The AppVent Calendar 2016: All The Best Educational Apps From The Past Year.

EDTECH4BEGINNERS presents…

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Create

6) ThingLink lets you add interactivity to an image with ease.  Choose a picture and then mark hot-spots.  When the hot-spot it is tapped, the video or text you have input will pop-up.

16) Canva – simply the most amazing app for graphic design.  Posters have never looked so good!

13) Bossjock supports pupils with sound recording and editing clips.  Easy-to-use and intuitive, the app is fantastic for making podcasts and radio shows.

23) Paper and Pencil by 53.  Simply an excellent art app in which sketches, paintings and image editing can be completed.

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Collaborate

22) Padlet is such a great way to promote co-operation in the classroom.  A virtual wall is set up by the teacher and then the link shared.  Children can post questions, answer questions, submit work, comment on peers’ achievements; the possibilities are endless.

18) Google Docs has allowed for easy but effective collaboration.  Children can work together on writing tasks and presentations, making supportive comments and achieving a truly joint outcome.

19) Skype has become so much more than video-calling.  You can now work with classes on the other side of the world. Another great idea is to carry out a ‘Mystery Skype’ (click her for more info).  They are great fun and a superb learning opportunity too.

5) Minecraft. A thoroughly creative app in which pupils can work together to create projects.  There are so many opportunities for engaging reluctant learners through this construction game.

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Share

11) Prezi is a slideshow maker… but it doesn’t stick to a linear path.  The presentation options are plentiful and imaginative – what a great way to share learning.

3) Twitter. A brilliant way to share ideas! Simply tweet your pupils’ work.  My class were totally motivated after getting many likes and retweets for their work:

My class tried black-out poetry today. Amazing results and it really got them thinking about the words they selected ☟☟☟ pic.twitter.com/guTyCvigK9

— Neil Jarrett (@edtechneil) November 17, 2016

21) Facebook is a great way to showcase work too.  A class page can really motivate students and keep parents in the loop.

8) Haiku Deck. Another great presentation app which intuitively does most of the work for the students, letting them focus on their delivery and sharing of information.

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Experience

12) Google Cardboard, paired with a smartphone and viewer brings virtual reality to your classroom. Take your class around the world and give them unforgettable, immersive experiences.

7) Aurasma is an augmented reality app.  Set trigger images so when a device’s camera is pointed at them, another picture, text or a video pops up.

24) YouTube. The possibilities are endless with this juggernaut of an app.  Millions of useful videos are added daily; a wealth of knowledge beamed directly to your classroom.

14) Google Maps allows you to explore the world.  Try ‘Streetview’ to look closer at a place you are studying or ‘Earth’ to get amazing satellite views.  Geography lessons no longer rely solely on photos – the learners can walk around places of interest and get bird eye views.

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Assess

4) Kahoot!  If I had to pick my favourite app of 2016, it would be this one! Make quizzes and tests for your students and Kahoot! adds exciting music and user-friendly game play to generate an enjoyable and effective testing experience.

10) Typeform is very useful for end of unit assessments.  Submit the questions, send it to the class and then get rich data to analyse.

3) Google Classroom has changed the way I teach.  It’s like Facebook but your only friends are your class.  Set assignments, post notices, discuss topics, flip a lesson, track progress and much more.

20) Socrative is a great way to create tests.  Plus there are thousands of ready-made ones you can use!

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Practise

15) Khan Academy has thousands upon thousands of learning materials for students to practise areas they need to develop.  Input a keyword and a number of useful resources will appear.

1) Tellagami. Take on a character and rehearse speaking and listening skills with this app.

17) DoodleMaths is perfect for developing mathematical ability.  Students can complete games and the clever tech automatically personalizes the learning, making the level easier/harder depending on the user’s amount of progress.

9) Newsela is a fantastic app for ‘kids news’. Great for practising skills: children can complete comprehension activities, find out what words mean and develop their vocabulary.

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Which apps have you tried?  Which were your favourite?  Any I’ve missed?  Let me know by commenting below.