Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning
The current award cycle has ended. The award applications will open on September 1, 2025.
Overview
AASL’s Best Digital Tools are recognized for fostering qualities of:
- Innovation/Creativity
- Active Participation
- Collaboration
- User-Friendly
- Encourages Exploration
- Information/Reference
Eligibility
Nominations may be submitted by developers, school librarians, or the general public. For a tool to qualify as “digital,” it must be accessible remotely (website, app, etc.).
NEW - Tools that have been recognized previously may be submitted for repeat recognition. For tools that were recognized within three years or less (2023, 2024, or 2025) the committee will consider tools that demonstrate progress, improvements, or changes since the previous recognition. Progress is considered both in terms of new features or tools, but also for improvements in usability and accessibility.
Tools recognized prior to 2023 may be submitted for consideration without the need to demonstrate progress over time.
Preparation for Application
Incomplete applications will not reviewed. Please prepare the following information prior to submitting:
- If your tool has received the Best Digital Tools recognition in the past three years (see lists below) you must submit any improvements, changes, or progress to the tool for consideration.
- Committee members must receive full access to your tool including any features that are behind paywalls. Access must remain available through April 1.
- If your tool has a pricing structure that is not available for public viewing an example of pricing must be included.
* Please note: This downloadable version is for informational purposes only. All nominations must be submitted online, via the Apply Now button that will appear at the top of the page when the next award season opens in early September.
Questions
Allison Cline
Deputy Executive Director
2025
Beanstack
Instead of a quiz-based approach, Beanstack uses proven gamification principles and modern reading accountability tools to motivate students to read and grow a school district’s reading culture. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
BookBreak
BookBreak’s virtual author talk program inspires K-12 students to love reading and writing through live streamed events with bestselling and award winning authors to all subscribing schools throughout the school year. Every student has the opportunity to hear from an age-appropriate author at least once per month. Each event is recorded and includes lesson plans and activities tied to curriculum standards, as well as additional resources and short, on demand videos. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
Canva
Canva is a free, easy-to-use design platform that empowers teachers, students, and entire school districts to collaborate, create, and communicate visually. Canva for Education is 100% free for eligible K–12 users, giving access to thousands of curriculum-aligned templates for lessons, assignments, infographics, presentations, videos, and more. Teachers can quickly design engaging classroom content, while students build critical digital communication and creativity skills – all in a secure, COPPA-compliant environment. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
CFR Education
CFR Education, the educational arm of the Council on Foreign Relations, helps middle, high school, and higher education students understand and engage with today’s most pressing global issues. With over 700 free, nonpartisan, multimedia teaching and learning resources, CFR Education’s supplemental materials help students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspective needed to navigate today’s interconnected world. CFR Education also provides professional development and programming opportunities to support educators as they take on this crucial work. Privacy Policy. Grades 6-12
ClickView
ClickView is home to curated, standards-aligned videos for every subject and learning level. We make it easy for teachers to find the perfect video for any class in seconds. We produce original series and license educational video clips, documentaries and movies from the world’s leading producers to spark students’ curiosity and enhance engagement. Teachers can make any video interactive and see how their students perform through actionable analytics, helping them target gaps in understanding and personalize their teaching. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
Code.org
Code.org® is an education innovation nonprofit dedicated to the vision that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science and artificial intelligence as part of their core K-12 education. We expand access to and participation in computer science in schools, with a focus on increasing participation by young women and students from other underrepresented groups. The leading provider of K-12 computer science curriculum in the largest school districts in the United States, Code.org also organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign, which has engaged more than 15% of all students in the world. Privacy Statement. Grades K-12
Elementari
Elementari is a platform with self-guided lessons where K–12 students learn coding by creating stories, games, and apps across the curriculum. The drag-and-drop interface makes it as easy as building a slideshow, and students can code animations and interactions to bring their projects to life. Educators can use ready-to-go lessons or design their own using Elementari’s lesson builder. The platform is accessible to all learners and ideal for classrooms, clubs, and library makerspaces. Privacy Statement. Grades K-12
Kialo
Kialo Edu strives to foster reasoned, inclusive discussions that students are genuinely interested in having. By helping students to visualize and reflect on each step of an argument, we aim to deepen their critical thinking skills. And by focusing on reason, we aim to teach students how to argue civilly. In this way, we ultimately hope to make the world a more thoughtful place. That is why Kialo Edu is free and always will be. Privacy Statement. Grades 3-12
LatinX Kidlit Book Festival
The Latinx Kidlit Book Festival is a free virtual celebration of Latinx KidLit authors, illustrators, and books for all students, educators and book lovers around the globe. The Festival offers a combination of educational materials and virtual literary content in the form of panels, craft workshops and illustrator draw-offs with best-selling and award-winning Latinx authors and illustrators of picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, and more! The sessions are geared toward all schools, educators, students and book lovers, not just those identifying as Latinx. Grades PreK-12
Learnics
The Learnics mission is to support schools' shift to digital learning by revealing student online experiences to improve teaching and learning. Learnics is a platform that helps teachers, librarians and students ensure authentic work in an AI world. Privacy Statement. Grades 5-12
LibPaths
LibPaths simplifies curation, sharing, and publishing of digital resources, ensuring library teams and teachers will enjoy working with it, and students will love using it. Privacy Statement. Grades K-12
MegaMinds
MegaMinds empowers students to explore AI, storytelling, and real-world challenges through immersive 3D environments and interactive simulations. Designed to spark curiosity, foster collaboration, and build digital literacy, MegaMinds enables students to take charge of their own learning. It also supports librarians and educators with customizable, standards-aligned content. With browser-based accessibility and a focus on student agency, MegaMinds helps break down educational barriers making it a powerful tool for school libraries looking to spark curiosity, build digital literacy, and inspire innovation. Privacy Statement. Grades K-12
Poetry Foundation
PoetryFoundation.org offers students and educators free access to more than 48,000 full-text poems, thousands of author biographies, audio poems, and the complete Poetry magazine archive, featuring both classic and contemporary voices. Educators can also access teaching tools like poem guides, themed collections, and multimedia resources to support poetry learning. Privacy Statement. Grades PreK-12
Project Look Sharp
We are a nonprofit, mission-driven outreach program of Ithaca College. Our mission is to help K-16 educators enhance students’ critical thinking, metacognition, and civic engagement through more than 900 free media decoding lessons and professional development for school librarians. Privacy Statement. Grades PreK-12
Sooth.fyi
Sooth is the only internet search engine specifically designed for students. On Sooth, students search exclusively the web's most credible and diverse sources of news, research, data, and insights without distractions. Our sleek user interface, organized search results, and powerful features like our Transparency, Productivity, and Misinformation tools accelerate knowledge discovery, enhance information literacy, and build critical thinking skills. Privacy Statement. Grades 6-12
Stickity
Stickity is a Google add-on. Educators can use this tool to insert digital stickers into their student-facing materials. These visual supports are rooted in increasing engagement and inclusivity in the classroom by removing learning barriers for students with disabilities and Multilingual Learners. Privacy Statement. Grades K-12
2024
Printable bookmarks (Word) Printable bookmarks (PDF)
Book Creator
Book Creator the simplest, most inclusive way to create content in the classroom. Our mission is to empower students of all ages and abilities to actively engage in the joy of learning. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
ClassHook
ClassHook is a discussion platform with a curated library of over 7,400 educational videos from relatable media that students will recognize. Our videos are short (1 - 5 minutes) and organized by standards, grade level, and topic. ClassHook is a time saver for busy teachers and librarians who want to better engage students, pique their curiosity, and rekindle their passion for learning. ClassHook exposes students to realistic scenarios that are difficult to showcase with traditional curriculum, helping them apply their learning to real-world situations. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
Copyright & Creativity for Ethical Digital Citizens
Copyright & Creativity aims to provide accessible and practical information about copyright – its protections, its limitations, and its role in encouraging creativity. Rather than just emphasizing what copyright prohibits, the goal here is to offer useful and positive information about what copyright allows and how students can successfully navigate and rely on copyright in their own roles as creators. Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
Diffit for Teachers
Diffit helps teachers save time by getting "just right" instructional materials in seconds - for any topic, lesson, or student. Whether they are adapting existing content to better meet their classroom's needs, or looking for student-ready activities to fill gaps in the curriculum, Diffit offers a user-friendly platform to get high-quality, differentiated resources in seconds. Privacy Policy. Grades 2-12
EarSketch
EarSketch introduces coding and music technology to students in a highly engaging, creative manner that has been shown to engage diverse student populations. Privacy Policy. Grades 6-12
Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy Kids is a free educational app for children ages 2-8. The Khan Kids library includes thousands of kids books, reading games, math activities and more. Best of all, Khan Kids is 100% free with no ads or subscriptions. Privacy Policy. Grades PreK-2
KidLitTV
KidLit TV, a free resource for parents and educators, offers kid-focused author and illustrator interviews, storytime videos, drawing tutorials, and other literacy-related crafts and activities. KLTV is available in over 700,000 schools worldwide via our website and video distribution partners. We’re a team of parents, educators, librarians, authors, illustrators, and filmmakers creating fun ways to inspire a love of reading. Privacy Policy. Grades K-Middle
Masters of Tradition: A Cultural Journey Across America
Masters of Tradition is an interactive story map that allows students to explore the great diversity of cultures, communities, and artistic traditions that enrich the United States. Through abundant photographs, audio, video, short text, and first-person quotes, the story map addresses a variety of key themes, including immigration, migration, identity, heritage, and community. Privacy Policy. Grades 5-12
MusiQuest
MusiQuest's mission is to give every kid in the world access to music. By combining hands-on music making, dynamic instruction, and rich stories, MusiQuest's lessons feel fully "alive" to students. Privacy Policy. Grades 1-8
New American History
New American History helps educators and learners preparing to do research (including their National History Day projects!), develop cross-curricular Project-Based Learning opportunities, develop station based learning experiences, teach students skills to evaluate print and digital resources, and recommend high-quality tools and resources for inquiry-based learning. Privacy Policy. Grades 4-12
Parlay Ideas
Parlay is an AI-powered instructional platform that helps teachers facilitate meaningful, measurable, and inclusive class discussions. Privacy Policy. Grades 3-12
PebbleGo
PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-2 students. Packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities, it boosts engagement and fosters independent learning in core subject areas. Privacy Policy. Grades K-5
Pixton
We believe that storytelling is the world’s most powerful force for communication and change. Pixton is a comic creation platform that enables people of all ages and abilities to develop storytelling skills, enhance writing and visual communication, demonstrate learning, and celebrate identity and culture through personalized avatars. Privacy Policy. Grades 1-12
Seesaw
Seesaw offers a suite of award-winning tools, resources, and curriculum with interactive lessons, digital portfolios, and two-way communication features that provide continuous visibility into the student’s learning journey to support and celebrate their learning. Privacy Policy. Grades K-6
Sora
Sora provides every student digital access to the right books on any device using their school credentials. As the leading student reading platform for schools, Sora offers the industry’s largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, read-alongs, magazines and more for curriculum and choice reading. Privacy Policy. Grades PreK-12
TeachingBooks
TeachingBooks brings books to life for all readers. Discover an expansive collection of engaging video, audio, and printable content to excite students about reading and enrich literacy instruction in your school. Privacy Policy. Grades PreK-12
Wild Classroom
Connecting educators and guardians with the tools and resources they need to help kids explore and understand the world around them. Together we can inspire the next generation to build a future where people and nature thrive! Privacy Policy. Grades K-12
Write the World
A free online global community where teens write, review, and share. A non-profit dedicated to developing teens’ writing and critical thinking skills and equipping them with the confidence and competence to change the world, one word at a time. Privacy Policy. Grades 7-12
2023
Adobe Express for Education
Adobe believes everyone should have the opportunity to express and share their creativity and feel empowered to turn ideas into unique content without complexity. Adobe Express for Education is a free, innovative web and mobile app that allows creators to make, edit, and share standout content from thousands of beautiful templates. From science fair posters, social studies infographics, math flashcards, book reports, and much more, every student, teacher, administrator, and school staff member can express their creativity in just a few taps. Privacy Policy Grades: K-12
ChessKid.com
ChessKid.com is the scholastic extension of Chess.com, the #1 online chess site, and serves more than 3 million kids around the globe with lessons offered in English, Spanish, French, Korean and other languages. ChessKid is working to introduce chess education to as many students as possible worldwide and we pride ourselves as being the safest place for kids to learn and play chess in and out of the school. Media Specialists use ChessKid.com in their centers to help students enhance their creativity, improve their power of concentration, develop and expand critical thinking skills, boost memory and retention, and achieve superior academic performance. Find out if your school is eligible for FREE ChessKid accounts through our annual grant program at ChessKid.com. Privacy Policy Grades: K-12
The Choices Program
The Choices Program, based at Brown University, creates engaging digital educational resources and makes innovative scholarship accessible to diverse classrooms. Choices curriculum empowers students to understand the relationship between history and current issues while developing the analytical skills to become thoughtful global citizens. Choices curriculum resources tell an inclusive, responsible history, while also encouraging students to challenge and grapple with this history in the ways that historians do. Choices provides educators with high-quality, digital curriculum content that is used in all levels of high school classrooms as well as many middle schools and introductory level college courses. Choices currently offers curricula for U.S. History, World History, Current Issues, and Geography, as well as many electives. "Teaching with the News" from the Choices Program is a series of free online lesson plans and resource guides that connect classrooms to current events in the news. The Choices Program also offers a free collection of more than 1,700 short educational videos. Privacy Policy Grades: 6-12
Discovery Education
Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides educators a recently enhanced learning platform to facilitate engaging, daily instruction in any learning environment. Privacy Policy Grades: K-12
MackinVIA
MackinVIA is a free digital content management system designed for PK-12 grade schools that offers easy access to a vast collection of digital resources, including eBooks, audiobooks, databases, videos, and websites. With more than 3.5 million titles available for purchase, MackinVIA is currently accessed by over 9 million students worldwide through a single login for students, teachers, and librarians to view, utilize, and manage all the school's digital resources on any desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Multiple free apps are available for all devices and platforms, making it the perfect tool for both in-class and remote learning options. MackinVIA's multiple awards attests to its excellence in providing schools with a comprehensive and user-friendly digital content management system. Privacy Policy Grades: PreK-12
National Geographic
National Geographic is where education meets exploration. We are transforming the learning experience for young people and the educators who reach them with the tools, resources, and support they need to feed their curiosity and become the explorers of tomorrow. Through immersive experiences, interactive lesson plans, maps, and other free resources – there are endless ways to learn with National Geographic. Privacy Policy Grades: PreK-12
RumorGuard
RumorGuard is the News Literacy Project’s new platform that teaches news literacy through fact-checking viral rumors. RumorGuard draws on both prebunking and debunking concepts. Each post provides a fact-check – determining whether a meme, photo or video is accurate – but the platform does more than tell readers whether something is true or false. Each claim is evaluated based on five factors for credibility – source, evidence, context, reasoning and authenticity. Each of those claims has associated news literacy resources available in the platform, including virtual lessons, infographics, video tutorials and written guides. RumorGuard posts are shareable on social media platforms so that your community doesn't fall victim to misinformation, and can help you build your own foundation founded on facts. Privacy Policy Grades: 8-12
WORD Force Reading Adventures
WORD Force Reading Adventures is a free, game-based app that makes learning to read a fun adventure. Designed for at home use, it is a great solution to share with parents for after-school learning and a fun option for summer reading practice. Throughout 15 interactive games, kids will feel empowered as they become commander of the WORD Force superhero team. With silly characters and a creative “save the world” storyline, children will build key literacy skills and have fun along the way. Along with their zany sidekicks, they’ll explore new worlds and new reading concepts—from phonological awareness to vocabulary, reading comprehension, and more. Privacy Policy Grades: K-2
