5 Handy Teacher Apps
Transform your Classroom!!!
Nearpod
What is it?
"Nearpod" is a presentation tool that allows you to share content real-time with your students and vice-versa in a live classroom situation. The instructor can add a poll, a quiz, ask the students to draw for them, or add an open ended comment, share audio, video or a web page. The instructor's device is linked to all the student devices via the internet so the students can follow along or add information as they are prompted to.When it could be used in a K-12 Classroom
Teachers can facilitate special "nearpod" sessions to make a presentation more interactive. For example in a presentation about confederation in Canada a whole lesson could be devised on "nearpod" starting with a poll to activate background knowledge regarding which provinces were involved in confederation, then you could watch a video on confederation, then a few sample webpages until the students could go off on their own and do some internet based research on the subject. the spokesperson for each group then sends their presentation media to the teacher, who posts it for all to follow along with. This is instead of a presentation at the front of the class and does away with the traditional teach at the front of the class - eyes forward, factory type scenario and means that teachers and especially students can be anywhere in the classroom as long as they were looking at their devices. This means that a more friendly circle of chairs may be rendered. Students could then add their comments about 1 or 2 of the presentations and a final summary presentation is followed by students prior to a quick quiz to assess learning.
Handouts
What is it?
Handouts is designed to stop the teacher from providing paper handouts that waste resources. Handouts claims to provide all that paper handouts do and more. With Handouts you can create and distribute handouts, students complete the handouts students can hand in the work - instructor can give back simple grading and feedback, students can also create portfolios and teachers can track their progress. Drawbacks: reviews says phone version can be buggy, would have to have IPads on hand in case phones had trouble.When it could be used in a K-12 Classroom:
Handouts could solidly be applied to any lesson where handouts are needed. Instead of using paper handouts that have to be gathered up and handed in and then looked through which takes time, Handouts can give you a clear idea of assessment without having to look through each individual sheet. Also studies show that students are usually more engaged using their devices (or the on-hand tablets like IPads) compared to having paper handouts.
Flash Card Maker Pro
What is it?
A digital flashcard maker for Android phones or tablets. On this app you can play multiple decks of cards at one time, navigate cards effectively with the swipe of a finger, and enjoy live playback in different languages which would be ideal for ESL students. Drawbacks: only on Android - would have to find an similar app on Apple platform.
When it could be used in a K-12 Classroom:
An activity could be for each group to make up flashcards to prepare for an upcoming test or exam on this app and share them on a school website forum. Then each student could pick the flashcards that they like the best and save them on their device so they could study effectively on their phones.Word Lens
What is it?
Translation Tool: It can take a picture of something that has words on it and it will translate the word into any language: also it has a option to type in or say the word and it will translate it.
When it could be used in a K-12 Classroom:
Great app for ESL students! Have them work as a group of ESL reading magazine articles. Any phrase or word they do not understand, they can take a photo of it and get a translation. Great also for French classes - have students read through a French magazine, let them work in groups using the app to try and comprehend the subject of each magazine article. The 5 or 6 subjects together will reveal a secret theme that will help solve a simulated crime. Drawbacks: Only available on Apple platform. A suitable Android alternative would have to be used unless you had a class full of IPads.
CamScanner
What is it?
CamScanner is an app that allows you to take a picture of text, edit it if needed and then turn it into a PDF file to share. Other sharing options include a google drive type capability of sharing your image with others and allowing them to comment on it. Each picture can be enhanced and edited, especially text can be sharpened - then you can fax or scan your image as an attachment.When it could be used in a K-12 Classroom:
The app could be used on a geology (or other) field trip when looking for specimens. There could be a follow up class when all relevant photographs are uploaded to CamScanner labelled and organised by students into a collaborative file using the app that both instructor and student can then comment on. This photo database could then be used as a resource for lessons that follow.