Best Student-Collaboration Tools

Top Pick

These tools mix productivity and creativity, getting students to share and collaborate on projects, give and take feedback, annotate, brainstorm, make media, or just hang out. No matter the use, there’s tech here that’ll show students how collaboration leads to better knowledge building.

Interested in how you might use some of these tools in the classroom? Check out our Teaching Strategies page: Give Every Student a Stake in Group Work.

Drawp for School - Create. Learn. Collaborate. Publisher: Moondrop Entertainment LLC Blank canvas will help kids express themselves creatively	Grades Pre-K-12 Type App Price Free to Try, Paid Platforms Android, iPad, Chrome Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Popplet Visit Website: https://popplet.com/ A compact, simple organizational tool for minimalist presentation	Grades 1-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Skype Visit Website: http://www.skype.com Live video communication has potential to open lots of doors	Grades 1-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Groupmaker Publisher: Richard de los Santos Improve classroom management and encourage collaborative work	Grades 2-12 Type App Price $1.99 Platforms iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Mural.ly Visit Website: https://mural.co/ Multifaceted message boards help kids collaborate	Grades 2-12 Type Website Price Free, Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
BaiBoard - Collaborative Whiteboard Publisher: BaiBoard LLC Versatile virtual whiteboard for in-person or remote collaboration	Grades 3-12 Type App Price Free Platforms iPad Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Minecraft Publisher: Mojang Spiraling sandbox of adventure and creation gets kids to dig deep	Grades 3-12 Type Game Price $26.95 for desktop, $19.99 for consoles (except Wii U at $29.99) Platforms Linux, Mac, Wii U, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Common Sense Rating 5 Teacher Rating 4
ePals Visit Website: http://www.epals.com Kids learn together in well-rounded, collaborative global classroom	Grades 4-7 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Classcraft Visit Website: http://www.classcraft.com Track behavior, motivate students with clever, cooperative game	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Actively Learn Visit Website: http://www.activelylearn.com/ Empowering social ereader keeps kids actively, independently engaged	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
CueThink Visit Website: http://www.cuethink.com/ Social approach to problem-solving promotes deep math learning	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 5
MightyMeeting Visit Website: http://www.mightymeeting.com/ Real-time, collaborative presentation tool can promote active viewing	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating Not Yet Rated
Stormboard Visit Website: www.stormboard.com Collaborate, brainstorm in real time with easy-to-use online whiteboard	Grades 5-12 Type Website Price Free, Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 5
Google Hangouts Visit Website: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/ Communication, learning, and fun converge nicely in Google's slick platform	Grades 6-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Peergrade Visit Website: https://www.peergrade.io Feedback tool with great rubrics might work best for older students	Grades 6-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating Not Yet Rated
Diigo Visit Website: https://www.diigo.com Social bookmarking encourages discovery, collaboration, and sharing	Grades 7-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Genius Visit Website: http://www.genius.com Collaborative tool lets kids annotate songs, literature, news	Grades 7-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Wikispaces Visit Website: http://www.wikispaces.com/ Powerful tool for creating collaborative websites	Grades 7-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard Potential for powerful learning; other apps do it better	Grades 7-12 Type App Price Free, Paid Platforms iPad Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
NowComment Visit Website: https://nowcomment.com/ Rich collaboration and discussion site engages students and teachers	Grades K-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating Not Yet Rated
TodaysMeet Visit Website: https://todaysmeet.com/ Easy online conversations supplement and extend the classroom	Grades 8-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Emaze Visit Website: http://www.emaze.com/ Cool tool lets kids collaborate online, create slick presentations	Grades 9-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Google Drive Visit Website: https://drive.google.com/ Nifty tool for collaboratively editing docs and syncing files across devices or online	Grades 9-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Piazza Visit Website: https://piazza.com Advanced Q&A tool compels collaboration, higher-order thinking	Grades 10-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4

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