EDU 364.01 Spring 2014Cloud Tools & Apps We Like

Duolingo is a free language-learning app available online, on iOS, and Android platforms. Offers visual, verbal, and auditory questions, explanations, and examples. Levels increase by difficulty and weekly challenges for each user based on personal skill. Easy, fun, and free to use.DuolingoNegatives: In order to move up a level the tests can be very long and tiring for certain levels. Questions repeat once in a while (but not too often). Only effective if the user is dedicated to using it every day. Used for elementary level and upAlexa de la TorreDuolingo provides a variety of examples that can be used to teach Spanish. I could use these examples and change them around to use in my classroom and for homework assignments.Positives: Free, easy set up, easy to use, extremely effective, can be used for young children as well as adults. Enables you to speak, write, understand the language. Utilizes pictures and detailed explanations for what you want to know. Does not let you move on to the next level until you pass each test. These tests are challenging but helpful and give the correct answers with explanations. Standards: Offers many different ways to learn the language as opposed to just memorizing words. This helps all styles of learning for all ages. All levels have different categories that must be tested before increasing levels. Story Jumper www.storyjumper.com Arabella Trofemuk POSITIVES Easy to use Lots of prompts to help imagination. Speedy process Appropriate for many different age groupsNEGATIVES The cost of ordering a hardback book is expensive Students can get distracted by all the illustration options.General Information Suitable for students from K 5th grade. Could be used in social studies, or in ELA Could be used by students to take turns creating stories they have written in their journals. Printable worksheet can be used to accommodate more students.How you could use it Mini lessons on paper that then get put into the websiteWriting buddies can take turns adding to the story Easy to use at home so can be set for homeworkWhat the Website does The website lets parents, students and teachers create stories on the computer that they can illustrate and then have made into real printed books. The App is recommended for children five and under, teaching them the first steps of drawing figures, matching colors and categorizing according to color and shape. The best part about the app is how colorful it is and the way the friendly avatars make you want to play the game. I would definitely continue looking for a similar app but with some accommodations; for example: more shapes to draw, and being able to pass the level without having the shape be so perfect. The app would be helpful to get more practice after the lesson on shapes, colors. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/frugoton-shapes-colorseducation/id661075031?mt=8 Nicole Rodriguez-Baez Edmodo: The Social Network of Education Fun, simple, easy to use; geared at high school studentsPurpose: Collaborates student, teacher, and parents to a common place to access all educational information for a specific classWhat I Like: Classwork, homework, grades, list and dates of assignments all in one place This app can be used anywhere; home, school, work This tool creates a social yet educational environment that helps all parties maintain organization and utilize instructional technology in a changing world Personalized interaction accessed from smartphones, laptops, and tabletsWhat I Dont Like: Has the possibility to remove some verbal communication between parents, teachers, and studentsKristie Kosinski * Courtney Glasco EDU 364-01 Feebruary 6, 2014 What is Kid Blog? KidBlog is an app designed to be used in the classroom for students to blog. It is set up for grads K-12. The blogs are set up and managed through the teachers. They are private and can be reviewed by the students in the class, the teacher, and even the parents. The parents are able to sign in and access the class that their child is in.Main Page The teacher sets up a class blog, inviting all of the students in the class. The main page of the blog is seen to the left. Students Blog Each student has their own main page and they are able to start blogging! This is a great way to introduce what exactly blogging is especially for younger students. In their blogs, students are able to incorporate slideshows, videos, and even other apps.How Can KidBlog be Used in the Classroom? As a teacher, I would use this app to create weekly blogs. I would give the students a topic each week to blog on. I would also require them to comment on their classmates blog. As the school year went on, and the students learned to use PowerPoint, and other apps, I would ask them to include them in their blogs.At the end of the year, these blogs on their KidBlog can be reviewed as an e-portfolio for them and for their parents to see. It is a good opportunity for them to used the internet and as a showcase of their work. Dan OBrienABC Mouse is a website/app that aids children in better understanding various subjects that are taught in schoolIt can be used as an extremely useful tool by teachers who have children who are struggling in their classThe site and its apps, that are available for download on apple and android devices, are geared toward early childhoodOne game was called ABC Zoo, and the game lets children interact with different animals in the zoo. Each time a child touches one of the animals, which walk around and make noises as if the child is at an actual zoo, a fact is told and displayed about the animal that the child touches.Another app that was available was ABC Music. This app allows children to click on a letter of the alphabet which then plays a song about the letter and displays pictures and words that start with that letter. The Read Me Stories App allows you to preview books for children while reading the stories out loud. This app helps children practice their listening and reading skills! This app is ideal for children who are entering preschool. I like how this app gives you the option to read the stories out loud to you and has fun and exciting stories! I do not like that the words are too small and not victualing appealing. This app uses language arts standards for listening and reading. BITSBOARD By Kelsey Baumann EDU 364.01 BITSBOARD Bitsboard is a educational app that helps children learn reading, sight words, numbers, etc. using educational games, and flashcards.The app has more than 10 great learning games in one convenient app such as flashcards, true or false, memory cards, match up, word builder.Some of the topics in the app are emotions, exotic animals, famous places, first sentences, learn English, learn Spanish.The grade level is 2nd and above. They cover the main subjects such as English, Language and Social Studies.I really like that they have so many different types of games in one app so it makes it easier for the child to learn and make it more fun. There is nothing I did not like about this app.As a elementary school teacher, I would use this app to give assignments to my students and to help them practice their vocabulary words and other skills that will help them learn better. This will make practicing vocabulary words more fun as they are presented in games. GRAMMAR BASE GrammarBase: A free app that allows individuals to upload their work, have it evaluated in areas such as plagiarism, grammar, spelling, formatting, etc. This app helps individuals correct errors that were still present after being proofread.Individuals of all ages are able to use this user friendly app. As long as you have a document that needs evaluating, this app is ready for you to use! However, if students were using this app, it would be most likely used for English classes or Social Studies classes, classes in which students are required to write papers.In my opinion, I liked that this app allows people of all ages to use this app, it is not directed towards one particular age group. I also like that this app is user friendly and free! However, I dont like that individuals may use this app to correct any and every error without being able to proofread on their own.As a teacher I can use this app in my elementary class to encourage students to double check their work after they have proofread their assignments.Kathleen Coxhttp://www.grammarbase.com/ Standards: 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. BrainPOP Kaitlyn McCormack BrainPOP consists of videos explaining topics in Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Art & Music, Health, and Engineering & Technology This app is useful for students in Kindergarten to 12th grade I like that there are videos that explain the topic and then there are quizzes and activities after to see what the student learned. The only downfall is you need a password from your district to have full access to the app I would have the videos in part of my lesson. Then as a class we would do the quiz and see who understood and who didnt BrainPOP has state standards and the common core standards as well Myths and Legends is an online database overf lowing withcolorful stories from the past, spooky tales, and well kept secrets. Language Arts students anywhere from 3 rd to 7 th grade, depending on the chosen story. Used as a worldwide collection of folk tales and stories from a variety of cultures. Students and teachers are able to collaborate and write/enter stories about their own hometown. Likes:Dislikes: Limited activitiesExtremely user friendly Wide variety of stories Interactive Encourages global learning Teacher friendlyStandards: Myths & Legends meets standards 1-3 by effectively encouraging creativity as students write their own stories, creating original works, and then submitting them to the cite for students around the world to enjoy. This site teaches students how to communicate and create through technology, collaborating with other students, and researching tales from various cultures. Blu Graphing Calculator Michelle Lopes Description of App It is a scientific and graphing calculator It has 24 trigonometric functions, complex numbers support, constants, variables and more You can create anything using your hands It would be appropriate for math at all high school grade levels There is many things I like about this This app is like having a graphing calculator in your hands, they are one in the same because it is a virtual version of a graphing calculator Instead of having to bring your calculator to class you just bring the tablet the school has to offer Forgetting your calculator isnt an excuse anymore There wasnt anything I disliked about this app It could be used to do everyday problems in math class for a high school student This tool addresses the standard ISTE NETS of Creativity and Innovation the students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/enus/app/blu-graphing-calculator/764cce318f93-48a6-b4fc-008eb78e50d4 EasyBib is an app for a phone or tablet. This app was made to help students cite books for papers they need to write. To use the app, the students open it and are able to take a picture of the barcode on the book and then choose the style they are writing their paper in, APA, MLA, Chicago Style. Students are also able to search the name of the book in the app, and select it that way.I am going to start using this app for the rest of my college career, its extremely helpful. In I always have trouble citing my sources, so my career as an Early I think that this is a great app. I Like the Education Teacher, the fact that the app allows students to email app will not be themselves the books they have cited, that necessary for my way they never loose the citation. students.EasyBib would be most useful for High school and College students.High School they would probably only need the app for their English Classes. College students have to write a paper in almost every class, so they will us the app oftenMeagan OConnell DescriptionPatricia VillaltaThis App allows teachers to have everything in one place. It allows teachers to set up a gradebook, upload lesson plans, assess their lessons, and arrange seating charts.What I like/ dislike about it: I like that it is organized appropriately and gives the options to help teachers become organized. What I dont like is that it doesnt give the students a place to upload any assignments.How Could I Use it: This could be helpful if I want to keep an online record of what my students grades are.Who Would Use it? Teachers are able to use this website to create their lessons, students are able to look up their assignments and parents are able to see their child's grades.Standards the app addresses: NETS 2.B Communication and Collaboration. With this app they may collaborate with their instructors. STORYBIRD CREATE, READ, AND SHARE VISUAL STORIES Storybird is a website/ literacy tool used to create visual stories It caters to students, teachers, parents, and artists It can be used by children and adults of all ages and is perfect for reading and writing I like it because it is a fun, creative, and innovative way for teachers to engage their students I would use it as a literacy tool and a way to entice my students to interact with their peers and co-author stories This website promotes student exploration and allows them to discover the writers within http://storybird.com Rebecca PonceAccording to the ISTE NETS for Students, the standards used for this site would be creativity and innovation (1), communication and collaboration (2) and research and information fluency (3). STARFALL Starfall is a educational app that allows students to practice their reading and math skills. It is a excellent app that includes a combination of text formats (stories, songs, poems) games and engages the learner. This app is good because it helps students practice their academic skills while having fun. What could be better about this app is if it could service children in grades three to five.http://www.starfall.com/Starfall is good for children preschool to second grade.This app could be used in centers to reinforce concepts learned, foster positive selfesteem and success and provide independent learning. This app can be also used in small groups that need help with a specific skills.Starfall addresses: Reading Common Core Standards: Phonological Awareness: RF.1.2a,b,c,d Phonics and Word Recognition: RF.1.3a,b,c,d,e,f,g Mathematics Common Core Standards: Operations& Algebraic Thinking: 1.OA.A.1,2,/1oA.B.3, 4/1.OA.C.5,6/1.OA. D.7,8 Simone Oxford WORDLE By: Thomas Falbo What is Wordle? wordle is a toy for generating word clouds from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like.Who would use it? Wordle can be used by anyone. It can be used by any age group, and in any content area. It is a good cloud tool that can be a fun way to learn.How could you use it? Children could use Wordle to tell other classmate all about themselves and their interests Children could use Wordle as a study tool by putting vocabulary words into their Wordles.What are the Pros/Cons? Pros Wordle is quick and easy to use. Creating a Wordle will take only a few minutes and it is not complicated. Cons Wordle is too simple, all you do is add the text you want in your word cloud and Wordle does the rest of the work for you.What standards does it address? 1a,1b 2a,b 4b 5a 6a,b