When looking for interesting web based apps, one that I recently came across that looks like it has great potential is myHomework. This app allows students to keep track of their calendar, classes, teachers, homework, and announcements. I think this app would be ideal for senior years, but also late middle years students. The app would give the students the tools that they need to keep track of their assignments and due dates as well as their schedules, but would also teach them the importance of scheduling and keeping track. I think that if students are given an app that helps them with organization it would be a lot more engaging for them than using a paper organizer. The other great component with this app is that the teacher can use their own version and link it with the students. By doing this, the teacher automatically puts in assignment dates and reminders so the student does not even have to enter the information, but simply follow what the teacher has provided for them. This would be a great app to use in a BYOD classroom. I think making students accountable for their own behaviour is really important and if given a tool that is linked to the teacher, it puts the responsibility in the student's hands to follow through with dates and assignments.
Another great app that I found was educaplay. This app lets teachers create a variety of different multimedia teaching activities for their students. Some of the tools include: crosswords, word searches, riddles, fill in the texts, dictations, jumbled words, jumbled sentences, quizzes, and maps, matching games, dialogues, and collections. I think this would be a great tool for teachers. I do honestly need to play around with it a little more but from what I have done with it so far it seems to work great. I like that it is free and that there are many different tools and options in one site so I do not have to go to various places for different applications.
Hey Erin, you found some really great apps :). I like the first one you mentioned, myHomework. That would have been amazing for my last placement, a few students had some major organizational and remembering issues! I really like how the teacher is able to sync up to the students account and help them keep up to date with everything.
ReplyDeleteI agree Alaura, the aspect of the teacher being able to sync with the students was part of the reason I chose this app over another one. I think it would be really beneficial not only for keeping everyone on the same page, but also for modelling good organizational skills!
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