Skip to main content

Top Five Mobile Apps for Teachers

I have researched top educational apps for teachers of 2016-2017, and I have chosen five that I think are the most useful for my classroom and students. 

Epic is an extensive on-line library for students that contains over 15,000 books.  Teachers can use this app in their classroom and save money on their classroom libraries! It is absolutely free for educators and parents can purchase it for $4.99 a month.  You can use EPIC on a desktop, laptop, and even Chromebooks.  The app can be downloaded on any IOS or Android device. Students have individual profiles and books are recommended based on the child's reading level and/or interest.  My students enjoy using this app!

Quizlet is an app that allows you to make your own flashcards for quizzes or choose from thousands of already made quizzes by subject.  This app helps you study for weekly quizzes, standardized tests, or a unit test.  It not only has flashcards that help you study, but there is also a matching game and a game where you shoot asteroids to protect the planet.  Quizlet is free, or you can upgrade to Quizlet Plus for $19.99 a year. You can use it on any device (phone, tablet, desktop, laptop) and any browser and even offline.  

Remind101 is a fantastic way to communicate with parents and students.  It is like text messaging, but without parents and students having your cell phone number.  You can send out reminders or messages to a group, a single person, or to the school.  It also translates into 70 different languages. You can also see who has viewed your messages. Teachers can also plan a trip, collect money, and share class photos through Remind.  I use this in my classroom to remind parents of important dates, information, or assignments that are due soon.  It is free for a teacher to have an account, but a school or district must request a quote.  It can be used with Android and IOS devices.  

 TOO NOISY PRO - http://toonoisyapp.com/
TooNoisy is an app that is wonderful to use when you are doing centers in your classroom. It has a meter that shows when your students are getting too loud during class.  The background graphics of the app changes when the class is too noisy.   I have used the free version in my classroom, and my kids think that it is neat.  It makes them aware of their noise level, and they know if they are too loud they will have to do center work alone after the third time.  This app also helps cut down on talking and not working because normally if they are just having a conversation, they get loud.  You have six different backgrounds to choose from with the Pro version, whereas the free or lite version only has one.  This version of the app is  $1.99 and can be used with IOS and Android devices.  

KAHOOT - https://getkahoot.com/
KAHOOT is an app that turns learning into a game, and the kids love it!  You can make your own Kahoot, or you can search for one that is already made.  Creating your own is simple, and it takes just a few minutes, depending on how many questions you want to add.  You create multiple choice questions. You can add pictures, videos, and diagrams to your Kahoot.  Your kids do not have to set up an account, each game has a pin number that they will enter and then they will put in their name.  The kids earn points for answering each question and if you earn more points for answering quickly.  It has a leaderboard for the top five students after each question.  You can use it on any device with internet connection. The best thing about Kahoot is that it is FREE!!  





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Horizon Report p. 14-15

Good afternoon everyone!  Teachers, we know that video tutorials have become an excellent way to reinforce skills that we have taught in class.  If our students are struggling with a math homework problem, they can go home and pull up a Khan Academy video or even use the Photomath app to help them figure out how to solve the problem.  You guys may think this idea is crazy, but what if we allowed our students to make their own videos to show what they know?!  Our students making videos would not only be beneficial for them, but it would also benefit our struggling students.  Some students may grasp the skill better by hearing the information from a peer because they can relate to each other’s way of thinking.  Also, allowing our students to create videos also shows that they have a deeper understanding of the skill that they are teaching.  Some students have difficulty putting their thoughts and work on paper, and this will give those student...
Post a Comment
Read more

Watch Out For This Online Learning Trend...

The online learning trend that I explored was personalized learning.  Personalized learning is changing the pace of instructions, being able to differentiate instruction according to the student, allow the users to choose their own learning path, and using the student's experiences and interest to meet their needs.  We use Compass at our school, it does not let them choose their own path, but it gives them a path based on their STAR test scores, differentiating their instruction.  They can also go at their own pace.   Using technology in your classroom is a great way to personalize learning because you do not have to use the same content delivery method for each student.  It is also a good idea because students do not have to be embarrassed because they are not doing the same tasks as others.  There are many different apps to use for personalized learning.  Nearpod -  https://nearpod.com/ Nearpod is a great way to present information...
Post a Comment
Read more

Horizon Report pg 12-13

These are five educational blogs for teachers to follow and keep up with trends in education: 1.  TeachThought 2.   The Innovative Educator 3.  Ditch That Textbook 4. Shake Up Learning 5.   Edutopia What is "Gamingspace?" A Gamingspace is a place where parents, students, and teachers can all intermingle and discover what skills are needed for 21st-century learners.  A Gamingspace has gaming consoles such as an Xbox, Wii kinect, and Playstation for parents and students to use and explore before and after school.  Gamingspace is used to help students with skill-building and collaborative skills. It is also designed to get parents and teachers involved with their students.   What should be your point of emphasis when designing discussion forums? According to Michael Gorman, your point of emphasis should be aimed at the content standards and 21st-century skills while moving up Bloom's higher levels (Gorman, 2014).   Gorma...
Post a Comment
Read more