Educational Apps

Technology in education is ever evolving and apps on cell phones, tablets and computers have become huge components in today's education system. They can be very helpful and useful in many cases. I am big proponent of keeping education old school. I believe in that because test scores throughout the nation have severely dropped since I was in my grade school years. I think kids these days have their noses in their phones or tablets enough as it is, do they really need to have their nose stuck on a computer screen all day while they are at school too??? The middle school that I have worked at the past three years has tablets and computers, but so many kids were caught on apps playing games instead of the assignment at hand, or on a website that had nothing to do with his or her research paper that they were on the computer to write in the first place. So the jury is still out for me on whether school should go full tech! However, I have used a few educational apps and really enjoy them and the kids that I have worked with these past few years have enjoyed them as well. Working with special education kids it was nice that many of the apps were easily accessible for my students. Some of my lowest students who had trouble reading could use the app because there was an option for it to be audible, or the buttons were very large or bright in color. The apps should have a healthy balance of interactive features like animations and noises. Especially depending on grade level. You may need to have more animations for the lower grade levels or even higher grade level special need students to keep their attention. There should most definitely be a purpose and goal in the app or game they are playing. Make sure that it communicates the subject matter and gives results or feedback. Many apps could be used as reviews or assessments, to put what they learned in the classroom with the teacher to practice or how they can use what they have learned in real life.
 evaluating apps/slide share