5 digital tools to engage and inspire

Key points:

The world of education is always changing and today it is changing faster than ever. It seems like every week brings with it a new tool, practice, or learning model that teachers must incorporate into their classrooms. This is particularly true when it comes to technology. This past year alone has seen an avalanche of new technology that aims to be the next big thing in classroom learning.

As an educator, I know firsthand how overwhelming this can be, but I have also witnessed the opportunities that change can provide.

With technology constantly evolving, educators have access to an increasing range of digital tools and applications designed to create engaging learning experiences. While it can be difficult to know where to start, I have found that these five digital tools have practical applications that transform classrooms into interactive, inclusive, innovation-filled environments.

• Teachable machine: Teachable Machine is a tool that has been around since 2017, but it may have been overlooked by some educators. This tool allows users to train models that recognize images, sounds or poses, allowing them to integrate ai learning into various topics. This encourages the understanding of artificial intelligence in a simple and easy-to-understand way. Teachable Machine is free to use and very accessible, making it a great resource to help students discover what a learning machine is and how it works.
• Escuelaai.com: Schoolai.com offers ai-powered tools designed to enhance the learning and teaching experience by providing personalized learning paths and real-time feedback for students. It is a secure, monitored environment where students can interact with ai and, like Teachable Machine, is currently free to use. It also comes with a helpful ai tool called “Sidekick,” which won't do the work for students but will guide them through their research.
• Rowing: Padlet is a fairly well-known tool that is great for generating ideas, organizing information, and displaying student work. Its versatile digital canvas allows teachers and students to create and collaborate on boards. I've been a big fan of Padlet since the beginning and it recently added several new features for educators to explore. Although it does come at a cost ($6.99 to $9.99 per month), it's definitely a tool worth investing in.
• Born: Gimkit is a game-based learning platform where teachers can create learning games or quizzes that students take in real time. Designed to increase student engagement, Gimkit integrates features like boosters and in-game currency that can be used to enhance the learning experience or review material. Gimkit is an engaging and fun way to approach testing. Whether you're looking to better understand your students' prior knowledge or check their understanding at the end of a unit, this is a tool to consider!
• Adobe Character Animator: Adobe Character Animator is a really fun tool to improve your students' presentation skills. It is particularly valuable when creating animated stories and interactive lessons, allowing students to explore creative storytelling and digital design. There are several different versions of this tool, some free and some not, so its usefulness will largely depend on how often you use it and what you hope to achieve. Either way, lessons are much more fun when animated characters participate!

While it can be difficult to stay up-to-date on the latest digital tools and technologies, embracing these advancements can transform our classrooms in dynamic and colorful ways. From ai to animation, there are a wealth of resources that can enrich student learning in ways we never imagined. So, let's take the step and turn our classrooms into centers of curiosity, creativity and critical thinking!