TeachersFirst's BYOD Dream Tools: Free Tools that Work on ANY device!
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections
This collection of reviewed tools from TeachersFirst includes apps that are available for FREE on iOS (iPad, iPhone), Android, and web devices. Ideal for BYOD classrooms or 1:1 computer/tablet programs, these reviewed tools allow users to create and access projects using the same app, no matter what kind of device they have.
This collection includes only "DATs" (device agnostic tools) that are FREE on all devices and offer free access with sufficient features to be useful without upgrading to a paid account. Whether you call it an "app" or a "web tool," a DAT allows you to access your projects from almost any device.
Be sure to read the "Edge Features" list at the end of each review to know whether you need to create individual accounts, how products can be shared, and other tips on using these DATs safely and within school policies.
Even the best DAT has slight differences in capabilities on different devices. Encourage your students to share what they discover about additional or missing features on each type of device. your class will quickly appoint tool experts for each app!
TeachersFirst encourages our members (membership is FREE) to add comments and ratings to help other teachers and students trying these tools. Apps change quickly, so we welcome your comments on any changes that may occur to these tools and their free status.
(image credit: Jeremy Keith)
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Dictionary.com - Dictionary.com, LLC
Grades
4 to 12
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (166), dictionaries (50), game based learning (155), thesaurus (21), word choice (15)
In the Classroom
Use this online dictionary instead of printed dictionaries and thesauruses in the classroom. Be sure to share a link to this site on your class website. Display the word of the day on your interactive whiteboard as a lesson starter during writing or language arts lessons. Ask students to include featured words during writing activities using Google Documents, then highlight each time the word is used. Take it a "tech" step further and have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Dive even deeper and have students or groups of students create daily video presentations featuring their choice for word of the day (or week) using a tool like Powtoon, reviewed here. Share their videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Reader - MindSky
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (166), media literacy (84), reading comprehension (121)
In the Classroom
Download Reader onto classroom computers and mobile devices for saving and sharing web articles. This app is especially useful for ESL/ELL or Special Education students to help remove distracting information. After reading articles, have students share their thoughts using a voice recording tool like Vocaroo, reviewed here, then share their recordings on your class website. Share several articles with students using Reader, then post an essential question on Recap for younger students, reviewed here, or on FlipGrid for older students, reviewed here. Both Recap and Flipgrid allow students to post video question responses, then add comments to the posted responses creating an excellent tool for collaborative discussions. Share student responses and discussions with a class podcast using Podcast Generator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PyeongChang 2018 - PyeongChang2018
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (166), korea (17), olympics (41)
In the Classroom
Use this site to follow the latest information from the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. If students use mobile devices, share the link to download the official app. Ask students to share stories from the Olympics using an online bulletin board like Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet allows users to create columns for posts, add columns to sort information by country, sport, or daily events throughout the Olympics. Have students make video recordings sharing daily updates during the Olympic games using a tool such as My Simpleshow, reviewed here. Share videos using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here. As a final project, have students create a Symbaloo Learning Path, reviewed here, to share information learned. Symbaloo Learning Path's offer the ability to add videos, websites, and quizzes into an interactive learning experience.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Anchor - Michael Mignano and Nir Zicherman
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (166), digital storytelling (129), podcasts (60)
In the Classroom
Create regular or special podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Looking for even more ideas? Record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) enhance their learning and build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage and extend learning and have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. Language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person. If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini-casts without needing any additional tools.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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QuizPedia - Stephan Stephensen
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): assessment (118), DAT device agnostic tool (166), game based learning (155), gamification (78), quizzes (83)
In the Classroom
Pretest students and allow them to "test out" of material they already know. Learning support teachers will want their students to create their own QuizPedia sets for practice and review of any material. Create your own sets of quizzes, or let students do the work for themselves and each other. Take advantage of quizzes previously developed and available to share with students on your class website. Allow students to create a quiz for other students to take following class presentations and reports.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Timeline Eons - Maani.us
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): climate change (72), conservation (79), DAT device agnostic tool (166), geologic time (9), space (201), timelines (47)
In the Classroom
Have students explore the timeline on their own, then research and share information on any given period of time. Encourage students to view future predictions on the timeline as a research project to find the basis of the predictions. Have students create a simple interactive infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here .Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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LyricsTraining - LyricsTraining.com
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (166), french (69), german (44), italian (26), japanese (44), portuguese (18), spanish (94)
In the Classroom
Ways to use this site are limited only by your imagination! Share with ENL/ESL learners for practice in English. The many choices on this site assure that all viewers will find music to enjoy. Foreign language learners will love practicing their new language using options on the site. Be sure to share a link on your class website and school computers for practice at home and during independent work time. Use this site as a 5-minute transition at the beginning or end of class. Register on the site and create customized exercises to meet the needs of your students, or let them create practice activities for fellow class members.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bitmoji - Bitstrips Inc
Grades
K to 12tag(s): creativity (90), DAT device agnostic tool (166), emotions (44), faces (4), images (255)
In the Classroom
Create a Bitmoji to use as your avatar on your class website or blog. Update your avatar to reflect current lessons, holidays, or events. Use emojis to appeal to students and draw their attention to important information. For example, choose the bitmoji with praying hands and "please" as a reminder to read all of the directions before beginning work. Choose a Bitmoji with an interesting background or phrase to use as a writing prompt. Insert a bitmoji into a Google form as feedback for student responses. Have older students (13+) take a picture of a portion of text and add a Bitmoji to share a connection or response to the text (also known as BookSnaps).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Microsoft Translator for Education - Microsoft
Grades
K to 12tag(s): chinese (41), DAT device agnostic tool (166), french (69), german (44), greek (30), hebrew (15), italian (26), japanese (44), Microsoft (64), russian (21), spanish (94)
In the Classroom
Use Translator to greet "other language" speaking students and make them feel welcome in your classroom; encourage conversations between them and your class. Take advantage of Translator to widen your classroom's global viewpoint by sharing conversations with others around the world. Use this site in world language classrooms to have students copy their text to convert into the language being studied (or the reverse). Enhance student learning by having students create presentations about other countries in the native language of the nation using a presentation tool like Canva, reviewed here. Modify your technology presentations to include multimedia. Use a tool such as Genial.ly, reviewed here, to incorporate multimedia like maps, surveys, video, audio, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Taskade - John Xie & Stan ChangKhin Boon
Grades
K to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (166), note taking (33), organizational skills (91), video (242)
In the Classroom
Create checklists of steps in a project. Place all notes in one place, so you do not forget. Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have. They could use Taskade for assignment information, reminders, and more. Consider setting up a class account that can be used by all students. Spell out the use of the site and what is allowed and not allowed -- and the penalties. Set up separate accounts for student groups who can then share their notebook with other groups.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wakelet - Jamil Khalil
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bookmarks (49), collaboration (80), communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (166), multimedia (46), news (235), social media (45), social networking (84)
In the Classroom
The possibilities for using Wakelet in the classroom are endless! Create collections with tips for writing in different genres, current events, information about specific countries or cities, math games, and much more. Have students set up their own wakes as part of a research project. Put together a wake scavenger hunt to introduce a new unit or as a review at the end of a unit. Share wakes on your class web page for student use at home to review and practice class content. Having the ability to have a cover image and background for your wakes makes them much more interesting and easily identifiable, especially for young or visual students!Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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MathGames - TeachMe, Inc.
Grades
K to 8tag(s): addition (131), charts and graphs (160), DAT device agnostic tool (166), differentiation (63), division (101), equations (124), estimation (33), fractions (174), game based learning (155), geometric shapes (131), measurement (136), mental math (21), multiples (19), multiplication (129), patterns (63), pi (25), preK (230), ratios (51), statistics (109), subtraction (117), time (97)
In the Classroom
MathGames is perfect for practice with many different math concepts. Include a link to games on your class website or classroom computers. Be sure to share games with parents for play at home. Take advantage of the free registration to register your class to follow student progress and challenge students to increase scores. Enhance learning goals by asking students to write blog entries sharing their learning and understanding for each game using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to create a blog using Edublog, reviewed here. Take this a step further and extend students' learning by picking the game they learned the most from and make a feature video about it using Biteable, reviewed here. Biteable claims to be "the world's simplest video maker," and they may be right. If you teach using Common Core Standards, MathGames is excellent for finding practice activities aligned to the standards. Measure student growth for Common Core Standards using Edulastic, reviewed here. MathGames is perfect for remote or blended learning due to its detailed progress reports.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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HP Reveal - Aurasma
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): augmented reality (7), DAT device agnostic tool (166), images (255)
In the Classroom
Use this tool for Word Walls, overlaying images of the words or videos showing the words in action when they are scanned. Create overlays of diagrammed pictures, revealing more information for each of the elements labeled. For example, add more information about parts of the human body, elements in the periodic table, works of various artists/musicians, or battles in a war. Create an interactive journal or newspaper with simple headlines. For example, create a headline of "School play a definite smash!" and overlay a video of the play using the app. Create a poster of school rules or laboratory safety. Consider assigning groups of students the task of acting out the rules to overlay on the interactive poster. As students work towards completing material for a class, create video words of encouragement or advice to play at key points of the assignment. Or, add additional information at various points, inspired by past or present student questions about how the information relates to life. Bring the outside world in by taking videos of professionals to play when reading stories in class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Asana - Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (166), organizational skills (91)
In the Classroom
Create an account to use with students as a tool for organizing and collaborating on group projects. Asana makes it easy for all users to view overall progress on each task. Use Asana to help students remain on track with project deadlines; encourage older students to create their own account and set up groups for projects. Use this tool to collaborate with colleagues for use with professional projects such as unit planning and long-term scheduling.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Class123 - Choong Hee Lee
Grades
K to 6tag(s): behavior (43), classroom management (141), communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (166), parents (61), Teacher Utilities (113)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to communicate specific behaviors with parents - both positive and negative feedback. Share this site with students on the first day of school as you go over class expectations and your behavior plan for your classroom. Take advantage of the other tools to take attendance or rearrange your seating chart quickly and easily.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center - Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center
Grades
K to 9tag(s): collaboration (80), DAT device agnostic tool (166), mind map (23), spreadsheets (23), Teacher Utilities (113)
In the Classroom
Be sure to watch the videos on the homepage for an overview of the apps in action. Download Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center for use in your class for any collaborative project. Ask students to work in small groups to draw landforms or the water cycle in science class, gather data and create a spreadsheet for math, work together to write a story summary or share information on a KWL before the start of a new unit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CoSpaces - Delightex GmbH
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): creativity (90), DAT device agnostic tool (166), digital storytelling (129)
In the Classroom
Recreate scenes from books or use CoSpaces to retell any story with 3D images. Encourage creativity and ask students to develop virtual exhibitions of artwork, animal habitats, or landforms. Have older students create infographics featuring data collections, for example comparing availability of Internet in different American towns.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ClassTag - Vlada Lotkina and Jason Olim
Grades
K to 12tag(s): chat (41), classroom management (141), communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (166), parent conferences (22), parents (61), Teacher Utilities (113)
In the Classroom
Create a free account to use for all your classes, and even your extracurricular activities. Use this tool to send homework, project, and supply reminders. Remind parents of upcoming events, practices, or items students need to bring to class or practice. Remind parents of big tests, report cards, field trips, deadlines, back to school night, sneaker days, conferences, and more. Set up a faculty reminder group within your school for emergency closures and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flipgrid - Charlie Miller & Brad Hosack
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (118), collaboration (80), communication (138), DAT device agnostic tool (166), Microsoft (64), video (242)
In the Classroom
Flipgrid is a versatile tool for use in any subject. Create prompts for students to respond to about anything and everything. Challenge students to reflect on their learning at the end of a unit, research project, or literature circle. Here are just a few example questions to ask: What are some things you did well on this assignment? What mistakes did you make on your last assignment that you did not make on today's assignment? What would you do differently? What would you like to learn more about?For professional use, create a topic for peers to discuss. Ideas might include discussing concerns with implementing new technology or curriculum. Have fellow teachers share articles of interest from professional journals. Use Flipgrid to implement a book talk on a topic of interest.
Use Flipgrid as a follow-up for a flipped or blended learning assignment. Ask students to explain what they understand and/or still don't understand about a concept. You can review the responses before class the next day. Use it as an exit "slip" before students leave class or as a warm up at the beginning of class (what do they remember about the lesson taught yesterday). World language students can practice speaking in their new language and choose the best video to turn in to their teacher. Student or teacher can explain a series of steps in an assignment or concept, one at a time (great for differentiation). Math students can explain the steps they took to solve a problem and why. Art students can explain a creation, either theirs or a famous artists - talking about techniques. Music students can perform and explain their learning, or reflect on their performance.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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