According to a webinar recently presented by Tziri Lamm, English and Computer Science Teacher at the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School in Brooklyn, in partnership with the Touro College Graduate School of Education, “Making online instruction meaningful for this age group comes down to incorporating various activities and assessments in daily lessons. As we deal with this crisis, we must become better online teachers and that means adapting to this ever-changing environment.”

Below are some of the popular and easy-to-use tools Lamm recommends:

1. Nearpod

Touted for combining assessments and creative apps for collaborative learning experiences to capture the attention of the younger generation, Nearpod is a program that only requires a stable Internet connection to get started. It incorporates all kinds of tools including Microsoft Teams, Google Classrooms, email, and even social platforms. Its standout features include the ability to track student comprehension in real-time, the easy creation of open-ended questions, memory tests, quizzes and polls, and the Draw It feature, enabling students to circle a character emoji to describe how they’re feeling. This vital functionality offers educators an easy way to check in daily with children not located in a physical classroom.

Nearpod’s Map activity requires students to place dots on specific geographical locations to reinforce the importance of being able to pinpoint worldwide sites, while Time to Climb offers quiz-based games to teach children grammar in a fun way through prompting them to fill in the blanks in sentences outlined by their teacher. The Field Trip app is also great as it’s offers students 3D virtual tours of landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and more to connect with the current lesson.

2. Kahoot!

Spotlighted for assisting teachers, students, and parents in working together in an online environment designed for group learning, Kahoot! makes learning impactful for students through educational games that introduce a topic and reinforce knowledge. It offers conducts assessments to confirm the lesson was fully comprehended. Multiple-choice quizzes, brain teasers, and even interactive activities focused on reading and earth and space science, are available via this platform.

3. Edpuzzle

People of all ages love videos and Edpuzzle seamlessly integrates with popular programs already implemented across nationwide school districts including Canvas, Blackboard, and Blackbaud. This platform streamlines how students view videos. It easily enables educators to use video lessons and add in their own voice narration and questions. Teachers who are not comfortable creating their own videos, can pull in videos from services like YouTube. Edpuzzle offers self-paced learning for all subjects and an assessment feature that tracks whether students are watching the videos, how many times they’re watching each session, and whether they’re retaining what they’re learning. Teachers can easily get a leg up on what is working and what needs to be adjusted to see the best results throughout their classes.

 4. Pear Deck for Google Slides

Claiming to be “the fastest way to transform presentations into classroom conversations,” the Pear Deck for Google Slides add-on is helping educators engage with every student in their class, as well as automatically see who is understanding the topic at hand and who needs a bit more assistance. With the ability to combine assessments and interactive questions with presentations, it’s no secret why teachers are increasingly using this platform. Predesigned templates are readily available to enhance vital learning objectives and can be dropped into presentations with the click of a button. One of its most useful functions is the Teacher Dashboard, which enables educators to quickly analyze what each student is getting out of these presentations. For example, if the majority of the class is getting a question wrong, it’s obvious that this aspect of the lesson must be reinforced in a different way. Plus, through adding animations and GIFs to presentations, kids might even forget that the activity they’re enjoying is actually teaching them important information along the way.