Teachers have access to more education technology than ever, with new EdTech tools hitting the market each year. As of 2023, there were more than 9,000 EdTech companies selling their software worldwide, with more than 3,000 based in the United States. Each company promises to improve classroom management, make lessons more engaging, and drive better outcomes. Choosing the right apps and systems can be overwhelming with so many options.
Cut through the clutter and find the best education technology for your classroom. Discover tools that simplify teaching, enhance student engagement, and improve learning outcomes.
Choose Software that Integrates with Your Workflow
When considering any education technology, one of the first questions is whether it will sync with your current workflows. A new tool or game might be fun for your students but stressful for you if you need to bounce back and forth from different apps throughout the day. Transferring information from one app to another can also be frustrating and result in incomplete data sets.
Poll Everywhere integrates seamlessly with Canvas and other learning management systems, making Course Management fast and easy. For example, educators can ask Open-ended questions and then grade students based on participation. They can also ask Multiple-choice questions and grade students based on whether they got the answers right. Poll Everywhere empowers educators to break up lectures and make lessons more engaging without having to manually transfer answers and results.
Look for tools that work with you. Prioritize integration with the existing software that your district or school wants you to use.
Check Security and Data-Protection Systems
While you are confirming that a new app or game will sync with your workflows, evaluate the security systems in place to protect student data. Teachers also need to know that their data will be protected – especially if they are submitting credit card information to unlock bonus features.
High-quality sites should provide details about their security investment. You can see Poll Everywhere’s credentials and compliance reports. Teachers can also use the “sniff test” when it comes to evaluating education technology. If a website looks low quality, feels unmaintained, or has unprofessional elements, it might be better to choose other options. With more than 3,000 EdTech tools in the United States, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from.
Prioritize Accessibility
Accessibility is more important than ever. Research shows 7.5 million students ages 3-21 (15% of the population) receive some accommodation to assist with education. As knowledge about conditions like autism and ADHD improves, so do diagnoses. Educators can take steps to create more inclusive classrooms by checking accessibility features in the education technology they use.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a great place to start for detailed recommendations for accessibility. However, educators shouldn’t have to go on a scavenger hunt to decide whether a particular resource or app is accessible. Look for companies that highlight their accessible features and openly discuss their inclusivity efforts. For example, Poll Everywhere is fully keyboard accessible for those who cannot use touchscreens, follows guidelines for content hierarchy, and does not rely on color alone to convey information.
Move forward with confidence knowing your education technology is accessible to most students who enter your classroom.
Consider Pricing Options
Educators from all walks of life have limited budgets to invest in classroom technology – especially those who are paying for the software out of their own pockets. Check the pricing on various software solutions before you start testing them out. Confirm that the pricing falls within your budget while accommodating all of your students.
Many software systems offer savings for educators who scale their usage. Teachers who have large lecture halls or multiple classes can pay less on a per-student basis, making the tools more affordable. If investing in new software can increase engagement in large classrooms and drive better results, the price is worth it.
Invest in Quality Tracking and Reporting
One of the coolest parts of education technology in recent years is the rise of dashboards highlighting key data points. Educators can check participation levels if they want students to engage with the content or see what aspects of certain lessons confuse most learners. Having this data at your fingertips can be invaluable and allow you to focus your teaching efforts effectively.
Not only should you look for technology that has these dashboards, but you should also confirm that they are customizable based on your specific needs. Look for systems that allow teachers to adjust the data timelines and metrics shown. This can prevent you from focusing on vanity metrics that only share good news.
Poll Everywhere loves data-backed decision-making. It creates clear reports that can quickly be added to gradebooks or shared with your school’s learning management software. It also has Attendance Management systems so you can integrate even more classroom systems into one tool.
Ease of Use
While this guide has focused on many of the technical aspects of evaluating educational technology, it’s also important to find tools you enjoy. The easier a software system is to use, navigate, and share with students, the more likely you are to use it. Plus, to more intuitive the system, the less time you need to spend explaining the various tabs and buttons to students. The education technology you choose can either increase or decrease the amount of software instruction you allocate in your lesson plans.
Poll Everywhere offers a free intro option to educators so they can see how intuitive and simple the tools are. Play around with different Activity Types and see how long it takes to learn how to use the system. Consider what it would be like teaching your students how to contribute to a Clickable Image or add phrases to a Word Cloud.
Education technology should make classroom management easier and more fun. New tools shouldn’t create more work.
Add Poll Everywhere to Your Tech Stack
Poll Everywhere helps educators turn passive listeners into active participants. Trusted by over four million users, it offers interactive tools designed specifically for higher education—making learning more engaging, inclusive, and effective. Built with security, accessibility, and ease of use in mind, Poll Everywhere seamlessly integrates with your existing tools to enhance the classroom experience.
Looking for a powerful way to engage students? Start with Poll Everywhere and see what makes it a leader in EdTech. Try it today.
