If you’re new to teaching or looking to learn more about digital tools for teachers such as Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, or Flipgrid--and all the related apps and resources--here’s where to get started. We have the basics for each one, including how to get started, plus tips and advice to get the most out of your experience.
Tech & Learning's guide to Google Education Tools and Apps features everything you need to know about tools such as Google Sheets, Slides, Earth, Jamboard, and more.
Communications
Equity Maps
What is Equity Maps and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Look who’s talking? Equity Maps is a real-time participation tracker that can let teachers see just who's doing the talking in class.
Chronicle Cloud
What is Chronicle Cloud and How Does it Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Developed for teachers, by teachers, Chronicle Cloud is a platform that allows teachers to make digital notes for use by themselves and their students.
Floop
What is Floop and How Does it Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Floop is a free teaching tool intended to help teachers provide the best possible feedback to their students.
Chatbots
Chatbots in K-12: What You Need to Know
Digital AI assistants are being used in K-12 as an equitable intervention to promote student engagement and retention.
Google Tools for English Language Learners
Best Google Tools for English Language Learners
Tech and Learning’s guide explains the best Google tools for English language learners—and the best ways to use them.
Slido
What is Slido for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
Slido is an online polling platform that allows teachers to take polls in the classroom or remotely.
Kialo
What is Kialo? Best Tips and Tricks
Kialo is an online-based discussion platform that allows teachers to create debates for the classroom.
Discord
What is Discord and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Discord is an invitation-only online chat and messaging platform designed to be used by groups such as K-12 classrooms.
Remind
At its most basic, Remind is a communication platform
What is Remind and How Does it Work for Teachers?
Remind is a communication tool that connects teachers, students, and parents instantly, no matter where they are.
Best Remind Tips and Tricks for Teachers
Remind tips and tricks to help turn the communications platform into a powerful tool that will enhance the learning experience of students in and out of class.
Talking Points
What Is TalkingPoints And How Does It Work For Education?
TalkingPoints is a tool designed to help teachers and families connect across any language barriers, allowing teachers to communicate with families in their own language.
Best TalkingPoints Tips And Tricks For Teachers
How to best use the non-profit translation communication platform for the best results.
Clubhouse
What is Clubhouse and How Does it Work?
Clubhouse is a social media app (only available on iOS devices currently) that is an audio-only platform in which users can publish their talks or have others listen in.
Zoho Notebook
What is Zoho Notebook and How Can The Best Tips and Tricks Help Teachers and Students?
Zoho Notebook is a digital note-taking tool that works across devices and operating systems, offering an online suite of tools, including a word processor and an image and audio creator and organizer.
ClassDojo
What is ClassDojo?
ClassDojo is a digital platform that connects teachers, students, and families in and out of the physical classroom by using a feed of photos and videos as well as messaging.
Best ClassDojo Tips and Tricks for Teachers
Whether you're toying with the idea of introducing ClassDojo in your class, you're a regular user, or you've just reached a point at which you need something new, these tips and tricks will help.
Microsoft One Note
What is Microsoft OneNote and How Can It be Used for Teaching?
Microsoft OneNote is a free note-taking tool that also works for organizing digitally jotted down thoughts.
Parlay
What is Parlay and How Does It Work?
Parlay is a digital-based discussion platform that's inclusive and transcends physical barriers.
SurveyMonkey
What is SurveyMonkey for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
SurveyMonkey is a digital platform that specializes in carrying out and delivering the results of surveys. It can be a very useful in getting a clear perspective of a class or large groups.
Curation tools
Epic! for Education
What is Epic! for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
Epic! is a digital library offering more than 40,000 books and videos.
Listenwise
What is Listenwise and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Listenwise lets students listen and read while learning at the same time
ClassHook
What is ClassHook and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
ClassHook is an innovative tool that allows teachers to select and integrate relevant snippets of movie and TV shows into their classroom lessons.
Wakelet
What is Wakelet and How Does it Work?
Wakelet is a digital curation platform that lets teachers and students organize a mix of content for easy access.
Wakelet: Best Tips and Tricks for Teaching
These Wakelet tips and tricks can help teachers use curation in the classroom to offer media-rich resources for students to refer to and learn from.
A Wakelet Lesson Plan for Middle and High School
A sample lesson plan designed to help educators implement Wakelet into their instruction.
Seesaw for Schools
What is Seesaw for Schools and How Does It Work for Teachers and Students?
Seesaw for Schools is a digital, app-based engagement platform that allows students, teachers, and parents or guardians to complete and share classroom work.
Seesaw for Schools Best Tips and Tricks
Seesaw for Schools can enhance the student's learning experience and make a teacher's task more straightforward if you know how to get the most out of it.
Creative
NaNoWriMo
What is NaNoWriMo and How Can It Be Used to Teach Writing?
Learn how to involve your class in writing fiction via National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which creates a framework for writing first and judging later.
Anchor
What is Anchor and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
The podcast creation app Anchor makes podcasting simple and easy, ideal for audio and project-based learning assignments.
Storybird for Education
What is Storybird for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
The Storybird platform enables students to write and publish professional-style storybooks.
AudioBoom
What is AudioBoom? Best Tips and Tricks
AudioBoom allows users to create podcast recordings while also serving as a hub for organizing other podcasts
MindMeister for Education
What is MindMeister for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
MindMeister helps students organize their ideas and thoughts visually.
BandLab for Education
What is BandLab for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
BandLab for Education allows teachers and students to collaborate on music-based learning for free.
Piktochart
What is Piktochart and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Piktochart is a powerful yet easy-to-use online tool that allows anyone to create infographics and more, from reports and slides to posters and flyers.
Storyboard That
What is Storyboard That and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Storyboard That is an online-based platform lets teachers, administrators, and students create a storyboard in order to tell a story in a visually engaging way.
Adobe Spark for Education
What is Adobe Spark for Education and How Does It Work for Teachers and Students?
Adobe Spark for Education is a smart yet simple to use digital tool that allows students and teachers to create visually engaging graphics, web pages, and videos.
Best Adobe Spark for Education Tips and Tricks
The best tips and tricks for Adobe Spark for Education can make all the difference in the classroom
Canva
What is Canva and How Does it Work for Education?
Canva is a free-to-use online graphical tool that combines design, photo editing, and layout to help teachers and students create beautifully finished projects.
Best Canva Tips and Tricks for Teaching
These Canva tips and tricks can turn this minimalist graphics tool into a key teaching ally to help engage students and promote more effective learning.
ChatterPix Kids
What is ChatterPix Kids and How Does it Work?
ChatterPix Kids is an app that allows teachers and students to animate pictures so that they talk.
ChatterPix Kids: Best Tips And Tricks For Teaching
The best ChatterPix Kids tips and tricks for teaching are essential to help get the most out of the creative app.
Animoto
What is Animoto and How Does It Work?
Animoto is free and easy-to-use video maker that allows for the creation and sharing of videos online. Since it is cloud-based and browser-accessible, it works with nearly any device, making it ideal for education settings.
Best Animoto Tips and Tricks for Teachers
Here are the best Animoto tips and tricks for teachers so you can get the most out of using videos inside and outside of your classroom.
ThingLink
What is ThingLink and How Does it Work?
ThingLink is a website and app-based platform that allows teachers to turn any image, video, or 360-degree VR shot into a learning experience.
Best ThingLink Tips and Tricks for Teaching
The best ThingLink tips and tricks can help you take an image or video and make it interactive, and filled with learning information.
WeVideo
What is WeVideo and How Does it Work for Education?
WeVideo is a cloud-based video platform to capture, edit, and view video footage.
WeVideo Tips and Tricks for Teachers
The best WeVideo tips and tricks can help teachers and students get a more effective learning experience with the use of videos and video editing.
TikTok
How Can TikTok Be Used in the Classroom?
The music video-making social media app is free to use, easily accessible for students, and can be a powerfully creative tool in the teaching toolbox.
Digital Learning
Project Pals
What is Project Pals and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Project Pals is a web-based tool that allows multiple students to collaborate and contribute to a team project-based learning effort.
SpiderScribe
What is SpiderScribe and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
From brainstorming to project planning, the SpiderScribe mind-mapping tool is easy to use by teachers and students alike—even younger students—with little guidance required.
EdApp
What is EdApp and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
EdApp is a mobile learning management system (LMS) that delivers microlessons directly to students, allowing them to use various devices to access learning.
Microsoft Immersive Reader
What Is Microsoft Immersive Reader and How Does it Work? Best Tips and Tricks for Educators
Microsoft Immersive Reader is a free interactive reading tool that reads texts aloud while highlighting the word being read- a great way to help emerging readers gain literacy.
Tynker
What is Tynker and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Tynker helps young learners how to code, from basic blocks-based introduction to more complex HTML code and beyond.
Everyone Can Code Early Learners
What is Apple Everyone Can Code Early Learners and How Does it Work?
Apple's own coding platform aims to teach student how to code and design apps using the company's Swift programming language. It's easy to get started coding with this app for younger learners.
Headspace
What is Headspace and How Does it Work? Best Tips and Tricks For Educators
Headspace is a web and app-based meditation and mindfulness service that educators can use for free.
Bit.ai
What is Bit.ai and How Does it Work? Best Tips and Tricks For Educators
Bit.ai allows students and educators to collaborate across shared multimedia documents.
Flipped Learning
Top Flipped Classroom Tech Tools
Teachers describe how they use the best edtech tools for flipped learning.
SMART Learning Suite
What is SMART Learning Suite? Best Tips and Tricks
SMART Learning Suite is a web-based software that allows teachers to share lessons with the class via multiple screens.
Google For Education
These Are The New Google For Education Features Teachers Need To Know About
From Google Classroom and Meet to Workspace and Chrome OS, these Google for Education updates are worthing knowing
Virtual Lab Software
Best Virtual Lab Software
Find out which virtual lab software provides the best STEM learning experience for your students.
Boom Cards
What is Boom Cards and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Boom Cards is a digital card-based online platform that lets students practice basic skills via any accessible device.
Socrative
What is Socrative and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Socrative is a digital tool that emphasizes quiz-based questions and immediate feedback for teachers.
ProProfs
What is ProProfs and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
ProProfs is an online quiz tool that provides intelligent feedback and analytics for teachers.
AnswerGarden
What is AnswerGarden and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
AnswerGarden harnesses the power of word clouds to provide quick feedback from an entire class, a group, or individual student.
Bitmoji
What is a Bitmoji Classroom and How Can I Build One?
The use of Bitmoji, a commonly used app and image-based digital social interaction tool, makes sense for adapting classrooms to feel more natural to students.
Quizlet
What is Quizlet and How Can I Teach with It?
Quizlet is a fantastic tool for teachers to create quizzes for in-person and remote learning that makes building and assessing quick and easy.
Quizlet: Best Tips and Tricks for Teaching
The best Quizlet tips and tricks for teaching can turn the smart online learning tool into a powerful ally for both in the classroom and remotely.
Khan Academy
What is Khan Academy?
Khan Academy is a free online teaching resource that offers courses to students to further deepen their knowledge to enhance learning for all. While it was created to bring learning to those who either couldn't afford or didn't have access to education, it's now grown into a powerful resource used by many schools as a teaching aid.
TED-Ed
What is TED-Ed and How Can it Be Used for Education?
TED-Ed is the school education-focused arm of the TED video creation platform, filled with educational videos that can be used by teachers to create engaging lessons.
Best TED-Ed Tips and Tricks for Teaching
The best TED-Ed tips and tricks for teaching can help you take the video-based education platform to its maximum potential, both inside the classroom and for remote learning.
Wizer
What is Wizer and How Does it Work?
Wizer is a digital worksheet-building tool that that can include questions, images, videos, and recording directions, plus teachers can set specific tasks.
Wizer: Best Tips and Tricks for Teaching
The best Wizer tips and tricks will allow teachers to create and find pre-made worksheets that get the best out of students.
IXL
What is IXL and How Does It Work?
The IXL platform is a personalized learning space that covers the K-12 curriculum, including math, English language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish.
IXL: Best Tips and Tricks for Teaching
The best IXL tips and tricks for teaching are an ideal way to help students progress through their K-12 curriculum learning, enjoying it as they go.
Edpuzzle
What is Edpuzzle and How Does it Work?
Edpuzzle is an online video editing and formative assessment tool that lets teachers cut, crop, and organize videos.
Book Creator
What is Book Creator and How Can Educators Use It?
Book Creator is a free tool that allows educators and their students to create multimedia ebooks based off of class assignments and topics.
Book Creator: Teacher Tips and Tricks
Given Book Creator’s robust functionality, there are more ways to utilize ebook creation in the classroom than educators might initially realize.
GooseChase
GooseChase: What It Is and How Educators Can Use It?
GooseChase EDU is a popular digital tool that helps students learn through teacher-designed scavenger hunts.
GooseChase: Tips and Tricks
Get the most out of GooseChase with these tips and tricks.
Scratch
What is Scratch and How Does It Work?
Scratch lets students use coding in a visually engaging way thanks to block based programming.
Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship is the responsible use of technology, including learning tools, personal devices, and social media
How to Teach Digital Citizenship
Students need to have a thorough understanding of their digital footprint, how to effectively communicate, the tools they can use, strategies for when they feel unsafe online, and what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
Supporting Digital Citizenship During Remote Learning
Educators from New York City’s Department of Education share their best practices and advice for supporting digital citizenship.
Which Digital Citizenship Skills Do Students Need Most?
The data suggests that teachers and schools should consider adopting a more holistic approach to digital citizenship.
Fact-Checking Sites for Students
Online resources for students to properly research reports, papers, and more.
Game based learning
GoNoodle
What is GoNoodle and How Does it Work? Best Tips and Tricks For Educators GoNoodle is a free tool that aims to get kids moving with short interactive videos and other activities.
Prodigy for Education
What is Prodigy for Education? Best Tips and Tricks
Prodigy is a role-playing adventure game in which students control an avatar wizard who roams a mystical land answering math-based questions (AKA doing battle).
iCivics
What is iCivics and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
iCivics is a free-to-use lesson-planning tool that allows teachers to better educate students on civic knowledge.
Oodlu
What is Oodlu and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Oodlu is an online gaming platform and education tool that teachers can use to help students learn as they play
Education Galaxy
What is Education Galaxy and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Education Galaxy is an online learning platform that uses a combination of games and exercises to help students learn while having fun.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is an online game-based platform that allows users to create quizzes.
What is Kahoot! and How Does it Work for Teachers?
Game-based learning has never been so easy for teachers and students to enjoy, thanks to Kahoot!
Best Kahoot! Tips and Tricks for Teachers
Kahoot! can help educators engage with students and enhance the teaching experience in class and beyond.
A Kahoot! Lesson Plan for Elementary Grades
A sample lesson plan designed to help educators implement Kahoot! into their instruction.
Minecraft
Minecraft is an online game that is often used for gamified learning
What is Minecraft: Education Edition?
Minecraft: Education Edition is a learning-focused version of the popular block-based game, with special options for teachers to offer control while still giving students that open-world freedom for which Minecraft is known.
Minecraft: Education Edition: Tips and Tricks
Minecraft: Education Edition can be a powerful teaching tool when used with the right tips and tricks
Why Minecraft?
Minecraft is about freedom, a trait sorely lacking in education. Kids can build what they want, how they want, block by block, and are only limited by their imagination.
How To Turn A Minecraft Map Into A Google Map
Building a world in Minecraft and then turning it into a Google Map, complete with points of interest, is only limited by your creativity.
How Colleges are Using Minecraft to Create Events and Activities
Higher ed institutions have discovered the value of Minecraft to bridge gaps brought on by remote learning.
Hardware
Computers and Peripherals
Best Laptop Cases for Teachers
Protect your most precious teaching technology with one of these best laptop cases reviewed by Tech & Learning. From the best overall to the best for longer travel and more, one of these top laptop cases is sure to fit the bill, while our Best Deals widget will help you find the best prices.
Best 3D Printers For Education
Tech and Learning looks at the best 3D printers for education, including the best options for beginners and remote printing.
Best Laptops for Teachers 2021
Pick the ideal laptop for your education needs from our laptop reviews.
Best Wireless Keyboard and Mouse for Teachers 2021
Tech and Learning looks at the latest and best wireless peripherals for education.
Webcams
Best Webcams for Teachers and Students 2021
The best webcams can help make the remote learning experience clearer and more compelling for both teachers and students.
VR and AR Systems
Best VR and AR Systems for Schools 2021
The magic of virtual and augmented reality can make learning more immersive than ever. Learn which VR and AR systems will work best in your school or classroom.
Gaming Systems
Best Gaming Systems for School Esports Programs
Tech and Learning reviews the top education gaming desktops, laptops, handheld gaming devices and accessories.
Ereaders
Best Ereaders for Students and Teachers
Tech and Learning reviews the best ereaders for education.
Presentation
Explain Everything
What is Explain Everything and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
Love your classroom whiteboard? Try an even more flexible tool, the Explain Everything digital whiteboard - it's like a super-robust PowerPoint designed for educators.
Microsoft PowerPoint
What is Microsoft PowerPoint for Education?
Microsoft PowerPoint is a slides-based presentation tool that teachers and students can use to create digital slideshows.
Best Microsoft PowerPoint Tips and Tricks for Teachers
These Microsoft PowerPoint tips and tricks can turn the office-focused tool into a powerful platform for student interaction and learning.
Flippity
What is Flippity and How Does It Work?
Flippity is a tool that allows users to take Google Sheets and turn it into activities and helpful resources, such as from flash cards or quizzes.
Best Flippity Tips and Tricks for Teachers
Make flash cards, build quizzes, create activities, and better engage students with these Flippity tips and tricks.
Pear Deck
What is Pear Deck and How Does it Work?
Pear Deck is a digital tool that allows teachers more in-depth and graphic control when using Google Slides.
Pear Deck Tips and Tricks for Teachers
The best Pear Deck tips and tricks for teaching can help teachers better engage students while potentially also saving instruction time.
Nearpod
What is Nearpod and How Does it Work?
Nearpod is an online tool that allows teachers to use slide-based teaching both in the classroom and remotely thanks to a hybrid layout.
Nearpod: Best Tips and Tricks for Teaching
To get the best out of Nearpod check out these best tips and tricks that help you to not only get new ideas but also to make the process easier and faster.
Buncee
What is Buncee and How Does It Work?
Buncee is a slideshow system designed specifically for educators, students, and administrators that offers end results that are easy to share and is ideal for both in-classroom use and remote learning.
Buncee Tips and Tricks for Teachers
From videos and images to animations and emojis, there is a lot of media to pick from when building a Buncee, but with a few good ideas from those who have used the platform before, you can make Buncee brilliance.
Apple Keynote
How To Use Keynote For Education
Apple Keynote is a presentation slideshow creator that can be used in education to help teachers and students create the most powerful and engaging presentations.
Best Keynote Tips and Tricks for Teachers
Keynote offers a host of cinematic transitions and effects that can help to make any subject engaging and entertaining for students.
VoiceThread
What is VoiceThread for Education?
VoiceThread is a presentation tool that allows for storytelling with lots of mixed media sources, and for interaction between teacher and students.
VoiceThread: Best Tips and Tricks For Teaching
While VoiceThread does a great job of incorporating rich media both for presenting and for feedback, there are great ways in which teachers are using this platform to boost engagement.
Video communications
Zoom for Education
Zoom for Education: 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of It
Erik Ofgang reveals the best tips for making the most out of Zoom.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a popular communications platform that works with the entire suite of Microsoft education tools
Microsoft Teams: What Is It and How Does It Work for Education?
Microsoft Teams is an online collaboration platform that allows for video chat, document sharing, collaborative editing, and more – making it ideal for teachers and students.
How to Setup Microsoft Teams Meetings for Teachers and Students
Microsoft Teams allows educators to hold meetings online and create a class environment with students, no matter where everyone is.
Microsoft Teams: Tips and Tricks for Teachers
From holding an online class to collaborating on a document as a class, Microsoft Teams integrates layers to make sure the experience is as seamless as possible. These tips and tricks will help educators get the most out of the platform.
Flipgrid
At its most basic, Flipgrid is a video communication platform
What is Flipgrid and How Does it Work for Teachers and Students?
Flipgrid is a discussion tool designed to work specifically for teachers and students in a digital classroom by using video to create an open platform of discussion and learning.
Best Flipgrid Tips and Tricks for Teachers and Students
The Flipgrid tips and tricks you need to know, from creating the best videos to engaging more with your Grid
Screencastify
What is Screencastify and How Does It Work?
Screencastify is an easy screen recording tool that also allows teachers to create, edit, and share instructional videos.
Screencast-O-Matic
What is Screencast-O-Matic and How Does it Work?
Screencast-O-Matic is a free screen capture system that allows teachers the opportunity to easily share their device screen with students, both in class and during remote learning.
Screencast-O-Matic: Best Tips And Tricks For Teaching
The best Screencast-O-Matic tips and tricks for teaching can help make digital learning more immersive and engaging, both in the classroom and for remote learning.
As it always is with education technology, evolution and change come quickly. Check back here regularly as we update these resources with the latest tools and best practices. Learning in the classroom can't happen if the teachers themselves stop learning!