Every year, one of our favorite parts of attending ISTELive + ASCD Annual Conference is exploring the exhibit hall to see what classroom innovation is headed our way next. This year’s conference in Orlando was packed with great companies.
As expected, AI was everywhere, with new tools promising to help teachers save time and personalize learning. But AI wasn’t the only thing at the show. We also discovered creative maker tools, hands-on STEM resources, and innovative programs designed to help students learn, create, and connect in new ways.
After several days of walking the floor, testing products, chatting with exhibitors, and swapping notes with educators, we narrowed down a few of the tools, programs, and resources that left the biggest impression.
Here are some of our favorite finds from ISTELive + ASCD Annual Conference.
We Are Teachers
1. CreXo’s Swift Saw
Teachers know that cardboard is an easy and affordable material for classrooms, and we loved the CreXo Swift Saw. This tool was designed specifically for cutting cardboard safely and accurately. Whether students are building prototypes, engineering challenges, or oversized maker projects, it helps turn big ideas into reality.
A fun fact: all of the swag we handed out at the We Are Teachers booth was printed by Staples Business! While visiting their booth, we also got a look at some of their newer offerings, including resources and solutions designed to support the growing world of school esports.
Educators loved the BBC Learning booth with Bluey. They have such a great set of free classroom resources, including videos, activities, and lessons that help teachers bring popular BBC content into learning experiences students already love. Here are some of our favorite resources featured in this article.
Designed for younger learners, Aqua by Adobe is a free, ad-free creative app packed with drawing, coloring, games, tracing activities, and other artistic experiences. We loved how it encourages creativity and exploration while giving students a safe space to create and play.
The 3Doodler pen turns 3D design into a hands-on experience. Instead of designing on a screen, students can literally draw three-dimensional creations in real time. It’s a fun way to introduce concepts like design thinking, prototyping, engineering, and creative problem-solving.
One of the newer AI tools we discovered at the conference was Kira. What stood out to us was its ability to customize the type of AI support students receive, allowing educators to adjust assistance levels based on student needs. It’s an intriguing approach to making AI-powered learning more personalized.
Bring gardening indoors with Gardyn, a vertical gardening system that makes it possible to grow fresh plants year-round in the classroom. It offers students a hands-on way to explore science, sustainability, food systems, and plant life cycles—without needing access to a traditional garden space.
Pokémon Club is proof that learning and fun can go hand in hand. By tapping into students’ enthusiasm for Pokémon, the program helps build skills like strategic thinking, reading comprehension, problem-solving, and math while creating opportunities for connection and community.
We stopped by MagicSchool to explore some of the educator tools that have teachers buzzing. From AI-powered rubric generators to creative features like song creation, the platform is packed with resources designed to save teachers time. Our editorial director, Hannah Hudson, had fun testing out the tools for herself.
Our social media guru, Malia Bartek, tested out WeVideo and was impressed by how approachable it makes video editing for both teachers and students. Beyond video creation, the platform also includes tools for projects like podcasting, helping students build digital storytelling and media production skills.
