Educational Tools Developed within the Past Five Years

Educational Technological Applications: Revolutionizing the Way We Teach

With the continuous evolution of digital technology, educators have been using various technological tools to their advantage by incorporating them into the 21st century classroom to enhance students' learning and performance. As such, we are prompted to explore three technological applications developed for education within the past five years.

1. Kahoot!

Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform which permits its users to create, share and play games or trivia quizzes called “kahoots”. Although it was launched in March 2013, its developments over the past five years allows for asynchronous student engagement both in-person and in remote learning, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, Kahoot! has 70 million monthly users and is used by 50% of US K-12 students (Wang & Tahir, 2020). It is very versatile and can be used for students of all ages and grade levels as it creates a fun and competitive learning environment whilst simultaneously testing student’s knowledge.Teachers often use Kahoot! to test students’ progress by viewing results and analytics in real-time, gaining insight on areas that need more improvement. The platform is easy to use, with a great beginner user-interface that allows users to create and share a Kahoot! within minutes. Kahoot! is also cost-effective, offering a free version with access to features like creating quizzes, playing games. There’s also premium plans with added features like larger group accommodation for as low as $3.99 monthly.

2. Mote

Mote is a chrome extension that enables users to attach audio recordings (motes) and provide feedback within several Google-based applications. Following installation, students and teachers can add voice messages to platforms like Google Docs, Classroom. These voice-messages can be attached to websites and shared using a generated URL by email. Mote is commonly used to provide personalized audio feedback on assignments for example language learning or even assist visually impaired students or those with reading difficulties. The application offers various learning packages:

• Its free version allows up to one-minute recordings with a limit of 20 voice notes per  month. 
• Unlimited version costs $4.95/ month or $59.40/year for unlimited 5-minute recordings, with translation in 52+ languages.
• Larger institutions can opt for custom pricing which includes similar features as the unlimited version with additional features like custom PD and onboarding.

Once mote is downloaded, it’s simple to use, especially for new users where the extension guides them through its features. It is very efficient, allowing teachers to give quick and effective verbal comments rather than written feedback to students.

3. Microsoft Reading Progress

Microsoft Reading Progress is an add-on in Microsoft Team which assists students by improving their reading fluency through the provision of personalized feedback. Launched in 2021, students record their readings which are then submitted on Teams; an automated response is generated to give feedback on grammatical errors etc. Such an application is free for school’s already subscribed to Microsoft 365. While the application may be easy for those accustomed to Microsoft Teams, it may be difficult for new users as they would need more time to adjust to Teams. Also, teachers would need training to incorporate such application into their lesson plans.

Have you ever used any of these tools within a classroom setting? How was your experience, and do you think the use of technological tools/ applications benefit all students equally?

References

Edwards, L. (2021, April 27). What is Kahoot! And how does it work for teachers? TechLearningMagazine. https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-kahoot-and-how-does-it-work-for-teachers 
 
Foran-Mulcahy, K. (2024, May 27). Research guides: AI tools for education : Microsoft reading progress. Guides.libraries.uc.edu. https://guides.libraries.uc.edu/ai-education/mrp
 
Mote. (2024). Free voice recorder for Chrome, Mac, PC and iOS | Mote. Mote.com. https://www.mote.com/pricing?tab=multi_seat
 
VanderBorght, M. (2021). Mote Review for Teachers | Common Sense Education [Review of Mote Review for Teachers | Common Sense Education]. Www.commonsense.org. https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/mote
 
Wang, A. I., & Tahir, R. (2020). The Effect of Using kahoot! for Learning – a Literature Review. Computers & Education, 149(149), 103818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103818