Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Working in education, especially as a teacher, means being creative, innovative, and inspiring. Students desperately need educators who will grab their attention, present the knowledge in a memorable way, and give them the tools they can use to improve their education experience. While some teachers struggle to fit this role, others are turning to technology to make it happen.
Numerous design tools and software can be used in education to help teachers and students reach their maximum potential. They range from simple and basic ones to those more complex that require some training.
This article explores the best design and software tools to use in education in 2024. Let’s get started.
source: Pexels
Canva
If you’ve ever tried creating any design on your own, Canva is one of the tools to pop up. It’s one of the best-known free graphic design tools that is both simple to use and professional-like in what it can do for you.
Educators and students typically use Canva to design:
- presentations
- infographics
- handout materials
- flashcards
- posters
Canva comes with an enormous base of customizable templates, but you can make a design from scratch as well. As for the written content, teachers typically insert parts of the lessons while students create their own. There’s always ukwritings.com in case you need any type of academic writing help.
Piktochart
Another great online design platform that students and educators love using inside and outside the class is Piktochart. This design tool takes less than an hour to learn how to use and offers a wide range of applications.
With the help of a simple interface and many available templates, educators and teachers can create anything that comes to mind:
- infographics
- videos
- reports
- presentations
- charts
- diagrams
- posters
- class schedules
The list goes on, so make sure you check out all the possibilities this tool offers.
MindMeister
Mind mapping and brainstorming are concepts closely tied to education, which is why MindMeister is widely used in this domain. It’s a design tool that allows teachers and students to work on their ideas individually to collaborate on group projects seamlessly.
The tool is used in education for:
- brainstorm sessions
- taking notes
- organizing ideas
- planning a team project
- preparing presentations
MindMeister can further support any educational activity that could use a visual element, so it’s up to the users to be creative and decide how to use it best.
Tinkercad
This next tool was designed by Autodesk, and it is used for 3D design and modeling, among other things. It’s the perfect tool for educators who want their students to learn from practice instead of theory and create designs that they’ll be proud of.
Tinkercad is especially useful for STEM and STEAM classes and projects but it covers a wide range of purposes:
- 3D modeling
- architecture
- prototyping
- design
Educators love it because it comes with a ton of resources that help them master it, and introduce it to their students.
Kahoot!
Gamification is certainly one of the best education strategies that teachers across the globe have grown to love and use. Making a lesson interactive and even competitive increases engagement with students and makes them more alert during classes.
Kahoot! is a learning platform that enables teachers to turn lesson materials into:
- quizzes
- puzzles
- surveys
- challenges
Teachers use this interactive design tool for introducing new lessons, test preparation, assessment, feedback, and more. Also, students can use it for their own needs, to design flashcards, set different learning goals, and even join study groups.
It’s perfect for students of all ages, from pre-K to college grads. You don’t have to worry about their cybersecurity policy since all data is fully protected.
Padlet
Another brilliant design tool for educators is Padlet, created with collaborative work in mind. It works on the principle of visual boards that the users get to organize, fill with visual and textual content, and make something of.
It works perfectly for visual learners, which is around 65% of the population, but for students of other learning styles as well.
Both students and teachers get to design and create using this tool, and it helps everyone included better understand what the other participants are doing. Users can create everything from presentations and collages to portfolios and multimedia projects.
Final Thoughts
Using some of the best design tools and software to enhance the learning and teaching experience is a must in 2024. Technology and the digital mindset of new educators and students are changing the way we perceive education, and everyone needs to adjust.
The tools we’ve listed above are some of the best you’ll find. Make sure you prioritize your needs and goals and choose the ones that will be the best fit for you.