Top Online Teaching Tools for 2025 – Tested by Real Educators

Discover easy-to-use tools that make online teaching fun and effective

By SELINclub | 02 Aug 2025, 05:59 AM

Is it hard for you to choose the right tools to use while teaching online? Most instructors want their lessons to be fun as well as easy to understand. But with so many websites and applications, it is confounding.

Today, there are more and more schools that employ online learning tools. This is convenient for students, even if they are away from school. India's new education policy, NEP 2020, also encourages schools to implement technology. This enables students to acquire skills for the future.

In this blog, we are discussing the best online instructional tools. The online tools have been tried by actual teachers. They are convenient to use and they allow students to learn effectively. This blog is targeted towards Indian and international school administrators, teachers, and curriculum developers.

Why Are Online Teaching Tools Important?

Online teaching tools help teachers teach in new ways. They make learning fun and help students understand better.

Many students find it hard to pay attention in online classes. Good tools can make lessons interesting. They let students take part in activities, answer questions, and work with friends.

Research shows that 75 out of 100 teachers in India say online tools help their students learn better. But many teachers also say it is hard to choose the right tools or learn how to use them.

This blog will help you find the best tools. You will learn how to use them in your classes.

Best Tools to Make Lessons Fun

1. Nearpod

Nearpod lets teachers make lessons with videos, quizzes, and games. Students can join the lesson on their phones or computers. Teachers see who is doing well and who needs help.

Example: A teacher in Bangalore used Nearpod for a science lesson. Students did a virtual experiment. They enjoyed it and learned more.

How to use Nearpod:

• Create a free account.
   
• Choose a lesson or make your own.
   
• Share the lesson code with students.
   
• Students join the lesson live or at their own time.
   
• See student answers in real-time.

Tips: Use Nearpod to add polls and quizzes during lessons. This keeps students active.

2. Edpuzzle

Edpuzzle lets you take any video and add questions to it. Students watch the video and answer questions while watching. This helps teachers check if students understand the lesson.

Example: A math teacher in Delhi used Edpuzzle. Students watched videos about fractions and answered questions in between.

How to use Edpuzzle:

• Sign up for a free account.
   
• Find a video or upload your own.
   
• Add questions, notes, or voice comments.
   
• Assign the video to students.
   
• Track student progress and scores.

Tips: Use Edpuzzle to flip your classroom. Let students watch lessons at home and do activities in class.

3. Kahoot!

Kahoot! is a fun quiz app. Teachers create quizzes and students answer in real-time. It feels like a game.

Example: A history teacher in Mumbai used Kahoot! to review the Indian Freedom Movement. Students loved competing and learning at the same time.

How to use Kahoot!:

• Make a free account.
   
• Create quizzes with multiple-choice questions.
   
• Launch the quiz live or assign it as homework.
   
• View the results instantly.

Tips: Use Kahoot! to make revision exciting. Add pictures and music for more fun.

4. Quizizz

Quizizz is similar to Kahoot! but students can play at their own pace. It also has fun avatars and memes.

Example: In Chennai, teachers used Quizizz for English grammar practice. Students played at home and improved their skills.

How to use Quizizz:

• Create a free account.
   
• Select or create quizzes.
   
• Assign quizzes live or for homework.
   
• Check detailed reports.

Tips: Use Quizizz for weekly tests or practice sessions. The self-paced feature helps slow learners

Tools to Help Students Work Together

1. Google Classroom

Google Classroom helps teachers share assignments and talk to students. Students can send their work and ask questions.

Example: A school in Pune uses Google Classroom for all grades. Teachers post assignments, and students submit work easily.

How to use Google Classroom:

• Set up a Google account.
   
• Create a class.
   
• Invite students.
   
• Post materials, assignments, and announcements.
   
• Grade and give feedback.

Tips: Use Classroom for organizing lessons and communication. Combine it with Google Meet for live classes.

2. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is good for live classes. Teachers and students can chat, share files, and work together on projects.

Example: In Hyderabad, a school uses Teams for virtual lessons and group work. Students can work on documents together.

How to use Microsoft Teams:

• Get an Office 365 Education account.
   
• Create teams for your classes.
   
• Schedule meetings or live lessons.
   
• Share files and assignments.
   
• Use the chat for questions.

Tips: Use Teams to run project-based learning. Students can share ideas and present online.

3. Padlet

Padlet is like a big online board. Students can write ideas, post pictures, and work on group tasks.

Example: A school in Kolkata used Padlet for a creative writing activity. Students posted poems and gave each other feedback.

How to use Padlet:

• Sign up for a free account.
   
• Create a new board.
   
• Share the link with students.
   
• Students post text, images, videos, or links.

Tips: Use Padlet for brainstorming sessions or group projects. It encourages students to participate.

4. Flipgrid

Flipgrid is a video discussion platform. Students record short videos to answer questions or share ideas.

Example: In a Delhi school, students used Flipgrid to practice speaking English. Teachers gave feedback on videos.

How to use Flipgrid:

• Sign up for free.
   
• Create topics or questions.
   
• Share the grid code with students.
   
• Students record and post videos.

Tips: Use Flipgrid to build speaking skills and student confidence.

Tools for Tests and Feedback

1. Google Forms

Google Forms helps teachers make tests and get answers fast. It can grade some questions automatically.

Example: A science teacher in Jaipur uses Forms for weekly quizzes. It saves time on grading.

How to use Google Forms:

• Create a form with questions.
   
• Share the form link with students.
   
• Review answers in a spreadsheet.
   
• Use automatic grading for multiple choice.

Tips: Use Forms for quick checks of student understanding.

2. Socrative

Socrative is a tool for quick quizzes and polls. It shows live results to teachers.

Example: A teacher in Lucknow used Socrative for a surprise quiz. It helped check if students understood the topic.

How to use Socrative:

• Create a free account.
   
• Make quizzes or polls.
   
• Share the room code with students.
   
• See live results.

Tips: Use Socrative to make lessons interactive and check progress.

3. Formative

Formative allows teachers to give assignments that students answer online with drawings, essays, or multiple choice.

Example: A math teacher in Ahmedabad used Formative to have students solve problems on their tablets.

How to use Formative:

• Sign up for free.
   
• Create assignments with different question types.
   
• Assign to students.
   
• Track answers and give feedback.

Tips: Use Formative for detailed assignments where students show their work.

How to Use These Tools in Your School

• Start by picking one or two tools.
   
• Learn how to use them well before trying more.
   
• Help your students learn to use the tools.
   
• Mix online activities with offline ones for students without good internet.
   
• Use free tools and websites for extra practice.
   
• Make sure to train your staff regularly on these tools.
   
• Encourage students to explore and use tools creatively.

Best Online Teaching Tools for Educators

Tool Name	Main Use	Cost	Ideal For
Nearpod	Interactive lessons with quizzes and videos	Free & Paid Plans	Teachers who want live and self-paced lessons
Edpuzzle	Video lessons with questions	Free & Paid Plans	Teachers who use video content to check understanding
Kahoot!	Fun quizzes and games	Free & Paid Plans	Teachers who want to engage students with live quizzes
Google Classroom	Assignment management and communication	Free	Teachers and schools needing simple class management
Microsoft Teams	Live classes and collaboration	Free & Paid Plans	Schools using Microsoft Office tools for group work
Padlet	Collaborative online boards	Free & Paid Plans	Teachers wanting group brainstorming and projects
Google Forms	Tests and quizzes	Free	Teachers needing quick, auto-graded assessments
Quizizz	Self-paced quizzes	Free & Paid Plans	Teachers looking for gamified assessments

 

 

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Challenges You Might Face

• Not all students have good internet or devices. Try tools that work offline or on phones.
   
• Don’t use too many tools at once. Keep it simple.
   
• Protect student privacy by using safe tools.
   
• Choose tools with Indian languages to help all students.
   
• Some teachers might find it hard to learn new tools. Provide support and training.
   
• Sometimes tools can be slow or have technical problems. Have backup plans.
   

Common Questions from Teachers

Q1: Which tools are free and good for Indian teachers?
Google Classroom, Kahoot!, Edpuzzle, and Padlet are free and popular.

Q2: What if my students don’t have internet at home?
Use tools that work offline or give printed worksheets.

Q3: How do I know which tool fits my teaching style?
Try a few tools and ask your students what they like.

Q4: Can these tools help me give better tests?
Yes, Kahoot! and Google Forms can make quizzes easy and fun.

Q5: How do I learn to use these tools?
Watch videos online or join training sessions.

Conclusion

Using the right online teaching tools helps teachers and students. It makes learning more fun and easy. These tools also fit with NEP 2020 and prepare students for the future.

Start small, learn well, and help your students grow. Visit SELIN to find more ideas and connect with other teachers.