InClass

We list our favorite apps, software and programs that can revolutionize your teaching!

There is a definite benefit to technology in the classroom. As our students become more digitally literate, their teachers must be, as well. It is important for educators to stay up-to-date with the many apps, software, and program resources that are revolutionizing our teaching! Here are five resources every teacher should explore:


Educanon: YouTube and Kahn Academy are often used (and loved) resources in our classrooms. How many times would we like students to stop the video and think or check their understanding when watching the videos during class or at home? Educanon provides that resource, whether you are using a video you’ve created or a video from YouTube or TeacherTube. Educanon allows you to create your own questions to use throughout the video. Then, teachers are able to track student responses. Answers to questions can be written responses, multiple choice, true/false or simply a reflective pause.

Snapshot: Educanon is a fantastic resource for the flipped classroom and makes informational videos more interactive for the students.

Price: Free (paid upgrades are an option)


ClassDojo: A fantastic behavior management tools. ClassDojo allows for real-time classroom management. Teachers can give Dojo points for positive behaviors and need improvement points for negative behavior. Teachers create the behavior points and students can create their own avatar characters. Teachers can give and take Dojo points via their cell phone, computer or iPad. Parents have access to their child’s Dojo points. Teachers can type messages to individual families, a whole class or write a class story with added pictures. ClassDojo offers graphs to track student performance.

Snapshot: ClassDojo is great resource for classroom management that involves students, parents and teachers!

Price: Free

Code.org: As students become more digitally literate understanding computer science is essential. Introduction to coding can begin in early elementary school. The Hour of Code or code.org is an engaging, exciting resource for students (and teachers) to use. Students can use computers, ipads, and even cups and paper if computers are not available. Students learn the foundation of coding, create code, and move through lessons that provide meaningful practice and exposure to coding.

Snapshot: Teachers and students must become digitally literate in computer science. Code.org introduces the science of coding to parents, teachers, and students.

Price: Free

Plickers: Looking for another way to check the understanding of students? Plickers is a powerfully simple tool that lets teachers collect real-time formative assessment data without the need for student devices. All you need is the app, a projector, Internet, and a cell phone. The teacher creates the questions and the students use their unique answer card to choose from multiple-choice answers. The teacher simply sweeps their cell phone across the classroom and the answers are registered and displayed in real-time.

Snapshot: Teachers looking for another tool to quickly assess student learning would greatly benefit from exploring Plickers.

Price: Free


LiveBinders: I am one of many teachers that love binders! Every subject, unit and lesson plan is neatly organized in a binder. However, as more of our resources are digitally presented to students and parents, we need a way to digitalize those awesome binders! LiveBinder gives teachers the opportunity to create digital binders, which can be shared with colleagues, parents and students. Binders have tabs and organization that is no different that our paper and plastic binders in our classrooms.

Snapshot: Binders are a teaching necessity and now that necessity can be created digitally with the LiveBinder app/program.

Price: Free (paid upgrade is an option)

Ashley Curtis is a fifth grade teacher at Vail Academy and High School in the Vail School District. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in the area Literacy-Reading and Language Arts and is on the Teacher Solutions Team.