Every day there’s a new tool or app making yet another promise to make everyone more productive.
The problem with this? They don’t always deliver on this promise, and keeping up with the ones that do is exhausting.
That said, I’ve decided to make the job easier for you. This list contains a few tools to help you become a little more productive day by day, market yourself better, or increase collaboration with students.
1. Animato: create instructional videos
Ever thought about uploading lessons on YouTube or Vimeo, but felt intimidated by the process? Me too. That’s when I saw the light and said goodbye to the long, tedious process of filming and editing videos myself.
Animato lets you create beautiful slideshow videos. Create and upload awesome video lessons and market yourself without the need to download any software programs.
2. Typeform: turn quizzes into a conversation
Imagine sending your students a test that doesn’t feel like one. Sounds impossible, right? Wrong. With Typeform it’s possible, and incredibly simple.
Typeform lets you create engaging tests, surveys, and quizzes by applying beautiful design and a friendly user experience. This also allows you to create simple tests that gather different types of answers from students by adding matrix questions, likert scale questionnaires and even logic jumps.
3. Canva: Be your own designer
I’ll be honest: design programs intimidate me. Well, that’s because I’m not a designer. That’s why I’m thankful that Canva exists. Having a complete graphic design tool that’s easy to access and allows me to quickly create beautiful and simple visuals in minutes. From certificates to presentation templates, Canva has you covered.
4. MindMeister: design beautiful mind maps
Did you know that visualizing your work can be one of the most important steps in keeping your productivity and creativity in balance? And that’s where MindMeister comes in. Use this tool to capture and share your ideas with your students or colleagues—making brainstorming sessions and support guides way more appealing.
5. Paper.li: Beyond normal presentations
Tired of making Powerpoint presentations that are just plain? Why not try and fit it all in one big space instead, like a newspaper for example. Paper.li is one of the simplest ways to collect and share content relevant to the same group of people. Giving this tool to students means that they no longer have to create cut outs and make messes of glue in order to make a fun presentation. From tweets to article clips, paper.li handles it all.
Moving forward
Sure, introducing new tools to your routine can seem intimidating. A quick tip is to start with the ones you’re most familiar with. Keep in mind that with these tools you’ll be able to expand your teaching arsenal, connect easier with students (wherever they may be), and organize yourself at a higher level.
