But what if the most powerful tools are already within your reach, and they’re completely free? The key isn’t spending more; it’s knowing where to look and how to leverage what’s available.

The Power of Free EdTech: Beyond the Budget

The landscape of educational technology is evolving rapidly, with four key trends driving innovation: gamification, collaborative learning, generative AI, and immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). Each of these trends offers profound opportunities to enhance instruction and student outcomes.

The good news is you don’t need a significant budget to tap into them. This article will guide you through powerful, free EdTech tools for teachers aligned with these trends, providing practical insights to help you integrate them into your school or classroom with confidence.

Gamification: Making Learning a Game

Gamification isn’t just about adding points or badges; it’s about applying game-design elements to learning contexts to increase motivation and engagement. When students are invested in a game-like challenge, they often put in more effort and retain information more effectively.

• Quizizz & Kahoot!: These platforms are staples for a reason. They allow teachers to create or use pre-made quizzes and games that students can play on their devices. The real magic is in the data they provide: you can quickly identify learning gaps and misconceptions in real time, making them powerful formative assessment tools.
• Quizlet: Perfect for vocabulary, foreign language, and factual recall, Quizlet offers free flashcards, practice tests, and a game called “Quizlet Live” that pits teams against each other. It’s a low-lift way to turn rote memorization into a fun, collaborative activity.

Collaborative Learning: Connecting Students and Ideas

In today’s interconnected world, teaching students to collaborate is more critical than ever. Free collaborative platforms provide digital spaces for students to share ideas, co-create projects, and provide peer feedback.

• Miro: A digital whiteboard, Miro offers a free tier that is perfect for small-scale projects. Teachers can create visual maps, flowcharts, or brainstorming sessions that students can contribute to simultaneously. It’s an excellent tool for project-based learning and design thinking activities.
• Wakelet: Think of Wakelet as a digital curation platform. Teachers and students can save and organize articles, videos, social media posts, and documents into a single, visually appealing collection. It’s an ideal tool for research projects, creating digital portfolios, or organizing resources for a specific unit.
• Seesaw: While primarily a learning experience platform, Seesaw’s free version is a powerful tool for K-6 teachers to foster collaboration. It allows students to create and share their work—from drawings and photos to voice recordings—and receive feedback from peers, parents, and teachers.

Generative AI: Your New Teaching Assistant

Generative AI is one of the most transformative trends in education. Instead of seeing it as a threat, savvy educators are leveraging free AI tools as an efficiency multiplier, personal assistant, and powerful instructional design aid.

• Magic School AI: This tool is specifically designed for educators. Its free version can generate lesson plans, rubrics, quizzes, and even differentiated text based on a user’s prompt. It’s a fantastic resource for reducing prep time and focusing on the art of teaching.
• SchoolAI: As an AI platform for schools, SchoolAI helps educators craft engaging, personalized learning experiences. It can assist with creating interactive lessons and providing feedback, all while helping teachers better understand student needs.
• Google’s “Generative AI for Educators” Course: Google offers a free online course that provides a foundational understanding of generative AI and its potential applications in the classroom. This professional development opportunity is invaluable for any teacher looking to responsibly integrate AI into their practice.

Immersive Learning: Bringing the World to the Classroom

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) can transport students beyond the four walls of the classroom, making abstract concepts tangible and bringing historical events to life. While some AR/VR technology is expensive, many free, accessible tools can get you started.

• Blippbuilder: This platform allows you to create your own augmented reality experiences without any coding knowledge. You can upload an image (like a worksheet or a flashcard) and link a video, 3D model, or audio file to it. When students scan the image with their device, the linked content “pops up,” creating an engaging, immersive experience.
• Google Arts & Culture: This platform provides free access to thousands of museums, art pieces, and historical sites through immersive 360-degree tours and VR experiences. It’s a fantastic way to take your students on a virtual field trip to the Louvre or the Great Wall of China.

Strategic Integration: A Blueprint for Success

The true power of these free tools lies in their strategic implementation. Instead of trying to use them all at once, focus on one or two that align with a specific instructional goal. Start small, experiment, and then share your successes with colleagues. Your school likely has a handful of teachers who have already adopted some of these tools.

Organize informal professional learning communities where you can share tips, troubleshoot challenges, and brainstorm new ideas. The collaborative spirit that these tools enable in the classroom can also be the catalyst for professional growth among educators. By embracing these free EdTech tools for teachers, we can all become better teachers and provide our students with the high-quality, engaging education they deserve.

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Whether you’re managing assignments, creating interactive lessons, or trying to stay organized between grading and meetings, there’s an app out there that can help. Here’s a roundup of some of the best educational apps teachers are loving this year, along with why they’re worth the download.

Canva for Education: Design without Stress

Gone are the days when you had to spend hours making newsletters, certificates, bulletin boards, worksheets, and slide shows look decent. Canva for Education is a game-changer. With free access for teachers (and students), it gives you professional-looking templates you can customize in minutes.

You can also invite students to collaborate on projects, which is perfect for group work or creating class posters. Whether you need to spice up a lesson with an infographic, create a whiteboard presentation, or Google Slide deck, Canva makes it easy.

Google Keep: Simple Organization

Just when you thought Google Classroom couldn’t get any better, they came out with Google Keep, a quick organization on the go for when inspiration strikes, and you need somewhere to jot it down fast. Think of it like a digital sticky note that you can color-code, label, and organize however you want.

Teachers love it because it keeps track of lesson ideas, parent notes, supply lists, and even personal to-dos. Plus, it syncs across all your devices, which is a lifesaver if you’re at the point where, let’s be honest if you don’t write something down the moment it pops into your head, it’s gone.

Whether it’s a lesson idea in the pickup line or a quick reminder to email a parent, this app catches it all. It’s not flashy or complicated it’s actually pretty simple. Once you start using it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Kira Learning: AI Assistant

Kira Learning is one of the most talked-about newcomers this year — and for good reason. Created by AI expert Andrew Ng, this app acts as a personal teaching assistant. It helps with things like grading, lesson planning, and tracking student progress.

One of the best features is that Kira builds visual “knowledge maps” that show how students are grasping material over time. It’s like having another set of hands helping you behind the scenes, allowing you to spend more time connecting with your students.

Kahoot!: Gamifying Learning

Kahoot might not be new in 2025, but it’s still going strong, and it’s holding tight to its spot at the top of many teachers’ favorites list. Whether you’re reviewing for a test or breaking up a long afternoon, throwing in a Kahoot! quiz keeps students engaged.

Plus, it’s super easy to create your own or use one of the thousands already made by other teachers. You can even assign Kahoots as homework now, which somehow makes it way more appealing to students than a boring worksheet.

Gamma: For Faster Presentations

Gamma is a newer AI-powered presentation tool that’s been gaining popularity among educators in 2025. It’s an AI-powered presentation creator that helps you build clean, professional-looking slide decks in minutes, no more struggling with formatting or picking out fonts.

You just type in your topic, and Gamma pulls together a full outline with slides, images, and even talking points you can customize. One of the best features? You can export your presentation straight to Google Slides — no more messing around with conversions from PowerPoint.

It’s perfect when you’re short on time but still want your materials to look sharp. Gamma offers a free version with a generous amount of credits to get started, and it’s simple enough to use without a big learning curve.

Notability: Notes, Ideas, and Everything In Between

If you’re like most teachers (over the age of 35), if you don’t write it down the second you think of it, it’s gone. Notability is your go-to app for that. It lets you type, handwrite, sketch, and even record audio notes all in one spot.

Whether you’re brainstorming lesson ideas, taking notes during a faculty meeting, or grading a stack of papers, Notability keeps everything neat and accessible — no more lost sticky notes floating around your desk. It’s similar to Google Keep, but with a lot more flexibility if you like to write things out by hand or markup documents on the go.

Edpuzzle: Making Video Lessons Count

We all know students love watching videos, but getting them to stay focused is a different story. Edpuzzle lets you embed questions right into the videos you assign and tracks who’s actually watching them.

You can use content from YouTube, Khan Academy, or upload your own, making it easy to turn a regular video into an interactive assignment. It’s a must-have if you’re flipping your classroom or just looking to make video time more meaningful.

SocratiQ: The Personalized Learning Booster

SocratiQ is making waves this year thanks to its unique spin on personalized learning. It leans into the Socratic method which is asking students questions, then adjusting what comes next based on how they respond. It pushes kids to really think instead of just memorizing and repeating what they learn.

You get deeper conversations, stronger critical thinking, and a lot less prep on your end since the app helps drive the discussion. It’s not brand new to 2025, but it’s definitely picking up steam in classrooms this year as more teachers see what it can do.

There’s no perfect app that works for everyone — the best ones simply make your day a little easier and your teaching a little better. Don’t stress yourself out trying to use every tool at once. Start with one or two that actually meet a need you have right now. Whether you’re trying to save time, get more creative with your lessons, or connect better with your students, there’s something here that can help you do exactly that.

Educators never stop learning; check out our available graduate degree programs  to hone your skills and promote lifelong learning and academic excellence.

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Having a master’s degree opens more doors for leaders in schools. It also helps teachers stay informed about the best ways to teach and the latest tools available.

And, of course, it increases a teacher’s earning potential. A master’s in instructional technology is just one type of master’s degree a teacher can pursue. Read on to find out more about a master’s in instructional technology and the benefits of getting this degree.

What is a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

A master’s in instructional technology is an advanced degree designed to teach educators how to utilize technology effectively in the classroom.

To enhance students’ achievement, programs such as this explore various educational tools, and the approaches educators can take to incorporate them into their instruction.

It puts emphasis on authentic real-world application that teachers can bring straight back to their classroom. It inspires teachers to create new and exciting ways to teach. This can include single lesson plans or the entire subject curriculum.

A master’s in instructional technology will redefine the way teachers approach technology instruction in order to create and design lessons that were previously unimaginable.

Taking between one to two years to complete, this 30-36 credit hour degree has options to be completed in person or online at a variety of universities.

While the price of a master’s degree varies, The US News and World Report estimates the payout being between $8,000 and $32,000, at the highest end.    

Who Should Pursue a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

A master’s in instructional technology is a degree suited for many. Teachers frequently discover that this master’s degree is quite useful, since much of the material they study can be directly applied to their classrooms.

Instructional designers, such as professionals who create lessons and materials for instruction, are also good candidates.

Additionally, this degree would be perfect for school technology coordinators or educational technologists.

Online program coordinators and distance learning teachers might find a master’s degree in instructional technology to be a perfect fit for their roles.

Finally, any teacher at any level preschool-higher education would be able to gain beneficial knowledge by earning a degree in instructional technology. It is a master’s that is applicable, easy to implement, and adds excitement to every classroom.

There really isn’t any staff in the educational field that couldn’t gain valuable learning from pursuing this degree.

How a Master’s in Instructional Technology Can Advance Your Career

Receiving a master’s in instructional technology can advance your career in many ways. For starters, it can increase your earnings between 10%-15% or $3,000 to $7,000 depending on your experience and the state you teach in.

Based on a typical teacher’s salary, this can make a big difference in your annual income. The sooner in your career you receive your masters, the faster you can start earning this pay increase and reap the financial benefits of it.

Having a master’s degree is required for some teaching positions. A school principal, instructional coordinator, or educational consultant all often require a master’s degree to even be considered for the position. Additionally, media specialists or learning coordinators require a master’s degree.

Without this additional schooling, you won’t be able to advance your degree outside of entry level teaching positions. For some, that is right where they want to spend their career. Others may need to consider other avenues they are interested in and what post graduate schooling is required for those higher-level educator roles.

Benefits of a Master’s in Instructional Technology

There are other reasons besides the thicker paycheck to pursue an instructional technology degree. The content you learn in these courses is directly applicable to your teaching.

It is a make-and-take masters, a degree where you can practice your learning with your students in real time. It is also a master’s that is very valuable in this 21st century world.

Almost every educational setting utilizes technology in some way or some form. Without any background in technology, one would not be very marketable for even the most basic teaching roles.

Finally, a master’s degree in instructional technology will help you to engage students more effectively by incorporating technology in innovative and exciting ways in their daily activities. Instructional technology provides opportunities for modification and redefinition from old and past teaching practices.

By using the skills educators acquire in their instructional master’s degrees, students will be able to redefine how they work to master standards and meet learning targets.

There are many reasons educators set out to pursue a master’s degree. It advances their educational credentials and enhances their teaching skills. It creates leadership opportunities and makes teachers more marketable.

Not to mention it redefines approaches to instruction in ways that were previously unimaginable. Technology is the world we live in, and will be the world our students work in. It is the past, present and future, and a degree in instructional technology will only benefit everyone it touches.

Love technology? Love teaching? Love teaching people how to use technology? Love leading and working with students and adults alike? If you said yes, what are you waiting for? Get a degree in EdTech!

 *Updated February 2025

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Virtual Learning Platforms

One virtual learning platform that should stay (or quickly be added) to your teaching tool kit is Code.org. Code became famous for its wealth of resources when it came to the popular “Hour of Code” worldwide event. But if you aren’t familiar with this global movement, let me back up for a moment. Code is a coding platform that teaches students how to code without intimidating set ups or big initial time commitments.

Free to users, Code.org offers coding tutorials based on already popular games like Minecraft and more. There are options for elementary, middle, and high school students and over 200 million projects created. Whether you are a first-time coder or an expert, this platform has something for everyone.

Learning Management System

Google Classroom was created in 2014 as a free public application. These type of learning management systems were designed with the help of educators to make communication, collaboration, and the managing of assignments easier for everyone. It is continuously revamping its features and improving its functionality so teachers can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning. Teachers can use Google Classroom to manage classes, assign assignments, give real-time feedback, post announcements, and even strike engaging question-driven virtual discussions. An oldie, but a goodie, when it comes to LMS, this one seems to be here to stay. 

Collaboration Tools

In the United States, there are 40 million students who are growing up in underserved and immigrant communities. How can teachers effectively communicate with families coming from a variety of countries, with a variety of cultures and backgrounds? There isn’t one quick answer to this loaded question, but there is a good place to start. TalkingPoints is a non-profit organization that is solely focused on engaging families of under-resourced and multilingual communities.

How it works is that teachers can use either a web browser or mobile app to send messages to families. TalkingPoints translates these messages into one of 145 languages. Parents read the message in their preferred language and can message back. TalkingPoints is the only platform invested in enhanced translation, contextualized for education, and uses AI and human translators to ensure the message is delivered in the way it was intended.

Social Emotional 

There has been a huge push in schools to place focus on students’ social and emotional learning. One ed tech tool that is available to help with that is called Along. Along is a free digital platform that teachers implement to reflect and deepen student-teacher connections. This regular check-in tool makes building relationships with students easier and helps keep connections strong. Teachers begin by choosing from a database of research-informed questions and resources.

They take this prompt and add their own response before sharing it with students. Students receive the prompt, listen to their teacher’s response, and then create a video, text, or audio response. The response is posted privately back to the teacher. Along allows educators to ask questions and pose thoughts. Students get the opportunity to respond in a non-threatening, private way. Help your class feel they belong by trying out Along!

Literacy Support

Wish there was a way to get students standards-aligned news articles on current events and engaging topics on a regular basis? Look no further than The Juice. This platform is designed for students in grades fifth through twelfth. It delivers five current event articles at four different reading levels each day. The article includes vocabulary builders, formative standards-based assessments, infographics, and STEAM video content. These unbiased current events articles include scaffolds to help support low readers and English learners. The real-time diagnostic insights give teachers at-a-glance information to help progress monitor students on their comprehension and understanding.

Educational Games

Now for the fun part: educational games. Prodigy is one that has been around for a handful of years and still seems to remain at the top of students’ favorites list. If you are not familiar with this game-based learning platform for math and English, today’s the day. As students compete in battles or build their own worlds, content specific questions are being delivered through the adaptive algorithm.

Student data appears on the teacher’s dashboard to track students’ real-time progress. Teachers can assign specific topics or standards to their class and the number of questions the students should be asked on each standard. Prodigy is even more engaging for students because they can find their classmates within the game and meet them in the various worlds.

Assessment Tools

Hopefully you are familiar with the game-based learning platform, Kahoot. If not, here is a popular assessment tool to try in your classroom today! Teachers create their Kahoot (or access one already made in the library) and play it in their group setting. Students join the game using a unique PIN. Once everyone is in the game and it has begun, students race to answer the questions being displayed on a larger screen (Smartboard, Apple TV, etc.)

Teachers can embed pictures or video clips to further engage students. The students’ answers are saved, and the teacher can later access them in order to better check for understanding on the content. Students love playing Kahoot and teachers love how simple it is to implement into the classroom on a regular basis.

What are the best educational technology tools of 2023? There are so many out there! But hopefully, you find the list above to be favorites in your classroom. Whether you try out coding with Code, TalkingPoints to better connect your families, or along to develop more authentic relationships with your students, these educational technology tools are certain to engage and excite your students in this new 2023-2024 school year!

Educators never stop learning; check out our available graduate degree programs  to hone your skills and promote lifelong learning and academic excellence.

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What are some key things to keep in mind when it comes to discussing digital wellness with students? What are some simple lessons or activities teachers can use with their students today to start getting them thinking about their wellness when it comes to technology and educational technology use?

The Importance of Digital Wellness

According to a study cited by CNN, students who interact with their cell phones during class were found to perform worse on tests – often a full letter grade or more. Additionally, if a student had their phone within reach (even if they weren’t actually using it), their academic performance declined. This study shows just how distracting it is to always have a phone accessible. Our brains are wired to always be thinking about who we can connect with, social media we can look at, or games we can be playing. It can be hard for adults, and even harder for students, to block out and resist the urges to reach for that phone at any given moment of the day. This also helps when it comes to developing technology addiction.

This is why teaching students how to be digitally healthy is so important. Teachers should teach students how to be mindful and intentional about technology use. They can have discussions on digital literacy and web safety that include identifying credible sources of information, distinguishing between real and fake content, and bringing to students that the things they see on social media platforms are not always a realistic picture of someone’s life.

Encouraging these healthy boundaries with technology and instilling healthy habits will set our students to succeed in so many other areas of their well-being. What are some simple lessons to try with your students today that will help get them thinking about their digital wellness?

Lessons to Try With Your Students Today

PreK to First Grade: Compare and Contrast — What Makes You Happy Online/Offline

Even students as young as kindergarten and first grade come to school already having previous technology experiences. They were born into a digital world, and their entire lives will include technology, whether in their home, classroom, or future careers. This makes it essential for this age group to learn how to be digitally well. This simple activity is one way to get students to start thinking of digital wellness.

Have students compare and contrast things they love about technology and things they love that do not involve technology. Bring students together to share their ideas. Then discuss together why students think it is good to have a balance in their life. Ideas may include many things they love to do, so they have games to play when technology is not available, or even so that they can better interact and engage with friends. In the future, when they are told it isn’t time to use a device, you can refer back to the things they brainstormed that they love that do not involve technology.

Second Grade to Third Grade: I Am a Digital Citizen — Poster Creation

To help shape students’ digital wellness for students in second through third grade, have them create a poster called: “I am a digital citizen.” Students begin by drawing a self-portrait.

Then, have them write bullet points around their portrait that show digital citizenship. Ideas may include:

• Only going on websites their parents or teachers have approved.
• Understanding that the content on websites belongs to someone.
• Knowing that the things they put on the internet are there forever even if deleted.

Showcase these posters by having the class participate in a gallery walk or use ChatterPix Kids to record their poster talking.

Fourth to Fifth Grade: Create a Balanced Media Plan

This age of students can start reflecting on balanced technology use. Begin the lesson by proposing the questions “What is media balance?” Have students create a plan for healthy and balanced media use in their lives. What parts of their day are best to use technology during? How long should they spend on technology during these time frames? What are things in their day they will be doing that do not involve technology? Create a 24-hour schedule that shows what their days are like, when it is appropriate to include technology, and when they could or should be doing other things.

Grades Sixth+: Deescalating Digital Drama — Comic Strip

For students in grades six and up, cyberbullying is a huge topic and extremely important to discuss. According to dosomething.org, 60% of young people have witnessed online bullying and most do not intervene. These statistics need to change. Begin the conversation with students by having them create a comic that shows cyberbullying. Have the students make sure to include someone stepping in and standing up to the problem. Make this an opportunity for some to share their own experiences and how it made them feel. The more awareness that is brought to a situation the better prepared the students will be when they themselves face something similar.

We are aware of what we need to do to live a healthy life; eat well, sleep, and exercise. Yet now that technology and ed tech is such a big part of our world, and our students’ worlds, we need to broaden our ideas on health to include digital wellness. This topic needs to begin at a young age and continue lifelong. By incorporating simple lessons and activities into classrooms, students will be familiar with, and well-equipped to, start thinking about media usage, healthy technology boundaries, and overall digital wellness.

Interested in educational technology and want to expand your knowledge? Check out our available educational technology graduate programs and get started today!

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This form of notetaking can be even more meaningful for students as it allows for a functional system where students can write, create, and explore ideas all in the same place. What exactly is an interactive journal, how can these journals promote student agency, and why is student agency an important component when it comes to educating the whole child?

What are Interactive Journals?

Interactive journals are exactly how the name sounds; journals that students create and interact with. They go beyond a simple notebook where students take notes (and usually forget about them, rarely referring back to them.) Interactive journals get information onto a page using more of the students’ senses.

This helps to engage the student better. These journals use different texts and images, sometimes cutting and gluing (or copy/pasting), and in general, students get to personalize the contents of their journal. Some interactive journals are entirely virtual as well and can be used as an ed tech project.

Many interactive journals start with students creating a cover page. This allows students to start with some personalization, label with their name, and include any details a teacher may need when checking the journal (class period, grade, etc.)

Students then create a living table of contents page where they leave room in the future to record what is on each page. Teachers often keep a running master table of contents visibly displayed in the classroom for students to use if they get lost in their journal.

Finally, students number every page. This can be tedious, but makes sure that everyone in the class is, literally, on the right page.

Once the notebook is set up, students are ready to start adding to it. Not only can students take traditional notes, but there are so many other options for materials to add to their interactive notebooks. Concept maps, graphs, articles, pictures, diagrams, sketches, foldables, brochures, or even comic strips.

Anything that is going to help students solidify their learning and have the information they can later refer back to, is fair game. Many students love that these notebooks become an academic scrapbook. Others love that they are more “user friendly” and easier to locate information than pages upon pages of handwritten text.

Interactive notebooks give a landing place for student learning, help to diversify notetaking, and give students more choices when it comes to solidifying learning.

Promoting Student Agency with Interactive Journals

If you aren’t sold on interactive journals quite yet for student notes, another valuable aspect for using them is their ability to promote student agency.

According to an article entitled, “Student Agency, Promoting Student Engagement,” student agency is a term that describes the learning process that includes the implementation of a variety of activities. These activities are considered both meaningful and important to learners.

Student agency means that students become the agents of their learning and the teachers become the facilitators. By giving students a voice and choice in their learning, they become more invested in their work and in turn, have a deeper understanding of the material they need to learn (Kathryn Starke, 2021).

In addition to becoming agents of their own learning and projects, interactive journals also motivate students to study. They have a personalized study guide that they better understand, have invested in, and connect to.

Why is Student Agency Important?

What are some other reasons student agency is so important? Student agency is a very important component to add to any and every classroom.

Independence

Along with the reasons mentioned above, student agency and student ownership fosters independence. It teaches students that there are a variety of ways they can learn new information, retain information, and revisit information.

It lets them make choices with notetaking and adds that level of student choice to how they want to go about doing so. It also lets students be creative. They no longer have to record notes only in written sentences.

They can make comics, draw or add pictures from online, physically cut and glue, or insert a brochure. Students love having a say in their learning, and interactive journals allow for that creative choice to come to life.

Confidence

Additionally, student agency builds confidence. Students can experiment with many notetaking forms and decide what works best for them. Maybe they learn better by writing down everything they hear. Maybe they need to draw diagrams to compare and contrast material.

Or maybe sketching pictures allows them the best way to process what they are learning. Regardless of how they take notes, interactive journals allow for the practice students need to explore their notetaking needs.

And what better tool could teachers give students as they prepare to be college and career ready than giving students the understanding of how they learn best.

Interested in educational technology and want to expand your knowledge? Check out our available educational technology graduate programs and get started today!

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Regardless, some may say that back in 1912 with the creation of the American Cracker Jack snack, gamification also came to life. While Cracker Jack may not be gamified in its modern sense, the use of fun and a prize entices people to buy (play, complete, engage, etc.), which is what gamification is all about.

How did gamification continue to rise from the start of its creation, and why is gamification a very suitable educational technology trend?

The Rise of the Gamification in Education

The American Cracker Jack snack provided buyers with the incentive to not only enjoy a delicious snack, but with the purchase of any box you also gained a hidden treasure.

In the same era, but with a slightly different format, 1908 Boy Scouts of America also exhibited an example of gamification when they adopted their badge system. With the badge system, Boy Scouts earn badges over time as they progress through various areas of knowledge.

They wear these badges on their uniform to showcase their accomplishments. The motivation of seeing other fellow scouts obtain and display badges was encouragement for others to work towards the same goals.

Both Cracker Jacks and Boy Scouts are early examples of gamification. When the gamification entered the educational scene, it was seen in similar ways. Students would earn toys or stickers for the completion of work. Other classrooms use visual badges (sticker, star, etc.) to represent students’ hard work. Transforming into this day and age, gamification often involves technology.

There are hundreds (dare I say thousands) of apps and programs that incentivize students with digital coins, stars, or virtual stores where they can buy pretend objects upon completion of their assignments. For many students, gamification is the tool they need to engage, excite, and spark interest in their learnings.

So why is gamification such a suitable ed tech trend, how can it be used in classrooms, and why is it particularly intriguing post-pandemic?

Gamification is an Extremely Valuable Ed Tech Trend

Gamification is a classroom tool that continues to trend all over the world. Students love that they can earn various items as they progress through levels.

Teachers also love using gamification because it encourages students to stick with the material being taught and, in turn, further solidify the content at hand. There are many ways gamification can be used in classrooms through education games, and more.

Ways to Increase Gamification in Education

Below we will explore several ways to gamify your classroom activities that are user-friendly, easy to implement, and sure to be favorites for your students.

Goose Chase

Students love a good scavenger hunt. With GooseChase you can mix the fun of a traditional hunt with technology to gamify your planned activity.

How it works is that teachers build scavenger hunts from the “Game Manager” portion of the website. You can then add missions that students complete by submitting photos, videos, text responses, or check-in points, or simply as an engaging classroom game.

This is a fun way to review for a test:

• “Find an example of a liquid and take a photo of it.”

Get to know a new space:

• “Find the poster of our class rules and record yourself reading one of them.”

Kahoot!

Kahoot! is another great way to add some gamification to your classroom. If you are not familiar with this very popular tool, here is your push to try it out.

This game-based learning platform lets students race against each other as they answer questions created by their teacher. Educators can create questions as a unit introduction, as a review for a test, or as a get-to-know-you activity.

There is also a library of pre-made games that cover a variety of topics, so you are likely to be able to find just what you are looking for without taking the time to generate your own quiz. This is a fan favorite for many and will likely be for your students as well!

Classcraft

Classcraft is a free, online educational tool that links teachers with their students to monitor and motivate behavior. Students can level up, work in teams, and earn various powers as they work to follow expected behavior.

Students feel motivated by the custom avatars and enjoy receiving feedback from their peers and teachers. Through reviews, many educators are saying that Classcraft has helped them revive their classrooms as they get back into a “normal” school year, post-pandemic.

Breakout EDU

Breakout EDU is another excellent way to gamify learning and engage students of all levels. The standards-aligned games challenge players as they apply their content knowledge in collaborative ways.

Students uncover clues alongside their peers as they set off on an enriching adventure to unlock the mission. Whether you as a teacher are looking for a five-minute daily activity or enter a full-on immersive experience, Breakout EDU is worth a second look.

Whether or not you were a member of the Boy Scouts or have tried Cracker Jacks, you probably have been motivated one way or another with some incentive. Gamification has combined playing games with obtaining prizes. In education, gamification has become a phenomenon that helps redesign and supercharge learning through classroom games.

Adding a competitive edge with games like Kahoot!, creating engaging activities with GooseChase, or simply assigning a fun BreakoutEDU puzzle can help reignite and revamp learning.

Interested in educational technology and want to expand your knowledge? Check out our available educational technology graduate programs and get started today!

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As an administrator for eight years and a teacher on campus for 10 years who was the campus tech person, I can tell you that the person who can make technology a seamless integrated tool to help students learn is amazingly valuable.

There is a bit of a generational gap between the teachers in the classroom (at times 30 and 40 years older than their students) and their students who are growing up immersed in technology. The ability to bridge this gap is amazing.

Another challenge that exists is that as technology improves, it does so at an exponential rate. So what was learned technology-wise four or five years ago is likely outdated, slow, or not as useful as what has come out in the past year or two.

Those that can help keep a staff up to date and relevant with the world around them is invaluable in that it takes a special ability to teach teachers how to use new tools.

What is an Educational Technology Degree?

An educational technology degree prepares those who are working with students to leverage technology in the classroom. The leverage word there is key — technology is a tool in the classroom. Technology cannot make students learn, but it can put them in a more comfortable environment to learn.

Picture a quarterback coach at any level. Their job is to leverage the tools of the quarterback to make that player effective; this is one of the primary roles of the EdTech person in a district or campus.

Students utilize digital tools, hone pedagogical skills, develop classroom strategies, and learn to support education through technology. Examples of how this looks in the classroom include blended learning, flipped classrooms, how students use chromebooks, and how prepared they are to use technology in the real world.

Reasons to Get an EdTech Degree Right Now

There are many similarities between the classroom from 100 years ago and the one that exists today. There are still chairs, desks, teachers, students, books, etc. However the chalkboard has morphed in most places to dry erase boards, and in the more modern classrooms, there are smartboards, smart TVs, chromebooks, ipad, and tablets. As the students get older, they all have cell phones and can use it for kahoot games, to text in answers, and more.

There needs to be a point person who can help teachers leverage all of these new tools into student success. If a district or campus is making a dedicated effort to integrate technology into the classroom, the second key piece to success is a person who can train and coach teachers and staff in using these tools.

This has never been more relevant than the past three months where most of the learning in the world occurred in an online environment. One of the last effects of the COVID-19 experience will be an integration of elearning into the already existing classroom.

Beyond that, many colleges already have highly developed online degrees and online learning in place and need people to help expand this into their faculty and their program offerings.

Finally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects openings for instructional coordinators to increase nationwide by 6% between 2018 and 2028, indicating that there will be EdTech jobs available.

Benefits of an EdTech Degree

Let’s talk salary! Let me start with my own personal experience here. As a middle school teacher for 10 years with a technology applications certification, I was able to get an additional stipend to help with tech issues and integration around the campus.

Payscale.com lists the master’s in educational technology degree as earning on average around $63,000 per year. Glassdoor.com lists the salary average at $70,000 a year.

Another benefit of this degree is that it allows you the chance at jobs in the long run that connect with education but not necessarily are in a district and a school building. There are numerous education companies that exist to help students learn and are selling their product to schools every day. They need people with experience in training teachers, showing how to use their product in the classroom, and developing their product so that it is truly a tool that helps students learn.

Finally, and this really comes from the heart of a high school principal, our job is ultimately to prepare students to be able to be contributors in the real world. We have a responsibility to develop students who know how to use technology responsibly and properly.

The right person who can leverage technology to help students learn and apply technology into their world can not only help a staff make students successful, but they contribute to the future success of the student.

Ready to take the next step in your career and explore EdTech? Check out our available educational technology programs today!

The post Why Now is the Best Time to Get a Degree in EdTech appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

Whether or not you have taught in the classroom 30 years or are in the first year of your career, there is always something that can streamline your job and make the way we work more efficient and effective.

I began my education career 20 years ago as a technology applications teacher at a middle school in Texas. At the beginning of the semester, we would learn how to save Word documents, type, and by the end of the semester, we made short videos.

About halfway through my teaching career, the iPad came out, and I felt like I became the most powerful teacher in the school. I was riding around in my rolling chair and plugging in grades on my iPad because I could do it directly through the tablet; efficiency at its finest. I was not tied down anymore!

How has COVID Impacted Technology in the Classroom?

First, let’s take a look at how the pandemic has affected technology in the classroom. I was in my third year as a high school principal when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our school and country for weeks. I had some fantastic teachers who had challenges inputting grades on their computers mainly because the technology was always a challenge.

We had to quickly train some teachers to use Zoom and Google Classroom. Quickly, we had to find a way to bridge the gap from the classroom to the living room, and existing technology made that happen. One of the first impacts COVID had in the classroom was the opportunity to move the classroom to another remote location.

Second, some already existing technology quickly became integrated in education where it wasn’t utilized to this level before. Third, teachers who had never dabbled so much with educational technology learned new tricks late in their careers. Many of our younger teachers were able to coach and teach our veterans.

One last, major impact we found a year later is that much of the nation’s data shows that although students could still learn at home and remotely, it was not nearly as impactful as in the classroom with a teacher. Although teaching could remotely be moved into the living room of 28 students simultaneously, it did not grow them educationally as quickly as in the classroom with a teacher.

Where Else Can Technology Improve a Classroom?

This section needs to be framed with an understanding of EdTech; it is a tool. It can help leverage student engagement, intentionally work on student needs, improve teacher efficiency in school, and help students learn through technology. There are many benefits of technology in the classroom.

Student Engagement

I mentioned earlier the impact of an iPad in my hands as a teacher. Our students have grown up in a world where technology is so much more accessible it is essentially integrated into them, whereas our generation had to learn how to use the technology.

There are times when no technology is suitable for students to learn, especially when learning the process of something, like math. Technology is a normal part of our students’ lives, and because of the familiarity with it, doing schoolwork on the computer is a tool for students to show how much they have learned.

Student Research

One of the challenges in our technologically driven world is teaching our students how to know good and bad information. The need to teach our students that digital citizenship is huge. I grew up with World Book Encyclopedias, while our children grew up with Google and find information more quickly than I can.

The internet provides needed information for our students to complete projects and research; we have to make sure they can discern the information as they process it.

Teacher Professional Development

With overworked teachers trying to still navigate basic learning during a worldwide pandemic, technology gives us a convenient way to deliver professional development on teachers’ schedules.

Professional development can be uploaded and viewed or completed when the teacher has a chance to do so. In addition, online professional development can give teachers a quick way to learn tips on questioning, assessment, classroom management, and more.

Personalized Learning for Students

Students all have different ways of learning and showing what they have learned. There are multiple intelligences and four core learning styles (VARK):

Technology provides students ways through PowerPoint and videos to show the teacher what they have learned in a way that may best suit how the student operates.

Another angle on this is all the programs that allow us to see where students need enrichment next. NWEA (Map), Apex, and Imagine Learning all have ways to see where students’ instructional needs are and address those needs.

Teacher Efficiency

I used the example earlier of how teaching technology made it easier for me to move around the room, be more accessible to students, and take care of business.  One of the best examples is with some math teachers who will walk around the room with a tablet in their hand, and what they are doing shows up on the projector for every student to see. Not only does their proximity with students help with classroom management, but each student can see the teacher work on all of the problems.

Google Classroom provides ways to take grades for the teacher, making grading easier. Additional favorites are websites like Kahoot or hand-held response devices where students can instantly respond to teacher questions and the teacher can check student understanding instantly.

In short, technology is a tool. It has allowed education to go from the classroom into the living room and helped teachers more easily reach students in the classroom. When used properly, it is an amazing tool!

*Updated February 2022

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One chart was the rate of how technology changes/improves over time. The other chart was the rate at which we and our students take in and process information. They were almost exactly the same. Thus we process and take in information at the rate that technology advances. This gives rise to the reason why it is vitally important, wherever one may be in their educational career, to become a more effective teacher in the digital age; this is the world our students live in.

This also gives rise to these ‘former technology apps teacher (10 years) turned administrator (in my 9th year)’ primary talking points about technology. It is fantastic…as long as one knows how to use the tool properly. A hammer is a great tool for many things, but it also can destroy many things if used incorrectly. The tool is only as great as the user, thus is the same as in the classroom with technology. So how does one become a more effective teacher in the digital age?

Stay Current

Albeit obvious, it is vital. Technology improves, becomes more convenient, and more accessible and cheaper at a very quick rate. Thus, you also have to be nimble and current on the technology you have in the classroom or can get your hands on.

For the more experienced teacher, this may be a little more difficult as for the last five, seven, or 10 years you have the ‘newest’ technology and are just now getting comfortable with how it integrates into your classroom. Over that time there may be updates to that piece of technology or maybe even another piece of technology that is better and easier to integrate.

For the newbie teachers, this will be easier for you. Generationally and technologically speaking, you are closer to the age of your students and the technology they grew up with. Now, just watch for new trends as the different classes roll through your room.

Collaborate

Seems like every place I have been has had ‘that guy’…that guy who knows the technology, that guy who knows the gradebook, that guy who can fix whatever…talk to that guy!

Before I go out and find someone to come in and do professional development with my staff, I see if we can find the answer internally first. The main reason for this is with all the years of experience and different teaching experiences on the campus, the odds are that someone is very good at ‘it’ or they have tried ‘it’. Much like ‘that guy’, we have the teachers on our campus that are great at classroom management or asking questions or group projects, etc.

Studies have shown that teachers and students learn best from their peers. Why not do more of that? Yes, time gets in the way and there are other obstacles, but in your professional learning communities find out who uses technology for different things and see how you can integrate that into your classroom.

You also might be in a district that is large enough to have an Instructional Technology Coach. Much like an instructional coach, they could come to your room, watch how you teach, and find different technological ways to enhance what you are doing.

Technology could be looked at like any other instructional strategy: be willing to steal good ideas from others you work with.

Don’t be Afraid to Fail

Too many people in their life stop short of possibilities because they are afraid of failure. Short rant here…we are in education, one of the best ways to learn is to fail or try; what a great way to model for students what we do when something does not work or work as well as hoped. Yes, it is one the top three most annoying things in the classroom when technology does not work or does not work like we expected. It could throw the momentum of the class off, we could lose control of our class, and we might get a little embarrassed.

No gains were ever made by not trying. Our students change so much more quickly, and if we go stagnant in how we teach, this means we are teaching to students that we taught many years ago, and the the ones in the room we have now have different experience, backgrounds, and knowledge bases. You could be missing out on something in your class that could enhance engagement, streamline your workload, and help students succeed—sounds like something worth trying for.

What are Students Saying?

Want to know what will reach students the best? Just ask them. Not necessarily what the latest ‘Snapchat’ or ‘Facebook’ or ‘Tik Tok’ craze might be, but more or less what technology could better reach them.

Cell phones are issues in schools, but I have seen some teachers through different messaging systems turn phones into how students respond to questions in the room.

So students, if you want text and not work, how about text me the answers to the math problems and we can see what everyone answers on the board. Then the board displays all the answers from the students – instant accountability, instant assessment, and a foe becomes a friend.

Go to a Conference

Lastly, attend a conference. Yes, the sessions will help you also, but the key here in the digital age is the walk around the arena where everyone is showing their latest and greatest tech gadget or tool. Most of these have the same goal: to make your life easier to teach and streamline what you do in the classroom. But each year you can see the developments, changes, improvements, and innovation that is occurring. And there are usually many free items you can take home for yourself!

Some Specifics

What about some specific technology to use in your classroom that will help you be a better teacher in the digital age?

1) Chromebooks or ipads – they are relatively cheap and very user friendly. They allow your students to get to websites or apps that will help you teach your content.

2) Smartboards – not only do they help you visually explain what you are teaching, but students can come to the board and play games, write problems, match items, etc…very interactive.

3) Clickers – These allow you to ask your whole class questions and have the answer displayed on the screen instantly.

Through a COVID Lens

The digital age has helped make education more mobile and in some ways actually possible. We have had the most success with online learners through taking items digitally to our students. Links to websites for information, presentations posted on Google Classroom or Canvas, videos to watch, and videos of lessons for students to rewatch have been what we found to be the best for online learners digitally speaking.

Being a more effective teacher in the digital age is about getting out there and trying and talking and experimenting. Sounds like the root of education to me.

*Updated February, 2021

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