Best Educational Apps for the 2024-2025 School Year: Must-have apps for the back to school season

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. 

Best Educational Apps for the 2023-2024 School Year

Apps can be a powerful tool for teachers and students. But with new apps emerging constantly, it can be challenging to discern which ones are most effective. Here’s a roundup of some of the best educational apps for the 2023-2024 school year. We’ve included some old standbys as well as some new favorites.

Google Classroom
You’re likely already using Google Classroom, and if you're not you should be.Teachers can use this app as a home base for storing lesson plans, assignments and tracking student progress. The messaging feature allows for easy communication between students and teachers.

Pear Deck
Pear Deck, which was designed to work as an add-on to both Google and Microsoft Education apps, is an interactive lesson and assessment platform. Tech-savvy teachers can create custom presentations or choose from Pear Deck’s library of existing templates. The app is designed to increase student engagement while also giving educators important and immediate information on how well students are taking in the lesson.

Brilliant
Brilliant delivers short, digestible lessons in math, science and engineering. The app was created for students aged 13 and older, with the goal of helping users strengthen and expand their problem-solving abilities. Brilliant’s course offerings include statistics and finance, foundational logic and high school math. Educators can enjoy free access to Brilliant’s bank of interactive lessons.

Duolingo
When it comes to language learning apps, Duolingo remains at the top of its class. The app uses research-backed methods of teaching and adds elements like gamification, personalized learning while also aiming to delight its users. A few new features to note– users can now create a fun, unique Duolingo avatar. Duolingo also just added a new subscription tier, Duolingo Max, which harnesses AI technology.

BrainPOP
BrainPOP is a popular educational app that aims to help students to better understand the world. BrainPOP Jr. supports kids in grades K-3, while BrainPOP is designed for upper elementary and middle school aged kids. BrainPOP also offers BrainPOP ELL to support those learning English. The app features a bevy of resources on topics around digital citizenship, including lessons on topics such as conflict resolution and information privacy.

In addition, BrainPOP for educators offers lesson planning tools and professional development.

Quizlet
Quizlet delivers tools that help students learn to study. Students can customize digital flashcards and take quizzes to boost and test memory retention and retrieval. Quizlet has also introduced a beta version of Q-Chat, which employs AI to help students learn.

Writelike
This free app helps students expand their advanced writing skills. Writelike teaches skills like deconstructing text, spotting the patterns found in good writing and then practicing using those patterns in their own prose.

Writelike’s sister product, Frankenstories, engages students in collaborative writing projects, encouraging students to work together while developing their writing skills.

Prodigy
Students learn math and English skills through game-based learning via the Prodigy app. The app uses an adaptive algorithm to track student progress. In Prodigy Math, designed for students in first through eighth grade, students act as wizards fighting math-based battles. Kids in first through sixth answer questions that help them gather materials to build their own world. Teachers have access to student progress, allowing them a deeper understanding of their student’s learning.

Best Education Apps for 2022

Over the past few years, apps have become a staple of education. Apps offer fun, engaging opportunities for students to explore learning. Here are a few of our favorite apps for 2022. 

Chances are, you’re already acquainted with Google Classroom. The app provides teachers a streamlined hub to centralize lesson plans, and assignments, as well as tracking student progress. Students can access assignments and see due dates. Discussion forums and teacher-student messaging provide an opportunity for collaboration or extra help.

Microsoft’s Minecraft: Education Edition harnesses the magic of Minecraft while teaching students about working collaboratively, coding and creative problem-solving. Microsoft offers free online training for educators to become Minecraft-certified teachers, game-based lesson plans, and an online community where educators can connect and share how they’re using Minecraft.

Making math approachable and fun is a breeze with DragonBox’s collection of math apps. Learners ages 4-8 can learn the basics with Numbers before graduating to Big Numbers and Algebra 5+, while Learn Chess uses puzzles and strategic tasks to explore the rules of chess. Kids ages 8 and up can try Multiplication, which uses mini-games to help teach the times tables, or Algebra 12+, which builds on Algebra 5+. The award-winning Elements teach geometric proofs as students race to save Greek mathematician Euclid from an evil dragon. A wealth of printable resources extends the lessons beyond the screen. 

The Epic! app gives students instant access to thousands of age-appropriate books. Teachers and students can track how many books they’ve read, while tools like Read-To-Me and Dictionary Look-up offer extra support and learning opportunities. 

While BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. both deliver solid lessons on the standard educational topics, their social and emotional programming are what really set them apart. BrainPOP teaches kids about topics like digital safety and citizenship, mindfulness and sustainability in an engaging, age-appropriate manner.  

Kids learn the basics of coding through codeSpark’s puzzles, challenges and mini-games. Designed to expose young kids to coding, and reduce the gender-equity gap in STEM, once kids master the basics, they can design and create their own games. 

Designed to promote learning in kids ages 2-8, ABCMouse offers a full curriculum of lessons in math, science, reading and art. With over 800 lessons across ten levels of play and tons of extra content ranging from digital jigsaw puzzles to printable activities, kids and educators will love tracking students’ progress as they move through the levels.  

Quizlet helps students study more effectively. The app offers a digital alternative to flashcards and guides students on breaking down complex problems into step-by-step solutions. Choose from an existing library of Quizlets, or design your own to perfectly fit the content. Kids can play as individuals or in team mode to boost collaboration.

Khan Academy is a robust, personalized learning resource for students ranging from K-12 and even early college. The engaging instructional videos and practice exercises allow students to study at their own pace. In addition to test preparation (such as SAT, Praxis, and even the LSAT), traditional subjects include math, science, computing, history, and art history. Khan Academy also offers courses and valuable life skills, including social and emotional learning, personal finance and internet safety. 

Duolingo is a popular language app. With its friendly vibe and elements of gamification, kids (and adults!) can enjoy exploring a new language or take their existing knowledge to the next level. Lessons are bite-sized, and Duolingo now offers podcasts to enhance the learning experience.

Why Tablets Are Great for K-12 Learning

Many households see laptops as tools for work and tablets for fun. But using tablets for learning just makes sense.

Benefits to Tablets

Ideal for K-3: Tablets are great for young learners. Similar to phones or other mobile devices, tablets are tech that kids are likely already familiar with. They have easy-to-use interfaces that make navigating them a snap, even for the littlest learners.

Easy on the Budget: Tablets can also be cost-effective. Most elementary school students aren’t quite adept at using keyboards yet so buying this modification isn’t necessary until at least middle school. 

Ultra-Portable: Tablets can easily be transported around the classroom or building. Tablets are generally much lighter, many weighing about one pound, so they’re easy to carry. A tablet can go from the desk, to the floor, to the library without a special carrying case.

Great App Integration. Tablets are ideal for utilizing apps as many don’t work off an operating system like a laptop. For example, Google Workspace for Education offers free collaboration tools like Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and more, which all can be downloaded as apps.

Other Perks: There are other pros to using a tablet for learning as well. Tablets don’t take up a lot of room and have a long battery life. A tablet’s screen also makes it easy to write notes on or draw. But as with any tool, there’s always a couple of cons.

Downsides to Tablets

Using a Touchscreen Keyboard: Touchscreen keyboards have their issues. They don’t offer a keyboard feel, which can not only take some getting used to but can lead to inaccuracies. Typing on one all day isn’t as productive as a standard laptop keyboard. Researchers found the average typing speed on a touchscreen keyboard is only 25 words per minute compared to 63 on a traditional keyboard.

Not as Durable as Laptops: One of the biggest benefits to using tablets, their portability, can make them more susceptible to breakage. Kids can easily carry laptops from desk to library to lunchroom leading to more opportunities for damage. Tablets are also much thinner than most laptops so drops and bangs can easily cause damage. Investing in a shockproof case is a good solution as well as training on how to care for tablets.

A 2 in 1 Chromebook is a great solution that offers the accessibility of learning apps, like Google for Education apps, but the durability that a laptop provides. 

Popular 2 in 1s for Education

Lenovo 300e Gen 3

The Lenovo 300e Chromebook Gen3 is an 11.6-inch, flexible, 2-in-1 education laptop. Students can simply tap, scroll and swipe with a finger or use the optional garaged stylus, just like they would on a tablet. But, because it’s a 2-in-1, there’s also a full-sized keyboard. And because it is made for education, it features a tough-as-nails Corning® Gorilla® Glass panel, which allows it to stand up to scratches. It is pretty light as well, only weighing about 3 pounds. It also has multiple ports and boasts an all-day battery life. WiFi 6 connects fast and easy and with an optional 4G/LTE, it’s great for in-class and virtual learning.

Dell 3100 2-in-1

The Dell 3100 2-in-1 Chromebook is designed for interactive learning. Not only does it offer multiple ways to learn, but it is also designed to last all day and resist whatever K-12 students can dish out. It’s tested to survive 5,000 free fall micro-drops and 30-inch drops onto steel, while rubberized edges minimize impacts from drops and bumps. The spill and tamper-resistant keyboard withstands up to 12 ounces of liquid. The touch screen is also made of Corning® Gorilla® Glass which delivers eight to 10 times higher scratch resistance. The 3100 also weighs about three pounds. 

Making decisions about what EdTech will work best for you school is easier with a trusted partner. Arey Jones has been working with K-12 educators for the past three decades. We know EdTech and we’re here to help. Contact us today.

How To Put Play Tech to Work

As an educational technology company, we love to talk about how technology helps kids learn more efficiently, engage in heightened collaboration, and access real-time data and resources that would otherwise be unavailable in traditional classrooms. Technology can and often does make us better at almost everything.

And it can make us really good at being distracted. 

One could argue that the minds of students have always been easily lured away from classroom activity. The only difference now is that instead of staring out of windows, they are staring into Microsoft’s equivalent; instead of daydreaming, they are building virtual realities in Minecraft.

As adults can attest, switching from “play mode” to “work mode” isn’t easy, especially when using the same device for both. Children have a particularly hard time making this transition; not only are they more easily influenced by technology, but they also don’t get as many chances to learn and practice their focusing skills--and the distractions are only a click away.

And I don’t think we’re alone when we say us adults could use a refresher course, too. Here are a few tips to help you and the students in your life focus on what’s important and still make time for play, be it in their Minecraft world or on social media.

Give yourself a clear lead.
You may never be able to remove every distraction from your classroom, office, or home, but you can learn to clear and calm your mind. If it helps (and it likely will), remove visible and audible distractions from your desktop, log out of your email and social media, silence notifications, and put your phone in a drawer. If all else fails, fight tech with tech. These distraction-diverter apps can help.

Classroom focus: Guide the kids through a quick mindfulness exercise that includes some deep belly breathing before starting a new task.

Intentionally place your focus on the task at hand.

It’s been proven that multitasking physically shrinks your brain, so stop doing it. Work on your task or watch television or text your best friend, don’t try to do all at the same time. Your attention will suffer on all, and you’ll only accomplish a fraction of what you want and need to get done.

Classroom focus: Clearly state the one task you want your students to accomplish and what you expect to be completed at the end of the alloted time. Have them write it down or repeat it (out loud or to themselves) to make sure it sticks.

Take short breaks.

“Downtime is to the brain what sleep is to the body,” said Dr. Rich of Harvard Medical School in a New York Times article. “But kids are in a constant mode of stimulation.” 

There’s a reason why productivity systems like Pomodoro are popular--because they work in realistic ways. The Pomodoro Technique, which is a time management method that interlaces timed bursts of productivity with short breaks, helps keep people focused because it keeps work and play in perspective, all while allowing access to both. Make sure some tasks or breaks are of the unplugged variety to give the brain time to process and adapt to something new.

Classroom focus: Incorporate tech-free breaks throughout your day and encourage students to take breaks from a task on a regular basis to do something physical or an activity that allows their brain to rest.

What else are you doing in your classrooms to maximize their focus and learning potential? If you ever need ideas, we've got a few.

Microsoft Is Sparking Creativity In The Modern Classroom

Despite having a strong core offering for educational tools, systems, and management platforms, Microsoft has realized that no one technology partner has all the answers when it comes to how best to nourish and guide a nation of learners. As such, it has partnered with a number of organizations and applications from around the world to bring as much education to the table as possible.

And it’s all available at the Microsoft Store for Education.

Microsoft breaks down these partner apps into two themes: the Modern Classroom and Sparking Creativity.

Microsoft and the Modern Classroom

The goal of the Modern Classroom is to personalize education by providing students with the apps and platforms that feel most natural to the way they learn, and a lot of this is through gaming and collaboration. It also recognizes that fun shouldn’t be hard to manage or share; apps in this theme provide ways to facilitate activities while using analytics to track progress and ensure each student is making the most of each learning opportunity. Kids stay on task. Teachers stay connected. Parents stay informed.

Here are a few examples of Microsoft partner apps for the modern classroom.

• Classcraft, for classroom organization

• BrainPop, for content publishing

• Edmodo, for learning management

• Edsby, for communication and collaboration

• Explain Everything, for interactive whiteboards

• Pearson System of Courses, for e-readers and e-textbooks

Microsoft and Sparking Creativity

Now that you have a modern classroom, you can make the most of it with Microsoft partner apps that expose students to interactive curriculum along the STEAM spectrum. Science, technology, engineering, art, and math are represented well in the Microsoft Store for Education, fostering inspiration and innovation that go well beyond the classroom walls. Project-based learning not only helps develop skills in critical, design, and computational thinking; it also plays up a learner’s most crucial attribute—curiosity.

Here are a few examples of Microsoft partner apps for sparking creativity.

• SwopBots, a coding platform / adventure.

• PicsArt-Photo Studio, a powerful photo editor, drawing tool, and collage maker.

• Arduino IDE, an open-source electronics platform

• Fluid Math, a handwriting-based educational math app

• eMathsMaster, an online training software for non-Math teachers

Microsoft is making it easier than ever to connect more often and educate more effectively.

Want to learn more? That’s exactly why we’re here.

How Technology Can Boost Learning All Summer Long

According to the National Summer Learning Association, almost 66 percent of teachers say that they spend the first month of school re-teaching students material from the previous year. Preventing “summer learning loss” is a hot topic for many schools and parents alike, and technology can help bridge the gap.

Boost creativity.

From Minecraft to robotics and 3-D printing, technology has a place on the crafting table. Encourage kids to explore, build, and create their own art, movies, music, and more through apps, software, and online tools. 

Make it a game.

If they are going to be on their devices anyway, give them games to choose from that can grow their minds while they keep their cool inside. There are a lot of great gems on this list from Digital Trends.

Get ready to read.

One of the easiest ways to prevent the summer slide is to encourage your kids to read as much as possible. Reading books on tablets is one way to keep a wide variety of titles handy, and a great way for kids to earn time playing other less-educational activities. Whooo’s Reading is a known resource for inspiring students to up their page game over break. 

Start growing.

Summer means fresh produce, but don’t wait for your local farmer’s market to do it for you. Plant a garden and use one of the many gardening apps to track plant growth, identify rogue plants and mushrooms, and remind you to weed, water, and check for bugs.

Take a field trip.

Apps like MuseumFinder can put the onus of relieving boredom back in your kids’ hands. Have them search for things to do and visit using local and national apps geared toward making sure kids always have something to do, see, and explore.

Let off some STEAM.

Encourage your kids to dive into science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities throughout the summer, whether it’s by learning to make a new recipe, try a hand at chemistry, solve logical puzzles, and build a better mousetrap. More great STEM and STEAM apps are coming on the market all the time, and summer is a great time to test and rate them (which could be an activity of its own!).

Keep the summer sliding on the playground this year and encourage your kids to keep on learning all break long. They’ll be ready to hit the ground running come fall, which will not only boost their educational confidence but also their performance.

What educational apps are on your summer radar this year? Let us kno

5 Ways Educational Apps Improve Classroom Performance

With the introduction of technology into the classroom becoming more prevalent, it begs the question: What makes using education apps worthwhile?

The answer?

First, apps used for education come in a variety of subject genre. Companies like Google provide students with numerous apps they, and their teachers, can use in the classroom. Google sheets, Google Play for Education, and Google Art Project are just a few of Google’s many education platforms. In addition to google there are many apps for each classroom subject such as Choreo Graph which teaches students STEM information through interactive lessons and activities.

Second, the process of downloading an app is a quick and easy process. Compared to the old way of ordering books and lessons, an app download is one click away. All the knowledge teachers and students require is at the touch of a button in moments.

Third, apps can be mobilized. Most apps in the Google G Suite are transferrable and work on multiple devices. Students and teachers can take the day’s lesson right out of the classroom without missing a beat or falling behind. 

Fourth, this mobility of apps also means an increase in sociability between teachers, parents, and students. Parents can acquire status reports from these apps to monitor how their child is performing. They can also actively participate in their child’s lesson via apps’ sharing capabilities.

Finally, apps cut down the cost for the institution. Textbooks and workbooks for every student are no longer necessary and one app download can be shared with the entire class without paying per student. The expansive quality of an app is worth its weight in gold.

Interested in learning how apps can improve your classroom? Arey Jones is here to help.