Tool Spotlights
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping teaching and learning. For many instructors, the question is simple: How can I use AI in my classroom today — and do so responsibly?
Teaching with AI: Tool Spotlight provides practical answers. Each issue of Online Learning News highlights one AI tool that faculty can apply right away, with:
- A real teaching scenario
- A practical example
- One strength
- One risk
- A quick way to try it out
Over time, this collection will grow into a directory of AI tools — a trusted, easy-to-use guide for experimenting with AI while keeping academic integrity, equity, and student success at the centre.
Explore the tools below to find ways to save time, spark new approaches, and enrich student learning experiences.
Disclaimer: Contact North | Contact Nord shares these tools for information purposes only and does not endorse them. Faculty should review suitability before use.
Tools
An all-in-one, user-friendly video editor (mobile, desktop, and web) that helps instructors and students create and repurpose video content
CapCut (by ByteDance) is built for fast editing workflows with templates and AI-assisted tools, while still offering more advanced options
An AI video creation platform that turns text scripts (or prompts/files/URLs) into instructional-style videos featuring virtual presenters (AI avatars)
Synthesia lets you generate “talking presenter” videos and update them quickly (e.g., revise a policy line or example without re-recording)
A flexible “connected workspace” that combines notes, pages, databases, and task tracking in one shared knowledge base
Notion lets you build a course or project hub from modular pages and database views (tables, calendars, galleries)
A no-code interactive content creator for building clickable presentations, infographics, and visuals with animations and interactive elements
Genially offers a large template library and features for interactivity and gamification
Combines quiz-based practice and instruction with a large library of ready-made activities, plus reporting tools to track progress over time
Wayground (formerly Quizizz) is a gamified formative-assessment platform that lets students complete quizzes live or self-paced, with instant feedback and teacher analytics
Supports faculty who want to boost student engagement and persistence in STEM courses by using game-based learning, interactive science media, and motivational design
Spongelab Interactive is a free science education platform with interactive games, videos, lesson plans and simulations
Supports students to collaboratively annotate course readings, increasing engagement and providing instructors with formative analytics on difficult sections.
Perusall is an online social-annotation platform for textbooks, articles, and other course texts.
Supports students and researchers to draft and refine academic writing, providing discipline-aware editing and feedback for grammar, clarity and structure
Paperpal is an AI-powered writing assistant for academic manuscripts, essays and reports
Enables instructors to craft interactive, multimedia-rich quizzes and formative assessments
Hurix is an AI-driven platform for creating engaging, gamified assessments with multimedia elements and instant feedback
Enables secure, reliable online delivery of quizzes, midterms and exams
Questionmark is an AI-powered assessment creation and delivery platform