the world of mobile learning
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/144/a-is-for-app.html
Name of app: More Pizza! and More Toast!
Grade levels: K-5
Free or Fee: .99
Rating: 4/5
Company: Maverick Software
Why you like it: These two apps are by the same developer so I am reviewing them together as either will work in the classroom. The apps may seem pointless – one gets to make their own toast or pizza by choosing the ingredients they want. However, this make a great pre-write activitiy when used in teaching students how to write a how-to or procedural paper and what is the best is - there is no classroom mess! So have students write step-by-step the steps they took to make their toast or their pizza. Way cool!
Name of app: Library D
Grade levels: pre K-1
Free or Fee: 6.99
Rating: 4/5
Company: Learning A-Z and Readsmart
Why I like it: This app provides guided reading support for kindergarten and first grade readers. There are 12 books, 11 level D books and one level E book. There is with a variety of genres within the library. As with any variety of books, some are going to capture your student’s interest and some will not, but what I like is that all the books are on the same reading level so a child has lots of space to feel successful. This is a great way to deliver reading practice without using valuable paper resources. In addition, because these are delivered through an app, readers will not feel threatened if they are reading above or below the reading level of others in their class. There is no sound so teachers do not have to deal with headphones or ear buds. Level libraries are also available for aa through letter J which takes a reader through first grade.
Name of app: Cute Math
Grade levels: pre K-1
Free or Fee: 1.99
Rating: 4/5
Company: Bokan Technologies
Why I like it: This app provides a lot of review for those learning their numbers and grasping early maths. The first two selections teach number concept. The second looks at number recognition and order, the third reviews addition, the fourth reviews subtraction. Balloon Bounce and Parachute Fall review both addition and subtraction. All activities only go up to the number 10. The child is not asked to create any problems so the app is all skill and drill.
LearningA-Z, the folks who bring us ReadingA-Z and Raz-kids, have just uploaded 111 leveled readers in the iTunes App store. Now you can have your students practice reading at their ability level on your iPod Touches! The books are identified by both level by alphabet and by color so non readers can find the books suitable for them easily. The level aa books label colorful pictures. The level A books have simple sentences. Each progressive letter is a little bit harder than the letter before it so B is a little harder to read than A. I see books to the letter J so I hope they are going to complete the alphabet.
This is way cool! I can see teachers or grades with class sets of iPods putting different colored covers on their pods and asking students to read from the red pod or the purple pod. The books are short but that makes it perfect for students to read again and again – very non-threatening. There is a mix of fiction and nonfiction which is always good and among the samples are science books, and social studies, and folk tales. I think this is a great addition to the app store and shows that at least one educational company is paying attention to mobile learning. YEA!
Put LAZ reader in your iTunes Search and all the books will show up in a window. Click see more to see all of the titles – many are free but even if they are not free, they are only .99 cents and then you own that book forever. I can’t buy a book anywhwere at that price — definitely worth checking out! LAZ reader
This is a pretty good slideshare that shows how apps relate to Blooms Taxonomy. [slideshare id=2492062&doc=ipodtouchelearning-091113061222-phpapp02]
I think anyone who is interested in implementing iPodTouches in the classroom should follow this forum on Classroom 2.0:
http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/ipod-touch-schoolwide?page=26&commentId=649749%3AComment%3A408342&x=1#649749Comment408342
There are over 18 pages of discussion – everything from lists of suggested apps for classroom implementation, carts, usage agreements, and contacts of those actively using iPod Touches in the classroom.
Join in the discussion today!
Just as an FYI Learninga-z is offering FREE H1N1 resources for use in schools – GREAT DEAL
http://www.learninga-z.com/special/swineflu/
Are you getting in the Christmas holiday spirit? Do you need something to entertain the kids while you are holiday shopping? Try Santa’s Village by EnsenaSoft. This app has beautiful colors and is engagingly decorated in the Christmas holiday spirirt.
The app suffers a bit of an identity crisis that some may view as a plus. Some of the activities within it appeal to different age groups. For example, where one activity has addition problems gauged at first and second graders, another asks the user to match pictures which that age group will likely find too easy and is better suited to PreK- K audiences. In fact, the majority of the other activities are based on memory games which can be suitable for all ages – even adults. Users are asked to remember sound sequences and the order in which Santa delivers presents to different continents.
The holiday theme will most likely mean that the app will not be used in schools for handheld learning as more and more schools are banning the celebration of holidays – particullarly those that have theor roots in religion – this app has no religious directed activities. All the activities are surrounding the commercial side of Christmas – reindeer, snowmen, Christmas trees and Santa Claus.
In conclusion:
Stepworks has bright and cheerful early readers for young children of two classic stories- The Little Red Hen and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. I am captivated at the very beginning by the bright colors and engaging art. Upon opening the user is greeted by a smaller version of the book cover with three lines of text to the right which have equal value because of the way they are graphically treated. A non reader would hit the arrows and at least the developer placed the “read to me” version first so the non reader would probably hit the correct arrow. Along the bottom the user has three language choices with which to play the app - English, Spanish, or Cantonese. The English is commonwealth English and all three versions are narrated by children. The Boy who Cried Wolf is narrated by a girl. The fluency is cute but would not be considered a fluent reading by a teacher as the phrasing is awkward. Still the art, the sound effects, and the minimal animation are strong enough to keep a child engaged in the story. Two improvements I would like to see are to highlight the words as they are read to encourage word association with young readers and to fix the fluency of the reading. I give these two apps a 4 out of 5 stars for its educational value and a 5 out of 5 for entertainment. I would love to see more stories from this company – especially if they followed my recommendations.
Susan Wells states: Three great apps by Tacticality Software, a company producing apps specifically for K-12 educational environment: CountBy and TimesBy, interactive touch math apps and SentenceSpin, interactive touch language arts app.
Check them out at these utube links:
SentenceSpin, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGnmy4VMpmM
CountBy, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hdz7jxE2UA&feature=related
TimesBy, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJRpZrO0_yk&feature=related
I assume that since you are reading this blog you are interested in using mobile devices in the classroom. Susan Wells has been monitoring a great discussion surrounding her experiences using iPod Touches with her middle school in North Carolina. There are over 18 pages of comments and each time I visited the discussion I learn soemething new. Sign up for it on the Classroom 2.0 NING. Follow this link and dig in!
http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/ipod-touch-schoolwide?x=1&id=649749%3ATopic%3A299804&page=18#comments
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