Teaching Graphs is a useful app for teaching children about graphs and data handling. It contains two main modes of play – Reading graphs and Making graphs.
In Reading graphs children get to practice reading four different types of graph. These are weather graphs, picture graphs, Venn diagrams and Carroll diagrams. The layout of each of these is very clear and easy to follow. Children are posed questions on each of the graphs they are shown. For example, in weather graphs they are presented with a bar chart depicting temperature over the course of a week and asked questions like, “Which day has the highest temperature?” Correct answers earn a point while incorrect answers are met with a subtle noise which lets the child know they need to choose again. When they do get the right answer a new question is presented but no point is scored.
In the Teaching Graphs section children get to practice making their own graphs. They can choose to make a pie chart, line chart, Carroll diagram, picture graph, Venn diagram or a bar chart. The process to create one of these charts is relatively simple. All children have to do is add in their values then they are free to manipulate these on screen. Once a graph has been completed users have the option to save it to the camera roll or e-mail it.
One thing that would really improve this app would be the ability to have the questions read out for the user. Many children with reading difficulties fail at maths not because their skills in this area are poor but because they are unable to read the questions. Being able to hear what they are expected to do with a tap on the screen would be a welcome addition.
I would also like to see a limit on the number of questions that are asked in relation to a particular graph. It appears that they just keep coming. I can’t remember how many questions I answered about the weather chart and there was no end in sight. Children are likely to tire of this. Ten questions would have been more than adequate.
Despite these flaws Teaching Graphs is a very useful app.
Peter
Educational App Advice
