooms. It can generate summaries, write essays, provide explanations, create outlines, and offer feedback within seconds for them. AI can help learning, but it requires educators to think beyond traditional assessments that worked well before AI.

A major concern is that students will cheat or that assessment is broken. Rather than focusing only on how to stop students from using AI, we need to design tasks that make students' thinking more visible. When an assignment asks students to explain their decisions, reflect on the process, make connections, analyze feedback, defend their thinking, and revise their work, learning becomes harder to outsource.

Making this shift matters because if students are only assigned to choose an answer, write a paragraph, create a presentation, or design a final product, AI can do these tasks for them.

Providing guidance for students on how to responsibly use AI is also critical.

Moving Beyond Product-Only Assessment

For years, assessments in my classroom were often built around a final submission such as an essay, project, test, or presentation. I would evaluate it, provide feedback, and move on. These all have value because students build skills in communication, organization, critical thinking, and reflection.

However, what students submit may not fully demonstrate their learning. A well-written essay does not necessarily show understanding. A correct answer does not reveal whether the student can explain the reasoning or simply guessed or used AI. A well-designed presentation does not prove that the student made the design choices on their own. For these reasons, the assessment design needs to be more intentional.

Educators need to look at what the student created, consider how they got to that point, what choices they made in the process, what information was used, how they revised their work, and what I think is important, is what can the student share about their learning. Did the student use AI (if permitted), and how?

Using these reference points will shift assessments from being a simple, quick check of understanding or task completion to showing deeper learning and content retention.

Shifting to More Visible Thinking

Finding ways to make thinking visible takes a little time at first, but it is how to truly see a student’s learning journey. To start, educators can set up a series of checkpoints. Rather than asking students to only submit a final essay, for example, teachers might ask for various artifacts from their work. Students could provide their initial question, a claim, a draft, a peer feedback reflection, revisions made, and a final explanation of what changed. These components encourage students to notice their own thinking.

Educators can also ask students to explain their thinking and choices made. Why did they select this source? Why did they organize the project in this way? Why did they reject one idea and keep another? Why did they make the revisions they did?

These explanations can provide greater insight than the final product alone.

In their work, students can show their thinking through annotations, peer discussions, drafts, concept maps, note-taking, reflections, and even demonstrations. The format may vary depending on the task, but the goal is to have students explain their learning.

Rethinking AI Use and Academic Integrity

A valid concern is that AI makes it harder to understand what students actually know. However, if we ban the use of AI entirely, it won't prepare students to use these tools responsibly.

Instead, educators should create clear expectations around when AI is and is not permitted and model this for students to show how it can be an impactful part of their learning experience. Not every task should involve AI. Students still need opportunities to think, write, create, and problem-solve without relying on a tool. However, students also need guidance in how to use AI thoughtfully, ethically, and transparently.

I have found it to be helpful to design assignments with different levels of AI use. Teachers can build AI expectations directly into assignments. Directions might say, “AI may be used for brainstorming but not for drafting,” or “You may use AI feedback, but you must submit your original paragraph, the feedback, and an explanation of your revisions.” This turns AI use into part of the learning process rather than a hidden behavior.

Establishing a structure such as this helps students understand that responsible AI use is not “all or nothing” but instead depends on the purpose of the task they are being assigned.

Transparency is key. If students use AI, they should be able to say how they used it. Did they ask for topic ideas? Did they use it to clarify vocabulary? Did they compare explanations? Did they request feedback on the organization of their writing? Did they ask for a revision?

Requiring a short AI use note can help students reflect on their choices and help teachers better understand the learning process.

Assessments Should Include Conversations

A powerful assessment tool is conversation. When students talk about their work, teachers can sense understanding, confusion, confidence, and growth in ways that are not always visible on paper.

Not every assignment needs a formal presentation. Having short conferences with students can be meaningful. When a teacher asks a student to talk about the strongest part of their work, an area where they struggled, or even what they would change if they had more time, these questions provide more insight into student thinking. And these are also great ways to build relationships that support student growth.

Students could also record short audio or video reflections explaining their process. I’ve had students do this using Padlet, and it was great for building many skills. Students can engage in peer discussions, small-group activities such as debates, or do gallery walks. These moments create opportunities for students to demonstrate more ownership in learning.

When students know they will need to explain their thinking, the assignment changes. The focus moves from simply producing something to understanding it well enough to discuss it.

Designing Assignments AI Cannot Easily Replace

No assignment is completely “AI-proof,” and that should not be the goal. A better goal is to design learning experiences that are meaningful, contextual, personal, and connected to students’ thinking.

When assignments include local context, classroom experiences, personal reflection, student choice, and live discussion, these become more meaningful and more likely to promote content retention. For example, instead of asking students to write an essay on a historical event, ask them to connect the event to a class discussion, analyze a specific primary source used in class, compare interpretations, and explain how their thinking changed. Or instead of asking for a general science report, ask students to collect observations, analyze class data, explain unexpected results, and reflect on the process.

The more connected the work is to the classroom learning experience and real-world events, the harder it is for students to lean on AI without truly engaging in the learning experience.

It should not be about making assignments more difficult just to “catch” students. By making assignments better so that students have to think, create, question, explain, and reflect, they engage in the process itself and focus less on one final product.

The Importance of Reflection

Reflection may be one of the most important assessment practices in an AI-enabled world. When students reflect, they make their thinking visible. They explain what they tried, what worked, what did not, what they learned, and what they would do differently. They see the process of learning more.

Reflection also helps students develop metacognition. They begin to understand themselves as learners. They notice when they relied too heavily on a tool. They recognize when AI helped them think differently. They learn to evaluate whether a suggestion improved their work or weakened it.

Simple reflection prompts can make a big difference:

• What part of this work best shows your thinking?
• Where did you struggle?
• What feedback helped you improve?
• How did you use AI or other tools responsibly?
• What would you change next time?

The Most Important Outcome of All

Assessment after AI is not about fear, but rather about intentional and purposeful design.

Educators do not need to forget everything they believe about assessment. Many strong instructional practices are already in place: formative assessment, conferencing, portfolios, project-based learning, performance tasks, peer feedback, revision, self-assessment, and reflection. Now, with the availability of AI, these practices are even more important.

The future of assessment will require us to find a better balance between a final learning product and the learning process. Students should still have opportunities to create what they have always created, but they should be able to explain their thinking behind it. They should know when AI is appropriate, when it is not, and how to use it in ways that support rather than replace learning.

For students to be well-prepared for the future, we have to assess how they think as well as what they produce. To do this means designing assignments and assessments that push students to question, decide, explain, revise, reflect, and take ownership of their learning.

AI can generate answers. But students still need to develop judgment.

And that may be the most important outcome of all.

Educator and retired Major General Matt Smith has advice for fellow college educators: “Get to know your veteran students.”

Doing this is important not only because it enriches the class environment for all but because veterans or actively serving members of the military make up a significant portion of the student body at most universities. In fact, nearly 5% of college students are active military or veterans. Roughly half of that 5% are veterans and the other half are active-duty member of the military or the National Guard and reserve. That’s all according to data on military college enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Smith, a retired two-star general, now serves in a different capacity as Executive Director of Veteran Initiatives at Emory University and as director of the university’s Master of Business for Veterans program. He shares tips for educators on how to connect with veterans and military students in ways that can help facilitate excellence from these students and increase the classroom environment overall.

While the focus of our discussion is on military students, Smith emphasizes that many of these techniques and strategies apply to students from all different backgrounds.

1. Teaching Military Students: You Have More In Common Than You Might Think

While many teachers and professors might not consider their work similar to military work, there are many parallels, Smith says.

“Educators and members of the military, either still serving or veterans, have a tremendous amount in common from a purpose-driven, career, professional, choice standpoint," he says. "While the values that may have mattered at the time they made the decision to go into either profession may have been slightly different, they're really more alike than you'd find across other sectors of our society.”

Recognizing these similarities and discussing it with veteran students can be a major step toward effective class engagement, Smith says.

2. Learn About All Students, Including Those in The Military

Once you’ve established the similarities between you and your military students, it's time to start learning about their experiences, Smith says. Many veterans come to college with a range of rich life experiences and technical know-how that they can use to foster their college career. The process doesn’t have to be complicated.

“Everybody likes to talk about themselves,” Smith says, who adds that a couple of well-placed questions during an office hour or a private meeting before after class can really help. “A simple interrogative question like, ‘Hey, so tell me about your service prior to coming to school.’”

Smith adds the answer to this type of question is often pretty entertaining and really insightful about the student.

3. Remember Veterans Are Experts At Team Projects And Collaboration

One skill most veterans and active-duty military members need to develop is the ability to work in teams. Educators can harness that in their classes.

“The vast majority of the classes across any subject use team projects to educate,” Smith says. “If a certain curriculum utilizes team projects, it's like a slow-pitch softball to tap a veteran, regardless of their rank.”

This not only lets a veteran do something they are good at, but having them lead collaborative team projects can also serve as a model for their fellow students.

4. Recognize Strengths Veterans Have

Once Smith was offered a job at a major foundation, and when Smith said he didn’t think he had the qualification, the person offering him the job disagreed.

“He said, ‘Sure you do. You have a PhD in the human condition,’” Smith recalls. He realized this person had a point because the military had given him so much experience working with “such large volumes of human beings.”

Additionally, just getting that kind of affirmation was powerful.

“It kind of changed how I thought about leadership,” he says. “I was personally thankful for him pointing it out.”

Fostering the skills veterans already have, including their understanding of human experience, is key, Smith says. “They may not fully realize what they bring to the table, but part of an educator’s job is to draw out the best of people in the educational environment.”

5. Foster Leadership Lessons For All

Leadership is a key part of military training, but it’s not the only profession that fosters such skills, Smith says.

“The military doesn’t have the market cornered on leadership.” He adds that teachers are often great leaders.

Regardless of who he is teaching, Smith’s approach to leadership is based on the idea that it’s always better to learn from others’ mistakes. In other words, the right insights can save time and avoid growing pains. This is true for veteran students, but because of their extensive experience with teamwork and leadership, they sometimes have other unique lessons they can share with their classmates.

“Because leadership is about the human condition, and involves all aspects of communication, listening is most important,” Smith says, “I think eliciting the lessons learned from veterans can potentially help their peers on their life journey, whatever that path is.”

CoChat is an AI-powered tool that provides educators, students, and researchers with a host of capabilities when it comes to conducting research.

While there are other AI research tools, a common problem is citation hallucination. CoChat is designed to cut back on those hallucinations, and that feature is definitely a plus in my experience with CoChat.

Additionally, CoChat is great for deep research. When I searched topics, I was well-versed in, it brought up papers that had taken me hours and, in some cases, days, to track down on my own the old-fashioned way.

After using it for a few weeks, I am impressed with CoChat overall and find it to be the strongest AI deep research tool that I've tried. Here's a closer look at how CoChat works, what it costs, and its best features.

What is CoChat?

CoChat is an AI research tool that harnesses advanced LLMs, including GPT, Claude, and Google, to search more than 200 million academic papers. It offers a feature that allows you to compare different answers from different models and then choose the best one.

In practice, CoChat functions as a highly skilled, very quick research assistant that can find and summarize relevant research on a given topic. CoChat also automatically verifies citations to reduce the frequent AI problem of citation hallucination.

After using CoChat to search several different research areas, ranging from quantum physics to education and health, I have been impressed with its ability to quickly collate research that would take me hours to track down with a tool such as Google Scholar. As with any research tool, it didn’t find all relevant research, though it did a better job than other similar tools I’ve used previously.

More broadly, I still wonder whether there are benefits to the old-fashioned Google-style search. Certainly, the time I’ve spent searching for relevant research hasn’t all been a waste because when I’m doing it, part of my learning process is the search itself.

That said, I do like using a CoChat-like tool toward the end of the process, just to see if this different method turns up anything new.

What Are CoChat's Best Features?

CoChat’s best feature is its robust ability to search through academic research and summarize its findings, all while providing direct links to the original papers. It accomplishes this through access to cutting-edge AI models and, in my experience, seems capable of both speeding up new research and helping expand research I’d previously conducted.

Additional strong features are that it urges you to double-check its work and that its default writing mode is a conversational summary and literature review style. This review summary is helpful, and as an added bonus for educators, is not something a student might be tempted to hand in as their finished paper.

That said, CoChat does frequently offer to help students do more with their research. For instance, after telling me it made a literature review table, it offered to “turn this into a shorter plain-English brief or a tighter source matrix for class use.” When I took it up on this offer, I suspected it would turn the work into a paper that a student could then submit. By doing this, I worried it would move from what I see as an appropriate AI use, research assistance, to an inappropriate one, doing the writing and thinking for a student. Ultimately, those fears were unfounded. CoChat just condensed its findings and used a more conversational tone to explain.

Despite passing this test, when I explicitly asked CoChat to turn its findings into a paper for an assignment "in my class," it was willing to do that, which isn’t ideal.

Even so, given that the availability of AI tools willing to write your papers, emails, and texts is so widespread, it was refreshing that CoChat required this additional step.

What Does CoChat Cost?

The basic version of CoChat is completely free and is what I used for this article. I didn’t come up against any limitations, but there are some metered elements to the free tier such as three file uploads per day and a limit of 10 citation verifications.

Subscriptions start at $9 per month, and there is a pro tier at $19 per month.

The Best CoChat Tips and Tricks

Verify Research

One of CoChat’s main selling points is its ability to check sources it has cited to make sure none are fabricated. Users should take advantage of this feature.

Create an Instant Literature Review

CoChat is as good as any tool I’ve encountered at creating fast and helpful literature overviews on diverse topics.

Use It In Addition To Other Research

Even though it’s tempting to use CoChat at the start of your research, I like using CoChat after I’ve done some research to make sure I found all the relevant material and/or see if it turns up anything that I missed in my old-fashioned search; both happen on occasion. Therefore, using CoChat in this manner seems to deepen my research process overall.

NoodleTools is a research and citation platform designed to help students manage every stage of the research process, from finding sources to creating accurate bibliographies.

Rather than simply generating citations, the platform encourages students to think critically about the information they're collecting, organize their ideas, and develop original written work.

Concerns continue to grow around plagiarism, AI-generated assignments, and students' ability to evaluate trustworthy online information. As such, research skills have become more important than ever. Teachers need tools that don't just automate academic tasks but actively teach students how to research, analyze, and synthesize information responsibly.

That's where NoodleTools stands out. Thousands of schools and universities use this as it combines citation management, note-taking, outlining, collaboration, and teacher feedback into a single online workspace. The result is a platform that supports the entire research journey, not just the finished bibliography.

What is NoodleTools?

NoodleTools is a cloud-based research management platform built specifically for education. It helps students organize research projects by collecting sources, creating citations, taking notes, building outlines, and drafting written assignments.

The platform supports the major citation styles, including MLA, APA, and Chicago, while encouraging students to understand why citations matter -- no more relying entirely on automatic generation.

NoodleTools treats research as an ongoing learning process. Students evaluate sources, connect evidence to arguments, organize ideas visually, and prepare structured writing before beginning their final draft.

Teachers and librarians can also monitor progress, provide feedback directly inside projects, and collaborate with students throughout the research process.

How does NoodleTools work?

Students begin by creating a project and selecting the citation style required for their assignment. As they research, they can add books, websites, journals, videos, interviews, and many other source types to their bibliography.

Each source becomes part of a wider research workspace. Students can attach notes, quotations, images, PDFs, and comments before organizing everything into digital notecards.

These notecards can then be tagged, grouped, rearranged, and connected to sections of an outline. This helps students identify themes, compare evidence, and gradually develop stronger arguments before writing begins.

Teachers can access projects in real time, allowing them to monitor progress, identify where students may be struggling, and provide targeted feedback before assignments are submitted. This ongoing visibility makes it easier to teach research skills throughout the process instead of simply grading the finished product.

NoodleTools also supports collaborative projects. This allows multiple students to contribute to shared research, while making individual contributions visible to teachers. Because it's entirely web-based, projects can be accessed from virtually any modern browser without installing software. Schools can also integrate the platform with Google, Microsoft 365, and Clever for single sign-on.

What are the best NoodleTools features?

One of NoodleTools' top features is its focus on critical thinking rather than automation. Students are encouraged to evaluate sources, organize evidence, and build original arguments instead of simply collecting references.

The integrated citation tools support multiple academic styles and help students generate accurate bibliographies while learning proper citation practices.

Its digital notecard system remains one of the platform's best features. Students can collect evidence, record ideas, tag themes, and reorganize information as their understanding develops -- creating a much more flexible alternative to traditional paper note cards.

Visual outlining tools help transform research into structured writing. Students can connect evidence directly to sections of their outline, making it easier to spot weak arguments or missing evidence, before drafting.

For teachers, classroom management features provide value. Educators can monitor research progress in real time, comment on student work, track collaboration within group projects, and intervene early when students appear stuck or heading in the wrong direction.

The platform also places a strong emphasis on student privacy, avoiding advertising and marketing, while giving schools confidence that student work remains protected.

How much does NoodleTools cost?

Individual plans for NoodleTools are $15 per year.

Prices for school and district plans are quoted on an custom basis, with discounts available for larger groups.

Free versions, such as NoodleTools Express and MLA Lite, are available and provide more limited functionality.

Best NoodleTools tips and tricks

Build better source evaluation
Instead of asking students to find sources, have them explain why each source is credible.

Check progress before deadlines
Use the teacher dashboard to review student projects throughout the research process.

Teach organization skills
Encourage students to use digital notecards and outlines before writing.

Support group research
Assign collaborative projects in which each student contributes different sources and notes.

Focus on research
Use NoodleTools as a research-thinking platform rather than simply a citation generator.

Dabble is a writing tool and word processor designed to help novelists and writers of any long or scholarly work stay organized and focused.

I’ve been using Dabble to write a nonfiction book for more than a month and have been impressed with its ease of use and the way it allows me to jump back and forth between various chapters and stay organized with research. I’ll be recommending it to my master's writing students going forward, and would also recommend it to educators undertaking long writing projects of any kind, from a thesis for a master's program to a sizable research project or report.

Here’s a closer look at Dabble.

What is Dabble?

Dabble is a cloud-based writing tool that works like a souped-up version of Microsoft Word or Google Docs that is fine-tuned for writing. This may not sound necessary, but while I like Google Docs for short projects, I was finding it increasingly slow with long documents, and was having trouble keeping track of various drafts and versions. I like to work on each chapter individually but also have the option of viewing the work as a whole, which can become time-consuming with a general word processor.

For instance, when I use Google, I create a folder for each chapter, but then combining all those chapters and keeping track of updates becomes time-consuming. Dabble helps with all this.

Though designed with fiction in mind, Dabble works well for nonfiction. It automatically organizes your work around chapters. You can edit, export, and save each chapter by itself, or select the entire work. When you select the work as a whole, the chapters all come together without a hitch.

Dabble also has a cool scene feature that lets you break down each chapter into smaller “scenes,” which makes keeping track of your work’s structure easier. If you’re writing nonfiction, it may be easier to think of these breaks as “sections” rather than scenes—either way, it’s a helpful organization tool.

What Are Dabble's Best Features?

I’d been looking for a tool such as Dabble for a while. I wanted something cloud-based and that didn’t have a big learning curve. Dabble checks both these boxes. Everything is cloud-based, but it’s quick and easy to convert a Dabble file into a Microsoft Word, Google Doc, PDF, etc.

The layout is an absolute pleasure, and helps me start writing instantly without a learning curve. I had tried some other word processors designed for writing long works, and though writers I know raved about those, most proved too difficult to learn for me. After trying one demo, I realized I would need to devote some serious time to learning that software, and that was time I felt that would be better spent writing.

Dabble’s features are not only helpful but easy to use, which is crucial. I didn’t anticipate using the scene feature as much as I have; it really helps me navigate a chapter more quickly in the editing process and identify the parts that need work.

Another wonderful feature is that Dabble saves to the cloud automatically. So if you want to edit on multiple devices, you can. I’ve even read nearly completed drafts on my phone instead of my laptop and have been able to successfully make little changes.

While its prices make it more realistic as an option for educators to use themselves rather than with students, all these features would certainly help writing students navigate longer projects. This is why I'll let my graduate writing students know about it as a potential tool to use outside of class.

What Are Some Areas That Dabble Could Improve?

Though I am a big fan, not everything Dabble does is perfect. For example, it is designed for fiction writers and I write nonfiction, so the research assistance tools could be more robust. In a perfect world, there would be a place to save my research for each chapter at a spot that would be linked to that chapter but not show up in the actual text. But since nonfiction is clearly not the tool’s focus, this is an understandable drawback.

More significantly for writers of any kind, it doesn’t have the best in-tool draft-saving capabilities. It’s easy to back up each chapter to Google Drive or elsewhere, which is great, but I haven’t figured out an easy way to do all this within Dabble. One workaround is to save these elsewhere in a Dabble-linked folder. This works, but I'd love the option of saving everything related to my book in Dabble and only using my own computer or something such as Google Drive as a backup.

How Much Does Dabble Cost?

After a 14-day free trial, Dabble pricing starts at $19 per month, with additional features available for more premium subscriptions at $29 and $49 tiers. I've been happy with the starter $19 subscription.

What Are The Best Dabble Tips and Tricks?

The Scene Feature

Breaking my chapters up into scenes helps me think about each chapter and complete it bit by bit. It also makes navigating the chapter during the editing phase easier.

Tracking Dally Progress

Dabble lets you set a daily writing goal and tracks your progress toward that with a daily word count feature. I wasn’t drawn to this feature at first because word counts are not always the best way to track writing progress, particularly nonfiction. You can crank out a lot of words but not really move your project forward; meanwhile, you can write one great paragraph and thus, have spent a fruitful day. That said, Dabble’s progress feature is a better gauge of progress than I anticipated, and it’s surprisingly nice to know exactly how much I added to the manuscript in a writing session. There are days, for instance, when I feel like I’m not getting anything done but realize I’ve logged close to a thousand words.

Exporting Material

This isn’t the flashiest feature, but it's important. The way this program works with Word and Google Docs makes getting my work ready to send to my agent or publisher really easy. I’m spending less time thinking about formatting and more time focused on what’s actually important: the writing.

Even the most ardent AI in education enthusiast will admit that there are times when it’s a mistake to use AI. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently.

While I never encouraged my students to use AI in any capacity, there were many uses, such as brainstorming, which I was okay with, in theory. These days, I am less open to this and other uses and more wary of AI in general. I’m not the only one.

We’re currently in the midst of what The New York Times recently referred to as a backlash against technology in education. Even among tech-savvy teachers who are AI enthusiasts, I’m hearing more discussion of when it is appropriate or not to use AI.

Based on my own observations and conversations both with AI enthusiasts and skeptics, here are times AI should definitely be avoided in education.

1. Do Not Use AI For: Assessment

Matt Jubelirer, General Manager of Education Marketing for Microsoft, is a big fan of AI use in education in general, as you might suspect. But he told me recently that there’s a growing realization among educators he speaks with that AI is not always the solution.

When it comes to creating tests and assessments, Jubelirer says AI can be really helpful on the preparation side, whether that’s developing a rubric or devising questions, but there’s a limit.

“We shouldn't be using AI to grade people, because we need human judgment,” Jubelirer says. No matter what you feel about AI in general, it's hard to argue with that.

2. For Brainstorming

Adjunct professor Lynn M. Patarini has started asking students not to use AI for brainstorming. “I would prefer folks to use their brain and not rely on AI,” says Patarini, who teaches at the University of Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University, and CT State Community College: Middlesex.

She adds, “I have my students making lists constantly to try and train their brains to think about aim and purpose.”

A year ago, the idea that AI shouldn’t be used for brainstorming may have evoked some controversy. But these days, many of us have witnessed firsthand how AI brainstorming sessions can lead to generic, uninspired outcomes and encourage even well-intentioned students to write with AI guidance.

I know I have. After noticing that AI's advice was making student writing more generic, I’ve recently begun actively discouraging the concept of AI as a writing partner, both among my students and fellow educators.

3. For Lesson Generation

William Henry, an eighth-grade English teacher at Amity Middle School and a freshman composition instructor at Quinnipiac University, both in Connecticut, is a fan of some uses of AI in the classroom. However, there are many instances when he believes it should not be used. One of these no-go AI uses is for lesson creation.

“It could be helpful with generating ideas or ways to implement an idea, but the teacher should be coming up with the bulk of the lesson,” he says.

Lesson planning is a frequently cited AI use case, but as Henry notes, it works best when it's helping an educator execute their vision, not steering the educational ship all on its own.

4. For Emails

This is one that should go without saying, but unfortunately for many students, and even some of those who work in education, it doesn’t.

I have not received AI-generated emails from educator colleagues, but I know people who believe they have. I have recieved many clearly AI-generated emails from students. This might be the most unsettling use of AI I’ve come across.

It may sound like a cliché, but my favorite part of being a teacher is the one-on-one communication with students. Going line-by-line through their writing and offering praise and suggestions, answering questions via email, and connecting with a real human being trying to learn can, at its best, be a beautiful and deeply rewarding experience for all involved. But responding to a lifeless email that was clearly written by a student who put my suggestion into a prompt leaves me cold.

We need to remind students, and even educators, not to be afraid to share their own writing voice with professors, friends, and colleagues. I know some of us are self-conscious about the way we write, but every student I ever had is a better email writer than AI, no matter how much work their spelling or sentence structure might need.

Glint is designed to speed up that process of creating visual resources. The browser-based platform uses AI to generate classroom-ready visual supports from simple prompts, producing resources that can then be edited, printed, or shared digitally.

It is aimed at teachers, special education professionals, speech and language therapists, and families, with a focus on supporting learners who benefit from visual communication.

Formerly known as NerChat, the platform has expanded beyond AI-powered conversation tools to become a broader visual support system. Today, it offers everything from communication boards and classroom schedules to social narratives and interactive visual resources.

This does not aim to replace teacher expertise. Instead, Glint acts as a starting point. Educators can create a resource in seconds before refining it to suit an individual learner, saving valuable planning time while still allowing for personalization. That makes it very useful in busy classrooms where multiple students could need different levels of support.

What is Glint?

Glint is an AI-powered tool designed to help teachers create visual supports, communication boards, and social stories for students with additional learning needs. Formerly known as NerChat, the platform has evolved into a broader resource creation tool focused on helping educators and support professionals build personalized communication materials faster.

Creating visual resources can be an important part of supporting students with autism, speech and language needs, and other learning differences. However, designing effective schedules, symbol boards, and social narratives can also take significant planning time, especially when teachers need to adapt materials for individual learners.

Glint aims to reduce that workload by using AI to generate editable classroom resources in seconds. Teachers can create materials for specific routines, activities, or communication needs, then adjust any to better suit their students before sharing digitally or printing for classroom use.

With features such as text-to-speech, multilingual support, and QR code sharing, the platform is designed to make visual communication tools more accessible across different learning environments.

How does Glint work?

Glint uses generative AI to build visual learning resources from natural language prompts. A teacher simply describes what they need -- for example, a morning routine, classroom expectations, a communication board for snack time, or a social story about visiting the library -- and the platform generates an editable visual support within seconds.

Glint produces a starting point that educators can adapt. Teachers can edit text, replace or rearrange symbols, adjust layouts, and tailor resources to suit an individual learner's communication level or educational goals. This flexibility helps in SEND settings, in which even students with similar diagnoses may require very different supports.

Resources can include images, symbols, written text, and in some cases, speech output, to encourage communication and independence. Finished materials can be printed as traditional classroom resources or shared digitally, while QR codes make it easy for students, parents, and support staff to access any from a phone or tablet.

Because Glint is entirely browser-based, there is no special software to install. It operates across Windows and Mac computers, Chromebooks and iPads, making it accessible in most school environments. Schools can also manage users centrally, helping larger organizations roll out the platform across multiple classrooms while maintaining consistency between staff members.

The overall experience is designed to minimize preparation time while still giving teachers full control over the finished resource, ensuring materials remain appropriate for each learner rather than relying solely on AI-generated content.

What are the best Glint features?

The best feature of Glint is how quickly it produces resources that would traditionally take far longer to create manually. Visual schedules, communication boards, and social stories can often be generated in less than a minute. This allows teachers to spend more time working directly with students instead of designing classroom materials.

Support for more than 50 languages is another standout feature. This can help schools communicate more effectively with multilingual families while also creating resources that are accessible to students who are learning English or who use another language at home. Being able to generate matching materials in different languages also helps reinforce routines across school and home environments.

Interactive communication boards go beyond static printable resources by incorporating text-to-speech functionality. Students can select symbols to hear words or phrases spoken aloud. This can support communication development and promote greater independence for those who benefit from augmentative and alternative communication approaches.

Glint also offers flexible sharing options. Resources can be exported as PDFs for printing, displayed digitally on classroom devices, or accessed through QR codes, making it straightforward to distribute materials without additional software.

For schools and districts, administrative tools allow accounts to be managed centrally, simplifying deployment across multiple classrooms or campuses. Combined with the ability to save and reuse previously created resources, this makes it easier for teachers to build a growing library of personalized visual supports that can be updated rather than recreated each time.

How much does Glint cost?

Glint includes a free tier that lets you generate up to eight visual supports each month, making it a good way to try the platform before committing to a subscription.

For individual educators, the Monthly plan costs $18 per month (discounted from $25) and can be canceled at any time. The Annual plan costs $150 per year -- equivalent to $12.50 per month -- offering around a 30% saving compared with paying monthly. Both paid plans include premium languages, access to the in-app Google Images library, the Glint mobile app, QR code sharing, and advanced board editing tools.

Schools and districts requiring multiple licenses can request custom pricing. These organization plans add centralized billing, shared resource libraries, administrator controls, usage insights, Clever/SSO rostering, and onboarding and training to support larger deployments.

Best Glint tips and tricks

Start broad
Begin with a simple prompt to generate a draft resource, then personalize it for individual students rather than trying to create the perfect prompt first time.

Support families
Use the multilingual tools to create matching resources for home and school. This can help reinforce routines and improve communication between educators and caregivers.

Build a resource library
Save commonly used schedules, communication boards, and social stories so these can be quickly adapted for different students instead of recreated each time.

Reading difficulties don't disappear when students reach middle or high school, but the resources available to help them often lag behind. Many literacy intervention programs are designed for early elementary learners, leaving older students to practice reading with books that feel childish or disconnected from their interests. That mismatch can make reluctant readers even less willing to engage, creating another barrier to improving literacy skills.

Storyshares' LIFT offers structured, evidence-based instruction that supports decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, with materials that respect students' age and encourage them to keep reading.

The Literacy Intervention For Teens (LIFT) program was developed for students in grades 6-12 who are reading below grade level. LIFT combines structured literacy instruction with age-appropriate decodable books and highly interesting texts written for adolescent readers.

The program seeks to build foundational reading skills using content designed to feel relevant and engaging.

The result is a comprehensive literacy intervention package that includes curriculum materials, classroom resources, and teacher support, making it suitable for intervention specialists, special educators, tutors, and classroom teachers alike.

Here's what educators need to know about LIFT, how it works, and whether it could be the right fit for supporting struggling secondary readers.

What is LIFT?

Storyshares Literacy Intervention for Teens (LIFT) is a structured literacy program designed specifically for middle and high school students in grades 6-12 who continue to struggle with reading.

LIFT combines evidence-based literacy instruction with books and activities that are perfectly appropriate for teenagers.

This focuses on high-interest, age-appropriate content that allows students to develop foundational reading skills without feeling like they're reading "baby books" aimed at younger years learners – as often that's all that is available.

LIFT uses structured literacy principles and the Science of Reading. The curriculum was developed alongside literacy experts, including HILL for Literacy, and is intended for Tier 2 intervention, making it suitable for small-group instruction, special education, English language learners, tutoring, and classroom support.

This doesn't concentrate solely on phonics, but instead the program also develops fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing through a connected sequence of lessons.

Designed to help teachers manage the wide range of reading abilities often found in secondary classrooms, LIFT provides a complete intervention package rather than simply a collection of books.

How does LIFT work?

The program is built around a structured sequence of decoding and fluency instruction that gradually develops students' reading confidence.

Students work through decodable chapter books written specifically for adolescent readers, alongside high-low (high-interest, lower reading level) books that allow them to engage with more mature themes while practicing core literacy skills.

Throughout the curriculum, learners revisit decoding strategies, build vocabulary, and improve reading fluency before applying those skills to increasingly challenging texts.

Teachers receive scripted and adaptable lesson plans, helping both literacy specialists and general classroom teachers deliver consistent instruction. The package also includes professional development, implementation support, and classroom resources that minimize preparation time.

Hands-on learning is another major component. Dry erase boards, sound-keyword cards, vocabulary cards, decoding workbooks, and fluency activities encourage students to actively practice multisyllabic word recognition rather than simply reading passively.

What are the best LIFT features?

One of the biggest strengths of LIFT is that it recognizes adolescent literacy requires different resources than early years reading.

Instead of relying on childish illustrations and simplistic stories, students get engaging chapter books featuring characters and situations more relevant to teenagers. This can help reduce the embarrassment some older struggling readers experience during intervention sessions.

The curriculum is also unusually comprehensive. Schools receive educator manuals, multiple book sets, student workbooks, vocabulary and decoding resources, classroom materials, and implementation training. This is all part of one coordinated package rather than assembling separate intervention resources themselves.

Another useful feature is its flexibility. LIFT is designed for special educators, literacy interventionists, tutors, multilingual learner support, and even general classroom teachers without specialist literacy training, making it easier to implement across different school settings.

How much does LIFT cost?

Storyshares lists the complete LIFT Intervention Program for Grades 6-12 at $2,399.

The package includes multiple classroom sets of decodable chapter books and high-low readers, educator manuals, student workbooks, classroom materials such as dry erase boards, and vocabulary cards, plus a 45-minute live implementation session to help schools get started.

Additional consumable student materials and professional development options can also be purchased separately.

Schools interested in district-wide implementation or customized solutions can contact Storyshares directly for quotes and partnership options.

Best LIFT tips and tricks

Use small groups
LIFT is designed primarily as a Tier 2 intervention, allowing targeted instruction for students with similar literacy needs.

Focus on confidence as well as accuracy
Age-appropriate texts can help reluctant readers stay engaged while developing core skills.

Take advantage of the scripted lessons
Even teachers without specialist literacy training can deliver structured intervention consistently using the provided manuals.

Build decoding into every session
Regular practice with multisyllabic words and fluency activities reinforces long-term reading development.

Use the implementation training
The included onboarding session helps staff establish consistent teaching routines and get maximum value from the curriculum resources.

Adobe is really known for professional creative software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, but its latest education-focused app goes in a new direction. Adobe Aqua is a free drawing and creativity app designed for children aged five to 12, to give younger learners a safe place to experiment with art, storytelling, and design.

Aqua focuses on building confidence through play. Students can draw, color, create comics, design fashion, explore simple 3D creations, and even digitize artwork they've produced on paper. The aim is to make creativity feel approachable while helping children develop artistic and visual communication skills.

For teachers, that means an easy way to introduce creative activities across multiple subjects without the need for previous art experience.

The app can support literacy, science, social studies, math, STEM, and social-emotional learning through drawing-based projects that encourage students to think visually as well as verbally. Adobe also provides classroom-ready lesson ideas that connect Aqua activities to curriculum topics.

Aqua is completely free, contains no advertising or in-app purchases, and has been designed with child safety in mind. That makes it an attractive option for classrooms looking to encourage creativity without introducing unnecessary distractions. Here's all you need to know about Aqua from Adobe.

What is Adobe Aqua?

Adobe Aqua is a free creativity app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices aimed at children between the ages of five and 12. Developed by Adobe Labs, it combines drawing, painting, coloring, simple design tools, and creative games. This single platform is intended to make artistic expression feel fun rather than intimidating.

Students can work with traditional digital drawing tools, complete guided tutorials from children's illustrators, color thousands of templates, create comic strips, design clothing collections, and experiment with simple 3D artwork.

One popular feature allows children to photograph artwork they've created, on paper, and store it alongside their digital creations inside a personal virtual museum. This helps bridge traditional and digital art.

Aqua also includes collaborative activities such as "1-2-3 Pass," in which students take turns adding to the same drawing, encouraging teamwork and creative thinking. Other activities introduce design concepts such as color, composition, and pattern through playful challenges rather than formal lessons.

Adobe positions the app as a creativity platform rather than simply a drawing program. Alongside artistic skills, the company says Aqua is intended to help develop confidence, imagination, problem-solving, and communication through regular creative practice.

While these broader benefits depend on how the app is used, its emphasis on open-ended creation makes it great for a wide variety of classroom activities.

How does Adobe Aqua work?

Students begin by selecting from a range of creative experiences instead of opening a blank canvas. They might start with coloring pages, follow a guided drawing lesson, create a comic scene, build a fashion collection, or explore a collaborative game. Each activity gradually introduces creative techniques without overwhelming younger users.

The interface is intentionally simple, with large icons and clear navigation suited to younger children. Aqua concentrates on features that encourage experimentation and creativity while remaining easy to understand.

Teachers can use Aqua as an individual creativity tool or as part of wider classroom projects. Adobe's education resources suggest activities including illustrating vocabulary, designing historical costumes, creating diagrams for science topics, drawing story characters, and producing visual reflections for social-emotional learning.

Because the emphasis is on drawing ideas, rather than creating polished artwork, students with different artistic abilities can participate comfortably.

Some features make use of Adobe's Firefly AI technology to apply creative effects or help transform artwork into different visual styles. These AI features are presented as optional enhancements rather than replacing the student's own work. This allows learners to explore different artistic possibilities while keeping creativity at the center of the process.

Completed artwork can be saved inside each student's virtual gallery, creating a digital portfolio that can be revisited throughout the school year and shared with families when appropriate. Since Aqua also works offline for many activities, it can be useful in classrooms where internet access is limited.

What are the best Adobe Aqua features?

One of Aqua's biggest strengths is that it feels playful rather than instructional. Students are encouraged to explore ideas freely while still developing useful artistic and creative thinking skills.

The ability to combine physical artwork with digital creations is ideal for elementary classrooms. This allows traditional drawing lessons to continue while gradually introducing digital creativity.

Cross-curricular lesson ideas also make Aqua more useful than a standalone art app. Teachers can integrate drawing into literacy, science, history, or emotional wellbeing activities without needing specialist art knowledge.

Perhaps most importantly, Aqua removes many of the barriers associated with children's apps by remaining free, ad-free, and designed specifically for younger learners, making it easier to introduce safely in school environments.

How much does Adobe Aqua cost?

Adobe Aqua is completely free to download and use on supported iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.

It has no advertisements, no in-app purchases, and no subscription required. Adobe has designed the app specifically for families and schools, with child privacy and safety forming a core part of the platform.

Best Adobe Aqua tips and tricks

Illustrate vocabulary
Ask students to draw new vocabulary words instead of simply writing definitions.

Support science learning
Create labelled life cycles, habitats, or diagrams using drawing tools rather than worksheets.

Retell stories visually
Have students recreate scenes or characters from class reading to demonstrate comprehension.

TeacherServer is a teacher-created and -run AI platform that offers thousands of free tools for educators. More significantly, the whole platform complies with Department of Education guidelines, offers the option of adjusting outputs to various grade levels depending on your students' needs, and all information is private and deleted immediately after you use it.

After experimenting with TeacherServer, I found it to be a wonderful resource for various AI tools, from quiz and lesson plan generators to subject-specific resources, including data analysis, spelling and grammar checkers, and much more.

Because it is teacher-backed and education-aligned, I felt better about using TeacherServer than most AI tools. Even so, I still found some similar frustrations to when I have experimented with AI in the past: namely, that despite what I hear from colleagues, I never seem to get great results from AI when it comes to lesson planning or slide generation.

Here’s a closer look at TeacherServer.

What is TeacherServer?

TeacherServer is a free library of AI education tools that are designed for teachers. It was created by Zafer Unal, a professor and associate dean of undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida. Unal, who has a dual background in computer science and education, designed TeacherServer to address concerns educators have about using AI. To that end, TeacherServer is focused on data privacy and grade-appropriate learning. It’s also quite fast at generating materials thanks to its utilization of a locally installed AI server.

TeacherServer comes preloaded with more than 1,194 AI tools. These tools are utilized by other teachers, and some are ranked based on popularity. Tools are separated by subject, and users can often input what grade level they are teaching for more grade-specific responses. While TeacherServer’s initial focus was on K-12 resources, it also offers tools for those in higher education.

A truly dizzying number of capabilities are available, from talk-to-PDF features to all manner of subject-specific quiz, lesson plan, and summary generators. While you could do some of these tasks with a standard AI tool, doing so and getting good results would often require some prompt engineering. The AI tools at TeacherServer start already prompted for education overall, and for specific education tasks in particular.

What Are TeacherServer's Best Features?

The education-focused nature of all the AI tools offered on TeacherServer is what stood out to me. Additionally, the focus on privacy, speed, and education standards is really important.

Another fun feature is that simply browsing the catalog of AI tools can give teachers ideas about how other educators are using AI and possibly inspire them in the process.

What Are Some Areas Where TeacherServer Could Improve?

As mentioned at the start of this article, as much as I loved TeacherServer overall, I did have some of the same complaints with TeacherServer as I do with AI overall.

Despite what I hear about how others are using it to save time, I don’t find that that’s the case for me unless I am willing to really compromise on quality. For instance, I’ve never found AI to produce really good slides. True to that trend, when I asked TeacherServer to summarize a link to a resource story, I thought the slides it created were fairly basic and not very helpful.

Additionally, while a grammar and spelling tool was good at catching grammar mistakes, I still did not like the way AI tried to edit my writing. It tried to get rid of any character in my writing, and more unforgivably, it had some incorrect suggestions on comma use and tried to change content within quoted passages.

How Much Does TeacherServer Cost?

TeacherServer is free. To use it you just need to go to TeacherServer.com and create an account. This accessibility is part of its mission and a great feature for educators.

What Are The Best TeacherServer Tips and Tricks?

Search TeacherServer By Subject

TeacherServer has a wide variety of subject-specific tools that teachers of various topics can explore. These range from music and art lessons to math, writing, and more.

Search Most Popular Tools

Exploring the most popular tools on TeacherServer gives you a quick idea of what is working for other educators. This can save you time and give you ideas for prepping in your classroom.

Be Critical

TeacherServer is a really teacher-friendly AI tool, but that doesn’t mean it's perfect. You’re the human being in the classroom and should still be carefully vetting any outputs from any AI tools, including those from TeacherServer.

Teachers have no shortage of AI tools that promise to save time, but most still rely on writing prompts and refining the results. TeacherForge offers a structured approach to help build classroom resources through dedicated lesson generators.

This is designed specifically for English language teachers and creates grammar worksheets, vocabulary exercises, reading comprehension tasks, writing prompts, listening activities, and complete exams. Teachers choose a CEFR level, select the type of activity they want, and let the AI generate ready-to-use materials.

Unlike general AI chatbots, TeacherForge keeps everything focused on ESL and EFL teaching. Resources can be regenerated to produce fresh versions, downloaded as editable Word documents or PDFs, and include answer keys automatically. Listening activities also come with audio and transcripts.

For language teachers looking to reduce planning time without sacrificing quality, TeacherForge offers a streamlined way to produce classroom resources in minutes. This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about how it could work for your class.

What is TeacherForge?

TeacherForge is an AI-powered lesson creation platform built specifically for teachers of English as a second or foreign language. It focuses entirely on producing language-learning resources, giving teachers a set of purpose-built tools instead of a general chatbot interface.

The platform is organized around six resource generators covering grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, and exams. Each one is tailored to the type of activity being created, so teachers choose options from guided menus rather than relying on carefully worded prompts. That makes it easier to produce consistent resources while reducing the amount of editing needed afterward.

Everything is designed around the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), allowing teachers to generate materials suitable for learners from beginner through to advanced.

Activities can focus on specific grammar points, vocabulary themes, or language skills, while reading exercises can either use AI-generated passages or text supplied by the teacher.

Once a resource has been created, it can be downloaded as an editable Word document or as a PDF for printing or sharing digitally. Listening activities also include generated audio and transcripts, while worksheets automatically include answer keys.

TeacherForge also stores the settings used to create each activity, allowing teachers to return later and generate fresh versions without starting again.

The result is a platform that feels less like chatting with AI and more like using a specialist lesson planning tool that happens to be powered by AI behind the scenes.

How does TeacherForge work?

Using TeacherForge follows a straightforward workflow that should feel familiar to most teachers. After signing in, you select the type of classroom resource to create before choosing the appropriate CEFR level for the learners. From there, each generator presents different options depending on the activity being built.

A grammar worksheet, for example, allows teachers to select the language point they want students to practice before choosing the exercise format. Reading activities can generate an original passage or build questions around text uploaded by the teacher. Vocabulary exercises can be based on custom word lists or predefined themes, while writing activities include prompts, guidance, and model responses. Listening exercises combine generated audio with accompanying classroom tasks.

After reviewing the generated material, teachers can download it as a Word document for further editing or as a PDF ready for printing. Because the documents remain editable, it is easy to adjust wording, replace examples, or tailor activities to a particular class before using any.

One of the platform's more useful features is its ability to regenerate resources. Instead of producing exactly the same worksheet every time, TeacherForge can create fresh versions using the same structure and level of difficulty. That makes it useful for parallel classes, revision activities, or assessment retakes in which teachers want similar exercises without repeating identical questions.

By guiding teachers through structured lesson builders instead of relying on free-form prompting, TeacherForge reduces the amount of trial and error needed to produce classroom-ready materials.

What are the best TeacherForge features?

TeacherForge's big appeal is its specialist focus. Every part of the platform has been designed around English language teaching rather than general classroom use, making the generated resources feel far more targeted than those produced by a standard AI chatbot.

The ability to regenerate worksheets is another standout feature, allowing teachers to produce multiple versions of the same activity for different classes without rebuilding the lesson from scratch.

Editable Word downloads also make it easy to personalize resources before reaching students. Automatic answer keys and listening transcripts remove several additional preparation steps.

Combined with CEFR alignment throughout the platform and these make TeacherForge really useful for teachers who regularly create their own language-learning materials.

How much does TeacherForge cost?

TeacherForge offers a free plan with a limited number of credits, allowing teachers to try each of its lesson generators before subscribing.

Paid plans start at around $5.75 per month when billed annually, with a higher-tier subscription offering unlimited generation and batch creation tools. School licences are also available for departments and institutions.

Best TeacherForge tips and tricks

Build differentiated lessons
Generate the same activity at different CEFR levels to support mixed-ability classes.

Upload your own texts
Turn class readers, articles, or curriculum materials into comprehension exercises instead of relying on AI-generated passages.

Create resit papers
Regenerate saved activities to produce fresh assessments that match the original level of difficulty.

Teaching in reality is very different than many of us envision it beforehand. It’s also harder than is depicted in movies and television.

That said, I find that those new to teaching often need a reminder that they are not alone in facing difficulties inspiring students, preparing classes, responding to inappropriate AI use, and much more. I still struggle with all this, and I’ve been teaching for more than a decade.

What I find actually helps is talking with other educators. I make a point of trying to share my struggles honestly and openly with other educators, especially new ones as they, in particular, typically need reminders of this.

So if you will be stepping into a classroom for the first time soon, here are some things I remind myself of and which may be helpful for you as well.

1. Not Every Idea You Have Will Work

Most teachers, especially when starting out, have constant innovative ideas for improving their lessons and classes. These ideas are impassioned and are really and truly great ideas—the problem is that students don’t always recognize their brilliance.! Or at least I’ve found It’s common for well-thought-out lesson plans to fall flat with students due to a variety of factors that are beyond my control.

This realization is a bummer when it happens, but it will happen, and more than many teachers will admit. Just realizing that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this helped me when I started.

2. There’s Such a Thing As Overpreparation

Teachers tend to be people who pride themselves in preparation. This is generally a good thing, but new teachers have a tendency to lean too much into this and can easily burn a lot of time painstakingly crafting lesson plans and overstuffed slides.

At best, this is just more work than necessary, but it can also actually hurt by eliminating the chance of spontaneity. Underpreparing isn’t good, either, but I learned fast that just because I spent my whole weekend preparing a lecture didn’t mean it would be good. In fact, I find that often spending less time on preparation allows me more time to focus on other teaching-related tasks and ultimately be more present for my students.

In other words, follow the old advice: work smarter, not harder.

3. You Will Encounter More AI Than You Think

Everyone knows about AI and has gotten used to spotting computer-generated slop on social media, but there’s still nothing quite like reading student emails or papers for the first time and realizing that these are AI-generated.

As a teacher, you are going to see this more often than you expect and in many cases, in the absence of clear institutional guidelines, you will have to determine how to handle AI misuse on your own. I’ve written about various approaches, but no approach of which I am aware is perfect, so be prepared to be flexible in your response to AI.

You also have to accept that teaching in the age of AI adds a layer of complication that wasn’t present years ago. Of course, there are many educators who find that using it can help save time in class prep and other areas of teaching, so for some, AI takes but also gives.

4. Good Teachers Question If They Are Good Teachers

Every good teacher I’ve ever met has one thing in common: they worry if they are doing a good job. This is because good teachers care, and the more you care, the more you feel like there’s more you can do. So those worries that you blew it or should be doing more are actually a sign that you’re doing the right thing by continuing to strive to do better for your students.

On the other hand, I’ve found that teachers who are overly confident often have blind spots. These folks give feedback that is less helpful than they think it is, and their “fixes” for AI misuse and other problems don’t actually work, but they’re too arrogant to see it.

Ultimately, if you feel some doubts creeping into what you’re doing here and there, that’s a good sign. You can start worrying when you feel like you have all the answers!

PlayKids Learning is an educational platform designed for children aged roughly 2 to 12. It combines videos, games, activities, stories, and original shows in a single app, with a focus on safety and age-appropriate content.

The company says this can help children develop academic and life skills while maintaining a healthy relationship with screen time. Something that could make this a parent's favorite educational app pretty fast.

PlayKids Learning lets children move between educational games, videos, creative activities, and interactive content covering areas including literacy, mathematics, arts, music, science, and social-emotional learning.

The platform is available across devices, including smart TV and interactive whiteboard platforms, making it accessible both at home and in school. This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about PlayKids Learning.

What is PlayKids Learning?

PlayKids Learning is an educational entertainment platform developed by Sandbox Group. It offers a large library of children's content that includes educational games, videos, cartoons, podcasts, and interactive learning activities. It is designed to provide a safe, ad-free environment in which children can learn through play and exploration.

The company says the platform is used by millions of families across more than 180 countries and supports multiple languages. Content includes both PlayKids original productions and licensed children's programming featuring familiar characters.

A key focus is helping children build skills beyond traditional academics. PlayKids highlights areas such as creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning alongside literacy and numeracy development.

How does PlayKids Learning work?

PlayKids Learning works as a subscription service that gives teachers and families access to a large library of child-friendly educational content through a single app. Once an account is created, parents or teachers can set up profiles for individual children and begin accessing games, videos, stories, podcasts, and interactive activities tailored to different age groups.

The platform is available on smartphones, tablets, web browsers, and many smart TVs, allowing children to switch between devices while keeping their progress and preferences. Content can also be downloaded for offline use, making it useful for travel or situations where internet access is limited.

PlayKids Learning combines entertainment and educational activities in one place. Children can move between watching shows, playing learning games, listening to audio content, and completing creative activities, while parents can use built-in controls to manage screen time and monitor usage.

The service is designed for independent use by younger children, with a simple interface and large visual navigation elements that make it easy to explore without constant adult supervision.

What are the best PlayKids Learning features?

One of PlayKids Learning's appealing aspects s is the variety of content available in a single subscription. Children can watch educational videos, play games, complete activities, listen to podcasts, and engage with interactive learning experiences without needing multiple apps.

The service is also designed with parental oversight in mind. Parents can set screen-time limits, manage profiles, and download content for offline use. Multiple devices can access the same subscription, which can be useful for families with more than one child.

Safety is another major selling point. PlayKids Learning is ad-free and promotes its kidSAFE certification and curated content approach. This can help parents avoid advertising and recommendation algorithms.

The platform also encourages activities beyond passive viewing. Alongside videos and games, children can access drawing activities, creative projects, music content, and hands-on exercises designed to extend learning away from the screen.

How much does PlayKids Learning cost?

PlayKids Learning offers two main subscription options through its website. The monthly plan costs $7.99 per month, while the annual plan costs $79.80 per year, effectively reducing the monthly cost by around half compared to paying monthly. A free trial is also available for new users.

Subscriptions include unlimited access to the platform's content library, support for multiple devices, offline downloads, parental controls, and access across supported mobile, web, and TV platforms.

It's worth noting that pricing can vary slightly depending on whether families subscribe directly through the PlayKids website, Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or a partner platform.

Best PlayKids Learning tips and tricks

Start with age-appropriate profiles
Take time to set up profiles that match each child's age and developmental stage. This helps ensure the recommended content remains relevant and engaging.

Use offline downloads for travel
Download videos and activities before trips or long journeys. This allows children to access content without requiring an internet connection.

Balance screen time with hands-on activities
Look for the platform's creative projects, crafts, music activities, and offline exercises. These can help turn screen-based learning into wider real-world experiences.

Even though it was composed more than 2,700 years ago, The Odyssey never gets old. This summer it will be brought to the big screen by Christopher Nolan in a much-anticipated film starring Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway.

Emily Wilson, a professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, says film adaptations of the epic poem always generate interest in the classic work and could provide a good excuse to introduce the epic into the classroom.

Wilson knows of what she speaks.

Nolan consulted her much-heralded 2018 translation for his film version. Wilson’s translation is also the first complete translation by a woman, and in it, she hoped to convey the rhythm of the original.

“Most of the available modern English translations before and after mine, use free verse or prose, rather than metrical, rhythmical verse,” she says.

Wilson recently shared some of the strategies she uses when teaching The Odyssey, and other works by Homer and myths, to her undergraduate students.

Teaching The Odyssey: Take A Detour From The Hero’s Journey

The Odyssey is frequently taught through Joseph Campbell’s framework of the “hero’s journey,” but Wilson thinks that approach can be too limited.

“[It] invites students to see The Odyssey as a kind of template for all other quest narratives, and to focus exclusively on the perspective of the protagonist,” she says. This can overshadow how Odysseus interacts with many other characters, “including those who do not have either a quest or a journey home.”

She adds, “When I teach undergraduates who have read The Odyssey in high school, I often invite them to reflect on both the appeal of this universalizing approach and to consider what it leaves out, including the historical specificity of the poem's concerns, which echo the particular preoccupations of the archaic Greek world, a world of large-scale Greek migration and colonization.”

Don’t Shy Away From The Alien Nature of The Book

“The Odyssey, like other works of ancient literature, is fascinating largely because it is both extremely familiar in its concerns and themes and also extraordinarily alien,” Wilson says. “The deities, for example, may seem like narrative conveniences, and in a sense they are, and yet The Odyssey was also created by and for people who worshipped and sacrificed to Athena, Zeus, and Poseidon.”

She finds that examining the conflict between the familiar themes and alien ones can lead to deep discussions with students. “The first four books are about the small-scale journeys of Telemachus, Odysseus' son, to visit his father's old comrades. The theme of a lost, anxious young person exploring his own identity through visiting alternative homes, is entirely relatable for any young reader.”

But at the same time there are limits to how far that relatability goes. “The terms in which the poem defines adult masculinity may be quite alien and even disturbing,” Wilson says. “Telemachus demonstrates a divinely inspired confidence by telling his mother to be quiet, and later takes a new step to manhood by murdering the thirteen enslaved people claimed by his mother's suitors to reclaim the honor of the household.”

Examine Gender Roles

Many students today take issue with gendered inequality seen in the poem.

“Those feelings can be an excellent opportunity for discussion and reflection,” Wilson says. She adds, it’s also “an opportunity to consider whether these feelings are invited by the poem itself, or the result of a gap in values between The Odyssey and modern values.”

Wilson’s students are often “outraged by the fact that Odysseus spends eight years in sexual relationships with two goddesses, at least partly voluntarily, and yet he seems to suffer no repercussions in his marriage to his eternally faithful wife.”

She adds, “There is an interesting and teachable mismatch between the modern idea of ‘adultery’—a gender-neutral disapproval of extramarital sex—and the ancient idea of moicheia, which refers only to sexual relationships between a man and another man's wife.”

This disconnect is more complex than students might realize. “The affair of Paris and Helen, or that of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra, threatens the integrity of the household and the male lineage, whereas Odysseus's affairs abroad are of no relevance for the household,” she says.

This is all an example of how, in Wilson’s words, “There are many opportunities for discussion of the relationship between modern norms of gender and sexuality and those of the poem.”

Use Visuals and Share Technological Breakthroughs

“When I teach myth, including The Odyssey, I often juxtapose it with ancient art; students who struggle with literary analysis often flourish in response to visual representations,” Wilson says. “There's a lot to say about, for instance, how Athenian vases depict the blinding of Polyphemus, and how this might compare or contrast with the poem's version of the same scene.”

Modern technology is also playing a role in the ongoing story of ancient texts. High-profile AI-assisted translations of damaged text have recently been released, but that’s only the beginning of what technology can do, Wilson says.

“One of the most exciting developments to me is not AI but digital imaging combined with radiocarbon analysis, which has enabled the decipherment of papyri that would otherwise be unrecoverable,” Wilson says. “It's exciting for everyone, including students, to learn that we're still discovering ‘new’ ancient literature.”

Talk About Translation

Wilson is, of course, interested in the differences between various translations of Homer’s work, but stresses that there are many excellent translations beyond hers, and students should be invited to compare and contrast the differences.

“As a way of teaching the value of close reading and the fact that every word matters, there's no better exercise than asking students to look closely at maybe two to three lines of The Odyssey in several different translations," she says. "I love this exercise, and I find it wakes students up to the fact that literature isn't just, and in fact, isn't primarily, about meaning; it's about specific words in a specific order, and every choice matters.”

Wilson's new book Crossing the Wine Dark Sea, which will be released in September, ends with a long essay about what Wilson calls the “minutiae of choices involved in translating just a few lines of The Odyssey and comparing multiple different translations of the same lines.”

This essay is a great introduction for educators looking to explore the role of translations in The Odyssey.

Remember: Teaching The Odyssey Shouldn't Be An Epic Challenge

Wilson says sometimes teachers shy away from teaching The Odyssey because they think it will be daunting.

“In many ways, Homer, especially in a reasonably user-friendly modern translation, is far less daunting than Shakespeare, whom I hope people also teach,” she says.

She adds, “The debate about teaching great books or the canon is sometimes framed as if teaching canonical or ancient texts were antithetical to the project of inviting students to be aware of themselves, their own culture, and their own world, but to me, nothing could be further from the truth. We learn about ourselves by discovering who we aren't, and who we almost are, and how we relate to others. There's no more generative text than The Odyssey for exploring those questions.”

Smore aims to solve the problem of poor school-to-home communication by turning school newsletters into visually engaging, mobile-friendly web pages that are easy to create and share.

Newsletters traditionally were blocks of text and a few images. Smore lets teachers and schools build interactive updates that can include videos, calendars, forms, links, images, documents, and more.

The platform is designed as a communication tool rather than a classroom teaching platform. Teachers can use Smore to keep parents informed about class activities, share resources with students, celebrate achievements, publish project work, or create information hubs for events and school projects.

Because everything is web-based, newsletters can be viewed on phones, tablets, laptops, or desktop computers without requiring parents to download a separate app.

So what exactly is Smore and how can teachers make the most of it?

What is Smore?

Smore is an online newsletter and family engagement platform designed specifically for schools and educators. It allows teachers and admins to create visually rich digital newsletters -- using drag-and-drop tools rather than needing web design experience, as some platforms demand.

Teachers can build newsletters from templates or start from scratch, adding text, images, videos, buttons, calendars, documents, forms, polls, and event information. Completed newsletters can then be shared through email, links, QR codes, social media, or embedded into school websites.

Lots of communication tools focus on one-way messaging. Smore is designed to encourage engagement. Features such as polls, event RSVPs, embedded content, and analytics help schools understand whether information is actually reaching families.

The platform is used by individual teachers, entire schools, and districts that want a more modern method of family communication.

How does Smore work?

Smore works through a browser and requires very little setup. After creating an account, teachers can choose from a range of newsletter templates and customize one using a drag-and-drop editor.

Content is added in blocks, making it easy to insert announcements, photos, videos, links, classroom updates, homework information, event details, and downloadable files. Teachers can rearrange sections as needed without having to touch any code.

Once a newsletter is published, it receives a unique web address. That newsletter can be emailed directly through Smore, shared as a link, embedded into another website, or distributed using a QR code.

One very useful feature for schools with diverse communities is automatic translation support, allowing families to read newsletters in their preferred language on supported plans.

Teachers and administrators can also track readership through built-in analytics, helping them see how many people opened a newsletter and which links attracted the most attention.

What are the best Smore features?

One of Smore's best features is its ease of use. Teachers can create professional-looking newsletters in minutes without needing graphic design skills.

The multimedia support is another highlight. Rather than attaching files to an email, teachers can embed videos, include image galleries, add links to resources, and create a more engaging experience for families.

The event RSVP tools can also be useful for school activities. These help teachers collect responses for trips, performances, parent evenings, and classroom events.

For schools focused on accessibility, Smore includes support for accessibility standards and offers translation options that can help improve communication with multilingual families.

Analytics provide another advantage, allowing educators to see whether important communications are actually being read rather than simply assuming an email reached its destination.

How much does Smore cost?

Smore offers a free version that allows you to create up to three newsletters, send up to 200 emails per month, and access basic designs and limited analytics. For teachers who want to use the platform regularly, paid plans are likely to be the more practical option.

The Basic plan costs $99 per year and includes unlimited newsletters, advanced analytics, customizable designs, PDF exports, file attachments, event RSVPs, polls, and up to 5,000 email sends per month.

The Pro plan costs $179 per year and adds automatic translation into more than 130 languages, Canva integration, custom headers, a table of contents feature, logo branding, and a higher monthly email allowance of 15,000 sends.

For larger schools or educators with extensive communication needs, the Premium plan costs $299 per year and raises the monthly email limit to 30,000 while adding priority support.

Schools and districts can also opt for Smore for Teams, which adds multi-user access, shared folders, collaboration tools, branded templates, enhanced analytics, and administrative controls. Pricing is available on request.

Best Smore tips and tricks

Create a weekly class hub
Use a single newsletter format each week so parents know exactly where to find homework, key dates, and classroom updates.

Showcase student work
Embed photos, videos, and project examples to give families a window into classroom learning.

Use analytics to refine communication
Monitor which sections receive the most engagement and adapt future newsletters accordingly.

The way schools have adopted AI has been unlike any other tech revolution Microsoft’s Matt Jubelirer has witnessed.

“We've always known that technological innovation puts pressure on schools to adapt, but I don't think we've seen anything move at this pace,” says Jubelirer

In his work as General Manager of Education Marketing for Microsoft, Jubelirer is constantly meeting with educators and learning about their needs and how they are using AI these days. As part of that work, he's seeing innovative AI uses in areas ranging from the classroom to administration in schools.

Here are some of the top trends he’s seeing around teaching with AI.

1. Differentiated AI Use

Even though the pedagogy is constantly evolving, educators are getting better at learning when and where to use AI, and with which students.

“We're asking better questions,” Jubelirer says. "It's not about, ‘here's an AI chatbot, go nuts.’” Instead, educators are learning which tools might help specific students and how they can strategically use AI to support individualized learning.

Some specific examples Jubelirer points to include tools such as Reading Progress, which helps students practice reading out loud with the help of AI. Another example is Copilot’s study and learn feature, which is built with learning science in mind and asks students questions to promote learning rather than merely providing answers.

2. AI Literacy That Goes Beyond Prompt Engineering

As AI has evolved, so too have the education programs around it for teachers.

“AI literacy is no longer about, 'Do I know how to prompt? What is prompt engineering?'“ Jubelirer says. “It's about understanding the capabilities, being better at assessing the problems, and figuring out what context is needed to solve them.” And then learning to better understand whether AI should be used in this context at all.

Classroom educators are actively leading and fostering this conversation, which is increasingly important. Students today, Jubelirer says, want access to AI tools, but they also want to ensure these AI tools are used ethically.

3. An Emerging Trust Issue

AI is also causing some tensions between teachers and students that didn’t necessarily exist in the past.

“If you ask teachers what they're concerned about, cheating and plagiarism is at the top of the list, and if you ask students what they're worried about, being accused of those things is at the top of their list,” Jubelirer says, suggesting that this demonstrates that “there’s clearly a trust issue.”

He adds, “That's a real challenge because when trust erodes, learning environments are not as effective as they could be. And I think it's really important that we move to just more transparency.”

To that end, he advises more openness from educators and students about how they are using AI.

“I have seen examples where teachers literally show the students how they prepared for class using AI and then ask them for feedback, and I’ve seen the same in the inverse, where students are encouraged to try and use AI but then share,” he says.

4. Recognition That There Are Times AI Shouldn’t Be Used

As AI use increases among students and teachers, it has become clearer that there are times when AI should not be used. For instance, when it comes to grading, Jubelirer says AI can be really helpful on the preparation side, whether that’s developing a rubric or devising questions, but there’s a limit.

“We shouldn't be using AI to grade people, because we need human judgment,” Jubelirer says. He adds it's important that schools clarify which types of problems AI is suited to help solve, and continue to make sure their AI use emphasizes the human side of things.

5. AI Creating New Opportunities

While Jubelirer acknowledges challenges around AI use and valid concerns students have, he’s also optimistic about the potential of technology for young people who can now come up with an app or other idea and create products and projects at a speed unparalleled in human history.

“I'm really encouraged by how the collection of tools that have emerged empowers individuals to have a higher level of impact faster than we've ever seen before," he says. "If we learn to get that right, and if we build the systems and the culture to support that, there's really an opportunity for this next generation to change the world in ways that I don't think any generation before it has had the capability or access to do.”

zSpace takes a different approach to VR, offering immersive 3D learning experiences without asking students to strap a device to their faces.

Designed specifically for education, zSpace combines hardware and software to create interactive lessons that allow students to explore complex concepts in a more hands-on way.

From dissecting a virtual heart, to examining the inner workings of an engine, or investigating scientific phenomena that would be impossible to recreate safely in a classroom -- the aim is to move learning beyond textbooks and flat screens.

STEM subjects, career and technical education (CTE), and workforce readiness all get a focus. zSpace has found a place in schools looking for ways to make learning more engaging while helping students develop practical skills.

Here's everything you need to know about zSpace and how it can be used for teaching.

What is zSpace?

zSpace is an immersive learning platform that combines dedicated hardware with a library of educational software designed for schools, colleges, and training environments.

The company focuses on what it calls experiential learning. This aims to give students the opportunity to interact directly with digital objects and simulations -- rather than simply reading about processes or watching videos.

zSpace does not rely on traditional VR headsets. Instead, students use specially designed laptops or workstations that display 3D content that can be manipulated using a stylus. This creates the feeling of interacting with physical objects and dodges lots of the practical challenges associated with headset-based VR.

The platform is popular for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), but it also supports health sciences, manufacturing, skilled trades, and career-focused learning programs. The idea here is to help students better understand difficult concepts through direct interaction and exploration.

How does zSpace work?

zSpace is designed to make digital learning feel more physical. Students can pick up, rotate, enlarge, shrink, and examine virtual objects from every angle.

Rather than viewing a diagram of the human body, for example, they can pull virtual organs apart, explore anatomical systems layer by layer, and investigate structures that would be difficult to visualize using more standard teaching methods.

The same approach applies across other subjects. Engineering students can inspect machine components, science students can investigate molecular structures, and technical education learners can practice procedures in simulated environments before working with real-world equipment.

For teachers, the platform functions as another instructional tool rather than a replacement for existing teaching methods. Lessons can be integrated into classroom activities, used as part of blended learning programs, or offered in small groups.

Because students are actively interacting with the content rather than passively consuming it, the technology is designed to encourage curiosity, exploration, and discussion.

One of the biggest advantages is the ability to provide experiences that would otherwise be too costly, dangerous, impractical, or simply impossible in a normal classroom setting.

What are the best zSpace features?

One of the most standout features is the headset-free approach. zSpace removes the need to wear VR goggles, as many other immersive tech platforms require, making classroom use simpler and potentially more comfortable for learners.

The platform's interactive 3D models are another major strength. Being able to manipulate objects directly can help students grasp concepts that are often difficult to understand through static images alone. This is helpful for subjects such as anatomy, engineering, physics, and technical training.

zSpace also stands out because of its focus on CTE and career readiness. Much of the content is designed to teach academic concepts and to help students with skills and scenarios they may encounter in future professions.

The company also provides curriculum resources, implementation support, and professional development for educators, to help schools integrate the technology into existing teaching practices rather than treating it as standalone.

How much does zSpace cost?

zSpace does not publicly list pricing. Costs vary depending on the hardware selected, the software packages required, and the level of support and training a school needs.

As a result, schools interested in adopting the platform will need to contact zSpace directly for a customized quote.

Best zSpace tips and tricks

Use it for concepts students struggle to visualize
The biggest gains are likely to come when teaching topics that are difficult to understand through diagrams, photographs, or written explanations alone.

Build discussion around the experience
Rather than treating zSpace as a solo activity, use it as a starting point for questions, predictions, and classroom conversations that help students process what they have explored.

Focus on experiences you cannot easily recreate
The technology is at its strongest when it enables students to do something that would otherwise be impossible, unsafe, prohibitively expensive, or unavailable in a typical classroom.

When Kadion Phillips first joined Shrewsbury Public Schools in Massachusetts as Director of Information Technology a few years ago, one of the first tasks on his agenda, like many other district leaders, was tackling how to implement artificial intelligence.

To that end, Phillips and district superintendent Joseph Sawyer established a special committee of approximately 20 staff and faculty members to address the rapid development and implementation of AI.

Ultimately, the Shrewsbury AI committee came up with five pillars to guide the district’s use of AI:

1. Preparing students for an AI future - Focusing on readying students for a future in which AI tools will be infused throughout society, higher education, and the workplace.
2. Effectively utilizing AI learning tools for students - Using AI tools to appropriately support student learning across all classrooms.
3. Implementing AI working tools for staff - Finding the right AI platforms to help faculty and staff to work more efficiently and effectively.
4. Establishing guardrails against inappropriate AI use - Putting effective rules and best practices in place to protect data and discourage inappropriate use of AI.
5. Ensuring AI practices promote academic integrity - Creating an effective framework for acceptable use of AI by students in the context of academic integrity.

Rather than selecting specific tools, the committee has worked to align these pillars with the district's "Portrait of a Graduate" skills, such as critical thinking and innovation.

“We also started creating a guiding document, more of a framework, that we're hoping to get out to staff in terms of, ‘Here's where we are right now, and here's what we're trying to get to,” Phillips says. “We're also developing a one-pager of AI dos and don'ts to release this year.”

For this and his other work in his district, Phillips was recently recognized with a Tech & Learning Innovative Leader Award. He shares his continued efforts around AI and for improving the district’s cybersecurity.

A Work In Progress

The son of a math teacher from Jamaica who eventually went on to be a school principal, Phillips was exposed early to the possibilities of a career in education and technology. He was working in tech support for a startup company near Times Square in New York City with plans on going to grad school for physics when he heard that there was a local teacher shortage.

“I decided the best way to study for grad school is to teach physics,” Phillips says. He became a teaching fellow since he didn’t have a teaching degree, which was the shortest path to certification. “I was basically kind of thrown into the classroom in New York City after doing a summer intensive, and it was definitely rewarding but also challenging.”

While teaching, his tech expertise helped him become the de facto tech guy at his school, helping to resolve any issue, from fixing the copier to helping in the computer lab to running data analysis. Although he eventually became an assistant principal, following in his mother’s footsteps, a colleague suggested another path.

“I met the tech director in Rochester and he was telling me, ‘Hey, this is what you should do, you should be a tech director,” Phillips recalls. “And I'm like, ‘a tech director, what’s that?’ I'd never heard of that role. I know you had one person help send emails, but I never really thought somebody was in the back end coordinating it all.”

Phillips and his wife, also an assistant principal in NYC, were looking for a better work-life balance at this point, so they moved to suburban Massachusetts where she had been raised. After diving into tech leadership positions in a few districts, Phillips eventually ended up in Shrewsbury about two years ago, just in time for AI’s arrival in education.

As mentioned, Phillips has been proactive in implementing AI, although there are always challenges, such as staff who still are resistant to allowing it in their classrooms because they can’t get past the potential for cheating, and navigating the student data privacy aspects. Like for many districts, it continues to be a work in progress.

“We aren't necessarily picking a tool and saying this is what you need to use but it's like thinking about, ‘Hey, what are the opportunities where AI could be useful?’” Phillips says. “We figured out the skills that we want kids to get with AI is going to be similar to what we did with our portrait of a graduate, such as critical thinking, content mastery, innovation, resilience, collaboration, and even the global citizenship piece.”

‘Locking Down Without Locking Out’

In addition to a focus on AI, Phillips has prioritized cybersecurity as a foundational element of the district’s technology plan, which has earned his team a Massachusetts Governor’s Citation for Municipal Cybersecurity.

“We try to lock things down as much as possible,” says Phillips, adding that they have multifactor authentication on all systems now. “We also have tiered access, like limiting who needs to get access to what. So like our main account doesn't have access to our domain controller, for example, so even if our regular account were to get compromised, it wouldn't have any access to our other internal systems.”

Or, as he puts it, “locking down without locking out” users.

Despite his best efforts, however, Phillips knows cybersecurity is sometimes out of his hands.

“It's just one of those things where we're trying to do best practices but the vendors for our most critical systems, we also have to trust that they're also doing the same,” he says, noting some recent high-profile data breaches. “I think that's what keeps us IT workers up at night, you know, showing up in the morning and seeing that your system potentially could be compromised.”

The district utilizes a state-funded grant to provide training and conduct phishing campaigns, which has improved staff awareness and the reporting of suspicious activities.

Even so, cybersecurity needs to be a constant commitment.

“You can create all this security, do all the training, and build this wall around it,” Phillips says. “But then somebody just leaves the door right open.”

Tools They Use

• Google for Education
• Schoology
• Seesaw
• ParentSquare
• Zoom
• Apple MacBooks and iPads
• Epson
• Fresh Service

A recent book review in The New York Times generated controversy after readers noted it echoed certain passages from a previously published review of the same book in The Guardian. After investigating the incident, New York Times editors revealed the writer who wrote their review admitted to using AI and was unaware the chatbot was lifting ideas.

This is a mainstream example of a new type of plagiarism that has become increasingly common in the classroom. I’ve started calling AI plagiarism to distinguish it from both traditional plagiarism and overall AI cheating.

What’s striking is that it emerges both from clearly inappropriate AI use, such as students entering prompts directly into an AI chatbot, as well as from using AI as a brainstorming partner. As such, it has significant implications for how educators think and talk about appropriate AI use and prevent inappropriate use, at least when it comes to writing assignments.

Thinking about these policies recently has changed my approach as a writer and professor. Here’s how I'm overcoming AI plagiarism.

Warning Students About Dangers of AI As A Thought Partner

Since generative AI emerged as a mainstream force in education, the use of AI as a brainstorming tool has been recommended by many educators as an appropriate way for AI to assist the writing process.

Though I was initially open to this idea, I recently became skeptical of its ability to truly help as a writing partner. Students I work with have not improved their writing by asking AI for advice, and if anything, the writing I read, both in and out of class, has gotten much worse in recent years.

Beyond quality concerns, using AI as a “thought partner” places the user at a high risk of committing plagiarism. Also, if everyone is using it for the same assignments, there's potential for a lot of overlap, intentional or not.

I’ve started to tell students that taking advice from AI is like buying art from an unscrupulous art dealer. You can never be certain that the painting you purchased doesn’t belong to someone else.

Focusing On The Plagiarism Part

One positive about AI plagiarism is that it's frequently easier to catch using an old-fashioned plagiarism detector such as SafeAssign and Turnitin, which search the internet for papers submitted by other students and similar content in general.

In the writing courses I teach, when multiple students start using AI to write their papers, similar setups and phrasings start appearing. It’s easier to confront students about this than it is about potential AI use, which is more difficult to prove.

I’m all for giving students more chances and treating these infractions as teachable moments, but I’m taking a harder line than I once did because AI has made this problem more prevalent. The first time I catch students with a line or two of text that’s identical to another student, they might get off with a warning and a conversation with me. The next time, the penalty will be reported for an academic infraction.

Being Less Strict About Small Mistakes

Another way to discourage AI use in general is to let students know that I won’t be taking them to task for little grammatical mistakes as long as what they write sounds like they’re actually writing.

I never thought I’d say this, but I miss the run-on sentences and tortured, passive sentence construction, and all the other common grammar mistakes I used to see constantly. I’d rather flawed human writing than the flat, passionless, and generic owner's manual-type pieces that too many students are submitting these days.

By encouraging students to truly share their writing, without fear, I’m trying to take away one potential incentive for turning to AI.

Remind Students That AI Writing Is Bad Writing

Many people are convinced AI is making their writing better, but plagiarism concerns aside, it isn’t. I can tell when someone on social media starts using AI to write their posts, and I also see when a student turns to the AI dark side mid-semester. It’s not an improvement.

This all bears repeating for students. Writing can be an emotional roller coaster. I’ve been a professional freelance writer for close to two decades and have averaged hundreds of published stories per year. Despite this, in the course of nearly every story I’ve ever written — including this one — there was a point when I stopped and thought I should contact my editor and tell them the story is just not working.

AI catches students, and even professional writers, in this vulnerable state, and suddenly, its self-confident and immensely digestible prose looks really good. Don’t fall for it! When it comes to writing, AI is a con artist that makes you believe it knows better than you. It doesn’t, and that’s the message we should be sharing constantly with students.

ispring Free is a specific version of the larger ispring ecosystem that's designed to help make courses, and lesson creation, a simple process. Crucially, this offers a way to help teachers make digital interactive lessons using their own skills.

The idea here is to work as an add-in with Microsoft PowerPoint so that educators can build slides into lessons easily. This means using a platform that may already be familiar, only now with the option to add questions and more before outputting to an LMS for use.

The powerful free version lets you get going with lesson making right away, but you also have some other paid features including AI-driven tools to enhance the offering even further.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about ispring Free, primarily, with those extra paid tools mentioned later on so you know what else is available too.

What is ispring?

ispring is an elearning creation tool that works directly within Microsoft PowerPoint. This adds extra teaching and publishing features right there within a tool that many educators already know how to use.

Teachers can create lessons using standard slides, then enhance those with quizzes, embedded video, audio, YouTube clips, web objects, and interactive elements. Once finished, the presentation can be exported as HTML5 content or packaged as a SCORM course for use within an LMS.

You can also use PowerPoint animations, transitions, triggers, and layouts as these are preserved during conversion. Consequently, existing classroom presentations can often be repurposed rather than rebuilt from scratch.

The free version includes three quiz types: multiple choice, multiple response, and short answer. These are enough for many classroom assessments and knowledge checks, plus you can pay for the more premium features if needed.

How does ispring work?

ispring Free appears as an additional tab inside PowerPoint. Teachers build lessons as they normally would, then use ispring’s tools to add interactive and assessment elements.

To publish, educators can export lessons as SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004 packages for upload into LMS platforms, or simply create HTML5 lessons that can be shared via links or websites.

Courses are responsive, so these automatically adapt for phones, tablets, and desktop devices without extra work. That's very useful for homework, remote learning, or flipped classroom teaching so students can then access content on different devices.

Teachers can track learner progress when using an LMS. Quiz scores, completion rates, and learner participation data can all be monitored through these systems.

This is built to be quick and easy to pick-up and use. So while there are limitations in terms of complexity, for a lesson building tool that works with ease, this does the job well.

What are the best ispring features?

ispring is integrated into PowerPoint, which is one of the main appeals here for ease of uptake and simplicity of creation. No training is going to be needed here in most cases.

SCORM publishing is another major appeal. Lots of other free tools struggle with LMS compatibility, but ispring Free supports SCORM 1.2 and 2004 output, allowing courses to work with platforms such as Moodle and Blackboard.

Courses automatically resize for different screens, which helps students access lessons on phones or tablets -- something that's rare to find in free tools such as this.

Quiz creation is simple but effective, with built-in knowledge checks that can include timers, shuffled answers, and feedback. In addition, there's support for embedding web objects and multimedia directly into lessons, helping otherwise less engaging slide decks feel more interactive and enthralling.

The biggest limitation is depth. The paid ispring Suite adds far more advanced interactions, branching scenarios, drag-and-drop tasks, AI tools, narration features, and richer quiz options.

How much does ispring cost?

ispring Free is just that, without any cost to use. It has no limits on time or slides, and does not include forced branding.

It's worth noting that the free version is very much intended as a gateway into the paid ecosystem. Those who want advanced quiz types, video creation tools, AI features, role-play simulations, or content libraries will need to upgrade to ispring Suite.

Individual accounts for the full suite start in the hundreds but for education institutions there are bespoke prices available on request.

ispring best tips and tricks

Reuse old presentations
Convert existing PowerPoint lessons into interactive online resources rather than rebuilding content from scratch.

Add quick knowledge checks
Use the built-in quizzes after key slides to reinforce understanding and keep learners engaged.

Publish for mobile learning
Export lessons as responsive HTML5 content so students can revise on phones and tablets.

University of Central Florida associate professor Humberto López Castillo was recently looking at a student project when he saw that it cited a paper by Castillo himself. There was, however, a problem with this citation: López Castillo couldn’t remember ever writing this paper or conducting the research it referenced.

“It was a hallucination,” López Castillo says.

The student had clearly used AI, and López Castillo shares the story as an example of how not to use AI in the classroom. Still, he has plenty of counterexamples.

López Castillo, a trained pediatrician and associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences, has also seen students use AI in creative ways to promote public health understanding, and as a research tool. For one project, López Castillo asks students to explain health concepts from class to non-experts, and since he started encouraging students to use AI, he’s seen the projects get better. Students have created health-themed board games and Hamilton-style rap songs. Others have designed AI to aid in health research in ways that wouldn’t be possible without the technology.

This compassionate and student-centered approach to AI use is part of why López Castillo was named Superhuman (formerly Grammarly’s) 2026 Educator of the Year. The student who nominated López Castillo for the award, Vardhan Avaradi, is a bioscience major, who with López Castillo’s mentorship, is using AI to try to comb through massive data sets with the goal of predicting people who are at risk for cardiovascular disease.

López Castillo shares some advice for other educators on how they can use AI in their classes.

Teaching With AI Effectively: Set Expectations

The first step to positive AI use in a classroom is making it clear to students when they can and can’t use the tool, López Castillo says.

“Perhaps my most important advice is to set expectations up front around what is allowed, what is not allowed, what you are expecting to see, and what is a big no-no for your classroom,” he says.

He adds that at the University of Central Florida, “We have several policies on the menu that we could use. We can say, for example, ‘AI is absolutely not allowed in the classroom,’ all the way to ‘AI is absolutely encouraged in this classroom,’ as long as you specify there's a critical thinking component.”

López Castillo leans toward the permissive approach but makes sure that student AI use is human-driven.

Model Proper Use

Part of encouraging proper AI use is modeling the types of uses you want to see.

For example, for a summer course López Castillo is teaching in Barcelona, he is asking students to share regular blog posts. He tells students, “You may generate some content through AI, but you still have to put in your human element.” He models exactly what he means in his introduction post in which he shares photos, talks about his hobbies, and makes it clear the post was written by a human.

“Without even giving them guidelines on what their introduction post should look like, they just take that as their model, and they go with it,” he says. They can use AI to help generate their posts, “but of course they have to tweak it, and they have to provide their own input on who they are.”

Learn From Students

López Castillo is not afraid to admit that when it comes to using AI in the classroom and health science more broadly, he is frequently as much a student as those he’s teaching.

“I learn a lot from students,” he says. “Teaching and learning is a two-way street, so they are teaching me new tricks, I'm teaching them new tricks on how we use AI, and it has been very collaborative.”

His students, for instance, encouraged him to use AI to code, which, with proper oversight, has been really helpful, López Castillo says. They’ve also used the tool in unexpected ways, from the aforementioned projects looking at cardiovascular health to a virtual escape room in which participants had to correctly diagnose a patient with diabetes in order to escape.

Embrace Teachable Moments

López Castillo has long allowed open-book tests because that is what the clinical world is like.

“I don't think real life operates like, 'We're gonna lock you down in a room without resources, and you have to produce everything from your brain,'” he says. “I'd rather make sure that you have a fair balance of the tools that are available to you.”

He feels the same way about AI, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to work with students to ensure they are using AI correctly. For instance, when that student cited a paper by López Castillo that didn’t exist, he met with the student.

“We sat down, and it was an interesting moment, where I was like, 'Tell me more about this paper by me that you incorporated in your reference list,'” López Castillo says. The student immediately got nervous because he couldn’t provide any details since the paper wasn’t real. When the student admitted to not checking his sources, López Castillo reminded him that even with AI, humans are still in the driver’s seat.

“You are the one who's responsible for that writing,” López Castillo tells his students. “Your name is the only name that's going to be among the published authors, so you are the one who needs to verify those sources.”

He adds that rather than being a drawback, allowing students to make these types of mistakes with AI use in the college setting has value.

“It is a teaching opportunity," López Castillo says. "This is the moment to make those mistakes."

Vibe coding might sound like a hipster on a surfboard with a MacBook, but it’s actually a simple way to describe creating computer code using artificial intelligence.

Instead of writing every line of code yourself, you describe what you want created and the AI generates the code for you. The “vibe” part comes from the idea that you may not actually know exactly how the code is working. You are guiding the AI by feel, asking for changes, testing the result, and moving toward something that works.

While vibe coding can be looked down upon by some in the development community, its popularity is growing fast, as are its capabilities.

When people, including myself, first started vibe coding, they would ask a large language model (LLM), such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini, to create the code for a specific app or tool, then copy and paste that code into a code editor and run it manually.

When an error appeared, you would copy that error back into the LLM and it would, hopefully, provide a fix that you would then dutifully copy and paste back. You still needed to be relatively technical, even if you were not a developer, to get all these systems set up and working. It wasn’t elegant, but it could help create simple tools, fix website issues, and build early prototypes.

Things have moved on a lot over the past few years, though. Vibe coding is now much more powerful and can complete more complex tasks and create feature-filled applications. It has also become much more accessible, with bespoke tools now doing much of the heavy lifting and setup work required to get an app or website working.

Lovable, for example, uses a variety of LLMs to create a one-stop vibe coding shop using credits as AI currency. It allows people with very little, or even no, knowledge of how to develop apps to create something quickly just by describing it. Of course, as with everything AI, understanding how to prompt well makes all the difference.

I like using Claude with VS Code when I vibe code, as I know a bit of the programming language Python and want to be able to see what’s happening to the code and do some manual troubleshooting. It’s also relatively cheap.

To be brutally honest, though, AI is far more capable than I am at writing code, and I quickly have to defer to it if and when things don’t go as expected.

The difference between the two approaches is significant. With a tool such as Lovable, the “guts” are hidden and dealt with automatically, whereas with more traditional vibe coding tools you will need to set up your own environments or run programs directly on your computer to get something you can use.

What are the risks of vibe coding?

This leads into one of the biggest risks of vibe coding: you don’t fully hold the reins.

An LLM can misunderstand what you want. It can also make mistakes, confidently create code that does not work, or create fragile systems that look good but are hard to change or maintain. As complexity increases on a project, you might find yourself losing control of it. This can be particularly problematic when the AI ties itself up in knots trying to understand what you want or fix something it does not know how to fix.

This is where choosing the right AI tool can help a lot. In my experience, some AI coding tools can get stuck and claim to have fixed an issue when clearly it has not, or even worse, created a new one somewhere else.

As with all LLMs, you need to be able to decipher the language when it tells you something such as, “Oh sorry, I see what I need to do now, let me fix that,” so you know when it is genuinely correcting the problem and when it is just trying to be helpful but is actually more stuck than Winnie the Pooh in a jar of honey. Best-case scenario this can lead to wasted time or credits being used up without the issue being resolved.

It’s good to be aware of the recent horror stories, such as AI coding tools deleting databases or removing whole features from a product. It’s also worth being careful with the idea that vibe coding means anyone can now create an app. That is true up to a point, particularly for simple prototypes, experiments, and personal tools. But creating a safe, reliable app that other people depend on is a different thing altogether.

You might be able to describe what you want in plain English and get the AI to generate the code, but that does not remove the need to check, test, and understand what has been created. The easier AI makes it to build something, the easier it also becomes to build something fragile without realizing it.

This is why relying solely on a vibe-coded program that is integral to your work can be risky. But there are areas where vibe coding is, frankly, a bit magical.

What are the benefits of vibe coding?

Vibe coding feels like a genuine shift because it lets people who are not developers start making software, in the same way the early web let people publish without owning a printing press.

One of its most powerful benefits is that it allows someone with an idea to create a working proof of concept quickly. That does not mean the end result is ready to be used by hundreds or thousands of people, but it can be enough to show what is possible.

Creating a visual and working prototype can also help guide a development team and stakeholders. Instead of simply describing what you want, you can show an early version of the tool or app and use that to shape the discussion.

Vibe coding can also help you learn by doing. You can ask the AI questions and ask it to explain what it is doing and why. Over time, this can start to give you a better understanding of how the code works.

One of the most powerful uses of vibe coding, in my opinion, is creating small tools or programs that are very specific to your needs. Whether that’s a simple game you want to create for your students, a classroom quiz, a revision tool, or an app that helps keep parents up to speed on school changes, vibe coding can help you get there more quickly and at far less cost than using a development team or, in some cases, paying for a third-party provider.

Vibe coding can also be useful for experienced developers. They might not use it in quite the same way as a beginner, but it can still help them move faster. Sometimes the AI is useful for getting the first rough version of something working, even if the developer then has to go back through it, tidy it up, and make sure it is actually safe and sensible.

The important point is that vibe coding is strongest when it is used for experimentation, learning, and prototyping. It is less suitable when the software needs to be secure, reliable, long-lasting, or used by lots of people without proper review.

How to explain vibe coding to students in class

The best way to explain vibe coding to students is to say that it is giving instructions to an AI and seeing whether the AI can turn those instructions into a working program.

The student is not writing every line of code in the traditional way. They are describing what they want the software to do, then testing whether the AI has understood them correctly. That’s the key difference.

In normal coding lessons, students often start by learning syntax: the rules of the programming language. They learn how to write a variable, a loop, a function, or a condition, and then use those building blocks to make something.

With vibe coding, the starting point is often the idea instead. The student might begin with, “I want a quiz about volcanoes,” or “I want a game that helps me practice spelling.” The AI then creates the first version of the code.

That does not mean the student has finished. In many ways, that is where the learning starts. The student has to work out whether the AI understood the task. Does the program do what they expected? Is the information correct? Does the scoring work? What happens when a user makes a mistake? Can the student explain why the code behaves the way it does?

This is the part students need to understand. Vibe coding can feel instant, but it is not simply pressing a button and getting a finished app. It is a process of describing, testing, questioning, fixing, and improving.

As school is almost out around the country, I think a great deal about transition and change opportunities, knowing a new path forward can present our choice of solutions over persistent problems. I can remember when I started my leadership journey, handling a faculty that was carved out of the “us against them” mentality . . . .

School leaders need to leverage change when faced with this. Considering challenges like this remind me of a hit dystopian show, The Handmaid’s Tale. In it, The Eyes are the secret police of Gilead—ubiquitous, invisible, and terrifying. They don’t just enforce laws; they create a climate in which everyone becomes a volunteer spy, terrified that a coworker, friend, or neighbor is documenting and reporting their every "indiscretion."

When a school culture mirrors this, we are stuck in our own dystopia; it becomes a place where teachers and leaders look over their shoulder instead of at their students.

Here is how that toxic dynamic manifests, and how a principal can act as a buffer to disrupt–or better yet–dismantle it.

The Faculty Lounge as a Surveillance Hub

In a toxic school environment, "The Eyes" are not a formal department but rather a culture of lateral surveillance through which staff members monitor each other’s clock-in times, lesson plan quality, curriculum delivery, or management styles.

This is rarely done to help; instead, it is used to gather "intel." In these places, gossip serves as a weaponized currency used to gain power, influence, or divert attention from personal insecurities. When mistakes occur—whether it is a parent complaint or a botched lesson—the immediate instinct is not to solve the problem, but to find a scapegoat.

The Principal as a Protective Shield

School leaders need to own this problem even if they didn’t create it. They must consistently and respectfully manage these “blamers,” responsibilities, problems, and complaints back to their rightful owners.

Principals must act as a shield that absorbs negativity from those attempting to weaponize others' vulnerabilities so it doesn't crush the staff morale, or worse, hamper their impact on children.

This process begins by actively filtering the "intel." When a staff member attempts to "report" a colleague’s minor infraction, formally or informally, a protective principal shuts it down, redirecting rather than using that perceived, or worse, real power to build a file on a peer.

The principal must redirect by shifting the focus from who made a mistake to what went wrong with the system. For example, if an assembly fails because of a technical error, the leader pivots others from blaming an individual to analyzing how to make the technical checklist more transparent for everyone.

By practicing accountability and absorbing the shock for others' mistakes, the principal removes the incentive for staff to blame one another. If the leader says, "That’s on me," the staff no longer needs a scapegoat, unless that scapegoat becomes twisted into the principal to blame (more on that later).

Building a Sanctuary of Practice

Disrupting this culture requires an intentional focus on psychological safety. School leaders must move the environment away from a system of surveillance and secrecy toward one of support and transparency. Instead of monitoring for mistakes, the leader transforms the organization to monitoring for needs. This shift replaces finger-pointing with process analysis and ensures equity, through which everyone is held to the same clear standard rather than utilizing toxic informants.

When a principal refuses to allow staff to throw each other under the bus, the "Eyes" eventually lose sight of the cause. If snickering, spying, and sabotage no longer result in social or professional capital, the behavior is minimized, or better yet, stops altogether.

By serving as a filter, the principal can build a safe practice space. Teachers begin to take risks and innovate because they know that if they stumble, their leader will catch them rather than let the "Eyes" report them.

If All Else Fails: Dismantling "The Eyes"

Sometimes, despite your best efforts to empower decent people, a toxic culture has taken deep root. If all else fails, you have to look at the climate of surveillance that the police state has built and act to dismantle it. Break up the group!

The vocal, negative minority rarely perform their negativity in a vacuum and thrive on a specific kind of fuel: an audience. These cliques require the middle-of-the-road teachers to watch, nod, or remain silently compliant.

Neutralizing a negative clique is about protecting the classroom for those who are there for their kids. This process starts by identifying the ringleaders—often veterans with high informal influence—and addressing them with surgical precision. By dealing with these bad actors individually and privately, the leader prevents the public access to the theater of their "gotcha" moments, removing their ammunition of derailment, ensuring the oxygen in the room remains focused on student growth rather than adult grievances.

As the leader works to shut the "Eyes," systems thinking becomes a silent form of cultural reorganization. Because negative energy is highly contagious in close quarters, the architect of a "win-win" faculty thoughtfully disperses these magnets away from one another, breaking up the echo chambers in which gossip acts as a weapon.

When the focus shifts from the challenging individuals to the majority who stand together for children over power, the social capital of the negative group begins to deteriorate. By giving the best teachers the loudest voice and the most significant influence, the principal makes it socially "uncool" to join the surveillance culture. If spying and sabotage no longer result in proximity to power, the "Eyes" eventually go blind.

Administrative transfers are equivalent to retirement and other “miracles,” when relocating individuals to different departments, grade levels, or schools permanently disrupts the clique’s daily operational power.

In the end, the goal is to curate a faculty in which every member is invested. By removing these final toxic roadblocks, the leader ensures that the negative individuals move on to environments better suited for them, while the remaining staff finally finds the psychological safety they need to thrive, innovate, and look forward instead of over their shoulders.

Edcafe AI is a rare tool in the world of AI as it, unlike many others out there, is specifically designed to support classes through the entire teaching cycle.

Built for educators, this AI tool works to offer support across the full teaching process, from lesson planning to assessments -- all in one easy-to-access platform.

The idea here is to offer a more time-efficient way to work, without jumping around between tools. From building a lesson from scratch -- differentiating for mixed abilities -- to tracking student progress, this tool should streamline that process for ease.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about Edcafe AI for use in your class.

What is Edcafe AI?

Edcafe AI is a digital AI-powered assistant for teachers to help across planning, teaching, and assessing lessons. By combining multiple tools, this offers a single platform for teachers to create, organize, deliver, and evaluate learning.

This allows teachers to plan curriculum-aligned lessons and then create classroom-ready learning materials. Assigning these to students, and assessing as well as tracking progress, is also built into the platform.

That all should mean teachers only need to open this one tool to get everything done, saving on time and effort -- so they can focus on more valuable teacher-student time.

How does Edcafe AI work?

Edcafe AI combines the power of artificial intelligence with the materials already being used by teachers. Current and sourced materials can be uploaded for use, all being enhanced to work with the AI ecosystem.

What that actually looks like is a teacher uploads a document, slides, or curriculum content. The AI then generates lessons, quizzes, or activities that can be shared using links or QR codes. Students can then work with these materials as teachers track engagement and performance in real time.

Usefully, there are feedback loops that allow teachers to see how students are responding, so as to refine future lessons based on student ability.

Since students don't need accounts, this is all super simple to setup and share so students can begin working with the materials right away.

What are the best Edcafe AI features?

Edcafe AI uses artificial intelligence to make the creation of materials fast and easy from full lesson plans, slides, and quizzes to reading activities.

Chatbots can also be created, with custom inputs, which are then able to assist students as they work through topics. They then can get personalized feedback and help as they work, without it costing teachers on time.

Those quizzes that can be generated are also able to be auto-graded, saving even more teacher time. This can be a quick way to assess student ability with any learning gaps easy to identify and work on improving.

Since Google Drive can be used with this system, it makes for an easy way not only to access and enhance current materials, but to generate and share more across the school.

Everything is end-to-end here, so teachers can work in one platform to get everything done. This is not only helpful for saving on time, but can also be far less mentally straining.

How much does Edcafe AI cost?

Edcafe AI offers a tiered pricing model, including a free option. The plans break down like this:

Free plan: Limited AI generations and core tools.

Pro plan: From around $7.99/month (annual billing) with expanded features.

Premium plan: From around $14.99/month with unlimited usage and school-level tools.

Custom options are also available for schools and districts, including onboarding and integration support.

Edcafe AI best tips and tricks

Start with your own materials
Upload existing lesson content to get more accurate, curriculum-aligned outputs.

Use chatbots for differentiation
Set up different chatbots for varying ability levels or topics to personalize support.

Generate then refine
Treat AI outputs as a starting point and tweak for tone, accuracy, and class context.

ClassPoint is one of those tools designed to perfectly blend other software that teachers, until now, have been using separately. The idea being that this can save time and effort with one do-it-all solution.

The combination here is of the ever-helpful slides-based tools, such as PowerPoint, with quiz-style apps that allow for more measurable engagement.

This does plenty more though, thanks to AI and the ability to gamify learning, all while offering real-time feedback to educators.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about ClassPoint to see if it could save you time and enhance your instruction.

What is ClassPoint?

ClassPoint is a digital tool that combines slide-based teaching with interactive assessment options to offer a more dynamic class experience.

This integrates directly with Microsoft PowerPoint so teachers can use current tools and slides to make it all more interactive.

The app offers quizzes and polls that allow educators to measure student answers, live. This also helps teachers to turn slides into interactive whiteboards, with slide annotation live as the class works through materials.

To be clear, this works within PowerPoint, so existing class materials can be reused rather than doing everything from scratch.

How does ClassPoint work?

ClassPoint works as a PowerPoint add-on, so you can get this installed and then work on your slide decks directly.

Teachers can work with the interactive elements right there from within the slides. Students are sent a join code that allows them to interact using their own devices. Everyone can be working on the main whiteboard screen, with interactions sent live from their devices.

So while teachers are presenting as normal, students are able to respond with answers to quizzes, annotation drawing, or even uploads from their devices. The results of all this can be shown immediately on screen at the front of class.

Also integrated is an AI quiz generator. This scans the slides you're using and automatically offers questions that will work with that presentation. That can mean a huge saving on preparation time for teachers as well as the ability to get into a quiz on any slide section, even if previously unplanned.

What are the best ClassPoint features?

ClassPoint is all real-time so feedback from students is live, allowing teachers to adapt their teaching -- stopping longer on a topic or moving on -- as the lesson progresses.

That AI quiz generator is a really big value as saves time, offering more spontaneity and the ability to adjust these to suit different ability levels.

Teachers can gamify everything as there is the option to award stars, track progress, and even display leaderboards to help with motivation and participation.

Thanks for the ability to annotate directly, this allows any PowerPoint slide to become an interactive whiteboard canvas. This is for teachers, live, but also for students that want to add text, images, audio, video, drawings and more.

Usefully, for teachers, this can help with tracking of participation, with built-in reporting tools.

How much does ClassPoint cost?

ClassPoint offers a tiered pricing model that includes a free plan. The levels break down into:

Free (Basic): Limited features, small class sizes, and capped quizzes.

Pro: Around $8/month (billed annually), unlocks larger classes, unlimited questions, and more advanced tools.

Premium: Custom pricing for schools, with features such as unlimited AI credits and deeper analytics.

The free tier is functional enough for trying it out, but most of the more powerful features, especially AI and analytics, sit behind the paid plans.

ClassPoint best tips and tricks

Turn slides into instant quizzes
Add interactive questions directly into your PowerPoint to check understanding without switching tools.

Use live responses to guide teaching
Adjust your lesson in real time based on how students answer polls and quizzes.

Gamify participation with points
Reward correct answers and engagement to motivate quieter students to get involved.

Google is attempting to position Gemini as a leader for AI tutoring when it comes to standardized test prep for the SAT and other tests. Earlier this year, they announced a partnership with the Princeton Review to allow practice tests followed by instant feedback from Gemini that can tell a student where they excelled and highlight areas they might need to study more.

The feature builds on Gemini’s learn mode. Previously called “Guided Learning,” this is a tutoring mode built on a collection of AI models called LearnLM that were specifically designed with teaching in mind and built with principles of education science.

Here’s a closer look at Gemini’s tutoring and test prep abilities.

Using Gemini To Prepare for Tests

For SAT prep, Gemini can generate full practice tests for free. All you need to do is enter a prompt such as, “I want to take a practice SAT test,” and Gemini will generate a test on it. This test will utilize resources from the Princeton Review, a test-prep company that draws on real SAT questions to generate practice tests.

In my experience, this feature works just as advertised. It took me only minutes to generate a quick practice test, and I also had the option of having Gemini create sample SAT questions. It quizzed me and offered encouragement when I got questions right and great explanations when I got questions wrong. This is a tool that seems like it would be helpful for students preparing for this test.

This type of access to high-quality practice tests and tutoring is a great way to increase access to better test preparation methods for people from all economic backgrounds as Gemini is available for free. I also suspect Gemini’s AI coaching could be helpful even for those who get one-on-one tutoring.

Google Wants Gemini To Be A Tutoring Leader

This recent foray into test prep is part of Google’s larger effort to make Gemini the go-to AI for tutoring. So far they seem successful in these efforts to me.

Gemini in learn mode has outperformed other similar tools in certain studies. For instance, researchers compared Google Gemini's and ChatGPT's effectiveness for enhancing the academic writing skills of English learners in two Thai universities. The study found “both tools effectively improved linguistic accuracy and essay structure,” however, “Gemini was found to work better than ChatGPT in multimodal feedback and source integration.”

This tracks with my own experience using both tools. While any AI tool has its limitations and subtle inaccuracies can be a big problem for test prep, Gemini in learn mode is the best AI tutor with which I have interacted. And Gemini continues to improve its tutoring features. In addition to the SAT test, Google recently announced Gemini can provide vetted tests for the Joint Entrance Examination, a standardized engineering entrance exam used in India. It also seems likely Google will expand Gemini’s data set to include other standardized tests going forward.

Overall, I’m once again really impressed with Gemini’s tutoring abilities. My graduate school options were somewhat limited because I was so afraid of taking the GRE that any program that required its completion was ruled out. It’s possible had a tool such as Gemini been available when I was younger, I would have felt differently, though I am very happy with the graduate program in which I ended up attending.

As regular Tech & Learning readers know, I have mixed feelings about AI. But I’m impressed by this feature. Using Gemini to prepare for standardized tests feels as if it could have been a game-changer for me personally and may indeed be a game-changer for many students today.

Since I was young, one of my favorite things to do was read. So naturally, as I got older, I more or less stopped doing it. Part of the problem was that I was waiting for the perfect time and place to read. I wanted a quiet spot with a comfortable chair and enough time to read a chapter or so.

However now, as a father of two young kids juggling multiple teaching and writing experiences, these types of perfect reading moments don’t really exist for me—I'm sure other educators can relate.

Over the years, I’ve had to abandon this idealized reading mindset and adopt a more I-thrive/read-in-chaos mindset. Technology has helped with this, and the combination of using ebooks and audiobooks has allowed me to average about three to four books per month.

I’m certainly no super reader, but as the summer approaches and we all look to get in extra reading, here are some ways in which technology has helped me keep up with my reading.

1. Reading Ebooks

I truly prefer to read a real paper book over an ebook as there’s just something about the way the paper crinkles as you turn the page that can’t be duplicated in a Kindle or other digital reader.

Even so, I read much more when I read ebooks. Unsurprisingly, this is all about convenience. Real books require two hands to hold and proper lighting to see. They also have a habit of getting lost or left at home when you need them most.

Ebooks are always with you. I’ve tried dedicated ebook readers, such as a Kindle, but the best bet for me is just to use a reading app on my phone. This way it's always with me, and when I’m tempted to go online and start scrolling through social media, I remind myself to read for five minutes instead. Often this five minutes turn into 10 or 15 minutes, and little by little, I work my way through more books.

2. Listening to Audio Books

I love going to live author events and listening to them read from their work, but I will admit that during a live reading, my mind often wanders and I can’t follow the plot details. This used to happen to me with audiobooks as well.

To stay engaged, I eventually started adjusting the playback speed. I start at 1.25 speed and then go up from there based on the speed of the narrator. When I’m really dialed into a story, I’ll often listen at 1.7 speed, which approaches the speed at which I actually read.

I also find that audiobooks lend themselves particularly well to nonfiction, first-person narratives, and/or stories with fewer characters. Sprawling multicharacter epics still tend to confuse me a bit when listening. But overall, when we listen to books, we retain about as much information as when we read them, research shows, and that's what I've found.

3. Reading Audio and Ebooks Together

Some worry that when we listen to audiobooks instead of reading, it encourages us to stop reading altogether. This isn’t the case, according to most reading experts. In fact, some have told me that listening to books supports reading books.

I’ve certainly found this to be the case personally, and I've discovered a great strategy to increase my reading is to listen to and read the same book.

Amazon offers Whispersync, a feature that allows you to seamlessly toggle back and forth between your audiobook and Kindle without losing your place. Even if you prefer to use a more independent bookstore-friendly platform such as Libro.FM, I find that with a little effort, it’s not too hard to go back and forth between the two and keep moving forward through the narrative. If I’m listening to an audiobook and want to find my spot in the ebook I’m reading, I just search a particular phrase.

One of the biggest hurdles to me finishing a book is momentum. If I spend too long reading any book, I tend to get tired of it. Listening and reading the same book really fights this and helps me get to 50 pages or so of progress without too much effort.

4. Chunking

As teachers, we are often encouraging our students to make small manageable goals and then start completing those. I believe the same sort of principle is behind what makes social media so addictive. It comes in bite-sized servings. We don’t have to commit to reading any particular text or watching any video, it doesn’t matter if we get interrupted.

I’ve tried to apply this to my reading habits and be less concerned about interruptions. If I have a few minutes to read, I’ll take that opportunity rather than scroll on social media. Audiobooks and ebooks lend themselves well to this technique because chapter and section breaks are less prominent as you read or listen, but the same idea holds true for traditional books as well.

5. Scrolling Past

Another lesson from social media I try to apply to reading is the idea of scrolling past something in which I'm not interested. On social media, the scroll never ends, and if what the algorithm is showing me isn’t interesting, there’s always plenty more to read. The same is, of course, true of regular reading. And those who study literacy say the idea that you must finish every book you start can halt reading progress.

Personally, I’ve started abandoning ship or scrolling past if I find my reading focus waning while reading a book. What I try to do is revisit the book after reading two or three other books, just to see if it was a matter of my being in the wrong mindset. This is occasionally the case, but more often than not, if I don’t finish a book, it’s because it is just not for me. Unless it is something I need to read for research, once I’ve given a book a second try, I move on for good.

A part of me still hates not finishing a book, but I’ve learned to silence that part of me and figuratively scroll past the book I don’t like. This is one of the most effective ways I've found for continuing to read overall.

ClickView is a video-learning platform that's been designed specifically to work in education class scenarios. That means this is a safe, classroom-appropriate resource that's loaded up with educators in mind.

Unlike the mine-field that can be YouTube, this is filled with curriculum-aligned content that is well-organized so teachers can find and use what they need with ease -- saving on time and effort.

Thanks to the vetted and curated content, along with interactive tools, this can be used as a powerful way to deepen or introduce learning in class and beyond.

This guide aims to lay out all you could need to know about ClickView as a potential tool for your class.

What is ClickView?

ClickView is all about video, specifically school-based video viewing. This education-focused video platform offers access to thousands of curriculum-aligned, curated videos that cover a range of subjects and topics.

Since this is built for education specifically, the content is all age-appropriate, curriculum-linked, and vetted for classroom use.

Usefully, it's all well-organized too. Teachers can browse by subject, topic, or learning level to get to video content that relevant and high-quality -- ultimately saving on search time. Plus, it's possible to add interactive, assessment elements to make this even more engaging.

Students can access this via a single sign-on, class code, or school credentials -- all meaning access through a secure and school-friendly system.

How does ClickView work?

ClickView is made to work as a tool that teachers can use to make their planning easier, more rich, and ultimately, faster -- while still giving students the most engaging experience.

Teachers start by logging in to their school account. They can then immediately search by topic, subject, or keyword as needed. Filters help to narrow results with results focused on level, content type, and topic.

When the video has been picked, it can be played in class, shared with students directly, embedded into lesson plans, or assigned for independent study at another time.

Teachers can give student access via a class code, or students can get in using their own login, depending on how the school is setup. This can mean in-class use but also at-home learning, if a hybrid model is being used with this setup.

Usefully, teachers can also add interactive layers to follow after the video has been watched. These include questions, annotations, and interactive timeline elements. All that should make for a more active learning experience that sticks.

What are the best ClickView features?

ClickView has thousands of videos that are all curriculum-aligned, so teachers can search by specific topic to quickly find ideal materials without the need to vet it themselves.

The interactivity of videos is a big draw here as it allows teachers to tailor the follow-up experience. That can lead to a more engaged viewer, knowing they need to answer questions after.

The search functionality is a big draw here as it allows for direct keyword searches but also a browse function. This can help stimulate lesson planning by browsing what's available, or offer direct results to save on time.

Since students can access these videos via a shared code, or school login, it makes for easy access across devices. Sharing these for in-class or at-home use is just as easy either way.

Analytics tools allow teachers to see how students have engaged with the videos and interactive elements. This should be useful in guiding help for students, adapting lesson plans, and generally tailoring support.

Teachers can even upload their own videos and resources to help build the customized library available across the school or class.

How much does ClickView cost?

ClickView pricing is not publicly listed and is typically offered via a school or district subscription model.

Costs vary depending on school size, region, feature access, and licensing requirements.

Schools usually need to request a quote or demo to get specific pricing details.

ClickView best tips and tricks

Use clips instead of full videos
Short segments keep attention high and allow for more targeted discussion.

Add questions directly into videos
Embedding quizzes help check understanding in real time without extra worksheets.

Flip the classroom
Assign videos as homework so lesson time can focus on discussion and application.

Dotstorming is a digital point of centralization for a class to help get everyone contributing as a team.

While real-world voting and brainstorming can leave out the quiet voices, this tool works to help everyone have a say. It's equal parts digital sticky notes and voting system, all working live in the room.

This is a simple tool at its heart, offering voting to the class, but in a way that's powerful in its potential output. With the option to span in class use and hybrid learning models, this is a helpful way to keep the class focused as a group.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about how Dotstorming could work for your class.

What is Dotstorming?

Dotstorming is a digital tool that is browser-based for easy access across the class and devices available. This works as a brainstorming and decision-making system that lets the group share ideas and vote in real time.

Use text, images, videos, and PDFs, as the virtual board system allows for a range of materials to be shared in the class for discussion purposes.

This, used in conjunction with the "dot voting" system, allows the students to participate in group decisions instantly. Teachers can then cut the debate and noise when trying to get directly to a group consensus, or gauge of class opinions on a matter.

Easy organization of these "boards," by popularity, allow for further streamlining of this process for use in class with minimal teacher effort.

How does Dotstorming work?

Dotstorming offers teachers a space to create boards that can then be shared with students via a link. Since there is no login needed, or special devices thanks to browser access, this can be used across student devices easily.

Students are then able to add their own ideas in a post-style system using text, images, and videos. They can see the contributions of others and vote on preferred ideas using their limited number of votes to pick and choose.

For teachers, there is the chance to manage the number of votes each student has before letting them take part. Control over chat and commenting is also available, with the option to disable. Finally, teachers can also lock submissions ready to move onto voting as the only option, for simplicity.

Once voting is all done, the results can be stored and used as part of future discussions or lesson planning. All that helps this become a useful formative assessment tool as well as prioritization pointer.

What are the best Dotstorming features?

Dotstorming works in real-time so group collaboration, at speed, is possible without getting lost in debate or counting of votes. That can result in high-energy and inclusive lessons while keeping everyone involved in voting.

The rich media support makes this a powerful tool to use across a range of subjects. That means using images, videos, text, and PDFs to help teachers bring in ideas but also to allow students a way to freely express themselves.

The sticky note-style layout on the board makes for a very visually engaging way to share information. It strikes the balance between digital and analogue that feels easy to use while still staying efficient and organized.

The fact students can join in with a simple link and their name, without account creation being necessary, is a hugely powerful part of how easy and effective Dotstorming is for use in classes, even for the first time. It also supports student data privacy.

How much does Dotstorming cost?

Dotstorming works on a freemium model. That means you have two levels:

Free: Limited boards and topics, but fully functional for basic classroom use.

Paid plans: Offer expanded usage and additional features (pricing varies).

For many teachers, the free tier is enough to run effective sessions, especially if boards are reused.

Dotstorming best tips and tricks

Start with a focused prompt
Clear, specific questions lead to better quality ideas and more meaningful voting.

Limit the number of votes
Restricting votes forces students to prioritize rather than select everything.

Use it for checks
Have students post what they don’t understand, then vote to surface key gaps.

Flint is an AI tool designed to offer personalized learning, and teaching, to students and educators in a very effective way.

Unlike many of the ever-appearing new AI tools out there, this is designed from the ground up as a way to make learning better. That's where this stands out. Rather than acting as a generic chatbot, it is designed specifically for classroom use, with guardrails, analytics, and structured activities that aim to keep teachers in control.

This is about extending teaching by giving each student something closer to one-to-one support, while still aligning with curriculum goals. Offering AI tutoring, assignment creation, and classroom analytics, this is built to make life easier all round.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about how Flint could work in your class.

What is Flint?

Flint is an AI-powered learning platform built specifically for K–12 schools, designed to support personalized instruction across subjects including math, science, English, and languages.

Two key parts are available here: one in the AI teaching assistant, to help create lessons, activities, and feedback. But there is also the AI tutor part, called Sparky, which helps students by adapting explanations and supporting individual needs.

Centered around class workflows, these tools help teachers make AI-driven assignments, upload curriculum materials, and define how much help the AI is allowed to give, ranging from gentle guidance to more direct support.

Usefully, this can be deployed across schools, with admin oversight and LMS integrations, as well as helpful analytics and engagement tracking, all as part of the package.

How does Flint work?

Flint lets teachers create or upload content using items such as worksheets, rubrics, lessons, or external resources as needed. Using that as a foundation, the AI is then able to generate interactive learning activities to be completed.

Students can then interact through the sessions, asking questions, working through problems, or getting writing feedback as they go. This is great for projects, in which structured support can help them work at scale without the need for lots of teacher-based scaffolding along the way -- potentially helping build confidence, too.

The system uses large language models with tools such as web search, code-based calculations, and translation to improve accuracy and flexibility.

Teachers keep control throughout, since they can design and implement guardrails. This includes preventing the AI from giving direct answers or requiring it to guide students through reasoning instead, for example.

Admins and teachers can also view interaction histories, allowing for transparency and safeguarding, with automatic flagging of inappropriate content.

What are the best Flint features?

Flint is all about that AI tutoring for students to feel supported and engaged with at their level -- helping high achievers progress at their pace while anyone struggling can be supported to grow comfortably.

The ability to implement guardrails is a huge positive for educators. They can define how the AI behaves, ensuring it supports learning without simply giving answers.

The use of content already available, such as teacher materials currently in use, is a really powerful way that this extends teaching and learning without going from scratch. It can also help sticking to current lesson plans and standards easily.

Feedback is powerful here with real-time looks at student performance and engagement. This is individual but also with a general overview across the class.

When it comes to assignments, this AI can help with deadlines, time limits, and follow-up activities. At the same time it supports multimodal learning tools with text-to-speech, speech-to-text, image processing, and even graphing and code support for STEM subjects.

All that, plus it integrates with LMS and SIS, such as Google Classroom, to make integration and deployment an easy part of the process also.

How much does Flint cost?

Flint offers a free tier for up to 80 users, making it accessible for individual teachers or small pilots.

Paid plans are structured by school size, starting at around: $3,000/year for smaller deployments. This scales to custom pricing for larger institutions.

Paid tiers add features including LMS/SIS integration, advanced analytics, and dedicated support.

Flint best tips and tricks

Start with one class
Pilot the platform with a single group to refine how you want the AI to behave before scaling.

Set clear guardrails early
Define whether the AI should guide, hint, or explain, to shape student learning habits from the start.

Upload your own materials
Ground the AI in your curriculum to improve relevance and reduces generic responses.

AI hype keeps getting bigger and the offerings more complex. It’s being pitched to schools from every direction, but what really matters when it comes to choosing the right tool for your school?

Some AI tools promise to reduce teacher workload while others claim to revolutionize tutoring, feedback, or family communication. You’ll also find platforms that use AI focused on district operations, reporting, and data analysis. The common thread is that these all look great when demoed–believe the hype, and you’d think they could transform a school overnight into some sort of tech-enabled teaching utopia.

And this is why it’s important to slow down, ask better questions, and focus on the practicalities.

Sure classic questions such as which platform is best or what are other schools using are fair, but not the right place to start. Schools need the right fit for their students, staff, systems, and priorities. That means being more pragmatic.

So before investing in AI, school leaders should ask different questions. What problem are we actually trying to solve? Who will use it? What data will it store? Do we have the capabilities to use it effectively? How much control will we have? What happens if we get this wrong?

Those questions matter more than the flashiest demo.

Start with the problem, not the product

The first question is the simplest: What do you actually need an AI for?

Identify your goals. Do you want to reduce teacher workload, support tutoring, help teachers adapt materials for different students, speed up admin tasks, improve family communication, or analyze attendance or grades more effectively?

If leaders can’t explain the problem they’re trying to solve, they’re not ready to buy a solution.

That seems obvious, but it’s an easy mistake to make. A platform may be enticing because it generates lesson ideas in seconds or gives polished responses on demand. But if it doesn’t meet staff and student needs, it will become underused and hard to justify.

Build practical use cases first and ignore the peer pressure to bring in AI without good reason.

Ask whether your current ecosystem already covers most of your needs

If your district is already invested in Google, Microsoft, ChatGPT, or another approved environment with AI capabilities, then take stock before adding more tools.

This matters because AI doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It can sit within all sorts of systems from identity, email, and documents to permissions, policies, and support structures. If you already have an approved AI in those systems, then it’s an opportunity to discover what features and functions you might not be using to full potential yet. Identify the gaps that will add real value before considering new solutions.

Adding more tools without a clear rationale can lead to overlap, confusion, and needless costs.

Be clear whether this is for the classroom or the district office

That said, a single AI tool may not be sufficient to meet all your needs. Not every school AI tool does the same job, and schools should be wary of products that claim to do everything brilliantly.

Some tools are geared toward teaching and learning–think MagicSchool, Khanmigo, or teacher-facing uses of platforms such as Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, or OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Others sit much closer to school and district operations, such as PowerSchool, SchoolStatus, attendance tools, reporting systems, family communication platforms, and products built around data rather than classroom practice.

This distinction matters. A tool that works well at a district level may offer little in the classroom. An AI that teachers love to use in class may be a headache for IT and governance.

Before buying, ask the simple question: Is this mainly for teaching and learning, or for operations? That will help you refine your list of candidates.

Ask whether staff have the knowledge to use it well

School leaders need to think beyond a few professional development sessions when it comes to embedding a new AI tool into existing systems and workflows.

A school can buy the perfect AI tool and still struggle if staff lack confidence or digital skills. Be honest about whether teams and individuals have the basic knowledge to use the tool well, question its weaknesses, and stay within policy.

That includes knowing:

• What the tool is good at
• When not to trust it
• What data should never be entered
• How to spot weak, biased, or invented outputs
• When human review is essential

This isn’t just about knowing where to click, but about digital and AI literacy, critical thinking, and understanding AI’s limitations. This will be an ongoing task as new releases and updates will regularly offer new functionality but also potentially new issues.

It’s important to question whether you have in-house knowledge and discipline to use AI responsibly. If your school has clear guidance and confident staff then it will get more value from AI than one with patchy, uncertain usage.

That question applies differently across the organization. Senior leaders, classroom teachers, support staff, IT teams, and students don’t all need the same depth of knowledge, but they do all need enough understanding to reduce risk and use the tool effectively.

Ask data questions early

Privacy and data use needs to be included from the start.

Schools should ask:

• What data goes into the tool?
• Where is that data stored?
• Is it used to train the model?
• How long is it retained?
• Who can access it?
• Can it be reviewed and deleted?
• What visibility do administrators have?

These aren’t just compliance questions, but trust questions as well.

If staff aren’t sure what they can safely enter into a system, adoption becomes inconsistent very quickly. If leaders can’t explain how the tool handles student data, it becomes much harder to build confidence among teachers, families, and other stakeholders.

AI tools can look simple and user-friendly, but schools still need to understand what’s happening behind the scenes before they commit, especially since student data in these tools is extremely sought after by hackers.

Take extra care if the tool analyses student data

The appeal of AI for some schools goes beyond lesson planning. It’s the potential to spot patterns in attendance, grades, behavior, or assessment data more quickly than staff could on their own. In theory, that means spotting issues earlier and acting faster.

That may be useful, but it’s also one of the riskiest areas.

Schools should ask:

• What data is being analysed?
• How reliable are the patterns or predictions?
• Is the tool flagging signals for staff to review, or is it making clear recommendations that teams might feel pushed to follow unquestioningly?
• To what extent does it reinforce biases or overstate weak correlations?
• How transparent is its reasoning and confidence, particularly when it comes to suggestions?
• Who is ultimately accountable if the AI flags something incorrectly or misses a student who needs support?

While an AI can help surface useful signals about attendance, attainment, intervention, or student support, it should not sit in a technological black box. Human professional judgment still matters. In fact, it matters even more once AI is involved as school leaders need to be clear about where that line sits and ensure an overreliance on tech doesn’t lower standards.

And this is where schools need to be especially careful not to confuse pattern detection with judgment. For example, some AI detection tools used to check whether work has been generated with the aid of AI can be extremely aggressive, leading to a much higher percentage of false-positives than vendors claim.

Look at real-world accuracy, not just the demo

Which leads us into claimed accuracy. AI tools can seem utterly authoritative until you question outputs, which can be unreliable in the situations schools care about most.

The real question is whether the AI meets the school’s requirements. Can it help teachers draft useful classroom materials? Support student revision? Summarize factual information without adding hallucinations or confusion? Can it save time without creating extra checking work?

Schools should also think about the cost of mistakes.

An AI-generated worksheet with a few weak questions may be inconvenient. A tool that mishandles attendance information, behavior summaries, grading, special education support, or safeguarding-related communication creates a much more serious problem.

That’s why buying decisions should be informed by realistic testing. Schools should test tools against real-world scenarios and decide when human oversight has to remain absolute.

Ask whether it improves the work or just speeds it up

Don’t judge AI by how quickly it completes tasks. Instead, ask whether it improves the quality of the work, supports better decisions, and reduces pain points, especially in areas of low-value admin and bureaucracy.

A tool that saves time on paper may still be a poor fit if it encourages generic planning, weak feedback, or an overreliance on samey AI-generated drafts. The risk isn’t just introducing minor mistakes into lesson plans; it’s a gradual reduction of originality and human judgment.

AI should be there to either improve current work or reduce repetitive or time-consuming admin tasks. What it shouldn’t do is replace real value, expertise, subject knowledge, or meaningful interaction with students. Faster isn’t better if the work becomes thinner, flatter, and less human.

Check the admin controls before the marketing claims

One of the least glamorous parts of AI procurement is also one of the most important: control.

Before signing for anything, anyone buying an AI should ask:

• Who can use the tool?
• Can access be limited by role or age group?
• Are staff and student experiences separated?
• What is logged and flagged?
• What can administrators turn on or off?
• How does identity management work?
• Does it fit with existing sign-on and rostering systems?

A strong school AI product isn’t just one that produces impressive outputs, but one that leaders and IT teams can actually manage.

Think beyond the pilot

Many schools are willing to trial new tools. The harder question is what happens afterward.

How much training will staff need? What guidance will be required? Will policies need updating? How much support does the vendor provide? What will this look like after one term, not one week?

A successful rollout goes beyond choosing the right platform to whether the school has the capacity to use it well over time.

If a tool requires constant explanation, provides unreliable results, or adds another layer of work for already stretched staff, its value may look very different once the initial excitement fades.

Look at the full cost

So you’ve asked all the right questions and made a choice. Now you need to understand the full cost of the solution, and for that you need to look past the headline license fee.

Some costs will be monetary, others related to time and effort. Training, integration work, admin time, support, security review, policy development, and the time staff spend learning a new system should all be considered. A low-cost tool can end up feeling much more expensive if it adds unnecessary complexity or doesn't end up delivering value.

One of the most useful procurement questions is: “What will this cost in practice over a year, not just on paper at the point of sale?”

Ask what happens if you do nothing

This may be the most overlooked question of all, but before buying an AI, schools should ask: “What would happen if we didn’t buy this?”

Would an existing tool already cover much of the need? Could a simpler process change solve the same problem? Is the issue actually about training, workflow, or staffing rather than missing technology?

This question helps schools test whether the purchase is genuinely necessary or simply feels timely because AI is dominating the conversation.

What happens when schools don’t ask these questions?

When schools rush into AI purchases without asking the harder questions first, the same problems tend to appear: You end up with a solution looking for a problem; staff use it inconsistently; the benefit is overstated; data risks are misunderstood; confidence drops.

The most awkward outcome is that a school becomes dependent on a tool it doesn’t fully trust or understand. By the time the limits become clear, the system may already be embedded.

Leaders may also want to think ahead to related issues, such as parent trust, equitable use, academic integrity, and how they will evaluate impact over time. Those questions may sit beyond the initial purchase decision, but shouldn’t be an afterthought once a tool is already in place.

That’s why the early questions matter so much. These are not there to stunt innovation or slow change but to stop schools from making avoidable mistakes.

Since the early days of ChatGPT, educators have talked about how AI can be used as a writing tutor or coach that doesn’t write for students but helps them organize their ideas and clean up their efforts.

I liked this idea when I first heard it. I’d love to live in a world where every student has access to a high-quality writing instructor. But in practice over the past few years, I haven’t noticed my students' writing improving; it's been the opposite. While the grammar has gotten much better, the content has suffered.

Today, in my classes, on social media, and through many emails I receive, I see writing with fewer technical errors, but this comes at a terrible cost. Generally, our writing is more boring, less individualized, and conveys far less meaning than it did a few years ago. The cause is AI, of course, but it’s more than that.

I think many of us have uncritically bought into the idea that AI can be an effective writing tutor. I’m no longer convinced it can be, and here’s why.

AI Is Not Actually Good At Writing

Even though people are taking writing advice en masse from ChatGPT and other AIs, we all acknowledge, subconsciously at least, that AI is terrible at writing anything original. That’s why we call AI-generated content AI slop, and when we read something and say it sounds as if AI wrote it, we are not complimenting it. Why then are we asking it to give us extensive notes, revisions, and suggestions on our writing?

AI doesn't transform our writing into William Shakespeare; when it takes on the role of a writing tutor, it’s still that same unimaginative writer. The fact that so many people are taking advice from a robot writer whose writing they hate is just another example of the cognitive dissonance of our times, and I'm genuinely puzzled by it.

AI Doesn’t Partner With You, It Takes The Wheel

A common refrain is that AI can help a student or educator brainstorm or help clean up their ideas. In this way, it can work with you like a good writing tutor, providing instant and unlimited feedback on your work.

This is another concept that sounds okay in theory but doesn’t hold up in practice. Unlike a good writing tutor, AI has a tendency to take the wheel of your writing. Even models specifically tuned toward teaching tend only to start by asking questions before offering detailed examples of what your answer can look like. Often, these suggestions are bland and lifeless, but even if these were more creative, this process is hijacking the writing process.

AI Gives Too Much Feedback

Even if the problems mentioned above could be programmed out of future AI models, I’m increasingly convinced that having an on-demand writing coach on your shoulder isn’t a good thing.

Throughout my career as a writer, I’ve benefited from feedback from editors and mentors who have read my work and altered and strengthened it--productive struggle. Seeing how they changed and improved my writing helped me get better as a writer, and continues to help my work. For example, this article will be better than the one I initially submitted, thanks to changes made by my editor.

Some thought AI could mimic this process, but I think that’s a false comparison. If I asked my editor what I should write after each sentence, and he sat next to me and rewrote my work as I was writing it, I wouldn’t be deserving of the byline associated with this story, and I probably wouldn’t earn many more writing assignments. (Editor's note: You would not!)

Even If AI Was Better At Writing, It Still Wouldn't Make Our Writing More Engaging

The fantasy author Brandon Sanderson once explained the problems with using clichéd writing in a way that really stuck for me. I’m paraphrasing here, but the idea is that clichés are not inherently bad; in fact, the first time someone hears one, it is often a great way of describing something, which is why it resonates. The problem is that over time and overuse, it becomes stripped of its power and meaning. For example, the first time I heard the phrase "X is like Y on steroids,” it was descriptive and funny. By the ten thousandth time I heard it, I started to groan.

The same thing is now happening with any writing techniques AI uses regularly. Even if it's non-objectionable to begin with, it starts to be intolerable as it spreads everywhere and everyone is doing the same thing.

Right now, AI writing is lifeless and stale to begin with, but even if it improves its writing voice, without more variation in style and tone, any of its techniques are destined to become overused almost instantly.

I do think AI’s writing will continue to get better, but I’m skeptical it can create the kind of variation necessary to uniquely power the voices of a majority of writers on the planet. And without unique writing voices, I’m not sure why we’re writing in the first place.

I have written previously about dealing with challenging staff and community members as a school leader and teacher.

This article was motivated by a reader reaching out to thank me for sharing hands-on, practical methods I offer. But she wanted one more: “What about difficult bosses? Aren’t they in a position of power, where I have little control over the outcome, even and especially if I disagree with them?”

I’ve written about a boss who missed the single biggest moments when leading. He never praised our accomplishments. It was remarkable; he was working harder not to acknowledge those of us that led our schools and needing support on the hardest of days.

Lack of worthy praise is one thing. How do we handle a boss who uses intimidation, blame displacement, and worse, steals credit for our work? I would love to tell you that they are far and few between, but I am writing this because that is untrue. Decades of research shows how we can lead successfully and help staff feel supported, acknowledged, and accessed in those important moments. The research keeps coming and I keep writing about it because the problem stubbornly persists.

We might think the issue is less pervasive in the education profession. After all, we are educators at heart. We came into this profession because we care about kids. In many instances, this is true, and we enjoy decent, ethical leaders. Too many times, educators became leaders because they possessed a greater desire for personal achievement and power. The first part is not the issue, however, power can change leaders. I have seen it happen.

I spent years riding out the kinds of leaders and leader-colleagues who made the organizational environment toxic, unproductive, and very, very CYA (cover your a--). We can all recall the days bosses such as this finally left the organization–there were parking lot parties while "Celebration" played as well as this easy-to-hum song as you waved them “good bye.” These are not environments in which children win, and that is the root of the problem. Secondary to that is our own wellness, which matters so we can lead learning environments, in spite of the incompetence above us.

Practical Ways to Survive Difficult Bosses

What do you do when you have to deal with difficult bosses day in and day out, knowing there is no end in sight? This can be a major stressor, let alone translating to obstacles they put up in our attempts to help students thrive.

Here are practical steps to hang in there, manage your wellness so you can lead and teach well and interrupt their influence from behind.

1. The 80/20 Principle

Keeping my side of the street clean empowers me to focus on the aspects of a situation you can control (the 80%) while letting go of the uncontrollable (the 20%). Instead of wasting time and energy fighting insurmountable challenges such as bureaucracy, difficult colleagues, or uncooperative leaders, it is more productive to adjust my approach, sidestep obstacles, and focus on progress within my sphere of influence. This mindset helps save time, resources, and frustration while moving toward goals more effectively.

2. Mind Games

I am always surprised at how little is known about methods for tuning the brain for wellness that are rooted in decent science, such as binaural beats. These sound like sci-fi gimmickry yet there is strong evidence supporting the effectiveness for effectively reducing anxiety and modulating emotional states. These are easily accessible, if you have a pair of earphones (we all do!). So why not try it?

Here’s how these work: When the brain processes two different frequencies played simultaneously in either ear, it compensates for the discrepancy by perceiving a third, rhythmic "phantom" frequency known as a binaural beat. This audio hack works in calming the mind and reducing anxiety, and gives you a shot of what you need in those most stressful moments. Evidence shows 6-9 minutes of listening does the trick, so why not? Here’s a free online example.

Now that you’ve got your wellness honored, let’s take a look at practical strategies, with a well-mind you can use to approach the difficult boss…

3. Use AI (YES, AI!)

In my work, I have discovered that using AI can make my work more effective and efficient, which means I can offload unnecessary tasks to focus on qualitative experiences, interactions with staff, students, and parents, and yes, even that boss.

I have written about making use of AI as a school leader, and I characterize it as remarkably imperfect productivity. AI is remarkable for its ability to produce what appears to be high-quality work at immense speed, yet it remains imperfect because it acts as convincingly knowing while tricking users into accepting "workslop" that lacks substance or accuracy.

Employing AI wisely helps offload work that bogs me down, so I feel less stressed, and far more prepared to manage ineffective bosses. Be strategic, refer to “source grounded” materials and use it to make your work better quality and far more efficient, such as I did incorporating AI into writing better evaluations for teachers.

3 Other Strategies to Consider

In addition to what I’ve described above, consider these actions to help manage an unwieldy manager.

1. Document Everything (Build a Paper Trail)

• Confirm Conversations: After verbal instructions, send a follow-up email saying, "As we just discussed, I will do X by Y date.”
• Keep Records: Maintain a private log of projects, instructions, and outcomes to prove your actions if needed. Case notes, detailed and dated hold up well, if and when needed.
• Outline Responsibilities: Start projects with a written review of discussion, outlining who is responsible for what, signed off by everyone, suggests Robert Hosking via Fortune.

2. Manage the Interaction

• Stay Calm and Neutral: Do not react defensively immediately. Do not match their energy.
• Use Fact-Based Language: When blamed, focus on the facts. Ask questions like, "Can you walk me through the timeline so I can understand what happened?" (YouTube).
• Redirect to Solutions: Instead of defending yourself, focus on fixing the issue. Say, "You're upset, I'm upset. What do you think we should do?" suggests Quick and Dirty Tips.
• Don't Take it Personally: Understand that a blaming boss often behaves this way due to their own incompetence and insecurities.

3. Take Action

• Have a Direct Conversation: If the behavior continues, discuss it privately. Start with positive feedback, then use specific examples to show how the blame-shifting affects your work, recommends Dr. Pollack.
• Involve HR or Superiors: If the behavior is bullying or threatens your career, consider involving HR or a higher manager. However, warn your boss first to avoid being seen as "going behind their back."
• Find a New Job: If the environment is toxic, start looking for a new position. Do not feel compelled to stay in a situation that damages your mental health and career.

Our work as educators and school leaders is too important to let bad bosses funnel down from us to staff and kids. Too many people need us and stopping the cycle of bad leadership poisoning student growth starts with practical wellness and protective factors. Be strong and remember, our work is too significant to let bad management disrupt our control, and we have 80% control -- most is better than none!

Buzzmath is, as the name suggests, creating a real buzz around the subject of math for young students. The idea is to bridge that gap between students who thrive on problem-solving, naturally, and those that struggle to grasp the sometimes abstract ideas.

By offering live feedback and gamified math interactions, Buzzmath works to help bring all students into a fun and engaging digital environment for learning.

Aimed at students from ages 6 to 16, this inclusive learning platform offers curriculum-aligned content that's made fun through the gamified process. They are allowed to explore at their pace, crucially, so they can feel in control while also giving teachers useful insights into their learning.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about how Buzzmath could work for your class.

What is Buzzmath?

Buzzmath is a digital math practice platform that offers gamified tasks as a way to help students gain mastery in math.

The platform offers more than 14,000 math-based questions for students to tackle. This is very much useful as a tool to complement teaching, rather than to teach directly. Educators can assign activities, for example, as a way to reinforce learning after something new has been taught.

While teachers can tailor learning to individuals or groups, in either case there is storytelling and gamification involved with missions, rewards, and challenges to keep students motivated.

Teachers can use this to have students practice curriculum-aligned skills and see progress to then better tailor future sessions as needed.

Since Buzzmath is web-based, it should be easy to access across devices and internet connections -- both in school and at home.

How does Buzzmath work?

Buzzmath can be used freely, by students exploring the activities at their own pace. Or it can be utilized to assign tasks to students or groups specifically.

Students answer questions and are immediately given feedback with answers marked as correct or incorrect. In the latter case, guidance can be triggered to help them grow through productive failure.

Students can retry questions as needed and access hints or examples to help them progress. Teachers are then able to monitor progress using a detailed reporting dashboard. This can help to spot learning gaps from data such as time spent on task, attempts made, and overall accuracy.

Accessibility features include audio narration and visual glossaries to help students with varied learning needs get the most out of this service.

What are the best Buzzmath features?

While there are a huge selection of questions on the platform, thanks to dynamic variables, students are able to practice without the problem of repetition fatigue holding them back.

The real-time feedback and ability to retry allows students to feel supported while working at their own pace. This also equates to direct support that allows for independent working without teacher time being required. That should also lead to deeper levels of learning rather than surface-level answering.

Since teachers are able to personalize learning to suit individuals or groups, this can work as a very specific tailored learning support system.

Educators have access to a powerful dashboard that allows them to monitor student progress. Data such as time spent on tasks, attempts made, completion rates, and concept-level performance, can all help teachers define future learning requirements.

The gamification of everything -- with stars, badges, and missions -- can really help to keep students engaged and come back for more practice, naturally.

How much does Buzzmath cost?

Buzzmath varies in pricing based on usage. A limited 30-day free trial is available for teachers who want to give this a go before committing to any particular plan. The plans break down like this:

Schools and districts: Typically licensed per student, with pricing starting around $1 per student annually (minimum spend applies).

Families: Around $20 per month or $120 per year for home use.

Custom quotes are often required for institutional use, particularly outside the US.

Buzzmath best tips and tricks

Start with diagnostic assignments
Use early tasks to identify gaps before tailoring future work.

Use retries as learning moments
Encourage students to reflect on mistakes rather than rush through answers.

Assign differentiated pathways
Target individuals or groups with specific activities to support mixed-ability classes.

NASA Space Place is a digital resource that's built to help educators bring space and earth science into the classroom in an exciting way.

Also, crucially, it combines the rich resources of NASA is a way that offers depth but simple access for teachers. The fact this has been up and running since 1998 is clearly reflected in how well it has been refined and tailored to suit children over the years. The result: a powerful tool for the upper-elementary-aged students.

This free resource blends scientific accuracy with playful, engaging layouts, making complex concepts feel intuitive rather than intimidating.

The curriculum-friendly resources cover science topics from climate and the solar system to space tech and more. For a STEM-focused offering that comes from a credible source, this is a really wonderful option to have.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about how NASA Space Place could work for your class.

What is NASA Space Place?

NASA Space Place is an education platform that offers a free way to teach upper-elementary students through inspiration and engagement -- all provided by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Science-specific areas covered include the solar system, Earth sciences, the Sun, and the universe, plus broader science and technology topics. Topics vary in depth and complexity to suit different student abilities, going from black holes to climate change.

Usefully, this is all set up as an engaging exploratory environment, rather than just a static set of tools. That means there is reading, there is watching, but there is also doing. Students can read about a topic, then play a game on what's been learned, followed by a hands-on activity in class or at home.

Educators have a dedicated section with materials such as printables, resources, and guidance across English and Spanish.

How does NASA Space Place work?

NASA Space Place is browser-based, so it can be accessed from most devices and internet connections. Everything is arranged into helpful categories that allow teachers and students to navigate by topic or activity type, for example.

So a student might browse a subject such as Earth then filter into articles, games, and hands-on activities -- ideal as it can be suited to how that particular student prefers to learn.

Articles break down scientific concepts into simple, digestible explanations, often supported by visuals or animations. Games reinforce learning through interaction. While DIY activities encourage practical application, such as building simple models or conducting experiments at home or in class.

Teachers have a few ways to take advantage of the platform. They can use it as a lesson starter, a supplementary resource, or even a flipped learning tool through which students explore topics independently before class discussion.

The material is aligned with real NASA missions and scientific research, so it also offers a level of authenticity that can deepen student engagement.

Plus, it can all be scaled. It's aimed at younger learners but the clarity can be helpful to older students who need to work on foundations.

What are the best NASA Space Place features?

NASA Space Place takes often complex scientific ideas and makes each one easily accessible and digestible -- but, crucially, without oversimplifying anything. This is thanks to those different formats available that can suit varying learner styles.

The games, which offer an interactive way to learn, are a powerful feature. Students can explore satellite tracking or planetary motion in a hands-on way, turning abstract ideas into something tangible. Then, the short videos and animations help visual learners grasp topics such as eclipses or space weather.

For teachers, the hands-on activities can be very useful with crafts and experiments offering experiential learning that can reinforce theoretical knowledge.

A wide range of subjects are covered here, from climate change and Earth systems to deep space exploration. The platform connects classroom learning to real-world science and ongoing NASA missions.

Educators can access the resources, such as printables and guidance, as a way to enhance teaching and make using this platform even more valuable and time-rich.

It's also worth mentioning that the bright visuals, simple language, and general sense of curiosity-driven exploration can all help to maintain student engagement.

How much does NASA Space Place cost?

NASA Space Place is completely free to use. No subscriptions, paywalls, or premium tiers to navigate. Everything on the platform is openly accessible to students, teachers, and parents.

In addition, there are no hidden requirements in terms of hardware or software. Because the platform runs in a web browser, it works across most devices, including desktops, laptops, and tablets. This flexibility makes it suitable for classroom use, remote learning, and homework alike.

NASA Space Place best tips and tricks

Hook with play
Start lessons with a quick game or animation to spark curiosity and ease students into complex space concepts.

Guide exploration
Set focused tasks that have students navigate specific sections of the site to build independent research skills.

Make it hands-on
Use the DIY activities as the core of lessons to turn abstract science into practical, memorable learning experiences.

Pathwright was created as a modern learning management system, LMS, that could work in education on all levels.

Spawned from an idea back in 2010, this was what co-creators Paul and Mark came up with as a far more usable solution. The space then was cluttered, wordy, and chaotic. Their design-focused solution birthed the far more user-friendly Pathwright.

Built over a decade alongside creative educators, the goal was to offer a personal learning experience for others. At time of publishing, this system has helped more than 2 million learners who have completed 80+ million steps on these learning paths.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about how Pathwright could work for your class.

What is Pathwright?

Pathwright is an online learning platform that's design-led -- it offers a way to make instruction easy for teachers and engaging for students.

This course-building platform lets educators create what the company calls learning paths, which guide students through lessons, activities, and discussions.

Teachers can design courses as needed with details such as deadlines, milestones, peer interaction, mentorship, and more, all included.

As such, this can work for schools delivering courses as well as individual educators selling online courses, for example. Not only can educators create courses but this also allows them to take advantage of student management features, monetization options, and more.

This digital classroom, professional development hub, and school learning platform is a versatile tool built for a wide array of uses.

How does Pathwright work?

Pathwright is primarily an online course creation and learning management platform. Teachers can be guided through the process of creating their own pathways, using video content, written lessons, assignments or projects, discussion prompts, plus quizzes and assessments.

This works with self-paced learning but also with cohort based programs. The latter sees students move as groups though the courses, which can be run with defined start and end dates, releasing lessons over time and encouraging students to progress together.

This model allows teachers to lead discussions, provide feedback, and create a more classroom-like experience online. Teachers can then track progress to see completion rates, areas of struggle, and discussion activity.

What are the best Pathwright features?

Pathwright offers a broad selection of tools that can be tailored to work across subject and topic ranges, inside and outside of school.

The way this works is that by using paths, it allows students to stay focused with a clarity from seeing what's coming next across the sequence of the course ahead.

The cohort-based learning is a helpful way to release lessons over time, allowing students to work through the tasks together, interacting with one another along the way.

That interaction moves into the community with an ability to post comments on lessons, join in discussions, and ask questions -- much like being in a physical world lesson.

The system allows for mentors. This can work with teaching assistants or other students, as a way to oversee groups of learners with support throughout.

For those selling in courses, this also offers a built-in payment system and the ability to integrate other apps, such as Stripe, as needed.

How much does Pathwright cost?

Pathwright uses a tiered pricing model designed for educators, small teams, and larger organizations. A free trial or free account option is available that allows educators to start building courses before committing to a paid plan.

Starter Plan: Around $99 per month for up to 1,000 members and one administrator.

Essentials Plan: Around $199 per month with more staff accounts, custom domains, and additional course features.

Complete Plan: Around $499 per month with unlimited cohorts and advanced capabilities.

Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing starting around $1,499 per month for large organizations requiring integrations, APIs, and advanced management tools.

Pathwright best tips and tricks

Start with a clear learning path
Outline the sequence of lessons and learning objectives so students move logically through the material.

Use cohorts for engagement
Run courses with start and end dates rather than leaving it fully self-paced. Cohorts encourage discussion, accountability, and higher completion rates.

Mix content types
Combine videos, text, and assignments to keep lessons engaging. Short interactive activities can help reinforce learning better than long lectures.

Confession time: I've fallen in love with AI music generators.

Google recently made a version of its AI music generator tool Lyria 3 available through Gemini. This is one of many AI generators available that can create real-sounding, if not particularly artistic, music in various styles in a few moments based upon short prompts.

These AI-generated clips offer some fun, if gimmicky, applications that I’ve started to consider using in my class. First though, a few caveats.

AI music, as impressive as it may be, is still a lifeless, soulless product that tends toward the corny and, at its best, sounds like uninspired pop. It therefore cannot replace music created by actual musicians who put their hearts and souls into their musical creations.

Even if AI music tools were better, it would still be morally questionable to use any commercially. Like other forms of AI “art,” these generators mimic and plagiarize the work of human artists without providing proper credit or royalties. But as a pastime and as a sonic sandbox, AI music generators are some of the most fun generative AI tools I’ve come across.

I believe these also offer some teaching opportunities, albeit in a gimmicky, "pass a few minutes of class time" type of way.

Ways To Incorporate Music AI Generators

I’ve been using AI music generators to create short songs inspired by the personality traits of people I know. For example, I had AI write a song about my sister's propensity to always request menu substitutions when she orders at a restaurant, plus some goofy songs for my kids.

These are admittedly not laugh-out-loud use cases, but I enjoy them and have started doing similar things with students.

Here’s a song I created to remind my writing students to start working on their papers earlier. Will this annoying, but somehow catchy, song help students actually start working on their papers sooner? Probably not, as starting to work on a paper early is a piece of pretty standard advice that most students already know. However, it’s maybe a more fun way of reminding them to do that.

I can also see creating songs based upon student research and various topics covered: young students, in particular, might have fun with this type of thing.

But as with most things AI-related, you can take all this too far. Using AI-generating tools, I started thinking about the potential power of an annoying jingle for memorization. I tried a few different ways to get Gemini to create a song reminding students of the basics of thesis writing. This is the best it did after I told it to do this in a traditional Celtic manner. I’m not sure if this song really has traditional Celtic vibes, and even I’d be too embarrassed to share this song with students.

Are All AI Music Generators More Or Less The Same?

No. After experimenting with a few various free ones, I found a wide range of quality with the same prompts.

Gemini is the only one I’d currently recommend. It’s user-friendly but limited and only creates 30-second clips. Other music generators could potentially outperform Gemini with prompt adjustments. The ones I tried did better with the instrumentals but struggled more with the lyrics, and that kind of defeated the purpose of the tool for me.

What About The Bigger Picture

When teaching with AI in general, it’s important to discuss the implications of this technology with students. Much as I’ve been enjoying using AI to “create” music, this technology unsettles me a bit. I have multiple family members who went to music school and work as professional musicians. I don’t think their jobs performing live music are currently imperiled by this technology or will be in the foreseeable future. However, down the road, I could see it making the already difficult profession of being a musician more difficult.

As I keep only half-jokingly saying, AI music generators and other similar generative AI tools may ultimately destroy art and therefore what makes us human on a fundamental level. But on the bright side, I do like using AI to create annoying musical jingles.

On a more serious note, AI music generators are a fun-to-use generative AI tool that, like other forms of AI, have some associated thorny ethical questions. Those aside, there are some potential classroom uses, and AI-savvy teachers will want to start exploring this aspect of AI in addition to others. They'll also want to start delving into some of those thorny questions with their students as we navigate the ever-changing realities of AI's impact on the world.

ChatDOC is an AI-powered tool designed to let users “chat” with various documents they upload. I recently wrote about research examining how college students use ChatDOC and similar AI tools to engage with assigned texts. This research found both positives and negatives to the technology, so I decided to check out ChatDOC myself.

After using it with a variety of research documents, I ultimately found it a useful tool for searching within a document for specific items and for doing something such as quickly summarizing a research paper. Though it was also easy to see how certain students could become over-reliant on it and just ask ChatDOC questions about an assigned reading rather than actually read the assigned text.

Despite this potential drawback, I think ChatDOC can be a useful tool for both students and teachers, in specific instances.

What Is ChatDOC?

ChatDOC is an AI designed to help users interact with PDFs of various types, be it research papers, short stories, or chapters from larger works. Users upload a PDF and then have the opportunity to “chat” with that document, that is speak with a chatbot that bases its answers off of the uploaded text.

ChatDOC can perform tasks such as provide a short summary, search for specific terms, explain the overall theme if it’s a work of literature, or unpack the science in a research paper.

Other similar tools are out there, but ChatDOC is definitely one of the better PDF readers I’ve used. Its free version is quick and easy-to-use, and delivers on its promise of providing an AI that can discuss a given document with users and even quiz them on it.

What My Experience With ChatDOC Was Like?

I found the web version of the tool user-friendly and appreciated ChatDOC’s laser focus on performing one task: reading texts. This is not an AI for everything you might use AI for, but it’s good at what it does in terms of helping with research.

I uploaded a fairly dense essay, “On the Failure of Oracles" by Plutarch, from which I was looking for specific information. ChatDOC summarized some of the key arguments and searched for the sections for which I was looking.

Additionally, I uploaded a famous paper on quantum mechanics by Albert Einstein and others, in which he pointed out unexplained aspects of quantum mechanics. ChatDOC summarized the key arguments and answered questions I had about physics terminology.

On the whole, ChatDOC was helpful despite some limitations. It wasn’t ever inaccurate in its explanations, but it also wasn’t always entirely correct or helpful in its summaries, which tended toward repeated abstract-like statements.

On the plus side, ChatDOC always provided citations for its statements, and when you click on these citations, it takes you to the relevant text and even highlights it. I love this feature, as it's an example of what I think AI is most useful for: helping humans find relevant bits of information.

ChatDOC could also quickly generate good short answer, multiple-choice, or essay questions based upon documents you upload to it. I could see this helping teachers get started with assessment work based upon a reading, and it could also be a way for students to test their knowledge and understanding of a work, though paradoxically, any student putting in that level of work on their own to understand a reading probably doesn't really need a tool such as this.

What Does ChatDOC cost?

The free version lets you upload 5 files per day and a total of 10 per month, as well as ask 20 questions per day and no more than 100 per month. It has a 300-page limit to the documents you can upload as well as other limitations.

The Pro account costs $8.99 per month and is free of most of these limitations.

The free version is pretty restrictive, and I found that I quickly met my daily and monthly limits. It’s unfortunate that there is no intermediate tier between the free version and Pro version, which has a fairly steep monthly fee.

Would I Use ChatDOC?

Yes. It’s a useful tool and I would encourage educators to take a look at it, specifically if they are personally conducting research often.

I have mixed feelings when it comes to using it with students. As mentioned, in a small study researchers found that students would often read this type of summary rather than the text itself if given the option. This is obviously less than ideal, but if this feature could somehow be avoided, I could still imagine certain students would find it comforting to have this specific text-type tutor with challenging texts.

So, as with many AI tools, if used the right way, it could potentially be helpful, though there is a real potential for abuse. That said, many students are regularly using other AI tools that are less effective overall than ChatDOC. At least this tool is constantly citing and referring to what is hopefully a high-quality text and potentially getting students to engage with it in new ways.

Knoword is a gamified platform that's built to help students progress in building vocabulary. The idea here is to make things so fun that students want to come back for more.

This learning-while-playing setup is designed to work across age and ability levels so that it's widely accessible to help all students, and educators, when it comes to vocabulary building.

The platform is already widely used and can be applied across subjects to allow for an uptake, which works school-wide, rather than specifically for English learning, for example.

This guide aims to lay out all you need to know about Knoword to see how this could work for your class.

What is Knoword?

Knoword is a web-based game so it's easily accessible across a wide range of devices and internet connections. It uses game-based learning to help develop vocabulary expansion. This is done with immersive word games and customizable activities.

The most basic offering here is vocabulary practice being turned into interactive challenges. This blends learning with gameplay to keep students engaged, and even eager for more.

Thousands of community-made packs to pick from are available. These range from academic-specific vocabulary to trivia packs. You also have the option to build custom packs, or edit pre-existing ones, to get the perfectly tuned result for a certain subject or unit, for example.

That all makes this useful both for self-guided learning as well as in-classroom use and even remote assignments.

How does Knoword work?

Knoword comprises thousands of word packs that are interactive sets of definitions and answers. These are broken down into several play modes to allow students and educators to pick the format, which includes multiple choice, typing mode, or pairs/recognition matching.

Educators can pick from a selection of pre-created packs in subject-specific areas, make their own from scratch, or duplicate and edit packs as needed. Helpful parameters are available, including setting time limits, answer strictness and more, to help teachers build ideally suited sessions. Then, once completed, educators can track student progress using detailed analytics.

The system also uses AI as a way to help generate text clues from lists to help automate pack creations -- saving time for teachers.

Students can get playing right away without the need to create individual accounts, making it an easy option to introduce into the class.

What are the best Knoword features?

Knoword offers a great selection of packs that can be aligned to subjects or topics. Crucially, these are adaptive and allow students to go at their pace so as to grow but at a rate that feels fun, comfortable, and engaging.

The immediate feedback and multiple play modes make this a stand-alone tool for students to work with on their time, but also with teacher assistance and interaction as wanted.

The AI-powered Magic Import feature is a helpful way to generate clues with ease. This allows educators to convert lists of terms into engaging gameplay in minutes.

Assignments offer a way to provide structured options to guide learners through material, while giving educators insights such as trends in accuracy and areas needing reinforcement.

Offline materials are also available, including printable worksheets. Any pack can be turned into customizable worksheets or physical flashcards, ideal for off-screen practice or differentiated learning.

The various game modes help to make this varied and fun while staying engaging over longer period of use. The different gameplay formats -- typing, multiple choice, match pairs -- appeal to varied learning styles, from visual to recall practice.

How much does Knoword cost?

Knoword operates on a freemium model. But there are tiers for more.

Basic (Free): Create up to five packs, generate content with AI, assign activities, track basic student progress, integrate with Google Classroom, and download worksheets.

Pro ($9.99/month): Allows unlimited packs and assignments, creates image and audio clues, and removes branded watermarks on cards.

Team Plan (~$80/year): Designed for schools or departments to manage multiple educator accounts.

Knoword best tips and tricks

Kick off with curated packs
Before creating your own, explore the community library. Thousands of packs across subjects are already available -- and bookmarking makes future reuse easy.

Use assignments strategically
Assignments let you control the learning environment: time limits, modes, and even answer strictness (capitalization, punctuation). Tailor these to your learners’ proficiency.

Blend digital and printable exercises
Export packs as worksheets for class use or homework -- great for reinforcing vocabulary with written practice.

Google’s VEO video-generating AI tool is now available through Gemini for Pro subscribers. I recently began experimenting with the tool and exploring potential teaching opportunities.

Overall, it’s a wild new science fiction-level technology with some fun, if gimmicky, teaching potential I could see using in the classroom.

More importantly, however, I think being aware of what this type of video-generating technology can do and discussing this with students is critical. This new generation of AI has massive potential for misinformation and will likely have implications for the entertainment industry and the future job market, and it's our job to help prepare students for all this as best we can.

How To Use VEO Through Gemini

For users with Gemini Pro, which costs $19.99 per month, accessing VEO is simple. You can just ask Gemini to “make a video” or click on the “create video” tool, which puts you in video mode and gives you more control.

Just remember, the Gemini Pro tier only permits you three video prompts per day.

You can also upload photos that VEO can use to add action etc., which is both very cool and very scary. I made a short video of myself shoveling snow using a headshot, and it looks pretty legit if a little artificial.

Prompting the creation of a video isn't as forgiving as a text-based chat with a chatbot. My first few prompts were nonspecific and resulted in poor-quality videos.

That said, I quickly learned where I went wrong and didn’t have a long learning curve. The secret, I found, is to provide as many specifics as possible. This was much more enjoyable than my experience with OpenAI’s Sora early last year. Using Sora was a consistently frustrating experience, at least for someone who was new to the world of AI video prompt writing.

VEO, on the other hand, doesn’t always do what you want but generally creates something interesting that is at least roughly based upon what you prompted.

Teaching With VEO

I enjoyed experimenting with having VEO recreate moments from history. I asked it to create a scene about the New York City Fire of 1776. The first attempt went very poorly. For some reason, Gemini/VEO had a dragon start the fire, but this tool isn’t exactly claiming to be an accurate purveyor of history.

Once I got more specific and asked it get rid of the dragon and show a person saving a child, it created a better video (see below).

This isn’t a fantastic work of visual art by any means, but it was interesting to watch and more fun then it should have been to "create." It has some subtle inaccuracies, and I could envision an exercise asking students to spot these. For instance, there are no wooden buildings even though wooden structures were common in New York City at that time.

I also tried to get it to create a realistic video of an electron traveling through a cloud chamber in the style of a vintage early 1900s science show. Separately I asked it to create this in as realistic a way as possible. Both of VEO’s attempts left something to be desired in terms of accuracy, but that can also be a useful teaching tool.

Here is one of those videos:

Using Gemini and VEO can also provide good examples of the importance of word choice.

Teaching with this AI could also be an interesting classroom activity for a creative writing class. I could see a situation in which students write short stories and then select three from which to generate videos.

Broader Implications of This Technology

Beyond these admittedly somewhat frivolous direct teaching applications, this is a serious and potentially game-changing technology that I’m taking note of and reminding my students to keep an eye on.

I truly don’t think Hollywood or society will turn to AI-generated movies any time soon, but there will be fewer people working in special effects, and those jobs will look very different and will probably involve a lot of AI prompting and fine-tuning. This raises questions about equity, copyright, and all-around fairness, all of which are important to discuss as a class.

Even more pressingly, creating these videos myself has already given me a better ability to discern the tell-tale signs of AI generation. This can help students learn digital literacy and how to spot misinformation and deep fakes -- skills that are becoming increasingly important.

Bottom Line: Would I Teach With VEO?

Yes, I would teach with VEO, but with some caveats.

I wouldn’t give students direct access or encourage them to use it, but I would share videos I generated with my class as a way to illustrate the technology’s strengths and weaknesses, and potentially as a subject matter tie-in, if and when appropriate.

Groovelit is a classroom platform created to help encourage writing through gamified guidance that works alongside teachers.

The idea here is to tap into the creativity in every student that might otherwise go underused in the face of literacy challenges. By gamifying the writing experience, and adding direct feedback, this can help to draw every student into the world of writing.

Creative prompts are used to help get started while a scoring system can work to progress students along toward mastery. This can be used to improve writing skills and fluency in a way that allows this to benefit students across a range of subjects, from ELA and social studies to science.

This guide aims to explain all you need to know about how Groovelit could work in your class.

What is Groovelit?

Groovelit is a gamified creative writing platform aimed at use by students from fourth to tenth grade. Through guidance and gamification, this works to ignite the creative spark in all students while empowering them by helping to learn how to use that effectively as a writer.

Groovelit prompts a student to produce written response -- be it narrative, persuasive, or vocabulary-rich -- within a short, structured time frame.

The system uses AI to evaluate submissions against criteria such as grammar, relevance, vocabulary usage, and adherence to the prompt. Points are awarded in ways that feel immediate and game-like rather than punitive.

This idea should help writing to feel less like work and more like play. Competition and natural reinforcement also help to shift student perspectives toward writing to be sought more readily, by choice.

How does Groovelit work?

Groovelit works a little like a quiz game, yet students don't select answers, instead they write answers. A teacher can pick a genre such as narrative or argumentative, for example, before setting prompts and aligning to curricular goals. Then they can send a link to students to begin.

Students work with a countdown timer, responding directly from within a browser window. They are assessed, live, by the AI, which uses criteria such as vocabulary, grammar, and engagement levels to provide feedback to students as they go.

Once the timed round is complete, the results are shown right away with scores. Teachers can later assess aggregated data, or spotlight certain areas to celebrate success.

This cycle continues with quick writing, instant feedback, and visible achievement, motivating students to progress further and faster toward mastery.

What are the best Groovelit features?

Groovelit gamifies learning but in a way that stays fresh thanks to a selection of game modes. These include narrative storytelling, argumentative responses, vocabulary connections, and root-based word games.

Teachers can also tailor the experience to suit needs, including adapting pacing, content focus, and student readiness.

The AI scoring works well as a way to offer immediate feedback and guidance that's tailored to suit the student where they are in their learning. This can help sustain focus and reinforce teaching moments.

For teachers, the formative data analysis options help offer actionable insights. The system offers growth areas, word-choice creativity, and standout sentences that exemplify strong writing.

The platform supports English language learners (ELLs), with customizable prompts and difficulty adjustment that should make this helpful for a wide range of language abilities.

How much does Groovelit cost?

Groovelit is free to sign up for and to use. Teachers can sign up from a school account, or it's possible to sign in with third-parties such as Google, for example.

This has no ads or tracking, and remains free to use for as long as needed.

Groovelit best tips and tricks

Alignment
Align prompts directly to your current unit of study so students see the activity as meaningful reinforcement rather than a standalone game.

Learnings
Review the formative data after each session to identify patterns in grammar, vocabulary, or comprehension that may need reteaching.

Wins
Spotlight strong student responses (anonymously if preferred) to model effective writing and build classroom confidence.

When I first became a school leader, one of the first realities I had to confront was email volume. Not a handful of messages but sometimes dozens before 8 a.m., sometimes hundreds by day’s end. Staying on top of it required strategies, routines, and discipline as I had to learn how to triage, delegate, and protect attention so the inbox did not become my only job.

But even so, I never assumed silence was the answer. Not every email deserves a long reply, and some do not deserve any. Still, for legitimate questions tied to work, decisions, and people, I’ve always tried to respond because email is often how others experience your leadership when they cannot access you in the moment.

‘Digital Snubbery’

I hear from my educational leadership students all the time that their school leaders do not answer emails. Messages go unanswered for days or weeks, sometimes indefinitely.

This may sting for some readers, but that is not acceptable. Not because leaders should be available 24/7, and not because instant replies are the standard. It is unacceptable because sustained non-response communicates something, whether you intend it or not.

Adam Grant has called this “digital snubbery,” the online equivalent of walking past someone who waved at you. His point is not that every email is urgent. It is that silence of a non-response that is interpreted. And in schools, interpretation becomes culture.

What makes this especially tricky in schools is the power dynamic. When a leader does not respond, the silence carries more weight than when a peer does. People hesitate to follow up because they do not want to appear needy, impatient, or out of line, and wait longer than they should, even second-guessing themselves. In some cases, they stop asking altogether.

This lack of communication creates blind spots for leaders. The very people closest to the work begin to go quiet because experience has taught them not to expect a response. Over time, this weakens feedback loops and slows organizational learning.

Some consequences are obvious: Work slows, decisions stall, and people follow up repeatedly or escalate issues that did not need escalation. Non-response also erodes trust, discourages initiative, and can delay a problem until it is bigger, messier, and harder to solve. Over time, people start working around you instead of with you. That should worry any leader who values coherence, collaboration, and shared ownership.

Not Time Management, But A Disposition Problem

Perfection is not the point here, nor is inbox zero the target. The goal is a mindset shift: email is not just administrative or technical, it is part of your leadership presence. You can and should have boundaries, but these must be communicated.

It is also worth naming the emotional labor involved in email. Many messages carry frustration, urgency, or disappointment, so avoidance is sometimes less about time and more about discomfort.

Leadership often requires engaging with discomfort early, when issues are still manageable. Delayed responses allow tension to grow and misunderstandings to harden, so a short acknowledgment can de-escalate more effectively than a perfectly crafted response sent too late.

Sometimes this is not just a personal habit, it is structural. If a leader is hard to reach by phone, unavailable on video, and inconsistent in person, then email becomes the only door. When that door stays closed, leadership becomes something people cannot access, only assume.

If you want a staff that takes initiative, raises concerns early, and brings you solutions, you can’t train them – explicitly or implicitly – to expect no response.

5 Practical Ways To Handle Email Without Breaking Trust

1. Schedule response time and put it on your calendar. If it matters, it gets scheduled. Two short blocks a day can produce meaningful changes.
2. Set up folders and prioritize on purpose. Keep it simple. Examples: Urgent Today, This Week, Waiting On, Read Later. The goal is not a perfect system. The goal is not losing important messages.
3. Acknowledge quickly, then follow through. “Received. I’ll get back to you by Thursday.” Then actually do. Trust is built in the follow-up.
4. Use AI to draft non-sensitive, non-confidential correspondence. Let AI create a first draft for routine updates, confirmations, next steps, scheduling, thank-yous. Add your personal touch, correct tone, and keep confidential content out of the prompt.
5. Create a routing plan so you are not the bottleneck. Some messages should go to a point person or team. Proper routing is not avoidance, it is clarity.

Responsiveness is not about replying to everything instantly. It is about accountability. Whatever system you choose, protect your time, but do not disappear. Email silence may not be a visible leadership trait, but it is felt – and it shows up as trust, or the loss of it.

OpenClaw, formerly known as Moltbot and Clawdbot, is an agentic AI assistant that has surged in popularity with the tech-savvy first adopter crowd in recent months. According to some of these early users, OpenClaw is the first tool to live up to the promise of agent AIs.

I’ve recently tried some AI agent tools and haven’t been particularly impressed, but was intrigued enough by OpenClaw, which is open source and free, to give it a whirl and see how it stacked up. Ultimately, I found the process of using it to be a bit more complex than the AI agent tools I’ve tried.

One of the selling points of OpenClaw is that it operates on your computer, which is supposed to alleviate some privacy concerns and give you more control. But that also comes with its own inherent security risks, and makes setting up the tool more complicated and above my technical know-how. As a result, I used a browser-based version of OpenClaw.

True techies will be dismayed by this as it defeats the purpose of the tool in the first place, but even in this more limited version, I found it outperformed other AI agents I’ve used, including Google’s new Auto Browse, and could indeed help with my research and class prep.

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is the one true AI agent that will rule all the other pretenders, or at least that’s the impression some of its earliest adopters give. The initial version is free and open source, and designed to integrate with your digital life, acting as a true digital assistant.

Launched in November 2025 by Peter Steinberger, an Austrian coder, he named it Clawd as a playful nod to the popular AI chatbot Claude. However, Anthropic, the company behind Claude, asked Steinberger to change the name. He briefly changed it to Moltbot, inspired by the “molting” process in which lobsters shed and regrow their shells, before settling on OpenClaw.

This AI agent gives users the ability to do tasks such as order groceries or monitor and summarize emails. For a teacher, it might help with lesson planning and class management, and if it could be made fully secure, could even be used for activities such as monitoring class participation and trends, though that would require many more safeguards around student data.

OpenClaw is designed to run on a computer that you own. If you leave on your device, you can then communicate with your AI assistant via various messenger apps and have it perform tasks for you regardless of where you are.

All these features do come with some inherent risks. Giving a tool that can behave in unexpected ways complete access to your computer can be dangerous, and there's something equally insecure right now about having an AI communicate with others or use your credit card to purchase things. In fact, a number of tech companies recently put restrictions on OpenClaw use due to security concerns.

What Does It Cost?

The standard version of OpenClaw is free and open source. It does require some degree of technical know-how to get set up, and takes a little time even for those with this know how.

Tools are emerging that allow you to access the tool on a virtual browser. This makes using it easier, but arguably defeats some of the purpose. Additionally, in my experience, some of these sites seemed suspect.

I won’t link to the OpenClaw site, which I ended up using, because I felt that its design intentionally mimicked OpenClaw’s web design so you would think the two companies were linked—they are not. This makes me worried about paying for their services personally, and even more worried about directing readers there.

How Good Is OpenClaw At Its Job?

By not operating OpenClaw on my device, I couldn’t access some of its best features, but still was fairly impressed overall. OpenClaw was able to do things such as look up Airbnb options for an academic conference I’m going to, and actually did a great job of summarizing the strengths of each listing, unlike some other AI agents that had failed in this task.

It was also able to find and summarize various lesson plans on teaching writing, and was as skilled at research as any AI tool I’ve found. It could quickly find, summarize, and categorize research on AI tutors, quantum mechanics, and more.

I was left with the strong impression that I could get more with this tool, with more thought and perhaps a version more customized to my use and to teaching.

Bottom Line On OpenClaw

OpenClaw is not essential, but it’s a strong-performing AI agent and one that tech-savvy teachers will want to explore with caution from their personal, non-school issued devices. Nothing I was able to do with it was any kind of game-changer, but if you’re looking for an AI agent to experiment with and see how it might help you and your teaching practice, this one is worth adding to your list of tools to check out.

For those of us who are less tech-savvy, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on these types of tools as they’re likely to continue to improve and get more user-friendly and integrated into teaching as they do.