Educational apps can help teachers hone and optimize their skills, streamline administrative tasks, and engage and communicate with students and families. As we head into a new school year, here’s a roundup of educational apps we love, from classic favorites to emerging stars.
Microsoft Teams
A diverse communication app that focuses on collaboration, Microsoft Teams is free for K-12 educators and students. The Microsoft Teams app includes Reflect, a social and emotional learning tool. Newer additions to Microsoft Teams include AI features that assist educators in generating module content.
Google Classroom
Chances are, you’re already a Google Classroom pro. If not, what are you waiting for? Google Classroom boosts an array of features that help personalize learning, streamline administrative tasks, encourage academic integrity and gather analytical data that helps you improve learning.
Class Dojo
A teacher favorite, Class Dojo enables easy communication between teachers, students and families. Educators can keep families in the loop by adding photo or video updates, and the calendar feature helps students build awareness of planning and due dates. Class Dojo also offers social-emotional learning opportunities, incentivized through a point system to support student growth.
Pear Deck
Pear Deck is technically an add-on that integrates with Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides and Classroom apps. Pear Deck allows teachers to design engaging, interactive presentations. With Pear Deck, educators receive instant feedback on how well their students understand a lesson, and offer them responses in real-time. The company also offers additional add-ons, including Pear Assessment (formerly known as Edulastic), which helps teachers deliver and monitor student assessments.
Mindsets
Most teachers have heard the timeless question, "Why do I need to learn this?" countless times. Microsoft for Education’s Mindsets delivers an answer– in the form of a Challenge. Designed for middle and high school students, offers Challenges that walk students through a relatable real-world scenario in which they use math or science skills to solve it.
ParentSquare
The popular Remind app, which enables teachers to send and receive messages, reminders and updates to students and families, was recently acquired by ParentSquare, a mass messaging platform for K-12 schools,students and caregivers. One of the highlights of this app is its two-way translation software, which enables educators and ELL students and families to communicate in their native language.
SeeSaw
Designed for elementary school educators, SeeSaw is a comprehensive app that includes curriculum, messaging, auto-graded assessments and progress monitoring while offering students engaging tools like its digital portfolio, which encourages students to take pride in their work.
Kahoot!
The award-winning app Kahoot! gamifies learning and makes studying easy and fun. Users can turn studying into a social event by engaging in friendly competition, creating flashcards instantly and preparing for upcoming tests, even while on the go.
These are just a few of the top educational apps. Moving forward, we’re excited to see what new apps emerge that help streamline educator and admin workload, personalize learning for students with different needs, and optimize communication between teachers, students and families.