10 Best Technology Tools for Classroom to Engage Students

Most young generations have been raised with technology at their fingertips. It’s not uncommon today to find even a 4-year-old using smartphones with ease. 

Yet, schools have been late in adopting technology for classroom learning. There is a common misconception that digital technology can distract students from learning. While it’s true that technology can distract, there is another side to this discussion. 

Technology can simultaneously improve learning in the classroom by making learning fun. It’s helpful for both students and teachers. 

Let’s learn how technology for the classroom is changing the educational landscape worldwide and which tools can help teachers better engage with their students. 

Why Is It Important To Integrate Technology In The Classroom?

#1. Keeps Students Engaged 

Active engagement is a part of learning. Students can be participating in the classroom yet not remain engaged. That’s the reason why technology tools for classrooms then become more engaged. Teachers can gamify learning to bring out competitiveness and keep learners engaged. 

#2. Helps Students With Different Learning Styles

Learning styles include four types: auditory, visual, reading, and kinesthetic. Each learning style is unique. A visual learner won’t fare better in an entirely auditory learning environment. That’s where the traditional system fails. 

Traditional learning systems involve teachers reading to students and students hearing them. This puts students with another learning style at a disadvantage. However, teachers can adapt to all learning styles with advanced technology equipment for classrooms, such as projectors, virtual reality, augmented reality, and other online software. 

#3. Prepares Students For Life Skills 

Technology has become its own form of literacy. The latest technology can be found almost anywhere and everywhere today. All gadgets like phones, fridges, microwaves, switches, and even cars require you to understand how digital technology works. That’s the same thing with technology tools like Microsoft Office and Google. 

When students get in the habit of using them regularly, they are preparing for work indirectly. Most offices use these tools regularly for managing sheets, creating decks, attaching documents to emails, etc.

Top Technology Tools To Engage Students In Classroom 

#1. Tools For PowerPoint Presentations 

PowerPoint is a presentation application that allows users to create an interactive slideshow. Animation, movies, and photos can be used in these presentations. 

It is a multimedia technology for the classroom that also serves as a tool for collaboration and information exchange and prepares kids for future business meetings.

A. Prezi

Source:  Prezi

Prezi is a cloud-based technology for the classroom that enables a PowerPoint presentation service that allows users to create presentations.

The goal behind this feature is to make the presentation more dynamic and not as linear in structure. 

You can access your presentation from anywhere through the internet, which allows for a much more flexible working environment.

Teachers use it to save time and effort using pre-defined designer templates, icons, and images for any topic. With browser technology, resources for the classroom can be easily shared as presentations, videos, and designs you can customize as your own.

B. Powtoon 

Source:  Powtoon 

Powtoon is a digital tool that can create animated educational videos. With the help of Powtoon, teachers are now able to bring the book lessons to life by using Powtoon features. 

Features include dividing the complete syllabus into class lessons, announcing assignments and tests, creating videos and presentations with ease, and other curriculum activities.  

Similarly, students can also leverage the power of Powtoon to transform their assignments and homework into exceptional presentations and videos. 

#2. Tools For Gamification 

Games can track progress and engage players. Non-academic goals, such as keeping the classroom clean, can also be rewarded with points. 

This enhances students’ overall success by motivating them to achieve academic and non-academic goals.

Teachers can do something similar. Students may gather data, analyze progress, and change rules, incentives, and missions to drive students further while leveling up, earning points, and competing with one another.

A. Kahoot 

Source: Kahoot 

Kahoot! is a technology tool for the classroom that can test students’ understanding, highlight important concepts, and help them remember information. It is a tool that encourages and engages their learning. 

It also allows professors to offer more possibilities for class discussion, advanced technology resources for the classroom, and student-to-student contact.

Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that may evaluate students’ knowledge, review their work, or provide a respite from regular classroom activities.

B. Classcraft 

Source: Classcraft

Classcraft is gamification management and implementation technology for the classroom. It enables teachers to give experience points and digital in-software gold coins quickly and efficiently, deduct health points and engage students in a learning journey.

Classcraft easily integrates into daily classroom activities, encouraging teamwork and collaboration while providing students with instant feedback on soft skills like attendance, cooperation, assignment completion, and classroom behavior.

#3. Tools For Virtual Homework And Assignments 

Rather than having students submit essays on paper, teachers can encourage students to type and present them in online classrooms. Moreover, some teachers have moved away from text-only assignments to recorded videos and podcasts for better engagement. 

This allows students to develop new skills and displays creativity and shows learning. 

A. Google Classroom

Source: Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a set of online technology for the classroom tools that allow teachers to conduct virtual classes, set assignments, allow work submission by students, and grade accordingly. Google Classroom is an online browser-based tool, so no specific device is required. Even older devices can handle it. 

It allows teachers to streamline the classes, complete digital organizing resources for the classroom, distribute assignment collection, and communicate with students.

B. ClassDojo

Source: ClassDojo

ClassDojo is a digital sharing platform that allows instructors to chronicle the day in class and share it with families via a web browser. This allows practically any device – from a simple smartphone to a laptop computer – to view the information. Photos and videos may be seen on any device that has a browser.

Teachers use class Dojo to encourage excellent conduct in their classrooms and improve communication between school and home. Class Dojo’s ‘Dojo Point’ system and message system, which link instructors and parents, are mainly used.

It is easy to use, and teachers can easily create a class. Each student has an avatar assigned to them in each class. After you’ve set up your class, you’ll be able to award points.

#4. Tool For Online Quizzes 

Teachers can create interactive quizzes to test their students using online quiz tools. The core benefit of these quizzes is to make learning more engaging and save time and effort for manual tests.

A. Google Forms 

Source: Google Forms

Teachers can create surveys, quizzes, and event registration forms using Google Forms. The web-based form can be shared with responders by sending a link, email, or embedding it in a web page or blog post. 

The information obtained through the form is usually saved in a spreadsheet. It is free and easy to use. Teachers can create as many forms as they want and create multiple types of questions. 

B. Quizlet 

Source: Quizlet

Quizlet is an interactive technology resource for the classroom, with over 100 million sets of study materials created by users on every topic. Most students worldwide can use the tool since it is available in English, Spanish, and German. 

The most convenient thing about Quizlet is that study sets are entirely free to use. Teachers can also create study material on Quizlet and turn it into flashcards, quizzes and games. 

Students can access information in a visual and audio form rather than text-based.

#5. Student Response System 

A vital part of the learning process is receiving immediate feedback. Students’ response apps help teachers like you engage students by getting immediate feedback. Socrative and Verso are among the leading technology tools for the classroom. Let’s learn more about them. 

A. Socrative

Source: Socrative

Socrative makes it easy to monitor and evaluate learning, saving teachers time while making learning fun and interactive. Teachers can quickly create personalized activities like polls, quizzes, and on-the-fly questions. The exceptional thing is that Socrative is 100% free and works for all devices. 

B. Verso 

Source: Verso

One of the best ways to engage students is to start discussions in the classroom. And Verso is a suitable tool for it. When used as a conversation starter, you’ll empower students to speak up about relevant issues that they may otherwise not share. 

Consider it an opportunity to build knowledge around relevant topics, or simply generate a buzz. Another way to use Verso is to assign a flip for homework or use a flip as an exit ticket. It will show you engagement data to help you analyze patterns in discussions. 

Also check this: 10 Best Free Drawing Apps for Students and Digital Artists

Conclusion 

Technology Tools for the classroom can indeed take engagement to a whole new level. 

Remember that most students today have grown up with technology at their disposal. That’s why they find it hard to engage in a traditional learning system, where most learning is restricted to reading and writing. If you are looking for technology tools for the classroom, the above-listed tools will surely help you.