Top 20 Websites and Applications Teachers Should Explore for the Upcoming School Year
As the new academic year begins, we've compiled a list of the top educational sites and apps that are set to engage students and support learning goals across various subjects. This curated list is based on recent authoritative sources and includes a mix of classroom management tools, interactive lesson creators, behavior and assessment trackers, and platforms with gamification and collaborative features.
Classroom Management Tools
- Google Classroom - A free, widely used Learning Management System (LMS) that integrates with Google tools for assignment management, communication, and feedback, making it ideal for all grade levels.
- Schoology - A free classroom management app with digital content sharing, task assignment, and real-time progress monitoring.
- ClassDojo - Focuses on positive behavior reinforcement, social-emotional learning (SEL), and parent communication, particularly popular in elementary schools.
- Edmodo - A social learning platform enabling communication, assignment sharing, and parent engagement.
Interactive Lesson Creators
- Nearpod - Offers engaging lessons and activities with gamification, quizzes, and virtual reality options to assess and motivate students.
- Seesaw - A student-centered online platform for communication, personalized learning, engagement, and formative assessment.
- Pear Deck - A tool for creating interactive presentations and formative assessments integrated within lessons.
- Mighty Networks - An online teaching platform combining LMS features with community-building tools, livestreaming, and interactive engagement.
- Flip (formerly Flipgrid) - A video-based platform to boost student engagement through pre-recorded discussions and collaborative projects.
- Explain Everything - An interactive whiteboard app enabling teachers to create engaging lessons with visuals and audio.
Behavior and Assessment Trackers
- Desmos Classroom - Provides free math lessons and activities with interactive digital slides.
- Quizizz - An interactive quiz platform for formative assessment and engaging practice across subjects.
- Khan Academy - Offers free, high-quality instructional videos and practice exercises covering many subjects for all ages.
Platforms with Gamification and Collaborative Features
- BooomWriter - A collaborative writing tool that offers free accounts and the option to purchase final hard-copy books.
- Oodlu - Allows educators to create learning and assessment games for students, with a free standard account offering formative assessments, question creation, and searching capabilities.
- Common Curriculum - Allows educators to design standards-aligned lessons, units, and assignments in one easy-to-use website, with a free basic plan offering lesson planning, posting to Google Classroom, downloading, and uploading.
Additional Resources
- Google Docs/Drive with integration apps - Supports collaboration, document sharing, and real-time feedback within lesson workflows.
- Padlet - A virtual bulletin board for collaborative projects and interactive student responses.
- Microsoft AI Reading Coach - Helps students practice reading aloud, providing targeted word coaching, assessments, digital badges, and feedback on pronunciation, free for anyone with a Microsoft or Xbox account.
- Otter.ai - A transcription/speech-to-text app that creates searchable, editable transcripts.
These platforms collectively support teachers in managing classrooms efficiently, creating engaging and interactive content, tracking student progress, enhancing communication, and fostering collaboration and motivation in diverse subjects and age groups. Many of these tools offer free tiers or are widely adopted in schools globally, making them accessible for varied educational needs in 2024.
In addition to these tools, there are several other resources available that cater to specific subjects and learning needs. For instance:
- Grammarly - A free spelling and grammar checker tool that also offers paid plans.
- GooseChase Edu - Offers a free platform for designing scavenger hunts.
- Better Explained - A free math/computer science concept website that offers a learning path beyond exam prep, with articles such as "Developing Your Intuition For Math" and "How To Learn Trigonometry Intuitively". It is an excellent resource for teachers and students in grades 9-12 and beyond.
- Photomath - A free app (with premium features) that helps users understand and solve math problems through annotated equations, method variation, and concise explanations of math terms.
- NewseumEd - Provides thousands of free lesson plans, digital artifacts, virtual classes, professional development, and more, with full access available through a free account.
- Ducksters - Offers a diverse selection of interactive educational games, covering subjects such as mathematics, language, world geography, brain-teasers, and classic games like chess, checkers, backgammon, and mahjong. It also provides engaging lessons supplemented with visuals, covering topics such as history, biographies, geography, and science.
These resources offer further opportunities for teachers to enrich their lessons and cater to the diverse learning needs of their students.
- The use of digital tools such as Google Classroom and Schoology can facilitate professional development for teachers, making classroom management more efficient.
- Many of these educational sites and apps, like Seesaw and Nearpod, are designed to support interactive learning, which is crucial in today's STEM-focused education-and-self-development environment.
- Laptops and smartphones have become essential gadgets for students as they engage in virtual learning and access these interactive platforms for learning.
- Tools like BoomWriter and Oodlu foster collaborative learning, promoting teamwork among students and empowering them to learn from each other.
- Quizizz, Desmos Classroom, and Khan Academy are valuable resources for formative assessment, helping teachers understand each student's learning progress and tailor their teaching strategies accordingly.
- Gamification features in these tools, like those found in BoomWriter, Quizizz, and Oodlu, can help make learning more enjoyable and motivate students to be active participants in their education.
- Platforms like Mighty Networks, Flip, and Pear Deck offer interactive and engaging presentations and activities, helping teachers create dynamic lessons that cater to various learning styles.
- In addition to these listed resources, apps like Grammarly, GooseChase Edu, and Photomath can support students by improving their writing, problem-solving, and math skills.
- By incorporating technology in the curriculum, teachers can provide students with a more comprehensive learning experience, both inside and outside the classroom.