Spotlight
2017 Readers' Choice Awards
A record number of educators weighed in on their favorite technologies in our third-annual Readers' Choice Awards. And they were clear about who their favorites were.
Top Overall Technologies
Google (Platinum award) was the absolute winner overall. In an open-ended question asking for educators' favorite technologies currently in use at their schools, respondents overwhelmingly chose Google's G Suite for Education as the top overall pick. But Google also gets honorable mention for Chromebooks (powered by Google's Chrome OS), which came in fourth place. Between its G Suite and Chrome OS-powered devices, Google more than doubled the next-highest competitor — quite an improvement from last year, when Google software tied with Apple for first place, and Chromebooks were down in sixth.
Meanwhile last year's first place winner, Apple, hung on to second place with its iPad (Gold award).
Lexia Learning maintained its third-place spot from last year in this category (Silver award).
Breaking it down by technology type, the top overall categories were:
Platinum: Mobile devices, led by Chromebooks and iPads.
Gold: Interactive whiteboards/displays/projectors. While no individual brand came close to making the top 3, this category was cited by quite a few educators as a favorite technology.
Silver: (TIE): E-learning/learning management systems and reading software. Reading software was led by Lexia Learning's Core5; a number of e-learning systems and LMSes were cited by educators, including Google Classroom, Moodle, Canvas and Blackboard Learn.
Overall Winners: Top Technologies
Technologies Currently in Use
Platinum: Google G Suite for Education
Gold: Apple iPad
Silver: Lexia Learning Core5
Technologies Adopted in the Last 12 Months
Platinum: Lexia Learning Core5
Gold: Google Chromebooks
Silver: Google G Suite for Education
Top Technologies Adopted in the Last Year
We also asked educators to name their favorite technologies adopted by their schools in the last year.
Last year's Platinum winner, Lexia Learning, took first place again this year. Readers cited its power for individualized learning, its ability to assess individual students' ability, improvements it's brought to students' reading skills (including ELL students) and its ability to engage students.
Google took second and third place in this category. Chromebooks (Gold award) specifically came in second, with educators citing the equity the devices bring to their students in accessing the internet and important software tools. Google's G Suite for Education took the Silver award, with Classroom (one component of G Suite) cited frequently by educators as a powerful addition to their toolchest.
The top product categories picked by readers were:
Platinum: Mobile devices (led by Google Chromebooks and Apple iPads)
Gold: Reading software (Led by Lexia)
Silver: Learning management systems (led by Instructure Canvas and Schoology)
2017 Readers' Choice Award Category Winners
More than 1,450 readers participated in this year's Readers' Choice Awards, choosing not only their overall picks, but also their favorites by technology category and content area. Note that in categories where no Gold and/or Silver winners are listed, there were too few votes to determine a second or third place.
Best Reading Program
Platinum: Lexia Learning Core5
Best Math Program
Platinum: IXL Math
Gold: DreamBox
Best Science Program
Platinum: Discovery Education Techbook
Gold: Mystery Science
Silver: FOSS
Best Robotics System/Curriculum
Platinum: LEGO
Gold (TIE): Wonder Workshop • Vex
Best Coding Tool/Curriculum
Platinum: Code.org
Gold: Scratch
Best Assessment
Platinum: NWEA MAP
Favorite Learning Management Systems, Course Management Systems & E-Learning Platforms
Platinum: Google Classroom
Gold: Schoology
Silver: Instructure Canvas
Favorite 3D Printer (by Brand)
Platinum: Makerbot
Gold (TIE): Dremel • FlashForge
Silver: ROBO 3D
Favorite Education Networks/Professional Communities/Professional Development Systems
Platinum: Twitter
Gold: Discovery Educator Network
Silver: LinkedIn
Favorite Adaptive/Personalized Learning Tool
Platinum: Lexia Learning
Gold: Renaissance
Silver: MobyMax
Favorite E-Portfolio
Platinum: Moodle
Gold: Blackboard Learn
Silver (TIE): Instructure Canvas • Google G Suite for Education
Favorite Interventions & Remediation Software
Platinum: MobyMax
Gold: STAR Reading & Early Literacy
Silver: i-Ready Diagnostic and Instruction, Math
Favorite "Other" Education Tool
Platinum: Khan Academy
Gold: Discovery Education Streaming Plus
Silver: Discovery Education Science Techbook
Favorite Student Response Systems & Classroom Clickers
Platinum: Kahoot!
Gold: Promethean
Silver (TIE): Poll Everywhere • Socratic
Favorite Collaboration Tool
Platinum: Google G Suite for Education
Gold: Microsoft 365 for Education
Silver: Nearpod
Favorite Classroom Management, Culture, or Student Success System
Platinum: ClassDojo
Gold: PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
Silver: Google Cast for Education
Favorite Student Information Systems & Data Management Tool
Platinum: PowerSchool
Gold (TIE): Infinite Campus • Skyward
Silver: Edmodo Sync
Favorite Lecture Capture/Screen Recording
Platinum: Screencast-o-matic
Gold (TIE): Adobe Presenter • TechSmith Camtasia
Silver: TechSmith Snagit
Favorite Document Camera (by Brand)
Platinum: Elmo USA
Gold: Epson DC series
Silver: SMART Technologies
Favorite Projector (by Brand)
Platinum: Epson
Gold: Sony
Silver: Hitachi
Favorite Interactive Whiteboard, Display, Flat Panel, or Kiosk (by Brand)
Platinum: SMART Technologies
Gold: Promethean
Silver: Mimio
Favorite Videoconferencing & Web Conferencing Tool
Platinum: Google Hangouts
Gold: Microsoft Skype in the Classroom
Silver: Zoom
Favorite Virtual Classroom/Meeting Software
Platinum: Google Hangouts
Gold: GoToMeeting
Silver: Microsoft Skype in the Classroom
Favorite Classroom Audio Distribution/Sound Enhancement System (by Brand)
Platinum: Lightspeed Technologies
Gold: Smart Audio
Silver: Califone
Top Educational Game or Gamified Learning Tool
Platinum: Kahoot
Gold: Microsoft Minecraft
Silver: Prodigy Math
Top Game not Necessarily Designed for Education but Used as a Part of Instruction at Your Institution
Platinum: Microsoft Minecraft
Favorite Virtual/Augmented Reality Headset or Hardware System
Platinum: Google Cardboard
Gold: Samsung Gear VR
Silver: Sony PlayStation VR
Favorite Virtual/Augmented Reality Software/System
Platinum: Aurasma
Gold: PBS Lunch Rush!
Silver: Chromville
Favorite Gaming Platform
Platinum: Apple iOS (iPhone/iPad)
Gold: Sony PlayStation
Silver: Microsoft Xbox
Favorite Classroom Presentation Software
Platinum: Google Slides
Gold: Microsoft PowerPoint
Silver: Prezi
Office/Productivity Suite
Platinum: Google G Suite
Gold: Microsoft Office 365
Silver: Apple iWork
Favorite Multimedia Authoring Suites & Creative Software
Platinum: Adobe Creative Cloud
Gold: Apple Creativity Apps
Silver: Ubuntu Studio
Favorite E-Learning Authoring Tool
Platinum: Google G Suite
Gold: Camtasia Studio
Silver: Adobe Creative Cloud
Favorite Media Tablet (by Brand)
Platinum: Apple
Gold: Google
Silver: Samsung
Favorite Chromebook (by Brand)
Platinum: Google
Gold (TIE): HP • Dell
Silver: Lenovo
Favorite Windows Tablet (by Brand)
Platinum: Microsoft
Gold: Dell
Silver: HP
Favorite Convertible Notebook/2-in-1 Notebook (by Brand)
Platinum: Dell
Gold: HP
Silver: Lenovo
Favorite Education Notebook (by Brand)
Platinum: Apple
Gold: Dell
Silver: HP
Favorite Virtual Desktops and Thin Clients
Platinum: Lenovo ThinkCentre line
Gold (TIE): HP Thin Client Solutions • VMware
Silver: Dell Wyse
Favorite Wireless Access Point or Hotspot (by Brand)
Platinum: Cisco
Gold: Netgear
Silver: Extreme Networks
Favorite Network or WiFi Management, Analysis, and Monitoring Tool (by Brand)
Platinum: Microsoft
Gold: Cisco
Silver: Extreme Networks
Favorite Mobile Device Management Solution (by Brand)
Platinum: Google
Gold: AT&T
Silver: JAMF
Favorite Anonymous Reporting Tool
Platinum: MySafeSchool
Gold: CyberBully Hotline
Silver: Anonymous Alerts
Favorite Emergency Notification System
Platinum: SchoolMessenger
Gold: School Alert
Silver: K12 Alerts
Favorite Firewall Software
Platinum: Norton 360
Gold: Kaspersky
Silver: Windows Firewall
Favorite Firewall Hardware/Appliance (by Brand)
Platinum: McAfee
Gold: Cisco
Top Anti-Virus Tool (by Brand)
Platinum: Norton
Gold: McAfee
Silver: AVG
Favorite Classroom Furnishings and Charging Carts (by Brand)
Platinum: Steelcase
Gold: Bretford
Silver: Childcraft