Preparation Apps:
Dictionary.com
- This is already one of my favorite apps, because I love to use dictionary.com. Mainly I like to use the Thesaurus option, which is easily found along with a translator tool on the side toolbar.
- The homepage of dictionary.com has a section of trending words, interesting articles concerning words and their meaning or origins, and a largely displayed word of the day at the top.
- When a user uses the bar at the top to look up a word, they are taken to a page that displays the part of speech and several definitions of the word. At the top, the word is displayed with the pronunciation and a speaker that, when pressed, offers an audio clip of the word spoken out loud. To the side of the definitions, the user can look at the origin and history of the word. Additional context is also an option at the bottom, where a user can look at example sentences that use the word. At the top underneath where the word is displayed, there are four tabs:
- Definitions: This is the page that the user is automatically brought to when they search the word. It displays the common definitions.
- Synonyms: This tab gives a list of common synonyms for the word.
- Learners: Here, users can gather information about the inflection of the word, the specific part of speech, another explanation of the definition, and a context sentence.
- This tab offers several options for upgrade expansion packs for the dictionary app.
Grammar Express:
- This app comes in several different versions. There are versions to teach parts of speech, tenses, figures of speech, and much more. The version that I chose is Grammar Express: Active & Passive voice (because this is something that I have struggled with in my own writing).
- Upon launching, the user can click a book in the top right corner that will give the user an overview of the topic, further explanation, and examples. There is even an option to print these pages.
- There are several tests that the user can take to test their knowledge of the subject, and to practice the concepts. There are 40 questions to each test. This light version of the app does not allow users to actually complete the quizzes, but rather the answers are already highlighted at the top. After the user scrolls through all of the questions, they can see the explanations for why each correct answer is correct.
- I would say that this app could be a good tool for students to practice basic grammar skills. The light version is not very helpful, though.
Presentation Apps:
Educreations Interactive Whiteboard:
- This application is pretty simple to use. Teachers and students can use it as an option for a whiteboard that is more interactive than the traditional dry-erase kind.
- If teachers do not have a smartboard, but they have a projection system, they can use the educreations app to project a whiteboard that comes with several different useful tools.
- Just like a normal whiteboard, there are options to choose a color to write with, and then users can use their fingers to write on the board. There is also an eraser tool that functions just like a normal eraser would.
- The recording tool is a neat feature that will record not only each stroke that the user makes on the board, but audio recording as well. This can be useful for teachers to playback what they have written and taught in a lesson from the board.
- Users also have the option to import images to write upon, so that teachers can perhaps draw their own diagrams or labels over a real image.
- Though this app is fairly simple, it could be a good tool for teachers looking for a tool that is a tad more interactive than the traditional marker whiteboard.
Comic Life:
- Comic Life is an application that allows users to create their own comics using images and drag-and-drop elements such as speech bubbles, thought bubbles, and various types of text.
- Comic Life offers several different types of templates for users to choose from, which they will then customize with drag-and-drop features and their own uploaded images.
- Comic Life users can share their comics with others who can then read them in various downloadable formats.
- This app could be useful as a presentation tool for students-- especially for narrative presentations that describe things like trips and events.
Good job!
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