We’re in the Golden Age of Educational Apps, according to Shannon Holden, assistant principal at Republic Middle School in Missouri. However, many parents and educators question the educational value of apps and worry they are taking away from actual instructional time. Holden reminded attendees in his recent edWebinar “10 Apps Every Teacher Needs NOW!” that like any instructional resource, teachers should carefully review each app’s purpose and potential for aiding the learning process. The apps showcased in the presentation help reinforce lessons, organize lesson content, and assess student progress.
1. Quizizz: This app does exactly what its title says—teachers can make quizzes (or choose from a library of quizzes) to assess student understanding of a topic or lesson. In addition, it keeps track of student scores so teachers can assess comprehension across a class. Finally, it offers a variety of ways for students to learn: flashcards, quizzes they can explore on their own, and more.
2. Kahoot!: Similarly to Quizizz, Kahoot! also tracks student progress, providing a bar graph of student answers and helping teachers take corrective action. Teachers may also create timed quizzes. Most important, students can use their own device.
3. Wakelet: Through this program, educators can make and curate collections of materials they find online: photos, web pages, podcasts, etc. They can make the collections public or private, but best of all, you don’t need to sign up for an account to use them.
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