The chart below organizes digital tools referenced in the guide by type, cost, publisher, grade-level, description, and how teachers and students may use them in service of learning.
| Tool | Tool Type | Description | Teacher Use | Student Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Spark Publisher: Adobe URL: https://spark.adobe.com Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Audio creation – Video creation – Digital storytelling – Infographics | Adobe Spark is an integrated suite of media creation applications. It is comprised of three separate design apps: Spark Page, Spark Post, and Spark Video. | – Create graphics, short videos, and web pages. | – Create graphics, short videos, and web pages. – Create engaging and creative components for a project or assignment. |
| Bamboozle Publisher: Bamboozle URL: https://www.baamboozle.com Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-8 | – Assessment – Gamification | Bamboozle is a game-based learning platform that offers engaging activities for learners. | – Create or use pre-made assessment-based activities in a gamified environment. | – Utilize game-based assessment activities assigned by teachers. |
| Edji Publisher: Edji URL: https://edji.it Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Note-taking and annotation – Knowledge organization and sharing – Assessment – Synchronous text discussion | Edji is a collaborative classroom reading tool used to check students’ understanding of shared articles. | – Create or use pre-made articles and issue them to students for reading comprehension. – View real time reflections and thoughts of students while they are reading an article. – Allow students to view peer insights. | – Annotate an assigned article individually or collaboratively with classmates. – Leave notes on highlighted using text and/or audio. |
| Edpuzzle Publisher: Edpuzzle Inc. URL: https://edpuzzle.com Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Video streaming – Video sharing – Interactive assessment | Edpuzzle is a video assessment tool capable of assessing student understanding using questions placed throughout the Edpuzzle video. | – Create or use pre-made videos from the publisher’s website. – Create videos with different question types to quickly assess student understanding. | – Interact with an assigned video through different question types created by the teacher. – Rewind videos to review information if unsure of a question. |
| Edulastic Publisher: Snapwiz Inc URL: https://edulastic.com Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Assessment | Edulastic is an online tool with technology-enhanced assessment items, which offer an insight into student learning and growth. | – Create or use pre-made assessments from the publisher’s platform. – Use question types linked to state standards to track student learning and growth. | – Gain familiarity with the flow and style of typical state assessments. |
| Flipgrid Publisher: Microsoft URL: https://info.flipgrid.com/ Cost: Free Grades: K-12 | – Video creation and editing – Audio creation and editing – Video sharing – Audio sharing – Discussion forum – Screen recording – Multimodal production | Flipgrid is a video response system which allows students to record verbal responses to questions posed in class. | – Create “grids” to facilitate video discussions. – Use grids to function as a virtual message board. – Pose questions, called “topics” that appear in a tiled grid display. | – Respond to classroom questions through video or audio. – Respond creatively through the use of images, text, and whiteboarding. |
| Formative Publisher: Formative URL: https://goformative.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Lesson authoring – Assessment – Online whiteboarding | Formative is a web-based tool that allows teachers to create digital formative assessments, tasks, or assignments that are easily accessible from any electronic device. | – Create classroom assessments with multiple question types to gain real time analytics and check for student understanding. | – Respond to different question types with text, audio, or digital ink. |
| Insert Learning Publisher: Insert Learning URL: https://insertlearning.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Synchronous text discussion – Assessment | Insert Learning is a web- based tool that allows teachers to insert different question types on any web page. | – Insert questions, discussions, and comments directly into any website. – See when students go to a website, view their responses to questions and discussions, and check for understanding. | – Actively learn through engagement with questions embedded directly into website. – Respond to questions, discussions, and take notes directly on a web page. |
| Google Jamboard Publisher: Google URL: https://jamboard.google.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Synchronous text discussion – Image sharing – Mindmapping – Online whiteboarding | Jamboard is a digital whiteboard that offers a collaborative experience for teams and classrooms. Teachers can create a “Jam,” edit it from any device, and share it with students. | – Create collaborative whiteboards for students to work collaboratively. – Create backgrounds or scenes with items students can manipulate to demonstrate understanding in a variety of subjects. | – Demonstrate understanding in a collaborative environment through the use of images, text, sticky notes, and digital ink. |
| Kahoot! Publisher: Kahoot! URL: https://kahoot.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Assessment – Gamification | Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform. Its learning games, “Kahoots”, are user-generated multiple-choice quizzes that can be accessed via a web browser or the Kahoot! application. | – Create or use pre-made games to assess student understanding through gamified assessments. – Use games to be run synchronously as a whole class activity or assigned as an asynchronous student-paced activity. | – Learn content through a gamified learning platform. – See the question on teachers’ projected screen and choose their answer from their own device. – See each question point value and compete to see who can answer the most questions correctly. |
| Loom Publisher: Loom Inc URL: https://www.loom.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Video creation and editing – Video sharing – Screen recording | Loom is a video and screen recording tool which can be initiated from the Loom website, chrome extension, or Gmail response. | – Record messages for students and/or screen record “how to” guides to ensure student understanding. – Communicate through video messages rather than through text alone with the publisher’s Gmail integration. | – Record a video response and/or showcase digital work through screen recording features. – Send video answers to teachers rather than through text alone. |
| Mote Publisher: Mote URL: https://www.justmote.me/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Synchronous text discussion – Audio creation – Accessibility | Mote is a Chrome extension that lets users easily add voice notes and feedback to shared documents and assignments. | – Leave verbal feedback into the comments section of any Google application. – Use student voice to automatically transcribe audio messages and place it text alongside the original voice note. | – Listen to a voice note left by the teacher. – Read the transcribed message in text if they cannot hear the voice note. – Have the voice transcribed into a different language. |
| Nearpod Publisher: Renaissance URL: https://nearpod.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Lesson authoring – Knowledge organization and sharing – Video sharing – Assessment – Presentations – Digital pinboard | Nearpod is a digital tool capable of creating interactive lessons, videos, and formative assessments. | – Create interactive lessons using previously made PowerPoint or Google Slide presentations. – Create or use pre-made lessons directly from the publisher’s platform. – Embed multiple question types at any point during the lesson to check for understanding. | – Become more engaged with a lesson through multiple question types like “Draw It”, VR Field Trips, or free responses. – Take notes during the presentation through the built-in note feature. |
| Padlet Publisher: Padlet URL: https://padlet.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: TK-12 | – Audio sharing – Video sharing – Synchronous text discussion – Discussion forum – Digital pinboard | Padlet is a digital tool which can be used by students and teachers to post notes on a common page. The notes posted by teachers and students can contain links, videos, images, and document files. | – Use digital tools to generate collaborative ideas and checks for understanding. – Create running lists of resources throughout the year or a one-time discussion board for the day. | – Respond to text, voice, video, images, or any combination of the above. – Interact with other students’ messages, upvote, like, or comment. |
| Pear Deck Publisher: Pear Deck Inc URL: https://www.peardeck.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Audio sharing – Video sharing – Lesson authoring – Presentation – Interactive assessment | Pear Deck is an interactive presentation tool used to actively engage students in individual and social learning. Teachers can use Pear Deck to create interactive presentations that allow students to work independently to respond to various questions throughout the ‘deck’. | – Create interactive lessons from previously made PowerPoint or Google Slide presentations. – Embed multiple question types at any point during a lesson to check for understanding. | – Become more engaged with a lesson through multiple question types like drawing, free response, fill in the blank, and true or false. |
| Quizalize Publisher: Zzish Ltd URL: https://www.quizalize.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Interactive assessment – Gamification | Quizalize is a gamified assessment tool with standards-tagged quizzes. Teachers receive instant data on student mastery and can automatically assign differentiated follow-up activities. | – Use quizzes with standards-tags to efficiently track mastery data. – Use the Quizalize platform to automatically assign different resources to students depending on their quiz score. | – Become more engaged with a lesson through a gamified assessment platform. |
| Quizizz Publisher: Quizizz Inc URL: https://quizizz.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Interactive assessment – Gamification – Presentation – Lesson authoring | Quizizz allows teachers to create gamified quizzes, lessons, presentations, and flashcards for students. | – Create or use pre-made games to assess student understanding through gamified assessments. – Use games, run synchronously or asynchronous, as a whole class activity or assigned to students individually. | – Learn content through a gamified learning platform. – Move at set pace through assessments. – See each question with a point values so that entire classes can compete to see who can answer the most questions correctly. |
| Screencastify Publisher: Screencastify URL: https://www.screencastify.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Video creation and editing – Video sharing – Audio creation and editing – Audio sharing – Screen Recording | Screencastify is a video and screen recording tool which can be initiated from the Screencastify website or Chrome extension. The videos can be stored on the Screencastify website or automatically updated to Google Drive. | – Record messages for students and/or screen record “how to” guides to ensure student understanding. – Automatically upload the videos to Google Drive, and then link the file as video comments onto any student work or embed into Google Slides. | – Record a video response and or showcase digital work through screen recording features. – Automatically upload videos to Google Drive, and send video answers to teachers, rather than through text messages alone. – Link files as a video response in other Google tools (e.g., Google Slides). |
| Seesaw Publisher: Seesaw URL: https://web.seesaw.me/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: TK-5 | – Audio creation and editing – Audio sharing – Video creation and editing – Video sharing – Online whiteboard – Lesson authoring – Digital storytelling | Seesaw uses built-in multimodal tools to capture what students know in Seesaw’s digital portfolio. Teachers see all stages of student thinking and progress, enabling them to better adjust their instruction. | – Assign work pages and activities to students or observe student commentary in their digital portfolio. | – Complete activities assigned by teachers or capture what they have learned through their digital portfolio. – Add images, take pictures, and leave audio or video answers. |
| Soundtrap Publisher: Spotify URL: https://www.soundtrap.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Audio creation and editing – Audio sharing – Digital storytelling | Soundtrap is an online digital audio workstation that allows users to create music or podcasts. Each project can be shared with others to work collaboratively on their creation. | – Ask students to work creatively on collaborative projects, such as podcasts or music. | – Demonstrate knowledge through the creation of music or a podcast. – Work collaboratively on a shared project. |
| WeVideo Publisher: WeVideo Inc URL: https://www.wevideo.com/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Video creation and editing – Video sharing – Digital storytelling – Multimodal production | WeVideo is an online video creation suite that allows users to create creative videos. Each project can be shared with others to work collaboratively on their creation. WeVideo is capable of utilizing greenscreen technology for an added opportunity for creativity. | – Ask students to work creatively on collaborative projects such as videos to demonstrate understanding or to demonstrate creativity. | – Demonstrate knowledge through the creation of a video or movie. – Work collaboratively on a project from different devices and different locations at the same time. |
| Whiteboard.fi Publisher: Kahoot! URL: https://whiteboard.fi/ Cost: Free and premium Grades: K-12 | – Online whiteboard – Interactive assessment | Whiteboard.fi is an instant formative assessment whiteboarding tool for providing live feedback and immediate overview of student understanding. | – Create a whiteboard room in minutes with limited setup time. – Use a whiteboard platform for all subjects and grade levels. | – Demonstrate knowledge by writing on a personal digital whiteboard that gives teachers an opportunity to provide real-time feedback. |
Notes
[1] Appendix B includes digital tools to support the implementation of the strategies and considerations identified in the California Digital Learning Integration and Standards Guidance. The digital tools are available free and premium, and their inclusion in the guidance are largely derived from interviews with California educators. LEAs exercise local control when selecting digital tools and resources. The digital tools listed should not be considered endorsements by the CDE.