Group items tagged

"In today's complicated economic times, many parents and educators are advocating for the importance of instilling financial literacy and wisdom in children early on to prevent fiscal irresponsibility in the future. In response to these sentiments, numerous companies - many of them startups - have started developing mobile apps and games to teach children (and adults) about spending, saving, loans, investments and other aspects of personal finance. Several such apps include:"

"I have made no secret of my fondness for generic apps that enhance learning. Explain Everything, Google Drive and Evernote can aid the educator and student alike. However, there is a new contender on the block for the No.1 app in education. Socrative 1.0 was very good - Socrative 2.0 looks excellent. This brief introduction to Socrative 2.0 highlights its potential and possible use in the classroom. I look forward to hearing about the effect it has in schools."

"The iPad has been a great tool for education since it debuted in 2010, thanks in large part to an abundance of apps and games that blend information with entertainment. It's portable enough to use around the house or on the road, and it's simple enough that kids can use it without getting lost. It's also been a great tool for teaching children to become better readers. There are many apps available that parents can use to help their kids improve their reading skills significantly, whether they're just starting out or brushing up on some basics. Here are some of the best:"

"I got several requests asking for iPad apps to use to send group text messages to students and parents. I did, however, featured here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning a few days ago a list of two useful web tools to use for this purpose. These are the tools I have been using myself and trust. I am sharing with you their iPad versions below. Share with us if you know about other apps to add to this list."

"What we've tried to do in the following list is provide an evidentiary-based counterpoint to the lingering persistence of the textbook in education. We've collected ten apps from across the content areas, from Shakespeare to the Elements, that each serve as compelling argument against textbooks. Only one of these apps is a game; the rest are examples of how-when properly designed-content can be refracted digitally, with a user-centered touch interface, full multimedia capabilities, while still maintaining a focus on delivering content to students. Or rather, providing access in a way that's more compelling than any textbook could ever imagine."

"The end of the year is upon us. AP testing dates are passing soon. Providing a valuable "Show What You Know" project can be an effective method for an end of the unit/year project. Finding the right combination of apps to "smash" together can provide choice for students as they provide you with the insight that they have. Starting with iPads, here are some suggestions for smashing apps to create "Show What You Know" opportunities. "

"I just learned from Tony Vincent that Math Tools iPad app is now free for a limited time. It used to cost $4.99. Math Tools is a great Math app that is designed specifically to cater to the math needs of kids and preschoolers. Math Tools comprises a collection of familiar math learning tools that allow young learners to: Learn to count Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and times tables Develop an understanding of number ideas and number values Create number bonds Learn to use and practice multibase and number bond theories Challenge themselves through setting numbers and operations to create complex equations"

"Want to be a game piece in Candyland? Want to ride a roller coaster down the Rocky Mountains? Now you can do it all! … Well, you can make it look like you did it all. Juxtaposer is the best app for creating fun photomontages. Cut out a piece of one photo and stick it onto another. We can't stop playing with it! We're going to show you the ins and outs of this app and turn you into a pro user. Because everyone needs to know how to make a photo of themselves swimming in a tub of ice cream."

"Storytelling is such an important skill and there are plenty of ways to turn your students into storytellers using a mobile device. These apps are perfect for kids of all ages and can be tailored to a wide range of activities and tasks. Search through this list to see which app is the best fit for your class."

"On Friday, the second graders had a blast exploring the Augmented Reality app called Chromville. To use this free app, you must first print and color out the special pages from the Chromville website (link below). Currently there are 6 pages - I chose the page that lets you create a character because of the creative possibilities that it offered. Students designed and colored their character during the week and came with the completed sheets to technology class."

"As we head towards a world where coding is considered a necessary skill, teaching pupils the basics of programming has never been more crucial. Unlike the common belief that coding is a specialised skill only applicable to selected areas, programming is actually used in almost all industries. Coding is not for young adults and 'geeks' anymore; even elementary students can easily dive into this complex world with the use of modern day technology. The qualm that people have against teaching coding so early usually involves lack of space in the current curriculum and the lack of confidence (in the child or teacher's) ability to code themselves. Thanks to the rise in popularity of mobile technology and apps, even the most inexperienced user can easily learn the core concepts of coding. Below are great apps which you can utilise to learn and teach basic programming."

"Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are still a mystery to most adults, so teaching children how they work may seem a strange ambition. Nevertheless, that's the aim of a new app, The Bitcoin Alphabet - for Kids and Everyone Else, released for Apple's iPad tablet this week by author Chris Bozak and publisher iKandy. The app is a mixture of illustrations and text explanations in plain English, and as its title makes clear, it has an eye on parents who don't know their blockchains from their hash rates, as well as their children."

"I just learned through Learning in Hand that the iPad app Sentence Builder is now free for a limited period of time (used to cost $4,99). Sentence Builder is an app that provides language practice for young learners. It basically helps them learn about words, pronunciation, grammar and punctuation."

"Let's face it - getting kids to learn their math facts can be a challenge. But once they know them, they know them forever. The process of "doing math" becomes more efficient and less frustrating when kids know their facts. Luckily there are plenty of fun apps that can help kids become "math fact" proficient. All of these apps are FREE or were "FREE for a limited time" when I reviewed them. Check them out - they're all great!"

"Evernote is a powerful note taking web tool and mobile app. It is definitely an elemental component of teachers workflow. I have been using it for a few years now and I just can't live without it now.Evernote enables you to take notes in both text and audio format. Your notes can also include images,videos and even files. Evernote is available across different devices so that everything you do with Evernote on your computer can be automatically synced to your Evernote account on your phone or tablet. With the growing popularity and widespread of Evernote, there appeared a wide variety of applications that can enhance your productivity and expand your Evernote experience. Here are some of these applications as recommended by Evernote app centre:"

"Following the post on iPad Apps for Music Education I received a couple of requests to feature a post on  iPad apps for  teaching and learning piano. And because I don't know any that I would recommend I crowdsourced the topic on my personal learning network and got a lot of feedback from music teachers. Based on these responses I compiled the list below for other piano teachers to consider. I hope you will find the list helpful. Enjoy."

"The Health app, loaded onto all iPhones with iOS 8 and sitting prominently on the home screen, is clearly ambitious, but at the moment the majority of it's intended abilities remain inactive or useless (at least without additional third party sensors, which don't seem to exist yet). But for those with a new iPhone, the Health app can be useful right now, because it has the ability to track your steps like a pedometer, as well as flights of stairs climbed, and your walking / running distance. "

"If you are using or planning to use iPad in your instruction the apps below are definitely a must have. These are apps that will help you organize your class and enhance students learning. Some of the things you can do with these applications include: create virtual spaces for your classes, share materials with your students such as files and documents, get students to pass in their assignments, post reminders, share quizzes and homework assignments with students, send reports to parents and school administrators  and many more."

"I teach fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Resource Room in a small public school. We are well endowed and all students grades 6 - 8 have their own iPads. I wanted to share some of the apps we use regularly in school. Please keep in mind, this is not a complete list, just what seems to be used over and over again. Also, make note that I am a special education teacher and some of these apps may be intended for younger students. Remember that not all kids are on page 39, let alone the same book - "

"Exploratorium's Color Uncovered iPad app is essentially a seventeen part ebook with some nice interactive activities and videos built into it to support the articles. In Color Uncovered students will why we sometimes see colors that aren't really there, how light influences the colors we see, and why dogs would have trouble with traffic lights if they drove. One of the interactive features on Color Uncovered that I particularly like is the "Colors Add Up" activity. In "Colors Add Up" students use a clear CD case (I'm sure any other clear piece of plastic will work too) to mix colors projected from their iPads. The app also gives students a couple of short lessons on how and why artificial colors are added to foods like salmon, candy, cheese, and fruit. "