App Reviews - Brandi Randall

ISTE 1.4 a Design Process - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/toca-builders

    Toca Builders is an interactive building and construction app that allows kindergarten students to unleash their creativity and explore the design process. They can create structures, landscapes, and imaginative worlds using a variety of blocks and tools. Toca Builders encourages young learners to plan, experiment, and revise their designs, emphasizing the iterative nature of the design process. It provides a virtual sandbox for them to express their ideas, develop problem-solving skills, and see the results of their design choices. The cost of the app is $4.99. This app is intended for pre-k and kindergarten students. It is compatible with iOS (iPhone and iPad), and Android. Common Sense Media is a reputable source for evaluating the educational value and age-appropriateness of apps and media for children. They provide detailed reviews based on expert assessments and user feedback.

https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/sago-mini-world-kids-games

 Sago Mini World is a collection of interactive mini-games and activities designed for preschool and kindergarten children. It includes creative games like "Doodlecast" and "Babies," where kids can draw, design, and customize various elements. Sago Mini World promotes creativity and problem-solving through open-ended play. It allows students to design characters, scenes, and stories, fostering an early understanding of the design process as they make choices and observe outcomes. The cost of the app depends on the subscription you choose, but there is a free trial version. This app is intended for pre-k and kindergarten students. It is compatible with iOS (iPhone and iPad), Android, and Amazon Kindle Fire. Educational App Store provides reviews and ratings from educators, parents, and experts, making it a credible source for evaluating educational apps. They assess apps based on pedagogical value and age-appropriateness.

https://otswithapps.com/2012/09/29/shape-up-lite-app/

    Shape Up! Lite - Busy Things is an educational app designed to help young children, typically preschool and kindergarten students, develop their shape recognition and matching skills. It offers a variety of interactive shape-related activities, including matching shapes, identifying shapes in everyday objects, and completing shape puzzles. The app uses colorful and engaging visuals to make learning fun and interactive. Though not explicitly mentioned, the app's structure likely involves iterative learning. As students progress through the shape-related activities, they encounter increasingly complex challenges. They may make mistakes, learn from them, and adapt their strategies—a process akin to iterative design. Iteration is a fundamental principle in the design process, as designers refine and improve their creations through multiple cycles of feedback and adjustment. The lite version is free with limited content, but the full version requires a subscription. This app is intended for pre-k and kindergarten students. It is compatible with iOS (iPhone and iPad), and Android. OTs with Apps" is a website dedicated to offering insights and materials concerning the utilization of applications and technology in occupational therapy and associated domains. Their app evaluations rely on both expert appraisals and input from users, thereby establishing a credible foundation for assessing an app's educational merit and suitability for specific age groups.

    Among the three apps mentioned, Toca Builders serves as an excellent tool for teaching ISTE standard 1.4 a. It offers a virtual canvas where pre-k and kindergarten students can let their imaginations run wild. They have the freedom to create structures, landscapes, and imaginative worlds using a variety of blocks and tools. This creative environment encourages students to generate innovative ideas as they envision and construct their virtual creations. It lays the groundwork for the idea-generation phase of the design process. The app emphasizes the iterative nature of the design process. Students are encouraged to plan, experiment, and revise their designs based on their observations and experiences within the app. They can see the immediate results of their design choices, fostering an understanding that design often involves a cycle of refining and improving. This iterative learning process aligns with the iterative aspect of the design process mentioned in the standard. As students build and explore in Toca Builders, they encounter challenges and obstacles that require problem-solving. They need to figure out how to construct structures, connect blocks, and navigate the virtual world effectively. These problem-solving opportunities mirror the authentic problem-solving aspect of the standard, where students learn to apply their design thinking skills to overcome real challenges. The hands-on nature of the app allows students to engage actively in the design process. They make decisions, test theories, and experiment with different building techniques. This experiential learning approach aligns with the standard's emphasis on actively engaging in the design process rather than passively consuming information. It aligns well with ISTE standard 1.4 a by encouraging students to generate ideas, test theories, and create innovative artifacts through a deliberate design process.