Apps in the Classroom

Through many education classes, and being in classrooms, I have noticed the emphasis that is being placed on technology in the classroom. Some scholars such as Drake, Reid and Kolohon (2014) state that technology can be used to engage students, ultimately enriching their learning. In these classrooms, students Bring their Own Device (BYOD) to engage in different educational activities. Apps and computer software allow students to learn in an interactive manner through gaming and social networking. An example that really stuck out to me was communicating with classrooms around the world. The students would use Skype to communicate with other students and learn about their culture and how their school atmosphere is different (Drake, Reid, Kolohon, 2014).

Now there is a transition from teachers being the center of the classroom to teaching ethical and responsible use of technology (Drake, Reid, Kolohon, 2014). This new constructivist pedagogy focuses on project-based learning equalling an interactive lesson and assessment. I think all students will benefit from this pedagogy regardless of their grade or processing level.

When I was in elementary school, we would have computer hour once a week. During this hour our teacher asked us to use one of the math programs or reading programs. It was our choice, but we had to do one of the two. I remember that some of the games were fun, but once we grew older the games became boring, and we all lost interest in playing the games. This is when my peers would start to goof off on the computer, ultimately taking the computer time away from the rest of us. Cole (2014) states that the programs should not be the focus of the lesson or activity, but they should add value and effectiveness. However, to effectively learn using technology, the school needs to have the hardware and software available. I think this is where the government needs to create a level playing field for all schools, instead of having technology available just to the schools that receive lots of outside funding.

Since my days in elementary school, technology has developed and grown so much! When going into schools now to help in classrooms, there are a number of students who have their own iPods or tell me they got an iPad for their birthday. The number of children with technology at their fingertips is skyrocketing. Therefore, I do believe that teachers need to implement technology use in the classroom using Bloom’s taxonomy model. Teachers need to create their lesson plans while thinking about the different dimensions: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create (Cole, 2014; Krathwohl, 2002). However, as a future teacher I am nervous about the apps that I’ll find and want to use. Will they be effective? Will the student’s be engaged? Will I have the support from my school? These are all questions that I want answered.

I did some research to see if I could find some helpful resources. I have found multiple resources listing the number one apps that are recommend. Research to find specific apps has left me more confused. However, I have made a conclusion based on my teaching experience and from watching a TED talk about a 12 year old app developer. The apps that we use in our class depend on what our students need, and what they’re interested in. For example, this past summer in science camp, we had an iPad app called lightbot. Some students really got invested in this ‘learn to program’ app, but others were very confused about what to do. I think teachers will have to talk to the students a learn what they think, how they learn, and what areas they need more effective learning to enhance their education. As Keane, Lang and Pilgrim (2012) state, it is not necessarily the presence of the iPads, but it is how the teacher actively integrates and creates an effective curriculum using the technology.

Some Apps that I have found through comparing different blogs and website are:

Quizlet

Quzlet (2015). Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/quizlet-flashcards-study-tools/id546473125?mt=8

  

Kahoot!

Kahoot (2014). Retrieved from http://www.educationalappstore.com/app/kahoot 

Scratch Jr.

Scratch Jr. (2015). Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.scratchjr.android&hl=en

Anatomy 4D

Anatomy 4D (2015). Retrieved from http://daqri.com/project/anatomy-4d/#.VhU6fbTwifQ

Sushi Monster

Sushi Monster ( 2015). Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/sushi-monster

See.Touch.Learn

See.Touch.Learn (2015). Retrieved from http://www.brainparade.com/products/see-touch-learn-free/

References

Cole, J. (2014). It’s not about the apps. Literacy Learning: the Middle Years. 22(1). 48- 51.

Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st-century learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of bloom’s taxonomy: An overview. Theory Into Practice. 41(4). 212-218.

Keane, T., Lang, C., & Pilgrim, C. (2012). Pedagogy! iPadology! Netbookology! Learning with mobile devices. Australian Educational Computing. 27(2). 29-33.

Suarez, S. (2011).  A 12 year old app developer. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_suarez_a_12_year_old_app_developer?language=en#t-175311