Education has rapidly evolved over the past couple of years with emerging technologies making information more accessible to a wide variety of people.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in particular has incredible potential to transform education, with the variety of tools, software, and applications created to aid in classroom management, personalized learning, grading and assessment, and collaboration and communication.
It can feel super overwhelming trying to keep up with the next best tool, so I gathered a list of popular AI tools for teachers and will discuss in this article how educators can use these tools to enhance their teaching practices and improve student learning.
The importance of AI in education
First, let’s discuss how AI is currently being used in education. You may be familiar with Chat-GPT, the most popular AI chatbot that has answers to almost every question that may come to your mind. This software has drastically impacted how we seek knowledge and education, with about 1.8 billion users a month.
Many teachers are cautious about AI, worrying that students will use Chat-GPT to write their essays or do their homework. While there are some downsides to this, it is important to recognize the various uses of these tools and to promote critical thinking and the responsible use of these AI tools. The benefits significantly outweigh the negatives and having an understanding of various AI software and its features can enable you to use them to your advantage, and maybe even catch a student cheating (yes, there’s a tool for that!)
Let’s dive into some popular AI tools for teachers that can help personalize individual students’ learning experiences, increase efficiency by automating daily tasks, and make more informed decisions with data-driven insights.
AI Tools for Classroom Management
Using generative AI tools in the classroom can help teachers guide learning and ensure responsible use without having to lap around the room and self-monitor students one by one. These tools allow teachers to reallocate their time towards directly impacting student learning. Below are some of the best AI tools for classroom management.
LanSchool Air
Overview
LanSchool Air is a cloud-based software that helps teachers guide student learning while promoting responsible use through screen monitoring and limiting web access. This software is only active at school, so student privacy is upheld when they do work at home.
Features
Web Limits
This software is highly beneficial for schools looking to utilize generative AI as the teacher can limit the use of certain websites during school hours, like Chat-GPT, Claude, or the web altogether. Web Limits help teachers make sure students are on task and focused on their work. Teachers can even flag certain behaviors to ensure a positive learning environment.
Student-Teacher Messaging
Students who may have questions about a task can ask their teacher a question directly from their computer with LanSchool’s messaging system. Teachers can also send messages to all or selected students to redirect attention back to their task.
Screen Monitoring
LanSchool’s real-time screen monitoring feature allows teachers to see the full desktop and all open windows for students in one consolidated place. If students are allowed to use generative AI for an assignment, the teacher can monitor screens to ensure responsible use. Teachers are allowed to temporarily pause selected screens if the situation calls for it, so a student can take a break and return to the task when they are ready to responsibly participate.
Snapshot
The snapshot tool allows teachers to screenshot student monitors. This allows for student-led task modeling and promotes positive behavior.
Broadcast Screen
Screen broadcasting is a great tool to promote inclusivity, as it accommodates students with a close-up look at educational material. Teachers can simply broadcast their screen to student devices with just one click of a button!
Techie Tips
LanSchool is a great tool to help monitor all student screens, but remember it is not a full replacement for computer classroom management. Our techie tip: this software is best paired with other classroom management tools.
Dyknow Classroom
Overview
Dyknow Classroom is a great tool for teachers looking to minimize distractions on student devices with live visibility of student screens. This tool increases student productivity and maximizes teacher efficiency in classrooms that frequently use technology.
Features
Live Monitoring
Similar to LanSchool, Dyknow allows for live monitoring of screens in one place. However, Dyknow works both in-person and remote learning.
Screen Management
Dyknow enables teachers to redirect student attention from off-task sites back to their task with a click of a button. With this feature, you can also block certain websites or applications. This is helpful for teachers limiting generative AI software during certain tasks.
Student Engagement
Teachers can engage in virtual discourse with students from the comfort of their desks with Dyknow’s messaging system. Teachers have the ability to maximize instructional time with this feature.
Class Analytics
Review student data centrally with access to device activity. You may view the time they spent on a website or app, as well as identify classroom trends to understand why tasks are not getting completed accurately or timely.
Techie Tips
Gauge student engagement through live votes, polls, quizzes, and messaging! Compare class analytics with student engagement for a more effective classroom management approach.
CLASS DOJO
Overview
Class Dojo is a digital classroom management tool where teachers can share students’ important moments through photos, videos, and messages, as well as record and track student behavior throughout the day with direct school-to-home communication. Now partnered with OpenAI, this AI tool aids in communication between parents and teachers while also helping craft engaging content.
Features
AI Features
AI Features include Story Post Writer, Message Writer, Response Writer, and Multiple Choice Assessment Generator. Teachers can use prompting techniques to generate text for the AI feature they utilize to help streamline their tasks.
Stay Connected
Instant messaging makes it easy to connect with caregivers and staff, consolidating communication in one place. Class Dojo also translates messages into more than 35 different languages!
Point-Based Motivation
Class Dojo has a feature where you can allocate points to individual students for custom behavior targets. This allows teachers to promote positive behaviors and support social-emotional learning by motivating students to make good choices.
Techie Tips
This tool is all about positive reinforcement – use Class Dojo to promote good behaviors and motivate students!
AI tools for personalized learning
Chat-GPT
Overview
Chat-GPT, or Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, is an AI Chatbot that generates written content, answers questions, and analyzes large amounts of data to generate responses to prompts provided by the user. The latest version, GPT-4o now has the ability to respond to voice-to-text speech with real-time interaction and responsiveness, use the camera to respond to visual inputs, and support more than 50 different languages for translations provided within seconds. This software has incredible potential to impact the American education system. Educators can use this tool to create personalized learning plans, develop content, brainstorm unique teaching strategies, and ultimately help educators make more informed decisions by synthesizing data in seconds.
Features
Real-Time Responsiveness
If you have used Chat-GPT, you know that you can get an answer to any question within seconds. This software has incredible uses for educators, and when used correctly can make your job as an educator easier, saving you time on daily tasks so that you can provide more personalized attention to your students who may need additional support.
Strategic prompting allows teachers to create personalized learning experiences for their students and maximizes the potential of generative AI systems like Chat-GPT. If you are looking for support with learning how to prompt engineer and are seeking additional support from an expert in the field, schedule an appointment for a consultation today!
Lesson Planning
Teachers can use Chat-GPT to generate ideas for their lesson plans and even create rubrics for grading criteria. Not only can you generate lesson plans, but you can also create quizzes, assessments, and full exams based on the information you provide the software based on the criteria you are seeking to meet. This allows for effective differentiation based on student needs and academic ability, saving teachers time on lesson planning which increases the potential for growth for students and effectiveness of teachers.
Gamification
A trend that has been on the rise in American education is the gamification of learning. This essentially means learning objectives are turned into a fun and interactive game to motivate students while they learn and practice their skills. Educators can use Chat-GPT to create learning games based on individual needs for ability levels of students. The creative potential of this feature truly relies on the individual who is prompting the software, as you can create dynamic, interactive, and personalized gaming elements to enhance the learning experience.
Data Analytics
Data-driven instruction is the pinnacle of every teacher’s efforts, as scores inform the level of instructional effectiveness and how to alter one’s instructional approach throughout the year. ChatGPT’s advanced data analysis feature allows teachers to directly upload and manipulate data to personalize student’s learning experiences. Based on the data that is collected, teachers can make more informed decisions and share data with parents, improve curriculum, progress monitor, better allocate resources, and provide insight into intervention efforts.
Techie Tips
I would recommend teachers use Chat-GPT in two ways to approach personalized learning: 1. Personalize content based on students’ ability group, so that there are specific criteria for students to learn on a larger, day-to-day, unit-to-unit approach. 2. Once you understand how to differentiate on a larger scale, then use Chat-GPT to create individualized learning paths for students. There will always be outliers in your classroom, of both overachieving and underperforming students, and this software has the ability to maximize the learning experience and potential of all students in the classroom. It is important to know how the various uses of complex software such as this one, therefore training and refining skills is highly recommended.
Khan Academy: Khanmigo
Overview
Khan Academy is a website with a ton of educational resources that provide personalized learning experiences for learners of all ages and academic levels. Khan Academy offers practice exercises and instructional videos across a variety of subjects with a focus on skill mastery. Recently, Khan Academy released Khanmigo, an AI assistant that takes personalized learning to a new level by incorporating student interests and passions into tutoring sessions.
Features
Personal AI Tutor
Khanmigo leverages AI to act as a live teacher’s assistant to answer questions throughout learning courses. This AI-powered tutor is designed to guide students to the right answer, without providing the exact answer while providing personalized guidance, support, and engagement across all academic levels and subjects.
Customization
Use the customization tool to create an AI tutor that is tailored to your specific needs and interests. This allows for an individualized learning experience and enriches interactions that can pique your students’ curiosity.
Techie Tips
You may continually update your interests within the customization tool at any time. If you no longer wish for a customized AI-tutor, you can turn off this tool in settings.
CK-12
Overview
CK-12 is a non-profit organization that has tons of free resources for students, parents, teachers, schools, and districts. It is compatible with Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, Kiddom, Clever, and ClassLink, making it an easy tool to integrate into the classroom. Flexi is CK-12’s personal tutor that supports students during their learning journey to answer questions and enhance learning experiences. This is a great AI tool that teachers can use to personalize their students’ learning experiences.
Features
Adaptive Practice
CK-12 uses machine learning to help students practice their skills, learn, and fill the gaps in their knowledge. This software has a question bank containing over 150,000 questions that are chosen to personalize a student’s learning experience. If students have questions while working, they can ask Flexi, an AI tutor who is there to help learners.
Assignments
CK-12 allows teachers to monitor student learning and progress within the classes feature. This tool includes lessons, interactives, videos, and adaptive practice.
FlexBook
CK-12’s FlexBook platform has interactive learning simulations to enhance student learning with questions and videos which ultimately personalize the learning experience. This feature provides teachers with data on student performance, which allows teachers to make informed decisions related to their instructional approach with students.
Techie Tips
CK-12 may be too advanced for learners who need parental assistance, so be sure to research this tool and see if it is compatible and age-appropriate for your learner. This tool is a great free study resource for students looking to enhance their learning experience.
Diffit
Overview
Diffit is a great tool for teachers looking to customize content while remaining aligned with curriculum standards. This tool creates differentiated learning experiences with cited sources across all subject areas and grade levels. Compatible with Word, PowerPoint, Google Classroom, Google Docs, and Google Slides, this tool has tons of resources for teachers to choose from to enhance student learning.
Features
Student Activities
Diffit has a library full of student activities and worksheets to strengthen student learning experiences. Sort through learning summaries, vocabulary, reading and writing strategies, text analysis, and more to find the perfect activity for your students.
AI-Generated Text
This AI-powered tool has the ability to rewrite text at different reading levels, translate content, and generate definitions and questions related to the text. Differentiation is made easy with this tool as teachers create content at an appropriate reading level which ultimately improves comprehension and engagement.
Customizable Resources
This tool has a bank of resources and templates for teachers looking to quickly customize educational content. Adapt and extend any text, PDF, or video so that it aligns perfectly with your lesson and teaching objectives for your students.
Techie Tips
This is a key AI-powered resource to have everything you need as a teacher in one consolidated platform. Practice your prompting skills to save time generating the content you are looking for.
Magic School
Overview
Magic School is another educational platform that uses AI to help streamline work for both teachers and students and personalize learning experiences. It has over 60 AI tools that assist teachers in developing lesson plans, creating assignments, designing learning material, and crafting newsletters to name a few. It is continuously updated with new AI tools to help build essential skills for students of all ages.
Features
Lesson Plan Generator
Use generative AI prompting skills to create a personalized lesson plan for students across all subject areas and learning levels.
Content Creation
This feature also uses generative AI to create academic content for students. Teachers can customize content based on their set rubric and learning criteria.
Behavior Intervention Generator
This unique feature uses generative AI to suggest behavior intervention personalized for the behaviors of a student who needs extra support. This allows for early intervention of problematic behaviors and gives teachers unique insights into how to take preventive action.
Text Scaffolding
This automated tool breaks down text with supporting questions for readers who are behind reading benchmarks or those who just need some extra support.
Techie Tips
Use the text scaffolding tool to plan for small group scaffolding for your ability-grouped students. Yet another way that teachers can use AI to save time on day-to-day lesson planning for personalized learning!
AI tools for grading and assessment
Socrative
Overview
Socrative is an interactive online student-response system that uses polls and quizzes to gauge learning progress and spark conversations within the classroom. With this tool, you are able to design and upload personalized assessments for students. Socrative has recently released Socrative AI, an AI-powered question generator for quizzes and assessments. This software is currently in Beta, which means it is being tested and developed as users interact with the technology.
Features
Socrative AI
Socrative AI helps teachers generate questions with user prompting. This AI-powered tool streamlines your workflow, saving you time when planning and creating questions for your assessments.
Grading and Assessment
Socrative has instant assessment grading which teachers can search and sort through. Teachers can quickly download, email, or upload to Google Drive with the click of a button.
Techie Tips
Use Socrative AI to create engaging learning experiences based on your students’ needs. This is a valuable resource for teachers looking to allocate more time to directly interact with and impact their students.
Formative AI
Overview
Formative AI is a key resource for teachers looking to take their grading and assessment to the next level. Create the ideal teaching and learning experience by using AI to generate lessons, assessments, and content. This tool allows for a multimodal experience, providing students the opportunity to respond with audio, video, and a variety of thinking tools.
Features
Auto-Generate
Use the auto-generate tool to create standard-aligned questions with user prompting. This tool also has a hint button that will pop up and help lead students to the right answer. This ultimately supports student learning while making them think strategically instead of simply providing the correct answers.
Lesson Pacing
Formative AI allows teachers to create sides that have built-in questions to pace lessons for students. Use the auto-generate tool to create questions and answer choices to streamline your workflow.
Thinking Tools
Teachers can increase student agency and metacognition with thinking tools like answer strikethroughs. This promotes student learning and engagement by allowing students to visually think through their work with interactive assessment tools.
Techie Tips
Use the plagiarism detection tool to detect if students copy and paste answers. If plagiarism is detected, use it as an opportunity to promote independent thinking and teach students about the ethical implications of plagiarism as well as the overuse of generative AI tools for thinking.
Gradescope
Overview
Gradescope saves teachers time on grading and helps teachers make more informed instructional decisions with the AI auto-grade feature. This software supports STEM subjects with variable-length assessments as well as fixed-template assignments.
Features
Auto Grade
Gradescope has a quick and flexible grading system that you can customize based on your rubric with a click of a button. Teachers can give detailed feedback and save time on grading assessments whether you are virtual or learning in person.
Export Grades
With a click of a button, teachers can export student grades to their own gradebook. This is a super beneficial feature as it cuts grading time in half and saves teachers from trying to grade hundreds of assignments for upcoming progress reports and report card deadlines.
Data Analytics
This is a great AI tool for teachers seeking detailed analytics and data insights on their students. You have the ability to analyze data from individual questions as well as data based on the assignment rubric.
Techie Tips
Link Gradescope with your grade book in Canvas to automate posting student grades so that they are continually updated!
AI Tools for Collaboration and Communication
Padlet
Overview
Padlet is a collaborative web platform where students can communicate with each other in real time. Students can post a range of media items, comment on others’ posts, and collaborate to present information. Padlet has generative AI-powered tools that can create images, lists, and even an entire Padlet.
Features
Organize ideas visually
Teachers can have students create Padlets to allow them the opportunity to organize their ideas visually. This software provides the option to lay out information as a map, a traditional board, or a freeform canvas.
Real time collaboration
Students can vote, comment, respond, or react to posts in real time with Padlet’s live updates.
Multimodality Approach
Padlet allows students to post images and videos, draw pictures, link to other websites, and add audio to their boards. Students can use AI software like Midjourney or DALL-E to generate images for their Padlet boards.
Techie Tips
This tool is a great way to spark conversation when introducing a new lesson or setting the tone for an exit ticket conversation. Works great for older cohorts of students looking to collaborate and share ideas!
Flip
Overview
Flip, previously known as Flipgrid, is a free web and mobile application that allows students to record video responses to assignments. This is a great tool to encourage students to find their voice and share their ideas with each other in a front-facing fashion. Flip uses Azure OpenAI services to produce question prompts based on inputs from educators.
Features
Student Collaboration
Flip provides students the opportunity to share their opinions and respond to others via video. Students can collaborate using Flip for weekly discussions, prompt responses, cohort building, share experiences with peers, reflect on learning, and more!
AI Moderation
Flip’s AI-powered Topic Copilot can be used by teachers to generate discussion ideas for your classroom.
Techie Tips
The more thorough and specific you are with prompting generative AI tools, the more accurate and aligned with what you are searching for. Less is not more in this scenario!
Conclusion
As time goes on, AI will continue to advance and become more integrated into the American education system. It is incredibly important to stay ahead of the curve and learn how these types of software can be used to maximize your potential as a teacher.
My hope is that you found some tools that help you become a more efficient teacher who is better equipped to enhance student learning and reach new academic milestones. I know it can be overwhelming to keep up with the rapid advancements of technology, as new software for educators are released every day. Finding the right tool that works best for you and your classroom dynamic can take some time and may vary from year to year. If you need help finding the right tools, schedule a consultation with Schooling America today!
