Apps

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Finding & Evaluating iPad Apps

Finding educational iPad apps which are relevant to your search terms, easy to use, and worthy of precious class time can sometimes be a frustrating experience. In this portion of the module, I hope you will learn a few tricks for making the process of finding and evaluating apps easier. After all, "There's an App for that, right?" It's also important that teachers try out the apps before sharing them with their students. Also, ask other teachers, students, and parents about their favorite apps.

App-Finding Apps

Download and explore the following "App-Finding" resources to find more education apps that may be beneficial in your classroom. Remember to look for any app you find in the LEARN platform too!

The App Store app Links to an external site. is pre-installed by apple on the iPad. Search the app store by categories or keywords. Be sure to look at the education category. About half way down the page locate subject specific guides created by Apple. Search through the guide for applications which match your curriculum.

The Apps Gone Free Website Links to an external site. has many other useful resources as well, including, App Lists, App Reviews, & App Guides.

AppShopper Social App Links to an external site. (Free) allows you to narrow your searches making it easier to find free apps, apps just for the iPad, and even apps within categories. AppShopper also allows you create a "wish list" account to notify you when paid apps you want become free.

App Review Websites

App reviews can be found online and are a great resource for locating educational apps. Explore a couple of the following websites to find apps that you can use in your classroom.

Common Sense Education Links to an external site.: This site provides reviews by educators and free resources that include ratings and reviews Links to an external site. of apps, games, and websites, designed to help teachers find and use the best digital tools for their classrooms.

Educators Technology App Lists: Links to an external site. The purpose of this site is to provide teachers with a repository of apps to choose from when trying them with their students in the classroom.
Free Apps for Educators: Links to an external site. This is a great resource for free educational apps available for educators.
ScoopIT! on Educational App Lists: Links to an external site. This is a collection of lists of sites that provide recommended lists/reviews of educational apps.
UEN's Apps4Edu: Links to an external site. The Utah Education Network provides a way to search for apps and also provides educational featured apps, top free apps, and top paid apps.

App Evaluation

The most difficult thing about finding iPad apps is finding quality apps, and knowing when you have found an app you should keep. For your assignment on the next page, you will use an evaluation tool for determining the effectiveness of an app to use in your classroom.

Apple Teacher Program

In September of 2016 Apple introduced the Apple Teacher Recognition program:

We designed the Apple Teacher program to help you build skills and stay inspired. You’ll discover new ways to enhance creativity and productivity by unlocking the magic of iPad, Mac, and built-in apps. You’ll get news and fresh ideas, featuring real stories, product tips, and great educational apps. And after completing online quizzes, you’ll receive an official Apple Teacher logo that you can share with the world. (Source: http://www.apple.com/education/teachers/)

Learn more about the Apple Teacher program below:

	The program has two tracks, an iPad track and a Mac track. You work through the tracks earning 8 badges for each track. For each badge there are resources available including Webpages, iBooks, and Workshops at Apple Stores.
	For each track you can earn 8 badges. The badge page for the track shows your progress.
	When you click on a badge to start it, you see the resources available. You can study the resources, then when you are ready you can take the quiz for that badge. All of the quizzes are 5 questions long. If you score 4-5 you pass the quiz and earn the badge. If you don't pass it, don't worry you can study more then retake it.
	When you have earned all 8 badges for either track you are awarded the Apple Teacher designation. You can post this badge proudly on your website or as part of your email signature.

You can earn USBE credit for earning your Apple Teacher certification:

UEN - Apple Teacher Mac Badge
UEN - Apple Teacher iPad Badge

Monitoring Student iPads: Apple Classroom

Apple has "developed tools to help you guide how your students use devices and apps in the classroom, and give you valuable insight into each student’s progress as they work with them. So you can focus on what’s most important: teaching." Classroom is one of these tools. The Classroom app "is a versatile teaching assistant that puts teachers in charge of every iPad and Mac in the classroom, so they can keep students on track."

Source: https://www.apple.com/education/teaching-tools/ Links to an external site.

Getting Started with Classroom

Click on the following image to explore Apple's overview of Classroom:

Classroom for iPad

If you would like to facilitate student iPad use from your teacher iPad, this section is for you. Start by downloading the free Classroom app from the Apple App Store onto your teacher iPad. Be sure it's the Classroom app created by Apple. It will have an orange icon similar to the image at the top of this page. Click on the image below to access the Apple Classroom for iPad teacher guide and the video below to watch a Classroom tutorial. Start by reading through the teacher guide on the following pages to learn how to set up your class:

Introduction (p. 2)
Create Your Class (p. 3)
Invite Your Students (p. 4)
Have Students Join a Class (p. 5)
Organize Your Class (p. 7)

Classroom for Mac

If you would like to facilitate student iPad use from your Mac teacher computer, this section is for you. Start by downloading the free Classroom app from the Apple App Store onto your teacher computer. Be sure it's the Classroom app created by Apple. It will have an orange icon similar to the image at the top of this page. Click on the image below to access the Apple Classroom for Mac teacher guide. Start by reading through the teacher guide on the following pages to learn how to set up your class:

Introduction (p. 2)
Create Your Class (p. 3)
Invite Your Students (p. 4)
Have Students Join a Class (p. 5)
Organize Your Class (p. 7)

Apple Classroom Facilitation & Monitoring

Once Classroom has been installed and classes have been set up, you are able to use the software to monitor student computer use and facilitate learning. The resources on this page will teach you how to use Classroom both as a teacher and as a student.

Classroom for iPad

If you would like to facilitate student iPad use from your teacher iPad, this section is for you. Click on the image below to access the Apple Classroom for iPad teacher guide. Start by reading through the teacher guide on the following pages to learn how to use Classroom:

Launch and lock apps (p. 8)
Navigate to specific content (p. 9)
Share documents (p. 10)
Receive documents (p. 11)
View student screens (p. 12)
Share student work (p. 13)
Mute and lock student iPads (p. 14)
End class and view a summary (p. 16)

You can also watch the videos below to view a Classroom tutorials.

Classroom for Mac

If you would like to facilitate student iPad use from your Mac teacher computer, this section is for you. Click on the image below to access the Apple Classroom for Mac teacher guide. Read through the teacher guide on the following pages to learn how to use Classroom:

Launch and lock apps (p. 8)
Navigate to specific content (p. 9)
Share documents (p. 10)
Receive documents (p. 11)
View student screens (p. 12)
Share student work (p. 13)
Mute and lock student iPads (p. 14)
End class and view a summary (p. 16)

Apps for Classroom Management

Here are some apps that you could consider using as classroom management tools.

App

Cost

Features/Uses

Tutorial(s)

Team Shake

$1.99
iOS

$0.99
Android

Team Shake comes with the following features:

Easily create teams by shaking your phone
Create random or balanced teams
Create multiple class lists
Import existing lists from spreadsheets
Create equal ability or leveled teams
- Set up certain students to never be on the same team

Decide Now

$1.99
iOS

Free
Android

Using this app is simple: Create your question, add answers, and spin the wheel to see what comes up! Other features include:

Saving wheels/lists of choices
Turning sound on and off
Choosing a color scheme
Importing a wheel from a list
Temporarily eliminate some choices
Shake to randomize: Randomly reposition your answers on the wheel by shaking your device

One possible use of Decide Now! is as a reward choice randomizer to incentivize student to reach a pre-determined goal. Look over the lists below for some ideas! 100-Unique-and-Free-Rewards-1.pdf Download 100-Unique-and-Free-Rewards-1.pdf

Tip: Try out a free decision wheel online at www.wheeldecide.com!

Click here or on the image below to get an overview of how the app works.

Remind

Free

With Remind, you can exchange messages with students & parents without any of you actually making your phone numbers visible to each other. Other features include:

Message an entire class, smaller groups, or individuals
Messages can't be edited or deleted, so a complete message history is always available
Ability to report users who violate Remind's Community Guidelines
Works on any device
Students & parents can receive messages by text, email, and/or push notifications from the app
100% free!
The app is available in 6 languages
Include PDFs, voice clips, and photos

Overview

How to Use Remind

Note: This video includes features available with a school or district Remind plan. These features, such as creating class from an SIS like Skyward, are not a part of the individual teacher plan.

Class Dojo

Free

Class Dojo comes with the following features:

A private feed to share class announcements & photos with families
Message families while maintaining phone number privacy
Let students share their work with portfolios
Built in translation feature
Instant feedback with points
Social emotional learning (SEL) videos, discussion questions, & activities
Other tools include:

Group maker, timer, music, noise meter, random student selection

Overview

Watch the video below or click here for a written overview.

How to Use Class Dojo

Find written instructions for all of your setup questions here.

Mindfulness Bell

Free iOS only

We've seen a rise in mindfulness apps, fitness trackers, and even standing desks to help working adults work mindfulness and movement into their 8-hour days. What about our students?

This app allows you to have a Tibetan singing bowl ring at specified or random intervals throughout the day, and it rings in the background even when the app isn't running. Use the reminder to:

change group formations or activities
have students pause to self-monitor their engagement
have students pause to rate their collaborative efforts during group work
pause the class for a stretch break
anything else you can think up!

Apps

Finding & Evaluating Apps

Apple Teacher Certification

Monitoring Student iPads

Apps for Classroom Management

Finding & Evaluating iPad Apps

App-Finding Apps

App Review Websites

App Evaluation

Apple Teacher Program

Monitoring Student iPads: Apple Classroom

Getting Started with Classroom

Classroom for iPad

Classroom for Mac

Apple Classroom Facilitation & Monitoring

Classroom for iPad

Classroom for Mac

Apps for Classroom Management