Short answer
Teachers: Canva, Mentimeter and Padlet. Assessors: Google or Microsoft Forms and Trello. IQAs: a well-built spreadsheet plus Loom for feedback. Pick one tool that solves a problem you have today, and start there.
Before you start
Free plans change often. Check the current limits on each site, and never put learners’ personal data into a tool your organisation has not approved.
For teachers and trainers
Canva
FreeTemplates for slides, worksheets, posters and infographics. Free for most needs, with a free education plan for eligible teachers.
Google Slides / PowerPoint Online
FreeEverything you need to build and deliver a session. Slides lets colleagues edit with you in real time.
Mentimeter
FreeLive polls, word clouds and quick quizzes. Brilliant for checking what learners already know at the start.
Padlet
FreeA digital noticeboard for group ideas. Learners post from any device, anonymously if you like.
Quizlet
FreeFlashcards and self-tests learners can use on their phones between sessions.
Wakelet
FreeCollect links, videos and articles into one shareable resource page for a unit.
Planning your L3AET micro-teach? A two-question Mentimeter poll at the start and end is an easy way to show you checked learning. Setting up your micro-teach
For assessors
Google Forms / Microsoft Forms
FreeObservation checklists, questioning records and feedback forms in minutes. Answers land in a spreadsheet, ready to track.
Trello
FreeA board per caseload: submitted, waiting, needs chasing. A clear view of where every learner is.
OneFile
PaidThe e-portfolio many providers and apprenticeship teams already use. Ask whether your employer subscribes.
Smart Assessor
PaidAnother widely used e-portfolio, popular in apprenticeships. Usually provided by the employer.
Whatever you use, your records still need to be complete and dated. Keeping assessor records audit-ready
For IQAs
Google Sheets / Excel
FreeStill the most practical home for sampling plans, standardisation logs and observation schedules. A clean audit trail for your EQA.
Loom
FreeRecord a short screen video walking an assessor through your sampling feedback. Clearer than written notes alone.
Miro
FreeAn online whiteboard for remote standardisation: lay out evidence side by side and agree decisions together.
What an IQA looks for when sampling shows what those records need to show.
For CPD and reflection
A CPD log
FreeA simple, dated record of what you did, what changed and what you will try next. The Education and Training Foundation also has free CPD resources for FE staff.
Notion
FreeOne place for a reflective journal, CPD log, reading notes and drafts. Handy on the L4CET and L5DiT, where reflection matters most.
A word on AI tools
ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot can save real time on planning, quiz questions and feedback templates. Treat what they produce as a first draft: check it, adapt it to your learners and keep your own professional judgement in charge. For assessed work on our courses, the words and thinking must be yours. How to use AI responsibly in online learning
The best tool is the one you will still be using next month.
Where to start
Do not try them all at once. Pick the one problem that annoys you most this week, whether that is a flat session, a messy caseload or a CPD log you keep meaning to start, and try the tool that fixes it.
Want the qualification that goes with the toolkit? Our teaching, assessing and IQA courses are fully online, with a named tutor and 365 days of access.
Questions people ask
Are these tools really free?
Most have a free plan that covers everyday use. Limits change, so check each site.
Can I put learner details into these tools?
Only into tools your organisation has approved for personal data.
Do I need these tools for my course?
No. They are optional extras that can make your teaching, assessing or IQA work easier.