App Review- Hunt

 

I chose the following standard (Alabama 7th Grade Mathematics) and apps:

Standard: MA19.7.22 Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume, and surface area of two- and three- dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right rectangular prisms.

Apps:

GeoGebra

Review: https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/geogebra

GeoGebra is an interactive math app that allows students to see and manipulate mathematical objects in both 2D and 3D. Students can explore surface area and volume by adjusting dimensions and viewing real time updates. The app is free to use and designed for middle school and high school students making it an idea app for my 7^th grade class. The app is accessible from a range of devices such as Chromebooks, iPads, Android Tablets, and even computers. The review from a third party I chose was Common Sense Education which is a credible and valued source when it comes to digital technology. It evaluates apps through the view of a teacher and takes into count classroom relevance, educational value and user engagement.

Desmos Geometry

Review: https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/desmos

While Desmos is usually used for Algebra they do have a geometry app that allows for construction and deconstruction of shapes for students to analyze area and volumes. In this digital platform students create, manipulate and explore 2D figures they take from their word problems. This tool is completely free and is best used by Grades 6-12. It works on any web browser so if your device can surf the net, it can launch and run the Desmos Platform. Here again I used Common Sense Education as my third-party reviewer. It’s good to point out they include actual teacher feedback and even offers detailed rubrics for assessing this and other apps’ impact and accessibility.

BrainPOP

Review: https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/brainpop

BrainPOP provides animated educational videos paired with quizzes, games, and other learning activities. For this standard it offers lessons like volume and surface area through content that is highly engaging and accessible. The material is presented in a type of story aspect with the main characters Tim and Moby who offer great explanations for topics as they navigate through the story. With cost, BrainPOP turns from the previous two apps as it is a required paid prescription. A lot of schools pay for it or similar apps such as Iready, but in my opinion BrainPOP is way more engaging. On average the cost is around 13-18 dollars per student a year so not too extravagant. The app targets students from grades 3-8. It is operational on IOS, Android, and other major web browsers but is supported best on more advanced devices. Finally I chose Common Sense Education here once again, its really hard to find a better review website. Not only does it do all that is previously mentioned it also aligns its evaluations with learning goals and student engagement it even describes the dangers the app may have in terms of privacy and digital literacy.

Over-all Winner: BrainPOP!

Standing out as the best option among the three apps, GeoGebra, Desmos and BrainPOP, BrainPOP is the clear winner. It is the most versatile and student-friendly option for teaching the chosen standard and can be used as an aid for all of Math. What I believe sets it apart is the more engaging material such as the animated videos, interactive quizzes, games and included visual organizers. These things really make it more likely a 7^th Grade student will it down and pay attention, making more complex standards such as geometry and word problems more differentiated for all students.

While the other two apps are great options and excellent tools for visualizing math, they often are only utilized by high level students since they require critical thinking and a strong foundational understanding to begin with. These things can possibly make them hard for some 7^th grade students to use, especially those who are visual and language learners. BrainPOP on the other hand presents the material in a story driven scaffolded format that helps a variety of students.

Even compared to other more mainstream and widely used platforms such as IXL and I-Ready, BrainPOP offers a more engaging and less stressful experience. The latter two apps focus on repetitive and adaptive question sets which often have students frustrated or even being lazy to get easier questions and make the data skewed. BrainPOP instead uses funny little stories and clips with relatable real-world situations that help explain why Math matters and when the students can use it, helping them connect real world meaning to the standard. In short, the app is the victor because it’s more engaging, support a variety of students, and lays a strong foundation for mathematics so the students can grasp more technical apps like GeoGebra and Desmos later on.