10 Best Apps for Teachers: Tech Tools Every Teacher Needs

Technology has broadened the way we used to get an education in the past. Gone is the time when teachers and students were not allowed to use digital devices in the classroom. Also, many apps for teachers and learning have been introduced to enhance productivity.

Not only do students benefit from the latest technologies in education but also teachers. They also use the latest technology in their teaching methods by incorporating educational and useful mobile and desktop apps.

We have made a list of the 10 best apps for teachers to improve their productivity. Go through the article to have an in-depth analysis of tools for teaching that can improve productivity.

Part 1. Top 10 Software for Teachers to Improve Productivity

There are many apps for teachers that can improve their productivity. We will discuss the top 10 software for teachers in this article.

Reading and Review Document Apps for Teachers

1. UPDF - PDF Reader, Editor, and Annotator

UPDF is a great app for teachers to read and review documents. It is a PDF editor that is easy to install and use. It is an all-in-one PDF editor that can edit, annotate, convert, organize, OCR, protect, compress, flatten, and share PDFs. Moreover, the reason which makes UPDF great is its unique interface design. It is liked by everyone due to the simplicity and eases it offers.

This tool allows teachers using them to read, view, review, edit, and annotate PDF documents or assignments shared by students. Also, they can organize their PDF files and documents, the way they want.

UPDF is software for teachers that can handle heavy workflows effortlessly. Moreover, it is highly affordable. So anyone can use it regardless of their profession.

Key features

• Share PDF files via email, link, and QR code
• Robust annotate tools like highlight, strikethrough, underline, and squiggly the text. Add the text comment, text box, and sticky note to PDF.
• Effortless edit tools to add and edit PDF texts, images, and links.
• A fast PDF page organizer that can help the teacher to insert, delete, extract, split, rotate, and replace PDF pages.
• The OCR feature can convert scanned PDFs to editable and searchable PDFs.

Pros

• Unique and delightful UI design
• Well suited for heavy workflows
• Fast and secure to use

2. Microsoft Office

Microsoft is a common and widely used software for teachers. It helps them easily read and write whatever they want, including lectures, notes, assignments, etc. Moreover, it is highly accessible, allowing teachers to work from wherever they want.

Since information security has always been an issue, Microsoft Office has features to keep your instructions and data secure and private to you. Also, it has a Team platform that allows colleagues within an institution to collaborate, share, and discuss different plans and strategies for students.

Key features

• The cloud platform enables global interaction between teachers and students.
• Saves time and enhances efficiency
• Allows collaboration with peers
• Easy to read and review documents

Classroom Management Apps for Teachers

1. ViVi

Vivi is a wireless screen mirroring and digital signage tool for teachers. Its powerful functionality makes teachers more productive and students more engaged while in the classroom. Vivi helps teachers wirelessly mirror any device to any single display or multiple displays. This allows teachers to move freely and engage with any student in the classroom while having full control.

Moreover, Vivi is a dynamic communication solution that allows information to be shared throughout the school or university campus. Also, its usage is not limited to teachers only. But students can also use this app to enhance collaboration and creativity.

Key Features:

• Allows wireless screen mirroring
• Quick and easy to adopt
• Designed especially for education
• Works with every display, media, and device.

2. Google Classroom

Google Classroom is the best app for online teaching that can improve student engagement. It allows teachers to distribute and grade assignments. Also, teachers can organize all class-related material, including lectures, notes, etc, in Google Drive.

Moreover, this app for teachers also has a Student Selector Feature that can help incorporate full class participation. Also, it can randomly select students and incorporate engagement and full class participation in the classroom.

Furthermore, teachers can also make announcements and engage students in discussions using this app.

Key Features

• Effective virtual classroom
• Affordable subscription with no ads
• Paperless learning methodology
• Helps in organizing curriculum
• Boosts effective communication between students and teachers

3. Apple Classroom

Apple Classroom is the best iPad app for teachers that helps them guide students through a lesson, see their progress, and keep them on track. It allows teachers to easily launch the same app on every student's iPad or Mac.

Moreover, Apple Classroom enables teachers to see an overview of all students' screens at once. They can also focus on a single student screen. With Apple Classroom, teachers can share documents and links with the class using Airdrop.

Key features

• Teachers can create smart lesson plans.
• It helps teachers assign time expectations for each task.
• Teachers can create groups and assign projects to students.
• Can share students' work on the Classroom Apple TV.

Assessment Apps for Teachers

1. Formative

Formative is a web-based assessment app for teachers that allows them to create live assignments, deliver them to students, get results, and share feedback with students. It enables real-time monitoring and helps teachers assess students' performance.

With Formative, students can also submit a video response of their learning in the class. Whether it is writing, drawing, video, objective questions, or other response types, formative helps teachers engage with their students digitally.

This assessment app for teachers enables them to view students' progress, work out math problems, annotate an image, or work through a science lab.

Key features

• Enables effective interaction between students and teachers
• Consists of details tutorials and user-created content
• Availability of teacher's dashboard
• Allows teachers to send manual or automotive grades or feedback on students' responses.

2. Plickers

Plickers is a free card activity app for teachers that enables them to use one mobile device to scan a student's response via paper cards. Also, teachers can see all the responses at once as this app allows them to scan all the paper cards.

This free assessment app for teachers uses "paper clickers" that can be downloaded and printed for free from the website. Also, there is no need to collect several cards for each student. You can use one card for each student. This innovative app helps teachers engage their students in fun activities.

Key features

• Plicker is free to use.
• Can be used on both phones and tablets.
• It is compatible with iOS and Android devices.
• Teachers can view instant results with plickers.
• Fast formative assessment

Quiz Apps For Teachers

1. Quizizz

Quizizz is a free online teaching app for teachers to engage students in fun quizzes and activities. Teachers can create free gamified quizzes and interactive lessons to engage any learner. Parents and educators can also use this engagement platform.

Quizizz can be used on any device. It allows students or participants to see questions on their devices. Moreover, it also allows teachers to set deadlines so that students can do it in a limited time period, and this improves their productivity and efficiency.

In addition, quizizz helps teachers instantly identify problem areas by student, class, question, and more. Also, they can save all reports that can be accessed later. Additionally, quizizz also allows you to share, and export reports with colleagues and parents via messaging apps, email, or LMS.

Key features

• Students and teachers can engage from any device
• Get instant feedbacks
• Teachers can add quizzes and poll questions
• Free tools available
• Userfriendly app

2. Gimkit

Gimkit is another learning app. It is software for teachers as they can create interesting quizzes for students and engage them in fun quizzes. An amazing thing that makes this quiz app interesting for students is the earning feature. Students can earn in-game money by answering the questions correctly.

Also, this money earned can be used later to purchase power-ups. Moreover, Gimkit has 10+ unique game modes that make it engaging for students and will not bore them. With Gimkit, teachers can engage students also at home by assigning homework in the app.

Key features

• Fun quizzes to enhance students' engagement
• Homework assignments
• Automatic grading
• Allow students to submit their questions
• Memorable learning experience

3. Quizlet

Quizlet is another amazing technology tool for teachers. Teachers use this app to make students interestingly revise their lectures and lessons. It is a flashcard app that students can use to study languages, science, history, and vocab.

Moreover, Quizlet is completely free to use. It consists of simple and effective ways to master learning. Additionally, Quizlet allows students to create their flashcards or choose from a directory of flashcards created by teachers or other students.

Quizlet allows teachers to create their MCQs, track students' progress, and organize classes the way they want. They can also customize their live games for students with Quizlet.

Key features

• Free for students
• Paid version for teachers
• Helps customize images and audio
• Teachers can create detailed diagrams
• Organize class
• They can access expert-verified textbook solutions and explanations.

Part 2. 7 Essential Skills That Teachers Need to Master

Educational technology is going at a fast pace. It has become essential for teachers to stay put with the latest technologies and methodologies that can enhance their productivity and efficiency. However, this field also demands teachers to learn some soft skills.

Not only staying ahead of time is important but also learning skills they can master to have an impressive teaching career. Also, these skills can make them master their field, and they can effectively teach students.

Here is a list of 7 essential skills every teacher needs to master. Only then they can surpass in this field and bring up not only qualified students but also well-mannered and respectable people.

1. Organization

Being a teacher is not easy at all. Teachers have to multitask while working in their respective institutions. From lesson planning to activities and grading, they have to do it all. To become more productive while multitasking, teachers have to master the skill of organization.

Effectively organizing their tasks will help them complete work efficiently. Also, it is really important to complete everything promptly. The organization will help teachers complete tasks without compromising on time.

2. Critical thinking

Another skill that teachers need to master is critical thinking. Teachers lay a foundation for future doctors, entrepreneurs, engineers, etc. Critical thinking helps them make interesting and effective lesson plans for students that can help them achieve what they want in life.

Also, teachers have to solve different problems, on the spot answers to students' questions, create lesson plans, teach games, and students' issues. Critical thinking helps them tackle different issues on the spot efficiently and effectively.

3. Communication

Communication is crucial for teachers. Effective communication with students can help teachers solve their problems. Moreover, this also removes the barrier between teachers and students, and they can ask their teachers anything they don't understand without hesitating.

Also, school is a second home to students. Communication help students interact with their teachers easily. Better ability to communicate with colleagues, students, parents, and managers help teachers make a friendly environment around them.

4. Teamwork

Being a good teacher also requires you to be able to do work in a team or all alone. Interacting with colleagues and working with them as a team enhances productivity among teachers.

Teachers can also work with their students in a team to make them learn the importance of teamwork. It is crucial to learn the ethics of working in a team where everyone's suggestions should be given equal importance.

Students can learn this from their teachers, and this will benefit them in the long run in other phases of their life.

5. Patience

Often students can become intolerable, and they can ask such things or do things that can break your patience. But remember, patience is the key to a healthy teacher-student relationship.

Kids can never stay well-mannered all the time. They can act silly, goofy, or like whatever is enough to lose your patience.

Also, patience is necessary when a student is unable to understand something related to the lesson and continues asking again and again. Behave patiently and tackle students using different tactics without losing your patience.

6. Creativity

Creativity is essential when making different lesson plans and strategies for students, especially for those who are in primary school. Creatively making strategies, tactics, and games can help teachers make their students interested and engaged in the classroom.

Teachers can incorporate creative thinking abilities by practicing an artistic hobby regularly, brainstorming activities in the classroom with students, or consuming creative content for inspiration. This will help teachers think creatively.

7. Teaching Ability

Teaching ability is crucial when becoming a teacher. It is not just about going to the class, teaching a certain lesson, and just coming back. No, this is now how teaching is supposed to be. It requires you to put much more effort into making students educated and better human beings in society.

Every teacher has their own teaching style, way of handling students, and explaining different lessons. This is the most important part, and you can't just skip it.

Teachers should not be reluctant to incorporate and learn new things into their teaching methods so that they can choose the best way their students understand things.

Conclusion

Teaching is a notable and very demanding profession. Teachers can't compromise on their work as their mistakes can lead to issues in young minds. Therefore, teachers need to use different tools and technologies to keep students engaged in the classroom.

Also, professional skills are equally important for teachers so that they can don't compromise on students' learning. They can benefit from the best apps for teachers and learn soft skills to enhance their productivity. UPDF is the best app to help the teacher to improve productivity. It can easily edit and annotate PDFs. The beautiful and easy interface will not need you to learn how to use it. So don't wait, download and try it out today.