Week 7 & 8 Assignment: The Best 10 Apps.pptx

Slideshow of the best 10 apps for teachers to use in the classroom

1. Week 7 & 8 Assignment: THE BEST 10 APPS Jonathan Underwood

2. Quizlet Link: quizlet.com Specific Uses: Students will use quizlet to create vocabulary/study flashcards Student Feedback?: Quizlet provides immediate student feedback that lets them check for understanding. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Understanding and Applying Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Quizlet is very intuitive to use. Users simply create a flashcard set and enter. What kind of privacy does it offer?: Teachers can make a personal account and make their study sets either private or public. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: Since Quizlet is a general study tool, it does not directly connect to curriculum standards. However, it can be adapted and used for any course, subject, or topic. Instructions?: For first-time users, Quizlet has pop-up style instructions that show how to create or study a flashcard set. Quizlet made the best 10 apps list because it is probably the most popular app in schools today. It allows students to make their own study sets and share them with classmates. Students of all ages use Quizlet to learn, study, and review material. No list of the best 10 apps is complete without Quizlet.

3. Kahoot Link: kahoot.com Specific Uses: Pretest checks for understanding, review day games, study sets, etc. Student Feedback?: When playing Kahoot, students receive immediate feedback by knowing whether they got the answer right or wrong. They are also able to keep up with their score and compete with classmates. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Remembering and Understanding Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Kahoot is very easy to use. Students simply enter the code that the teachers display on the board to join a Kahoot game. What kind of privacy does it offer?: Each Kahoot generates a different code for students to use to join a game. This ensures that the only students playing the game are the ones present in class. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: Like Quizlet, Kahoot is a general study tool. It does not directly connect to curriculum standards. However, it can be adapted and used for any course, subject, or topic. Instructions?: While it is pretty self-explanatory, Kahoot provides clear instructions on how to both create and participate in a Kahoot game. Kahoot was one of the first classroom online review games and the best of its kind. It is extremely versatile and can be used for any subject. Kahoot allows students to review by playing a game. The gameplay interface is very engaging and helps students enjoy review time.

4. Khan Academy Link: khanacademy.org Specific Uses: Assigning video lessons and review quizzes for almost any subject. Student Feedback?: The quizzes built in to each course unit function as a skill check to give students feedback about their understanding. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Remembering and Understanding. The video lessons will require students to use higher levels of thinking such as application and analyzation. Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Khan Academy is very simple to use. Students simply find the course, unit, and topic they are studying. It is also free to use! What kind of privacy does it offer?: Khan Academy allows users to create a personal account to track topics studied, but minimal personal information is required. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: The information available in Khan Academy aligns very well with curriculum standards. The AP courses even use the same units and topics as the College Board. Instructions?: Khan Academy is very simple to use and does not require instructions. Khan Academy makes the list of best 10 apps because of how much review content it makes available to students and teachers. It also makes the list because it provides very high quality information to all users for free. Khan Academy is one of the most user-friendly apps in education.

5. Google Earth Link: https://earth.google.com/web/ Specific Uses: Map drills, global exploration, geography lessons, “cool coordinates of the day” Student Feedback?: Does not provide any student feedback Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Remembering, Understanding Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Very easy to use. Simply search or drag and zoom to find a place. What kind of privacy does it offer?: Google Earth is a Google service and follows Google’s privacy policies for data sharing and location. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: The skills connect to world geography curriculum standards for map usage and physical characteristics. Instructions?: Google Earth contains an instructional walkthrough feature and offers navigational tools/tips Google Earth made the best 10 apps because it is the best satellite and mapping tool to use in a geography class. It contains interactive features within the maps interface, as well.

6. Nearpod Link: https://nearpod.com/ Specific Uses: Interactive, instructional lessons Student Feedback?: Nearpod gives both students and teachers feedback. After completing a lesson, teachers can receive a post-session report to check for learning gaps. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Analyzation, Evaluation, and Creation Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Nearpod is easily navigable for teachers to create and choose lessons. Like Kahoot, students simply enter a class code to join a lesson. What kind of privacy does it offer?: Nearpod is not allowed to sell any student data. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: Nearpod offers a wide range of lessons on various subjects and topics. These lessons can easily align with and supplement curriculum standards of a given course. Instructions?: Like most high-quality apps, Nearpod provides clear instructions for creating and joining a lesson for both teachers and students. Additionally, there are several instructional videos online and tutorials made by other teachers. Nearpod made the list of the best 10 apps because of its ability to foster engagement by giving students checks for understanding and formative assessments while offering live feedback during a lesson.

7. StoryMapJS Link: storymap.knightlab.com Specific Uses: StoryMapJS allows students to make interactive maps. This would be used for both history and geography lessons. Student Feedback?: StoryMapJS is a virtual sandbox where students can create interactive maps, so no immediate feedback is provided. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Creating Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Students with general technological knowledge will be able to navigate StoryMapJS and add images and text. What kind of privacy does it offer?: An account is not required to use StoryMapJS, so personal information is not required Skills connected to curriculum standards?: The skills used with StoryMapJS most closely align with geography and history curriculum standards. Instructions?: Using StoryMapJS is straightforward, but it also provides clear instructions. StoryMapJS was included in the best 10 apps list because it gives students an opportunity to create and exercise higher levels of thinking. Students have an opportunity to use information they have learned in class and create something interactive for others to use.

8. iCivics: Win the White House Link: https://ed.icivics.org/games/win-white-house Specific Uses: For use in civics class or a government class the electoral process, Presidential election, executive branch, or general elections. Student Feedback?: Win the White House is a game, so students will receive feedback through gameplay. Students will see how each decision that they make in the game impacts their campaign. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Analyzation, Evaluation. This game also requires students to practice decision-making skills. Easy or Intuitive to Use?: The game is very straightforward and easy to play. What kind of privacy does it offer?: The game does not require an account or any kind of personal information in order to play. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: Win the White House aligns with civics and government curriculum standards Instructions?: Win the White House is a game and has instructions given throughout the gameplay process. Win the White House made the best 10 apps because it is a simple way for students to learn about the rather complex and involved election process within the United States. Instead of students having to sit and listen about how elections work, they get to experience the process by playing a game. The game also promotes learning because the students each have a goal for their candidate to become the President.

9. Historypin Link: historypin.org Specific Uses: Students will use Historypin to research the history of their hometown or place where their family is from. Student Feedback?: Historypin allows students to create and does not provide immediate feedback. It does allow for people to comment on their posts, though. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Evaluation and Creation Easy or Intuitive to Use?: Historypin is fairly intuitive and allows students to add a pin with basic technological understanding. What kind of privacy does it offer?: Students are allowed to make their pins private or public. While students will have to create account to use Historypin, they should be mindful of they post on it. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: Instructions?: The Historypin website provides clear instructions on how to get started and add a pin. Historypin was added to the list of the best 10 apps because it is another one that allows students to create and use higher levels of thinking. Historypin allows students to take the initiative in understanding more fully the history of where they come from. Historypin was added because it would be a great to use in project-based instruction or include in a portfolio project.

10. C-Span Classroom Link: https://www.c-span.org/classroom/ Specific Uses: Bellringers, current events assignments Student Feedback?: C-Span Classroom does not provide direct student feedback. However, teachers can use the bellringer prompts to evaluate student learning and provide feedback. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Analyzation and Evaluation Easy or Intuitive to Use?: C-Span Classroom is easy to use and allows teachers to find resources to use in social studies classes. Students can also access articles and videos for further learning. What kind of privacy does it offer?: C-Span Classroom does not require users to create an account, and users can simply surf the website to find resources Skills connected to curriculum standards?: The resources on C-Span Classroom could align with any of the social studies and can be used in several different social studies classes. Instructions?: C-Span Classroom provides teachers with lesson plans and instructional ideas to use in the classroom. C-Span Classroom made the list of the best 10 apps because it is a tool that both teachers and students can use in the classroom. C-Span Classroom is different from most of the other apps on this list because it provides instructional resources that are primarily for teacher use.

11. Virtual Stock Exchange from MarketWatch Link: marketwatch.com/game Specific Uses: An economics classroom competition that allows students to make real-time investments and exchanges in a stock market simulation using virtual currency. Student Feedback?: Virtual Stock Exchange provides students immediate feedback with how much money their investments is making. It also provides students feedback based on where they rank within their class in the stock market competition. Higher Learning Thinking Skills?: Analyzation, Evaluation, and Creating. Students have to analyze stock market trends, evaluate how to invest their money, and create and monitor a real-time investment portfolio. Easy or Intuitive to Use?: The Virtual Stock Exchange interface is very easy to use. However, students will need to learn about different pieces of the stock market before they will understand what they are doing in the game. What kind of privacy does it offer?: Virtual Stock Exchange requires users to create an account; however, they will join a game that only contains members of their class. Skills connected to curriculum standards?: This app best aligns with skills connected to economics and personal finance curriculum standards. Instructions?: As students begin the game, Virtual Stock Exchange provides users with instructions about how to navigate the stock market simulation and how to invest their virtual currency. Virtual Stock Exchange made the best 10 apps list because it is one of the most practical applications of content discussed in class. Students in economics class can take information they have learned about the markets and apply it directly to a game that simulates exactly what happens in the live stock market. Students often get very excited about the game and work very hard to create a strong portfolio. This app also gets students interested in something that they probably had little to no interest in before playing the game.