App Reviews

ISTE Standard: 

Designer: Educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability

5a
Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.

Nearpod

Nearpod is an app that supports engagement through presentation. Lectures are no longer one-way boring presentations but have built in engagement that can be shown on students’ devices. This is highly beneficial for collaboration. Quizzes can be created to immediately survey student comprehension and to gain feedback, and results can be shared with the class in an anonymous way. The main use of Nearpod is to break up content from lectures or presentations by combining presentations slides and engagement slides. You can insert polls, quizzes, open-ended questions or even interactive drawings. The cost of Nearpod varies. For the Silver edition, it's free if you use presentation that are already created. If you create your own presentation, you can get up to 5 free self-created presentations. The Gold membership cost $120/year, Platinum membership $349/year, and the prices vary if the school or district purchases Nearpod. Nearpod lessons can be used for grades K-12. Nearpod can be used on any device that uses the latest version of Google Chrome. Commonsense.org is a up to date site, it's authored by J. Steyer, a very professional site and writing, and a credible domain.

Classkick
Classkick is an app that allows teachers to create their own lessons using their own worksheets, drawings, text, images, audio, links, and videos to provide instruction or create assessments. Teachers can see the whole class working at once on his/her device and see how each individual student is performing. The teacher can identify struggling students or students who are too shy to ask questions. And, students can work at their own pace. Students can ask questions and raise their hand privately by just clicking on a button. The teacher can even reteach a concept on the device so the whole class can see. ClassKick also allows students can help their peers. Students can even use ClassKick from their device at home. Classkick is a free app. Its lessons can be used from Pre-K to higher levels of education. Classkick can be used in a web-browser, Chromebook, or iPad. This review site is a trustworthy site because its domain is controlled by the University of Massachusetts. 

Educreations
  Educreations is an interactive white board or screencasts that allows teachers to create and share their lessons and use other lessons from a central archive. Educreations allow teachers to record their voice, handwriting and allows to insert pictures to produce their own personal video lessons that they and their students can share online. The lessons are stored online and can be accessed by students on any computer or iPad. This allows students to pause, rewind, and listen to their teacher again. This is a free app. Its lesson can be used from grade K-12. Educreations can only be created on an iPad 2 or newer but can be viewed from an iPad or web browser. Commonsense.org is a up to date site, it's authored by J. Steyer, a very professional site and writing, and a credible domain.

I believe that all three a very good apps to use in the classroom. Of the three, I believe that Classkick is the best. This app allows students to learn the material at their own pace. It allows teachers to use all learning styles in the classroom. This app does personalize students' learning.  This app also allows teachers to their students’ questions. It shows teachers exactly what their students are doing and who needs help on a specific part of their assignment. This helps students to stay engaged and provides meaningful learning for the students.