TOP PICKS | 20 TOOLS

Tools for Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning, or PBL, challenges students to design and engage in more authentic, extended, and complex learning. But while PBL is a trusted strategy for increasing student engagement and learning, it's not easy to orchestrate. There are tons of moving pieces, and if you're doing it right, students will be engaging in a variety of interest-driven projects all with various needs and on different schedules. So how do you manage it all? Tech can be a huge help. This list gathers some useful productivity and organization tools that can help both teachers and students keep track of, finish, and assess projects. There are also a few tools designed specifically for PBL, as well as plug-and-play PBL experiences.

Top Picks

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Makers Empire

Stellar 3D design hub promotes innovation, collaboration, and creation

Bottom line: This is a great design and creation tool that teachers and students can use to be innovative and share ideas with a vibrant community of makers.

Grades: K–8 Price: Paid The 3D Learning program at $2,499 per year (and $1,999 for renewal) allows access for unlimited teachers and students. The Learning By Design program at $4,999 per year includes all features of the 3D Learning program plus additional support and professional development. Custom packages are available upon request.

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Defined STEM

Stellar collection of STEM resources supports project-based learning

Bottom line: Excellent, well-thought-out resources for developing problem-solving skills in the classroom.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free to try, Paid Free trial; unlimited access ranges from $2,950 per year (elementary and middle school) to $3,500 per year (high school).

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Dreamdo Schools

Sleek project-based learning platform encourages global connections

Bottom line: An excellent tool for project-based learning; plan, create, and share learning around the world.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free

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Seesaw: The Learning Journal

Versatile digital portfolio appeals to teachers, students, and parents

Bottom line: A powerful multimedia learning and communication tool that demonstrates student progress over time.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free, Paid Seesaw Plus is $120 per year, and gives teachers more privacy options and other features. Seesaw for Schools, which includes school-wide reporting, is priced per student.

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Workbench

Find, create, and assign lessons in dynamic project-based learning hub

Bottom line: A dynamic resource for finding, creating, and rating lessons that support STEAM, PBL, and flipped or virtual classrooms.

Grades: Pre-K–12 Price: Free The site and all of its lessons, resources, and coding platform are free. However, some of the lessons require materials that must be purchased in order to do the activities.

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PenPal Schools

Give students global perspective with pen pal projects in any subject

Bottom line: A thoughtful, ready-to-go platform that facilitates authentic, cross-cultural collaboration.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free Free for teachers; however, school- and district-wide plans are available and add integration with learning management systems and student information systems, advanced reporting, and access to premium projects.

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eBackpack

Easy system to submit, review, and store digital assignments

Bottom line: This is a great way to create a paperless classroom, but its potential for enhancing learning depends completely on how teachers use it.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid

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Evernote

Organize digital content with full-featured web clipper and notebook

Bottom line: Students and teachers can learn to better manage their digital lives via this comprehensive organizational tool.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Free to try, Paid Basic, Plus, and Premium plans available. Basic plans are free; additional plans and in-app purchases range from $2.99 to $7.99 per month. Yearly pricing is also available. Plus plans give users up to 1GB of uploads per month and Premium plans add even more features.

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Google Drive

Nifty tool for collaboratively editing and syncing files across devices

Bottom line: Google Drive is a smart choice for budget-conscious schools, with its free productivity tools and file syncing.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid Free (up to 15GB); $1.99 per month for 100GB and $9.99 per month for 1TB (discounts for annual prepayment).

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Microsoft Teams

Collaborative platform helps manage multiple groups and projects

Bottom line: It offers a ton of options for integrating learning; the lack of some typical LMS features may make it a better fit for small groups or nontraditional group configurations.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid Microsoft Teams is included with Office 365 subscriptions, which range from free to $6 per month per student and $8 per month per teacher.

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Nimbus Note

Comprehensive note keeper offers loads of organizational features

Bottom line: Customized notes sync across devices to enhance productivity and promote a paperless classroom.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid Nimbus Starter is free and includes up to 100 notes. Nimbus Pro is $24.99 per year for up to five people and includes unlimited notes, access to pro versions of Nimbus Capture and Nimbus Clipper, and additional search and recognition features. Nimbus Business costs $70 per year.

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Notability

Flexible note-taking tool empowers learners of all abilities

Bottom line: An excellent tool that lets students make their notes thorough and useful in the way that best suits their learning styles and abilities.

Grades: 6–12 Price: $9.99

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Notebook - Take Notes, Sync

Curate and organize all kinds of content into customizable notebooks

Bottom line: From the novice to the super-organized student, Notebook's versatility is a rare free find.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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Pathbrite

Create, organize, assess sleek digital portfolios

Bottom line: A simple PBL tool that promotes digital literacy and lets kids create flexible, accessible digital portfolios.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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Project Foundry

Helpful, yet complex, management tool for project-based learning

Bottom line: A powerful, though sometimes complex, tool for providing inquiry-based, student-centered learning.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Paid Quotes available upon request.

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Bulb

Slick portfolio tool has cool features, limited feedback options

Bottom line: A neat tool for publishing online, possibly better suited to teacher content creation than student publishing.

Grades: 7–12 Price: Free, Paid The basic version is free. For $9 per user per year, teachers can get more space and added features. Schools can contact the developer for district pricing.

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Google Applied Digital Skills

Practical PBL lessons teach critical computer skills

Bottom line: Thorough digital literacy curriculum offers mix-and-match options to fit any classroom.

Grades: 7–12 Price: Free

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Meridian Stories

Unique challenges for great learning; site could offer more support

Bottom line: As a fun opportunity for students to showcase their learning in creative ways, the site could offer more direction and incentives to participate.

Grades: 7–12 Price: Free, Paid Registration runs between $150-$950, depending on the number of students participating.

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Educurious (with LMS)

Spark deep curiosity with PBL courses that connect life and learning

Bottom line: Get kids involved in learning that really matters to them with these interactive, inquiry-based units.

Grades: 9–12 Price: Paid Pricing starts at $55 per student for any five units, including access to the Expert Network (for 100 or fewer students). Prices are reduced for greater numbers of students. Custom pricing is also available for single units or site licenses. Professional development is available for roughly $1500/year, per teacher.

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