25 Unique Digital Tools for an Engaged Classroom (With Features and Prices)
Remember when classrooms were filled with chalkboards, textbooks, and stacks of handouts? Those days are fading away as technology transforms the way we teach and learn. In fact, just as many aspects of our lives have gone digital, classrooms too are adopting a wide range of digital tools to make learning more interactive and engaging.
From educational games to digital quizzes, these tools are helping students connect with the learning materials in ways we couldn’t have imagined before. They also give educators the power to reach students with different learning needs, offer real-time feedback, and build a collaborative environment.
If you’re an educator ready to explore how technology can bring your lessons to life, you’re in the right place. In this article, we are going to explore 25 digital tools that can make your classroom an inspiring space for your learners.
Digital tools for the classroom include:
- Assessment tools
- Augmented reality
- Educational games
- Communication channels
- Creative and interactive content
How to Choose the Best Digitial Tools for Your Classroom?
As an educator, it is important to think about some key factors while selecting which tools to use and when. So let’s take a look at some of the points you need to keep in mind to find the best fit for your needs.
- Usability: Whether you’re using these tools to create learning materials or your students are using them to complete assignments, it’s important that the tools are easy to navigate on a daily basis. So try to choose a tool that is user-friendly and preferably has a reliable support team available in case you face any issues or difficulties using this tool.
- Differentiated teaching: One of the reasons teachers use digital educational tools is that they can accommodate different learning styles. This means that the learning materials can be customized to meet the different individual needs of students, and in turn improve their academic progress.
- Cost: When selecting digital tools for your classroom, it’s important to consider the budget of your educational institution. Luckily, many software tools offer free trials so you can test them before committing to a paid version. Additionally, some companies provide special discounts for bulk purchases or classroom usage, which can help reduce costs.
Digital Assessment Tools for the Classroom
Using pen and paper is one way of assessing the understanding of your students, but it isn’t the only one. Thanks to technology, the assessment process doesn’t have to be hideous; there are many tools that make it easier for the learners to answer the questions, and for the teacher to grade them.
iSpring QuizMaker
iSpring QuizMaker is a powerful desktop tool designed to help you create engaging quizzes for a variety of purposes, from fun warm-ups to in-depth final exams. With a user-friendly interface and various customization options, it’s ideal for educators looking to build interactive assessments quickly and easily.
- Features:
- Diverse question templates: Choose from 14 question templates, including matching, drag-and-drop, hotspot, and open-ended questions.
- Multimedia integration: Add text, images, audio, and video to each question.
- Flexible assessment options: Use branching, set limits on attempts and time, and randomize question orders for comprehensive assessments.
- Immediate feedback: Get real-time feedback for incorrect answers and info slides to give students additional context.
- Pricing: iSpring QuizMaker offers a free 14-day trial, with an annual subscription available at $370/user.
ProProfs
ProProfs is an online assessment tool powered by AI and machine learning, which offers educators a user-friendly way to create branded quizzes and track learner performance. With a range of templates and automation features, it’s designed to simplify grading and facilitate the overall assessment experience.
- Features:
- Customizable templates: Choose from a variety of templates and questions, with options to personalize with brand colors and logos.
- Automated grading: Automatically grade tests and provide instant your learners with instant feedback.
- Performance tracking: Get auto-generated reports that enable you to monitor your learners’ progress.
- Pricing: If you want to give this tool a try, you can use the free basic plan. There are also affordable paid options, including the Essentials package at $20/month and the Business package at $40/month. For more premium options, you can purchase the Business+ package for $200/month.
PointerPro
With its user-friendly interface, Pointerpro helps make assessments more engaging and effective, offering teachers a reliable way to measure student comprehension. It enables teachers to create interactive quizzes and assessments. Additionally, it automatically generates personalized reports, making it simple to track students’ progress and engagement.
- Features:
- Interactive quizzes: Create interactive quizzes that promote active learning and ensure knowledge retention over time.
- Collaborative assessment creation: Allow multiple users to collaborate on creating and reviewing assessments.
- Personalized, auto-generated reports: Receive detailed and customized reports for each questionnaire.
- Seamless integrations: Easily integrate with platforms like Google Sheets, Zapier, Facebook, and more.
- Pricing: PointerPro offers flexible pricing to suit different needs. Plans start at $69/month, and there is also a free trial available for you to test the tool before making a purchase decision.
ExamSoft
This platform is suitable for various organizations, such as government entities, businesses, and educational institutions. It can help them with assessments, certifications, and licensure exams. It also provides them with different resources–such as blog posts and ebooks–on various assessment-related topics.
- Features:
- Controlled testing environment: Ensures a secure and monitored setting for both on-site and remote assessments.
- Performance insights: Get valuable insights into learner performance through formative and summative assessments.
- Detailed reporting: Receive in-depth reports to track and analyze individual and group performance.
- Pricing: To know more about their software and pricing, contact ExamSoft for a tailored quote that is customized to your needs.
ReadnQuiz
This is a more specialized tool for assessing learners’ understanding of literature. It provides teachers with questions for various literary books and offers comprehensive reports for each learner. The platform is easy to use, can be synched with student information systems, and comes with free tech support.
- Features:
- Pre-made quizzes: Access a vast library of questions tailored to various literary works.
- Detailed reports: Receive in-depth reports on each student’s comprehension.
- Student information system integration: Easily sync the platform with existing student information systems.
- Collaboration tools: Assign multiple teachers to manage and monitor quizzes, making it easier to handle larger classes or groups.
- Home quizzing: Allow or disallow quizzing at home, providing flexibility in how and where students complete their quizzes
- Pricing: ReadnQuiz offers 3 different packages with free trials for each one. The first package is the School Edition, and it starts at $400/month. The Classroom Edition starts at $60/month. And the Homeschool Edition starts at $30/month.
Tool | Purpose | Main Features | Pricing |
iSpring QuizMaker | Desktop tool for creating quizzes and exams | 14 question templates Multimedia support (text, images, audio, video) Customizable quiz interface | Free 14-day trial Annual subscription: $370/user |
ProProfs | Online tool for quizzes with automated grading and tracking | AI-powered, user-friendly interface Customizable templates with branding options Automated grading and feedback Auto-generated performance reports | Free basic plan Essentials plan: $20/month Business plan: $40/month Business+ plan: $200/month |
PointerPro | Interactive quiz and survey tool with reporting | Personalized, auto-generated reports Detailed questionnaire analytics Collaborative creation with multiple users Engaging, interactive quizzes | Free trial available Plans start at $69/month |
ExamSoft | Platform for secure, controlled assessments | Secure testing environment (on-site or remote) Suitable for certifications, licensing exams, and high-stakes assessments Resources for users (blogs, eBooks, and guides on assessment topics) | Pricing requires a custom demonstration to tailor to the organization’s needs |
ReadnQuiz | Literature-focused assessment tool for comprehension | Pre-made quizzes for various literary works Student information system sync Comprehensive individual reports Free technical support | School Edition: $400/month Classroom Edition: $60/month Homeschool Edition: $30/month Free trials for each plan |
For more assessment tools for the classroom, check out this article: 8 Quiz Maker Tools for Learning and Teaching in 2024
Augmented Reality
This is one cool way to bring learning to life and engage your students. With 2D, 3D, and even 4D discovery-based learning, subjects that the kids find difficult to understand become much more interesting and easier to grasp.
Using Augmented Reality tools makes computer-generated items appear as if they exist in real time. All you need to do is provide the students with tablets that have the AR apps on them, let them point the camera at the object that the app recognizes, and an animation or a video will appear on the screen.
Immerse
Designed for school students from pre-K to high school, this app provides teachers with hundreds of augmented science lessons. It transforms ordinary experiences into extraordinary, interactive adventures. Additionally, it offers new content every month, including preloaded assignments and standard reporting.
- Features:
- 3D models: Engage your students with detailed, adjustable-size 3D models of animals, machines, and landscapes.
- Fact-based trivia: Let your students learn through trivia activities that unlock more interactions and avatars.
- Camera functionality: Take photos and share your AR experiences.
- Multi-Platform Access: Available on iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
- Pricing: A free version is available with basic features. Schools can subscribe to one of four packages tailored to their needs (contact their sales team for more information).
Narrator AR
This app blends traditional handwriting skills with AR technology. It is designed primarily for young children in preschool (ages 3-5). It aims to improve early writing skills by animating handwritten letters in a fun and engaging way. After a child writes a word, such as their name, on a printed template, they can use the app to see how their handwriting comes to life with animations like a rocket or unicorn.
- Features:
- Interactive AR characters: Choose between a unicorn or a rocket to animate handwritten letters.
- Fine motor skill development: Encourages children to practice writing with a pen and paper.
- Offline availability: Free from in-app purchases and does not require constant Wi-Fi.
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Simple and intuitive controls for young children.
- Pricing: Narrator AR is free to download and use, with no in-app purchases required.
CoSpaces
This is an innovative tool that empowers students to create their own interactive 3D content, which can improve their creativity and digital literacy. By combining 3D modeling, coding, and augmented reality, it offers a comprehensive toolset for both educators and students to bring their ideas to life in an engaging and immersive way.
- Features:
- 3D creation tools: Use intuitive tools to create anything from 3D models to interactive scenes.
- Coding features: Access visual programming language for beginners and scripting languages for advanced users.
- Class management: Manage and observe student work from a user-friendly teacher dashboard.
- Collaboration: Facilitate student collaboration and real-time feedback.
- Compatibility: Available on smartphones, tablets, desktops, and Chromebooks.
- Pricing: You can choose one of two plans: the Basic Free Plan which includes basic creation features, up to 2 CoSpaces, 1 class, 1 assignment, and 10 external files; or the Pro Plan which starts at $50/year and includes all features with no limits.
Curiscope
This app takes the teaching of science to kids to a whole new level. It offers two great learning experiences, the Multiverse and Virtual-Tee. The first comes with posters for parts of the solar system, such as the Earth, Moon, and Mars, and there is also a free app that brings it all to life. The second is a t-shirt that enables students to learn about the human body. By pointing their devices at the t-shirt, they can explore the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems.
- Features:
- Cross-platform compatibility: Works on iOS and Android devices.
- Teacher Resources: Access lesson plans, worksheets, and quizzes for classroom use.
- Realistic 3D Visuals: Ultra-realistic, detailed 3D visuals of major organs and celestial bodies.
- Group and Individual Activities: Suitable for classroom group activities or individual exploration.
- Pricing: You can purchase the Virtuali-Tee for $29.95, and the Multiverse Posters for $21.95.
Blippar
Unlike the previously mentioned apps, this one puts the users in the driver’s seat by making them create their own augmented reality. This platform is user-friendly and doesn’t require any coding experience.
Blippar also offers to create the AR experience you imagine for you; so the sky is the limit! After the campaign is created, you can start sharing the QR code or URL, and anyone with a smart device will be able to use it.
- Features:
- Free 3D Assets: Access thousands of AR-ready assets from their library.
- Surface Tracking: Automatically identify and place virtual content on flat surfaces.
- Marker Tracking: Trigger AR experiences by scanning markers with a smartphone.
- Metaverse Creation: Create your own real-world Metaverse with brand assets and imagery.
- Multi-Device Support: AR content can be viewed on mobile devices and AR headsets like Magic Leap 2 and Meta Quest Pro.
- Online Support: Access to online support for troubleshooting and assistance.
- Pricing: Blippar’s BuildAR platform offers a Starter Plan for free, allowing unlimited AR project creation with a Blippar watermark. The Creative Plan costs £7.99 per month for one published project, while the Creative Plus Plan at £99 per month supports two projects without the watermark. For more extensive use, the Pro Plan is £249 per month, supporting up to five projects and users.
Tool | Main Purpose | Key Features | Pricing |
Immerse | Science education for students | 3D models, trivia activities, multi-platform support, standard reporting | Free version with limited features; institutional packages available |
Narrator AR | Early handwriting development for young children | Animated letters, fine motor skill focus, offline availability | Free with optional activity bundles from $3–$7 |
CoSpaces | Creative 3D modeling and coding for educational use | 3D creation tools, visual and script coding, collaboration, teacher dashboard | Free basic plan; Pro plan from $50/year |
Curiscope | Science education with a focus on human anatomy and space | Realistic 3D visuals, solar system posters, Virtual-Tee for anatomy exploration | Virtuali-Tee $29.95; Multiverse Posters $21.95 |
Blippar | DIY AR platform for custom experiences | Free 3D asset library, surface and marker tracking, multi-device support | Starter plan free (watermarked); paid plans from £7.99/month |
Educational Games
All kids (and most adults) love to play games. So what could be a better way to teach your students than to use educational games? Research shows that “gaming can create an engaging dynamic that inspires students to develop competencies and skills as they focus on the activities of the game.”
From arts to astronomy, there are games for almost every subject and every stage. These games are going to instill the love of learning in your students and make your job much easier.
History for Kids
Time travel is now possible with this app, which lets students discover ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire, Ancient Egypt, and the Medieval Ages. The graphics of the game are fascinating, with captivating imagery and colors. It is best suitable for kids aged 7 years and above.
- Features:
- Multiple games: Explore Ancient Egypt, Roman Empire, Greek civilization, Medieval ages, Vikings, and more.
- HD images and videos: Hundreds of high-definition images and dozens of videos to enhance learning.
- Fascinating graphics: Engaging and visually appealing graphics.
- No third-party advertising: Let the kids enjoy an ad-free experience.
- Pricing: This app offers basic content for free. However, to unlock more features, you can make in-app purchases. The option to access all civilizations is priced at $9.99, while individual civilizations can be purchased starting at $1.99.
BuzzMath
From age 6 to 16, kids get to enjoy learning mathematics through this platform. The games and activities offered on it cover various concepts, from number sensing to statistics and geometry.
Not only that, but this game-based platform also helps teachers track the progress and performance of their students. With audio-reading of the text, hints in case of a wrong answer, and a mathematical glossary, learning becomes more self-driven for your kids.
- Features:
- Progress tracking: Detailed reports to monitor student progress.
- Personalized learning: Activities tailored to individual student needs.
- Motivational elements: Badges, avatars, and stars to motivate students.
- Immediate feedback: Detailed solutions to help students understand errors and improve.
- Multi-level support: Activities for different academic levels.
- Pricing: Buzzmath offers a monthly subscription for $20 per month or an annual subscription for $120 per year.
Tynker
Who would have thought that a five-year-old kid would be able to learn how to code? Tynker now offers game-based coding courses for children aged from 5 to 14+. It has helped over 100,000 schools engage their students with coding, and empowered K-12 educators with many great computer resources.
Tynker also offers free professional development sessions for educators, which include how to code with Tynker Blocks and text-based languages, pedagogical best practices, and game design.
- Features:
- 5,000+ coding activities: A variety of activities to improve problem-solving skills and academic performance.
- Personalized assessments: Tailored assessments and certifications in real-world languages.
- Access to mobile apps: Includes Tynker, Tynker Junior, and Mod Creator apps for coding on the go.
- Creativity tools: Tools for game design, art studio, character building, and more.
- Parent dashboard: Track your child’s progress and mastery stats.
- Community access: Join a global community of over 100 million kids to share and learn from each other.
- Pricing: Tynker offers an Individual Lifetime Plan for $624, an annual subscription for $240, and a quarterly plan for $72. Family Plans are available for up to three children at $540 for a lifetime, $225 annually, or $84 quarterly.
National Geographic Kids
This website is filled with different games, quizzes, and personality tests. Their aim is to educate children about various topics, from language and geography to Greek mythology and history.
- Features:
- Diverse game types: This includes action and adventure games, puzzles, mazes, and personality quizzes.
- Interactive quizzes: Let the kids enjoy taking some personality quizzes and knowledge-based quizzes to test what they have learned.
- Fun and engaging: Visually appealing and interactive games that make learning enjoyable.
Pricing: The games on National Geographic Kids are free to play, with optional in-app purchases available for additional content and features.
Tinybop
This award-winning educational series offers many apps that teach kids about science. It lets kids, ages 4+, explore the different and awesome aspects of the world. There are currently 12 apps in this series, including apps about the human body, plants, simple machines, homes, and many others.
There are also 7 “Digital Toys” apps that develop kids’ creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Features:
- Explorer’s library: Access interactive models that let kids explore science concepts like the human body, plants, homes, simple machines, and more.
- Digital Toys: Get open-ended construction kits that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and storytelling.
- Pricing: Tinybop apps are available for purchase on various platforms, each at a different price. For example, “The Human Body” app is priced at $3.99, with a subscription option available for additional content.
Tool | Main Purpose | Key Features | Pricing |
History for Kids | Learning ancient civilizations for ages 7+ | Multiple games on civilizations, HD visuals, ad-free experience | Basic content is free; full access for $9.99, or individual civilization at $1.99 |
BuzzMath | Math practice for ages 6-16 | Progress tracking, personalized learning, motivational badges, multi-level support | $20/month or $120/year |
Tynker | Game-based coding for ages 5-14+ | 5,000+ activities, personalized assessments, creativity tools, community access | Lifetime plan $624; annual $240; quarterly $72. |
National Geographic Kids | Interactive games and quizzes on various educational topics | Diverse games, interactive quizzes, visually engaging content | Free to play with optional in-app purchases |
Tinybop | Science and world exploration apps for ages 4+ | Explorer’s Library with interactive models, Digital Toys for creative thinking | Individual apps start at $3.99; bundle options available |
Communication Channels
Communication is key in education, both with students and their parents. Teachers need to stay connected with both to create an effective educational process. To ensure smooth communication and avoid any misunderstanding, there are many tools that educators can use, and we’re going to explore some of them together.
Canvas
Canvas by Instructure is an LMS that combines the best of traditional education with modern technology. It’s designed to provide better communication and collaboration between students and teachers; it helps create an interactive and engaging learning environment that extends beyond the traditional classroom setup. Teachers can use this platform to manage coursework, share resources, and encourage real-time discussions.
- Features:
- Course authoring tools: Drag-and-drop interface for building rich course content.
- Assessment tools: Various options for quizzes, assignments, and exams.
- Communication Tools: Messaging, discussions, and announcements to foster interaction.
- Analytics tools: Analytics and reporting to track student progress and performance.
- Mobile learning: Accessible on various devices through mobile apps.
- Integration: Compatibility with other educational tools and systems.
- Rewarding system: Recognize and reward student achievements with digital badges.
- Personalized learning paths: Tailor content to meet individual student needs.
- Pricing: Canvas offers a free-for-teacher account with essential features. For more advanced features and institutional use, contact their sales team.
ClassDojo
Bringing communities together and giving the students the learning experience they deserve is what ClassDojo is all about. This class communication platform allows teachers, students, and parents to share what is being learned in the classroom and at home. This can be done through video, pictures, and messages.
Available in more than 30 languages, ClassDojo can be used on all devices: Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, and all computer devices. There are also various resources for teachers to use, such as presentations, decoration packs, and training courses.
- Features:
- Communication tools: Instant messaging, automatic translations, and private feeds for sharing photos, videos, and updates.
- Class story: A private feed where teachers can share classroom moments with parents.
- Events calendar: Easy event scheduling with automatic reminders.
- Teacher toolkit: Tools like attendance sheets and timers to help manage the classroom.
- Points and big ideas: Support social-emotional learning with points and customizable Big Ideas.
- Portfolios: Students can showcase their work and progress through digital portfolios.
- Family accounts: Up to three family members can join the account.
- Pricing: ClassDojo is free for teachers and offers an optional subscription service called ClassDojo Plus. ClassDojo Plus includes features like unlimited messaging, detailed progress reports, and skill-building resources, with pricing starting at approximately $6.99 per month.
Remind
Text messaging is one of the easiest ways to reach people. And in order to protect teachers’ privacy, Remind helps them communicate with their students without revealing their phone numbers. It offers a 2-way text message service to students and parents, free of any charge.
Not only does Remind mask phone numbers, but it can also schedule messages and automate translation into more than 90 languages. On top of that, it provides teachers with free resources that they can use to improve the communication process.
- Features:
- Automatic translation: Translate messages into over 90 languages to reach families in their preferred language.
- Privacy protection: Personal information stays private, ensuring secure communication.
- File attachments: Attach photos, documents, and other files to messages.
- Scheduling: Schedule messages ahead of time for timely communication.
- Support for various devices: Accessible on Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, and computers.
- Pricing: Remind is free for teachers and schools, with optional premium features available through Remind Hub for enhanced communication and administrative oversight.
SchoolStatus
SchoolStatus is designed to improve communication and attendance in schools. It helps teachers, students, and parents stay connected and informed. With SchoolStatus, schools can create a more united community by managing attendance, sending messages, and supporting teachers. This platform makes it easy to communicate important updates and track student engagement to ensure everyone is on the same page.
- Features:
- Two-way communication: Facilitate communication via SMS, email, and calls.
- Auto-translation: Translate communications into over 130 languages.
- Attendance management: Automate attendance intervention letters and monitor attendance trends.
- Centralized classroom app and web portal: Accessible platform for teachers, students, and parents.
- Communication logging and recording: Maintain comprehensive records of all communications.
- Mass notifications: Dispatch notifications to families for events, reminders, and alerts.
- Newsletters: Create and disseminate newsletters directly through the platform.
- Family engagement reporting: Track and report on family engagement levels.
- Educator support: Provide tools for professional development, goal-setting, and tracking educator growth.
- Pricing: SchoolStatus offers a free plan with essential features, alongside premium plans with additional functionalities. To know more about their paid plans, you can contact their sales team.
GoSoapBox
Many students find it hard to participate in class discussions. They might have questions that they keep to themselves because they’re just too shy to ask. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
GoSaopBox is a fun way to increase students’ engagement in the classroom, especially the introverted ones. It is a web-based student response system that allows teachers to create events that students can join using an access code. The students can then submit replies online or from their mobile devices while staying anonymous or having their names displayed.
- Features:
- Social Q&A: Students can submit and vote on questions, ensuring the most relevant questions are addressed.
- Confusion barometer: Students indicate their understanding in real time, so that teachers can identify who needs help.
- Real-time polls: Conduct customizable polls to make classes more lively and engaging.
- Quizzes: Create quizzes for formative assessment and download grade reports.
- Anonymity: Students can interact anonymously, which can help them feel more comfortable participating.
- Activity and grade reports: Download spreadsheets and reports on class activity and grades.
- Multi-platform access: Accessible on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.
- Pricing: GoSoapBox offers a free plan for small classes (fewer than 30 students). For larger class sizes, contact their sales team directly to get a personalized quote.
Tool | Main Purpose | Key Features | Pricing |
Canvas | Dynamic LMS for interactive learning | Course authoring, assessment tools, communication, analytics, mobile access, personalized learning paths | Free for basic features; contact sales for advanced institutional pricing |
ClassDojo | Class communication platform connecting teachers, students, parents | Messaging, event scheduling, points for social-emotional learning, digital portfolios, family accounts | Free; optional subscription for $6.99/month for advanced features |
Remind | Private, secure communication tool | Auto-translation, privacy protection, file attachments, scheduling, device support | Free; premium features available through Remind Hub |
SchoolStatus | Improved school communication and engagement | Two-way communication, attendance management, auto-translation, family engagement reporting, educator support | Free basic plan; contact sales for premium plan pricing |
GoSoapBox | Web-based student response system for engagement | Social Q&A, confusion barometer, real-time polls, quizzes, anonymity, activity and grade reports | Free for small classes; contact sales for larger class pricing |
Creative and Interactive Content
The way information is presented to students has shifted a lot; textbooks and blackboards are no longer the only way to teach. Instead, the various available tech tools for teachers make learning much more fun and engaging.
Kotobee Author
Textbooks don’t have to be boring! Using Kotobee, teachers can create ebooks that have many interactive elements, mini-apps, and multimedia. These books can be displayed on the web, desktops, mobiles, or tablets.
To make things easier for educators, Kotobee allows them to distribute the ebooks individually or collectively by using an internal library app. It also helps them collect reports for their students’ activities, through Tin-Can API.
- Features:
- AI content generation: Generate text, images, or questions instantly with a few clicks of a button.
- Multiple Export Formats: Export your course or textbook to over 12 different formats, including mobile apps.
- Customization: Tailor the functionality and reading options to create a unique experience.
- LMS Integration: Integrate with your school’s LMS using SCORM, LTI, or Tin Can.
- Branding: Customize your ebook app with any themes, colors, or logos.
- Pricing: Kotobee Author offers a free license with great features. Their plans start from $150 paid only once.
inklewriter
Creating interactive stories, where the reader gets to choose how the story ends, is very easy with this free tool. inklewriter helps authors focus on the writing while it keeps the story organized. This is a great way for teachers and students to mix creative writing with computer skills.
- Features:
- Interactive storytelling: Write stories with branching paths and choices.
- Image integration: Add images to your stories by linking to online images.
- Logic and conditions: Use conditional logic to make your stories more intricate.
- Web-based: Accessible from any device with a web browser.
- Save and share option: Save your work and share your stories with a unique web page for each story.
- Pricing: inklewriter is completely free to use. There are no hidden costs or subscription fees, making it accessible to everyone.
Storybird
This is a unique language arts tool that focuses on visual storytelling. It provides young learners and writers with thousands of images and illustrations that inspire them to create comic books, flash fiction, and poetry. There are also more than 600 quizzes, lessons, and writing prompts that are designed by experienced educators and authors.
- Features:
- Art-inspired writing: Choose from a library of over 10,000 images to inspire your stories.
- Multiple formats: Create picture books, comics, long-form stories, poetry, and flash fiction.
- Writing resources: Access over 700 lessons, quizzes, and writing prompts created by experienced educators and authors.
- Pricing: This tool offers a free basic plan. There is also a more advanced plan that starts from $5/month.
Edpuzzle
According to research, the majority of people are visual learners. That is why Edpuzzle is one of the really cool tools for the digital classroom. It enables teachers to easily create and edit interactive educational videos, and also track their students’ engagement. Additionally, they can insert questions anywhere in the videos to assess their students’ comprehension and ensure engagement.
- Features:
- Screen recording: Record and edit your own videos for customized lessons.
- AI assistance: Use AI to generate questions and automatically grade short answer responses.
- Analytics and reporting: Get instant analytics to track student engagement and performance.
- Library of lessons: Access a vast library of teacher-created video lessons across various subjects.
- Privacy compliance: Ensure student data privacy and compliance with FERPA, COPPA, and GDPR.
- Collaboration tools: Enable teachers to collaborate and share content within their school or district.
- Pricing: You can use Edpuzzle’s Basic Plan for free. Alternatively, you can purchase their Pro Teacher plan for $13.5/month.
Padlet
Padlet is an easy-to-use platform where students and teachers can collaborate on virtual boards, which are often described as “digital bulletin boards” or “walls”. This tool is widely used in education as encourages creativity and teamwork through a visually engaging, flexible design. Users can easily share text, images, videos, and links in real time. Moreover, Padlet creates a collaborative environment that facilitates learning and participation; it allows teachers to set up interactive boards for discussions, assignments, brainstorming, and sharing resources.
- Features:
- Customizable layouts: Choose from various layouts like walls, grids, and maps to organize content.
- Privacy controls: Control who can view and interact with your boards, with options for public, private, or password-protected access.
- Multimedia integration: Easily integrate multimedia elements into your boards.
- Compatibility: Access and interact with boards from any device, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.
- Analytics and reporting: Track engagement and gather insights on how your students interact with your boards.
- LMS integration: Seamlessly integrate with LMSs like Google Classroom, Canvas, and Microsoft Teams.
- Pricing: Padlet offers a free version with basic features, while premium plans include more customization, storage, and collaboration options. To get a quote for these plans, you can contact their sales teams.
Tool | Main Purpose | Features | Pricing |
Kotobee Author | An interactive ebook creator tailored for educational content, supporting multimedia, customization, and analytics. | AI-powered content generation 12 exporting formats, including mobile apps LMS integration (SCORM, LTI, Tin Can) Full branding capabilities (themes, logos) Analytics and student activity tracking | Free license; plans start from $150 (one-time fee) |
inklewriter | An interactive story-writing tool for creating “choose-your-own-adventure” stories. | Story branching with conditional logic Image integration via online links Web-based platform accessible from any device Unique story URLs for easy sharing | Free to use |
Storybird | A visual storytelling tool that encourages creativity and writing through art-inspired story creation. | Art-inspired library with over 10,000 images Supports picture books, comics, poetry, flash fiction Extensive writing resources, including quizzes, prompts, and lessons | Free basic plan; advanced plan from $5/month |
Edpuzzle | A video platform for interactive learning, where teachers can embed questions in educational videos. | Screen recording for creating lessons AI assistance with auto-grading Analytics to track engagement Access to a large lesson library Privacy compliance (FERPA, COPPA, GDPR) Collaboration tools within schools/districts | Free basic version; Pro Teacher plan: $13.50/month |
Padlet | A collaborative digital bulletin board for interactive classroom activities and resource sharing. | Customizable layouts (walls, grids, maps) Privacy controls for secure sharing Multimedia integration (text, images, videos) Compatibility across devices Analytics for engagement tracking LMS integration with Google Classroom, Canvas, and Microsoft Teams | Free basic version; premium plans available (contact sales) |
Final Thoughts
With so many creative digital tools available, engaging today’s classroom has never been easier. From fostering collaboration to encouraging independent learning, each of the tools mentioned in this article brings something unique to the table, helping students stay active participants in their educational journey.
Whether you’re aiming to boost engagement, simplify complex topics, or inspire creativity, there’s something here for every teaching style and subject area. Using these tools will not only improve the learning experience for your students but will also prepare them for a tech-driven world!
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