I found a lot of great apps that I was not aware of before researching online. This was a great way to introduce myself to knew apps and not just talk about the apps that I already know a lot about.
Osmo is a great app that changes the way that students interact with digital games. Through creating, exploring, and learning students are able to use Osmo to play various games that help students in math, coding, spelling puzzles, and drawing. This app is for creating and exploring through the various games they have. I see myself using this in relation to math and giving students real world applications with math. Often times it can be hard to apply math concepts learned in class to a real life situation that the students might not have experienced yet.
Strengths for this app is it has a high level of engagement and motivation when playing these games, it is creative and fun for the students and can create critical thinking.
A weakness that I have for this is how expensive it can be. For educators to apply this in the classroom it can be hard to do so because of how expensive it can be especially with the added equipment.
Explain Everything is interactive whiteboard for students, which is an easy-to-use design with screencasting and interactive whiteboard tools that allow students to animate, narrate, import, export and annotate while using the app. Creating slides that allow students to draw in any colour and shape with various texts, pictures and videos. Students are able to rotate, move and arrange any object to the slide as well as recording and playing back the slide to flow cohesively. I would implement this as an app for publishing or creating, I would envision myself using this app with the class by introducing the app and giving the students the opportunity to this it for any sort of presentations or interactive videos that we do. For instance, for Genius Hour if the students are wanting to learn to knit the students are able to record themselves then draw over the video to direct the viewer on what they are doing during each step.
Strength for this app is that it provides a creative way rather than using google slides or power point.
Weakness for this app is that it can be tricky for students to learn at the beginning and it can limit their ability or creativeness with just the abilities that they have on the app.
Hopscotch is a coding app that allows students to use the skills of coding to make a game. This app allows students to create their own games and share what they create with other like-minded individuals. I would use this app in my classroom to introduce an interactive way to learn coding with the students.
Strengths with this app is that it reflects on STEM and allowing students to be creative while also understanding the coding aspect to creating games. Critical thinking, engagement and creativity are all involved.
Weakness when using this app is that it can be difficult for teachers to maybe explain the process to the students if they have never done coding before.
GoNoodle is an app that gives parents and educators the ability to get kids moving. With short interactive activities it allows for desk-side movement, which helps kids achieve more by keeping them engaged and motivated throughout the day. I would use this in my classroom when giving students a break in-between lessons.
Strength for this app is its engaging, active and fun for the students to do in the classroom and even at home.
Weakness without any sort of technology in the classroom like a projector or smartboard it can be difficult to use.
Educreations is a great app to create new videos for learning. Educators and even students are able to go on this app and create videos to explain concepts and topics for others. This app offers individuals to create videos using voice, pen and screen recorder. By having someone talk you through certain concepts and use the pen to write down key elements and steps when learning these concepts its a great way for educators to learn concepts and for students to learn about these concepts before and even after lessons. I would implement this in my classroom as a way to get students thinking about the concept we will discuss before class through forms of blended learning. I would also love to implement this for students to create videos for other classrooms that are learning similar concepts or even younger kids who might need someone else to explain a topic.
Strengths for this app is that it allows for students to be creative when creating these videos as well as gaining more information with videos with other educators. Having students learn about concepts from other educators it can increase their understanding instead of just having their one teacher constantly try to explain concepts to them.
Weakness I might not provide engagement and motivation for all students to watch these videos to learn about certain concepts and information.