Plugged In: Free Tools and Training for 4 EdTech Trends

The last several decades have seen a plethora of educational technology advances, like learning management systems, language learning apps, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. Discover how to energize your classroom with free tools and PD opportunities for four trends in educational technology.

1. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

One of the fastest growing sectors in ed tech is the explosion of AI tools onto the market. Generative AI like ChatGPT and CoPilot can create original content, including text, images, video, and audio in response to a user’s input. When using AI-generated content, always review it for accuracy, appropriateness, and language level; although it can be a powerful tool in the classroom, it does not replace a teacher’s judgement and English teaching expertise. 

Tools

School Ai is a free tool for teachers to create, personalize, and engage with ChatGPT-powered experiences for students.

Magic School offers 60+ AI tools to help educators with lesson planning, feedback, assessment, and more. It also provides MagicStudent to build AI literacy and responsible AI usage.

Training: Google offers the two-hour, self-paced course Generative AI for Educators that teaches how to use generative AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT to save time on everyday tasks, personalizing instruction to meet student needs, and enhancing lessons and activities.

AI Detection: It’s a good idea to teach students how to detect whether a text or image has been generated by AI using tools like Scribbr, QuillBot, or IsItAI.com.

Further reading: Six Tips for Using Generative AI Tools in the ELT classroom (Cambridge)

*Be sure to check your organization’s policy on AI before incorporating these tools into your classroom.

2. Gamification

Gamification is the practice of making activities and exercises game-like in order to make them more interesting or enjoyable. It can be used with all age groups and proficiency levels.

Tools

Many free websites and apps offer the possibility of gamifying ESL/EFL vocabulary and grammar activities, including Duolingo, Quizizz, Quizlet, and Kahoot!. If you don’t have time to create an activity from scratch, you can search by keyword or grammar topic to quickly locate games other teachers have made. If you have a Pro account, Quizizz allows you to record and upload audio files, which is great for listening practice.

SMART Lumio: This free* cloud-based platform from SMART Technologies allows you to build 12 different interactive games, like matching, fill-in-the-blanks, word searches, and team quizzes (mobile devices required) that can be used in class or sent to students as homework/review. You can also embed YouTube videos and upload PDFs and PowerPoints into a single integrated presentation that can be delivered remotely. I use Lumio for warm-ups, brainstorming, and review before weekly tests. (*Free account limited to 50MB storage)

Training: Lumio Academy offers teachers free self-paced training on getting started with Lumio and “Lumifying” your curriculum, including how to use the interactive activity builder and the opportunity to coedit lessons with colleagues.

3. Collaborative Platforms for Online or Blended Classes

The rise of online and hybrid instruction has necessitated online platforms that allow students and teachers to collaborate in real time and produce digital portfolios and curated collections. These collaborative platforms also create opportunities to use communicative language and help build print literacy and 21st-century skills.

Tools

Miro is a virtual whiteboard / online platform where teams can collaborate, create, and innovate using visual tools and templates, including mind mapping.

Further reading: How to use Miro for online or blended classes

Seesaw is a free Pre-K–6 learning experience platform that allows teachers and students to build digital portfolios, create formative assessments, and keep in touch with parents.

Video: Using Seesaw as a digital portfolio playlist (YouTube)

Wakelet is a content curation platform that allows students and teachers to create digital portfolios and collections. I’ve used Wakelet to have my phonology students create class portfolios, as well as curate lists of multimedia related to briefing topics.

Training: Ride the Wakelet Wave! (Microsoft)

Video: Wakelet in 5 Minutes (YouTube)

4. Immersive Learning: Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality (VR)

AR and VR apps can enhance language learning by incorporating interactive and contextualized learning opportunities. These can be particularly useful for vocabulary lessons, virtual field trips, and virtual language exchanges. AR and VR apps can be downloaded for free; to create VR videos, you will need to purchase a 360 camera.

Tools

Blippbuilder and Adobe Aero are free cross-platform solutions that enable users with no coding experience to design, share, and view interactive augmented reality experiences.

Online course: Augment Reality with Your Students (Adobe)

Further reading: Using virtual reality in the ESL classroom (Cambridge)