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SAUSD Education Technology Newsletter | December, 2012 |
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Technology in Support of Teaching and Learning - The App Edition
This edition is dedicated to sharing recommendations for favorite Apps. |
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Apps | |
Apps - those programs that are smaller in size than software applications for computers, and usually smaller in scope - anare designed for use on mobile devices such as phones and tablets. There are currently hundreds of thousands of Apps available for Android and iOS devices through the App Store and Google Play, bringing truth to the statement "there's an App for that!" In this edition of Plug Into Technology, the Education Technology department is sharing its favorite free (or low cost) Apps with you.
Alexandra Ito
Director, Education Technology
Alexandra.ito@sausd.us
714-480-4771 |
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Khan Academy, Flipboard, Discovery Streaming, Explain Everything | |
Khan Academy
The Khan Academy is a non-profit educational website that focuses on offering educational videos for kindergarten through high school level students looking to learn more in various subjects in math, science, economics, and history.
The Khan Academy App is available from the App store as an iOS App for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. While the Khan Academy has not updated its Apps to include Android Apps, there are a few unofficial apps available to access Khan Academy for Android devices, which are available through Google Play.
Cost? Free
Flipboard
Flipboard is a free magazine-format aggregation App that allows you to collect your favorite websites and social-networking feeds into one location, rather than going out to different sites to read your favorite content. The Flipboard app is available at the App store and Google Play, and it is accessible on the iPad, iPhone, Android, Kindle Fire & NOOK.
Cost? Free
Discovery Streaming
While not technically an App, Discovery Streaming is optimized to work on iOS and Android devices.
Cost? Free as part of Discovery Streaming services for the District.
Explain Everything
Explain Everything is my current favorite productivity App available for iPads. Explain Everything is an easy-to-use App that lets you annotate, animate, and narrate explanations and presentations. You can use it to create dynamic interactive lessons, activities, assessments, and tutorials. Explain Everything records on-screen drawing, annotation, object movement and captures audio via the iPad microphone. Flexible file import and export for collaboration. Limitations? Explain Everything is only available through the App store for iPads.
Cost? $2.99 ($1.49 with Apple education volume purchase pricing)
Alexandra Ito
Director, Education Technology
Alexandra.ito@sausd.us
714-480-4771 |
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SkyGrid, Educreations, Photosynth | |
SkyGrid
They say when reading information on the Internet you should check multiple sources. SkyGrid does just that. Search a topic and SkyGrid brings up multiple articles from different publications. If local news is important to you, try ABC 7 Los Angeles, NBC Los Angeles, KTLA 5, CBS Local Your Day or myFOXla. All apps are free and available in iTunes.
Educreations
Educreations turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard. Create video tutorials, explain math formulas, diagram a sports play, and record a whole lesson! Then post to educreations.com, email or post up to your website. Fun, easy and free! Only available in iTunes.
Photosynth by Microsoft
So you don't have an iPhone 4s or 5 but need a free panorama camera? Microsoft's Photosynth is just the tool! Look and capture in all directions then let the advance image stitching do the work. Upload them to www.photosynth.net and view them in the Immersive Viewer.
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The Weather Channel, Nook eReader | |
The Weather Channel
This App is available for iOS or Android devices and provides information about weather conditions in your area, including information not available in other apps (e.g., the allergen report). The app includes a detailed 10 day forecast, an hourly forecast for the current day, full maps with precipitation radars, news, videos, and it can alert you to severe weather.
Nook eReader
Put Barnes & Noble's ereader onto your mobile device. You can then create an account and download books. By typing "free" in the Nook books search box at www.barnesandnoble.com, you can see the thousands of books available at no cost. Or shop, download, and carry your library with you everywhere. Nook apps are available for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad/Android Smartphone/Android Tablet/Mac/PC.
Maggie Barnes
District Librarian
maggie.barnes@sausd.us
714-480-4784 |
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Opera, Waze, Google Drive |
Opera Mini Web Browser - http://www.opera.com/mobile/download/
- Free custom mobile browser designed for phones and tablets so it's fast
- Runs on Mac and Android platforms
- Tabbed browsing so you can have multiple Web sites open at once
- Visual bookmarks
- Long-click menus so you can long-click with your finger to perform actions like opening a new tab, copying and pasting text, etc.
- Opera Link will allow you to sync your bookmarks, speed dial favorites, and search engines between your mobile phone and computer
- Did I mention that it's fast?
Waze GPS Navigation - http://www.waze.com/homepage/
- Free traffic and navigation app
- Runs on Mac and Android platforms
- Community-based app so traffic, gas prices, weather, and road conditions are updated in real time by others
- Share and sync your drive time and directions with friends so you all arrive at your destination simultaneously (you can even check on your friends' progress as they drive to meet you)
- Send messages directly to other drivers you see on your maps (not that I would recommend texting while driving)
- Road maps updated by the community so your directions are more accurate
Google Drive - https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/drive/start/download.html
- Free cloud file storage from your mobile device
- Runs on Mac and Android platforms
- Upload photos, documents, and videos to share with your contacts
- Access files others have shared
- Make files accessible offline in case you don't have an internet connection
James Fowler |
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Edmodo, Brain Pop | |
Edmodo
This free app is available for iOS and Android mobile devices. The Edmodo app makes it easy for teachers and students to stay connected and share information, send notes, submit assignments, post replies, and check messages and upcoming events while away from the classroom.
Brain Pop Featured Movie
BrainPOP is another free app that is available for iOS and Android devices. The BrainPOP app plays a different animated movie every day and then tests your knowledge with an interactive quiz. Featured Movie topics tie in to current events, historical milestones, and holidays. If you have a BrainPOP username through your school then site subscribers can log in directly from the app to access all of BrainPOP's content at no additional cost.
Google Search
Google Search is a free app that is available for iOS and Android devices. If you are already familiar with Google this app works in a similar manner. You can easily access your Gmail, Documents, calendar, and more. Google Search has voice activation as well so simply open the app select Voice and say what you want to search. This app has been a time saver for me.
Juanita Fast
Curriculum Specialist
juanita.fast@sausd.us
714-480-4776 |
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RunKeeper | |
RunKeeper
RunKeeper is a GPS running, walking, and cycling app that can be used for iPhone and Android. It's a great way to keep track of the miles you're putting in. Great motivator if you're training for a marathon or even if you're just trying to lose weight and stay fit. Great app to even challenge students in their 1 mile run!
Laura Moore
Technology Training Specialist
laure.moore@sausd.us
714-480-4781 |
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Apps Gone Fre, Weird But True | |
Apps Gone Free
Apps Gone Free is a free app available for iOS mobile devices. This helpful app tracks the Apple App Store and notifies you when regularly priced apps are available for free. The app also allows you to see past free apps with a date tracker and app ratings based on previous app purchasers.
Weird But True
Weird But True has a cost of $ 1.99 and is available for iOS mobile devices. This interactive "App to Keep Kids Happy", created by the National Geographic Society, has a "Weird-o-meter" that allows you to filter the weird level of facts you search for from "Duh!" to "Totally Outrageous". It also has a "Fact Finder" which lets you search alphabetically.
Fernando Juarez
Department Specialist
fernando.juarez@sausd.us
714-480-4744 |
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