Fun Apps for Education!
Ideas for the use of apps in K-12 Math and Social Studies
Math Drills
Math Drills is an app that provides practice problems to review basic math skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The app tracks student progress and concentrates on problems that students have difficulty with. It also provides students with tools to help them solve problems including number lines and hints.
Math Drills would be best used in an elementary mathematics course. Students could use the app to practice these basic math drills in place of more traditional methods such as flash cards. The app is an enhancement of traditional methods because it concentrates on problems that students need extra practice in. Additionally, the app is a good UDL tool because it allows students to answer in multiple ways including through keyboard, touchscreen, and speech.
Operation Math
Operation Math is an app that allows students to practice basic math skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division while playing a fun adventure game. Students progress through the adventure inside of the game as they complete math drills. Throughout the game, they also earn rewards for completing drills.
The app would be an ideal way for elementary math students to practice basic math drills. The app is an improvement over traditional math drills because the adventure aspect of the game helps to motivate and engage students.
Algebra Touch
Algebra Touch is an app that allows students to practice algebra skills by providing them with practice problems. The app is highly interactive as it allows students to use the touch screen to rearrange equations, simplify, and eliminate identical terms. Students can also choose which algebra skill they would like to practice.
Algebra Touch would be an ideal app for students to use in a junior high math class. Students could use the app to review and practice algebra concepts that had previously been taught in class. The app may be an improvement over traditional methods of algebra practice, for many students, because it could help students who are visual or tactile learners.
Fotobabble
Fotobabble is an app that allows students to take pictures, add audio commentary to the picture, and then share the picture with audio commentary through Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail.
Fotobabble has many potential applications in the K-12 education system. One way Fotobabble could be used is on a school field trip to a museum. At a museum that allows pictures, students could be instructed to take pictures of their favourite objects at the museum. They would then use Fotobabble to explain the story behind the photograph and why they find the object interesting. After the field trip, students could share their stories with each other. In this way, Fotobabble can allow for high levels of student engagement.
Audioboo
Audioboo is an app that allows students to create short audio recordings up to three minutes in length and then upload them to the Internet. The app has many potential applications in the K-12 system. For example, Audioboo could be used in a junior high social studies class. Students could be assigned a project where they create an audio recording of themselves pretending to be a news reporter from the past. In the recording, students would report on a historical event as if it took place recently. In this example, Audioboo allows for high levels of student engagement and creativity.