Top Tech Tools for Formative Assessment

Top Pick

Through formative assessment, teachers check student understanding, get valuable data on student learning, and then use that data to modify instruction. When teachers know what students know (or don't know), they can adjust to meet students right at their level. The best formative assessment tools also help students self-reflect and assess, figuring out where they are and where they need to go as learners. Browse the tools below to find one that meets your needs. There are formative assessment apps for everything from discussion to quizzing, polling, and student responses to interactive lessons and videos.

Interesting seeing how two of the best formative assessment apps compare? Check out our EdTech Showdown featuring Kahoot! and Formative.

Interactive Lessons and Video

Edulastic Visit Website: https://www.edulastic.com/ Powerful formative assessment tool tracks achievement of standards	Grades K-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Nearpod Publisher: Panarea Interactive, multimedia slide shows engage students and provide feedback	Grades K-12 Type App Price Free, Paid Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Chrome, Apps for Windows, Mac Apps Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Pear Deck Visit Website: https://www.peardeck.com/ Go beyond the basics with interactive slideshows to assess and engage	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free, Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
PlayPosit Visit Website: http://www.playposit.com/ Simple design makes it easy to jump into interactive video	Grades 2-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
Flipgrid Visit Website: http://flipgrid.com/info/ Pose questions, spark thoughtful video responses with stellar tool	Grades 6-12 Type Website Price Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
GoClass Visit Website: https://www.goclass.com/guestapp/index.aspx Deliver interactive lessons right to kids' mobile devices and tablets	Grades 6-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 4
The Answer Pad Visit Website: http://www.theanswerpad.com/ Simple, multipurpose assessment tool for the BYOD classroom	Grades 6-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 5

Quizzing, Polling, and Student Response

Classkick Publisher: Classwork Co Easy-to-use, real-time monitoring of student work for 1-to-1	Grades K-12 Type App Price Free Platforms iPad Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Recap: Video Response and Reflection for Education Publisher: Satarii Inc. Video-reflection app puts new spin on formative assessment	Grades 2-12 Type App Price Free Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch Common Sense Rating 4 Teacher Rating 5
Socrative Visit Website: http://www.socrative.com/ Snapshot quizzes and questions measure student learning	Grades 3-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Kahoot! Visit Website: https://getkahoot.com/ Game-like student-response tool can spark competitive fun	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 3
Quizalize Visit Website: https://www.quizalize.com/ Familiar game show quizzes with a few new features	Grades 4-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 3
Plickers Publisher: Plickers Inc. Useful rapid-response tool for tech-limited classrooms	Grades 5-12 Type App Price Free Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 3
GoSoapBox Visit Website: http://www.gosoapbox.com Solid web-based clicker tool gives instant feedback	Grades 6-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
Poll Everywhere Visit Website: http://www.polleverywhere.com/ Straightforward student-response tool does its job well	Grades 7-12 Type Website Price Free, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 3

Discussion

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
Backchannel Chat Visit Website: https://backchannelchat.com Real-time, moderated online discussions can engage and encourage	Grades 7-12 Type Website Price Free to Try, Paid Common Sense Rating 3 Teacher Rating 4
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
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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Interactive Lessons and Video

Quizzing, Polling, and Student Response

Discussion

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