In today’s digital age, teachers are using digital learning tools to improve traditional teaching methods and make learning more exciting for students. These classroom tools offer interactive learning experiences that help keep students engaged while providing instant feedback.
The current generation of K–12 students are digital natives. In this guide, we’ll explore the top 10 digital tools for teachers in the classroom to help engage the current generation of students and increase their academic achievement.
How digital tools can help teachers with online learning
Technology plays a vital role in connecting students and fostering positive online learning environments for students who have different learning styles. Whether students flourish through visual presentations or collaborating with others, digital tools assist teachers in online classroom management.
There are an abundance of digital tools that aid virtual learning, such as engaging quizzes, collaboration through interactive lessons, and even fun game elements incorporated into daily assignments. Digital tools provide an effective way to enhance your online curriculum with instant feedback and live discussions.
Not sure where to start? Follow these tips for incorporating digital tools into your online classroom:
1. Create quizzes, polls, and surveys for online learners
In a digital classroom, cool tech tools for creating quizzes, polls, and surveys provide innovative ways to assess student understanding virtually. Poll Everywhere, a digital tool, enables teachers to create live polls for online student assessment. With this tool teachers can design creative quizzes that offer real-time feedback, fostering a more engaging learning experience.
2. Brainstorm, mind map, and collaborate with students
One of the core elements of a digital curriculum is collaboration among students. For more interactive lessons, try using digital collaboration tools to create mind maps so students can actively engage with peers while organizing ideas effectively. Students now have a visually appealing way of understanding complex topics while fostering relationships with their peers.
3. Present, engage, and inspire online students
Digital learning caters to students with diverse learning styles, providing a unique opportunity outside the realm of a traditional learning environment. By using visual aids such as infographics and video clips, you can boost student engagement and make your online lessons more interactive. Students now experience a more relatable and memorable learning experience, encouraging student agency.
4. Get real-time feedback to improve your class
By receiving instant feedback, teachers are able to support students by adjusting teaching methods in real-time. Digital tools provide an effective form of tracking class-wide and individual student performance within a virtual learning environment. The use of digital education tools empowers teachers and students alike!
5. Keep the conversation going with live chats
Some digital tools offer a platform for interactive online discussions, connecting teachers and students with real-time communication. Live chat tools facilitate a way of providing dynamic interaction within virtual classrooms. With live discussions, lessons can be more engaging and provide flexibility!
Top 10 digital tools for teachers in the classroom
From quizzes to interactive presentations to collaborative platforms, digital tools enrich online education with engaging elements for both students and teachers. Enhance your virtual learning in schools with these 10 digital tools for your online classroom.
1. Digit
Digit is an advanced AI-driven learning tool powered by Archie, the innovative AI math tutoring engine from ASU Prep. Archie helps students think through math problems at an individual level. This digital tool uses handwriting recognition along with dynamic, personalized feedback to help students work through math problems step by step. And because every student’s approach to problem-solving is unique, Archie offers hints to guide students toward mastery and keeps track of their math learning progress to identify where a student consistently struggles and offer targeted practice problems and lessons.
2. Kahoot!
Learning tools can be fun! Kahoot! is meant to be competitive in nature and encourages student participation through its gameshow-like manner. Educators can design a variety of quizzes and surveys using the platform, and it’s compatible across multiple devices, making it easily accessible for students in elementary through high school.
3. ClassDojo
ClassDojo is a one-stop shop for information sharing among teachers, parents, and students. A crucial element for virtual learning is communicating effectively, and ClassDojo provides a free communication platform facilitating information sharing while including unique features such as behavior tracking, a classroom rewards system, and student portfolios.
4. Planboard
Tech tools like Planboard provide teachers a fun opportunity to be reflective with their lesson planning and track standards coverage. This program allows teachers to cut down on time spent developing lessons while altering them in real-time by using Planboard’s digital tools. This ensures better communication with students and collaborating with colleagues.
5. SpellQuiz
Interactive learning brings the classroom to life through game-based platforms like SpellQuiz. Teachers can use this engaging online tool to elevate language skills through interactive games, quizzes, and tests while crafting personalized lists and receiving detailed reports. The top benefit of this program is that it’s accessible on all devices, such as your iPad, laptops, and all smartphones.
6. Quizizz
Effortlessly create quizzes and unlock interactive learning with Quizizz. This free online tool assists educators in tracking student progress while in a remote learning environment. Features in Quizizz allow for gamification, detailed customization of quizzes from scratch or existing templates, and in-depth data analysis.
7. Padlet
Looking for collaboration tools to enhance brainstorming sessions, class discussions, or showcasing student work? Padlet is a cloud-based digital bulletin board where students can post their ideas, projects, and even videos—all in real time. Separate Padlets for different subjects or projects makes group work a breeze, and because it’s interactive, teachers can easily provide feedback.
8. Teacheroo
Teacher schedules can get pretty hectic but with a classroom management tool like Teacheroo, educators can seamlessly manage their classes and track grades. Messaging is also made easy using this digital platform to facilitate communication with students and parents. The ultimate benefit of Teacheroo is leveraging the analytics of student progress to target areas in need of support.
9. Smore
Amplify communication in the classroom with Smore, a digital platform for creating eye-catching school newsletters, updates, and announcements in minutes. Smore makes it easy with customizable templates to save time while keeping parents and guardians updated, sharing class schedules, resources, and assignments, and creating one place to capture professional development resources and opportunities.
10. Readworks
Readworks is an invaluable literacy development tool for educators with access to over 2,000 fiction and non-fictions works! Students can then embark on a literary journey at their own pace using this free online platform that supports students. Teachers are able to track student progress and assign writing exercises with individual student learning abilities in mind.
Need digital tools or curriculum for your K–12 online learning program?
As educators, there are many factors to consider when integrating digital tools into your online learning program. ASU Prep Global can help with comprehensive support to make digital learning hassle-free. Whether you need K–12 digital course licensing or an entire learning management system with teacher training, tech support, digital tools, and more, we can customize delivery based on your school or district’s online course needs.
ASU Prep Global partners with other K–12 schools to build new models of educational success, embed early college experiences and provide access to the latest innovative technologies, digital courseware, and professional development. We’re more than a curriculum provider—we’re an innovation partner to top schools and school districts.
We help our partners create high-impact, high-quality digital education that meets the unique needs of their learners and staff. For more than a decade, we’ve partnered with school leaders to help innovate learning for K–12 students and educators through Arizona State University led research, proven effective learning practices, and industry-leading online education technology.
Digital Tools In The Classroom FAQs
What is a digital tool in the classroom?
A digital tool in the classroom is any technology or software that is used to support teaching and learning. This can include a variety of devices, such as computers, tablets, projectors, and interactive whiteboards. It also encompasses educational apps and online platforms that provide access to digital materials for students to engage with. Digital tools offer teachers the opportunity to create more dynamic and personalized lessons, as well as track student progress and provide instant feedback.
Which digital technology is best to use in your classroom?
Choosing the right digital tools for your classroom can seem overwhelming with the vast array of options available. The best technology to use will depend on your specific teaching goals and the needs of your students. Some popular options include interactive whiteboards, tablets, educational apps, and online learning platforms.
What are digital materials for teaching?
Digital materials for teaching refer to any electronic resources that are used to support and enhance learning in the classroom. These can include videos, simulations, interactive activities, e-books, and other digital resources that can be accessed on a computer or mobile device. The use of digital materials allows teachers to incorporate multimedia and interactive elements into their lessons, making learning more engaging and dynamic for students.