Mindblowing

App Title: MindBlowing

Grade Level: Elementary to College Level, students need to be able to know how to record their voices, make a video, and upload photos on the iPhone. It is in the context of a mindmap surrounding any topic or theme.  

Purpose: A A multimedia mobile mindmap

Program Functionality: B+ Students type in an idea or concept and gather information and thoughts related to this concept through self-made videos, audio recordings, and images. These are organized as a concept map with branches of information surrounding a theme. Once the concept map is finished it can be emailed to the instructor or others. Students should be able to add text but this doesn't appear to work correctly.

Overall Educational Value: B+  Fun, engaging, and helps students to do research, take notes, or brainstorm in an interactive way.  

Cost: Free!

Recommendation: Would love for the text function to work and for this app to allow sharing on various platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and more. The option to embed the mindmap would also be amazing. This app would receive an A if there was an option to label the various images, videos, and audio uploads. Moreover, I would like to be able to upload previous recorded audio and videos like I can with the images. The app makes you create a new video or audio. Without the labeling the e-mail becomes a mess to figure out since you only receive a picture of the mindmap with attachments.

Classroom Use Examples / Ideas: One of the great advantages of this app is that students can use this without being connected to wifi. Younger students and language learners can go on scavenger hunts related to a theme and collect information related to the topic by taking pictures, recording short videos, and conducting interviews. Students could also record observations or take class notes with this app. Students could collect research for a blog post or brainstorm for a paper. Students can easily record thoughts versus writing them down. Students can email the mindmaps to each other and compare. Students could also collect information and send the mindmaps to another student to guess the theme, character, or topic. Teachers could use this app to take multimedia notes at a conference or workshop.

Developer Website: http://sites.google.com/site/mindblowingcuhk/

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/mindblowing/id369070873?mt=8

Reviewer Name: Shelly Terrell

Reviewer Blog: http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/

Hey, check out our Ning (Online Community) devoted to helping teachers utilize these devices to the their fullest.  Please leave a comment if you agree, disagree, or have other creative uses for this app in the classroom, etc.

iBrainstorm

Title: iBrainstorm (iBrainstorm Companion for iPod Touch) Does not run as a stand alone app on iPod.

Grade Level: 2-12, students need to be able to type because the iPod (companion app) allows only text, drawing, although younger students could draw on the iPad.

Purpose: B+ A multi-device collaboration tool

Program Functionality: B- Allows up to four people to collaborate (somewhat) on a brainstorming diagram or group thinking process. Once the diagram or brainstorming has been completed, the diagram can easily be emailed to all participants. Must have an iPad for the iPods to be used. (ie. Teacher on iPad, students on iPods) As students type on the iPods, they just flick their finger and their ideas will be flipped over to the iPad. See YouTube demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKFpEMG3BF4

Overall Educational Value: B Fun and engaging, but some teachers may prefer just using Sticky Notes, slates, or student response systems for similar effect in the younger grades. I think older students (5th and up) would prefer this method (more anonymity, perhaps). 

Price: Free!

Recommendation: Need to delete when typing a note on the iPhone, could be cumbersome. Would be great to add some features like choice among drawing tools: pen thickness, colors, the choice of note color, and the ability to have multiple pages. Also the ability to export to other programs would increase usability. 

Classroom Use Examples/Ideas: Need to be on the same local wifi, but can be used via Bluetooth if you turn off wifi on all devices. Students could collaborate on a diagram add text, note-taking. Could be used in small groups: teacher writes something and students add to it on iPod Touches and flip it over to the teacher. The need for an iPad is a bit of a drawback. YouTube demo of use with multiple devices: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KumchuR5R1A&feature=related

Developer Site: http://www.ibrainstormapp.com/

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibrainstorm/id382252825?mt=8

IEAR Tips and Tricks #4

The licensing of "apps" for schools is very interesting to say the least.  At this time, the majority of schools using "app" devices such as the iPod Touch and now the iPad, are purchasing their apps under one school account.  This allows the school to purchase an app from the iTunes store and distribute that app to all devices that are synced with that one account.  This allows schools to leverage the power of apps in the classroom with a very cost effective model unheard of before the iTunes app store!

Apps like "AlegebraPrep: Factoring" as recommended through the TCEA in their spreadsheet of apps cost $3.99 at this time.  Is this app really worth $3.99?  Some teachers have found this app to be very useful while others might not.  If school districts had to pay $3.99 for that app for every device, than it wouldn't happen!  Many apps are great for "small bursts" of activity and they are not meant for an entire 40 minute lesson.  Purchasing these apps would just not be cost effective. 

Tip #4 A:  A strategy that I think all schools should take on is to keep an eye on "FreeAppADay" to keep their costs limited while leveraging some fantastic apps.  While there are lots of apps that are "game" focused and really useless in the classroom, periodically, there will be a gem.  This website is focused on helping app developers to get the word out about their apps.  Basically, app developers will advertise their app with them for a day and promise to make their app free for that day.  That is a serious return on investment!

An example to put in context is the app, HOW2Draw Manga that was recently posted.  While I can't guarantee that this app is school worthy or even useful in any way, I can guarantee that schools would more than likely never investigate it if it cost a few dollars, especially, if the license agreement forced schools to pay for each device it was synced with! Besides, who doesn't want to learn how to draw manga cartoons better?  I kid ... I jest ... but you just never know what is going to be applicable in a classroom setting when you have creative and interesting teachers! 

Tip #4 B:  If you want to provide teacher's the ability to purchase apps themselves, purchase iTunes gift cards and distribute those to the teachers.  Just make sure the gift cards are in the name of the school's iTunes account and the district will now own all of those apps to sync on any of their devices. 

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Grade Pad for ITouch / IPhone = Free Codes

Here are some codes for the Grade App ... First come first serve...

R3RLNYK7AFK6
HMWJKEKAPYLH
PJPL69XFTNNF
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Grade Pad in ITunes

Animoto - Show #33

Grade Level: Middle School

Program Functionality: A / Pretty easy to use but it is very dependent upon a fast internet connection.

Purpose: B / It makes nice creative and fun slideshows, but we do not want this app confused with true digital storytelling.

Overall Educational Value: C / This is fun but it doesn't teach the best aspects of the lessons provided with Digital Storytelling.

Cost: $ Free

Recommendation: We are recommending this app for personal use but not for any real educational value within a school setting at this time.

Creators Website: http://iphone.animoto.com

ITunes Link: Click Here

Hey, check out our Ning (Online Community) devoted to helping teachers utilize these devices to the their fullest.

A few left over Eggs from the holidays...

Happy holidays to everyone celebrating this past weekend.  We gave a few baskets away in the NING and have some additional "eggs" left over that we have been hoarding... Here is a free Egg for anyone reading our blog ... The first come first served!  Enter the following redeem code in ITunes and get "Flags iLearn" for free from Lima Sky.

Constitution - Show #26

Program Functionality: A / The app is easy to use!

Purpose: B / If a teacher needs students to look up something in the Constitution this is a good app.  If there was a search feature, it would work a lot better for classroom teachers.

Overall Educational Value: B / The Notes section of the app is nice.  Too bad students can not annotate or put in links to things such as court cases, etc.

Cost: Free

Recommendation: We recommend this app for personal use but not for schools.

Creators Website: http://cbagwellconsulting.com/iphone.html

ITunes Link: Click Here

Hey, check out our Ning (Online Community) devoted to helping teachers utilize these devices to the their fullest.

iPhone Applications now available on iTunes.com! Shop Now! and iTunes Gifts