PlanbookEdu.com

Format: Computer
Price: Free Version and $25.00 Per Year Version
Vendor: PlannbookEdu.com

On line plan book that may be accessed from any Internet ready device.

RH: Matt, Sue, Nancy, Mickie, and probably many others told me about this online planner and that I should give it a look. I have and I believe it to be a really good program and very easy to use. There is a free version but it has some limitations such as not being able to share your plan with others. It has a good print feature as well as the ability to one-click Indiana and Common Core Standards. Not only are you able to share your plan but you can set it up to collaborate with your colleagues.

Trading Cards

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

This rather cool app gives students an opportunity to show what they know about various subjects by building trading cards.

RH: You might want to check this app out even for kicks. It provides a rather detailed template and even allows you to import a photo. I made up an Abraham Lincoln trading card in just a few minutes. Quite fun!

Relax

Format: iPad
Price: Free Today
Vendor: iTunes

Effective and rapid stress relief in 5 minutes.

De-stress with our guided breathing exercises that use calming music to promote relaxation. It’s an ideal stress management tool, being simple and intuitive.

RH: Chuck Losch sent this stress relief app out and said "It was just what I need as the day ends." Check it out. Thanks, Chuck.

Blogger (Blogspot)

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

Start blogging on the go with the official Blogger app. With Blogger app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, you can easily publish posts with pictures, labels, and location information. Also, you can view the list of posts and if you have multiple accounts or blogs, you can easily switch between them. Blogger for your computer is easily accessed through Blogspot.com.

RH: I can't believe I have not reviewed this awesome program/app sooner. Blogspot or as otherwise known, Blogger, is one of the easiest blogging programs out there. There are many great programs available and most are free. WordPress, Weebly, and many others are very good blog hosts but I have been mostly acquainted with Blogger. There are templates aplenty that will meet every need you can imagine. One highly encouraging fact about Blogger is that in the time I have used it, just the first month of school, there has not been one time that is was "down." How many times did your blog host go down? I have not used Blogger for iPad much as the pictures are not easily formatted on my iPad or iPhone. I typically use my laptop or school desktop to do most blogging activities. The beauty is that you can update from any Internet ready machine.

TubeChop

Format: Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: tubechop.com

TubeChop allows you to easily chop a funny or interesting video from any YouTube video and share it.

RH: I just saw this cool You Tube tool on Edmodo that you can use to "chop" a section out of a You Tube video and share it without downloading and editing it yourself. How many times have you thought "If only I could share just that part in the video without all the rest?" I sure have. This tool will do that.

Go to TubeChop.com.
Search YouTube for your video.

Locate your favorite spot using the scrubber.

Choose "Chop it."
And, you have your final video and theURL or embed code you need in order to share.

ShowMe

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

We have reviewed this app in a previous post but there is new activity on the app as we featured it on Thinking Thursdays September 20. James Howard was our featured presenter and many staff members took advantage of the session. This free app is a tremendous tool for screencasts of any flavor. It may be used if you are anticipating an absence, make a screencast if you don't wish to repeat a skill lesson five times in a row, or make a screencast for absent students and post it on your blog or web page. Maybe you have this knockout lesson that you wish to revisit so you pull it up and bam! You have it.

RH: I put together a short follow up ShowMe video clip further explaining how to make backgrounds, import images, and add pages (so to speak) to your presentation. A good rule of thumb is to never exceed the 10 minute point in a clip. Actually, if you stay around 4 or 5 minutes, you will get better focus and attention from your students. If you have longer lessons, or presentations, feel free to do them in installments. In other words, make them in part one, part two, etc.

Pleas click on this link: ShowMe tutorial

Air Sketch

Format: iPad
Price: Free Version
Vendor: iTunes

Turn your iPad into a wireless whiteboard! Project live sketches to a local computer that is linked to your LCD projector and you can walk around the room and broadcast your sketches. You can also link to any computer (BYOD) that is logged onto the same URL broadcast from your iPad.

RH: I tested this app using my laptop and iPhone. It worked flawlessly on both. This means that a student with Internet connection may log into "your" broadcast that you are making from your iPad as you walk around the room. Great for math teachers. All you have to do is place the URL address, that your iPad shows you, into the browser of any device that is on the same network. I have not tested this at school yet. The device or your desktop computer will show the blank screen and any drawings you produce. The drawback is that the drawing that you produce is not real smooth but rather crude in the free version. The free version boasts 3/5 stars. The Pro version runs a salty $9.99 but allows you to put documents, pictures, and more on your iPad for you to mark up. If you would use this app daily, it would be worth it and has collected 4.5/5 stars in reviews. If you want to research more uses for this app check out this link: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/02/use-air-sketch-with-dropbox-for.html#.UFbkYKOuWAq

VideoScribe HD

Format: iPad
Price: $4.99
Vendor: iTunes

VideoScribe.tv is a completely unique way to create engaging animated videos quickly and easily. Often called Whiteboard animation or sometimes Fast Drawing, VideoScribe replicates the stop-motion capture style of drawing that's so popular on commercials at a fraction of the cost.

RH: If you have ever wanted to create a marker board style creation that you have seen on commercials and all sorts of professional presentations, this app is for you. It is a fee based app at $4.99 but it is a lot of fun and makes a rather impressive show. The sample I have included below was my first attempt and it has potential. It is voice over capable but I found the timing to be a bigger challenge than I wanted for a Friday night. I ended up just using the in-app provided background music and found it to be plenty cool. If you are still not sure what I mean this app allows you to make a video that shows a hand drawing text and images on a white board with voice over and or music in the background.

Web Browsers to View Flash Video

Skyfire

Format: iPad
Price: $2.99
Vendor: iTunes
Skyfire allows you to watch Flash videos that otherwise don’t work on iPhone! Ever see a 'black rectangle' instead of a video while browsing with the native iPhone browser (Safari)!? That's when you need Skyfire!

Photon

Format: iPad
Price: $4.99
Vendor: iTunes

Photon Browser is a powerful new browser with Flash capability designed to enhance your browsing experience on the iPad. We have been the #1 paid browser on the app store for several months and you can read reviews on the web on why we are the best Flash browser for the iPad.

Rover

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

Rover is powered by the iSwifter platform (the world’s first cloud-based Flash streaming platform for mobile devices). We have specifically designed Rover based on feedback from teachers, IT directors and administrators from schools across the country.

RH: I have tried two of these three "Flash" enabled browsers. The point here is that iPad does not support Flash. Therefore, anytime you wish to view a video built with Flash you will get a message saying that you need to download Flash. You cannot do that with the iPad. That's where these browsers or one like them come in. Rover works fine, is free, but is slow, and a bit unstable causing you to be kicked out of your video. Skyfire is popular but has not had as many positive reviews at Photon. The price on Skyfire has just lowered from $4.99. Photon is the one I like best. Each time I come across a Flash video I just copy the URL of the site or video, open Photon on my iPad, and paste the URL in the box at the top. When the site opens and the message that it is Flash appears, I click on the lightening bolt which then runs the flash video perfectly.

PowToon

Format: Web Based (Flash only)
Price: Free and Paid versions
Vendor: PowToon

PowToon is a brand new presentation software that is so simple and intuitive, it allows anyone who ever used PowerPoint or KeyNote to easily evolve their presentations to AWESOMENESS!
PowToon contains themes of animated characters, props and cool transitions which you can just drag and drop into a slide to create eye catching and fun presentations that can be presented in person, or turned into animated videos at the click of a button - to be shared on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter.

RH: This is a pretty neat presentation creator. I have made two, so far, and although the learning curve was a little tedious I would use it again here and there. It is currently in beta so it allows you to use it free of charge. I believe they have an educator account as well. I don't know how long before it becomes totally fee based.  In my view I wouldn't use it for content. I would use it for introduction, poster videos, and other announcement type of videos. They are fun to make. Below is Jennifer Cobb's and my first attempt and an AIM High video.

Format: iOS
Price: Free (for now)
Vendor: iTunes Store

Description: This app lets the user create mind maps, which can be save either locally on the iPad or, after setting up an account, in the Cloud.

JH: I used Inspirations frequently in the classroom. This may be a replacement! I have only started playing with it, so it is too early to tell, but being able to use the iPad's tactile functionality seems to make it easy enough to drag and drop elements of a mind map.

MentorMob

Format: Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: www.mentormob.com
MentorMob, a site that allows users to curate online content into step-by-step lessons on any topic.

RH: This is the free version and lets the user gather video, document, and web articles together into  a play list that students can access. One could put together an entire unit or area of study so students could access them all from the same location. Check out the tutorial video collection I put together for my students about Edmodo. I used ScreenCast-O-Matic to screen capture  and uploaded the videos directly to You Tube from the program. Very easy.

Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!

Format: Computer/iPad
Price: Free Resource
Vendor: iTunes


This ed site, which you can be a member or not, has provided a spreadsheet with 100+ must have iPad apps for education and personal use. All subjects are available and is in one place for easy scanning. The list includes free and fee based apps and are available in iTunes.

 RH: If you are like me and may be overwhelmed with the many resources available for the iPad. This spreadsheet may simplify your search for apps that you may want to try out for both your class room and personal use. You may have to either go "full screen" or resort to your desk top as you will have to move the slider at the bottom of the page to view the entire spreadsheet.

ScreenCast-O-Matic

Format: Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: ScreenCast-O-Matic

This is a free computer download that allows you to capture anything on your computer screen and posted to the Internet giving you a URL to be pasted or embedded on your site. You may play videos, show images, show power points within the capture and more.  


RH: This capture tool is not for the faint of heart. It can do a lot of things and therefore has somewhat of a learning curve. It is relatively easy to use but has the ability to zoom, draw focus to a spot on your screen, and be edited after the fact. My first experience resulted in a lot of noise in the audio. I don't know if it was because I just used my mic that was built into my laptop or what. The free version limits the recording to 15 minutes but a good screencast should  be less than 8-10 anyways. The pay version is only $15 a year and opens up more possibilities. This would  be a good choice if you have a lot of content on your computer and don't want to bother moving it to your iPad  or can't in order to use an iPad app to screencast. 

ScreenChomp

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor:  iTunes


Share a great idea... Explain a tricky concept... Help kids with their homework...

RH: This screen casting app is similar to ShowMe and Educreations in that it provides you tools to write and record your ideas over a whiteboard or image. This is a very simple app and also lets you scroll up or down to a new page. The only drawback I see is that you can only import one image or background at a time. You can pause the recording and change the image but cannot have two at once. This app is perfect if you want simple and  no image or one image on the screen at a time.  I really like the three pen choices that are always displayed to make color changes on the fly.The app seems very stable and is made by TechSmith, the same company that makes Camtasia used by Khan.

360 Panarama

Format: iPad, iPhone
Price:$0.99
Vendor: iTunes


This photography entertainment app can take 360 panoramic photos with perfect ease. Panoramas may be shared online, through email, and more.


RH: This is the easiest panoramic photo app I have ever seen. The "stitching" is very seamless and may be used for fun or even for taking a panoramic view of your entire class room in one shot. Worth every penny of the 99 cents in cost. Very fun app and more importantly, very cool.

 http://360.io/NdTXjj
Here is a sample hosted on line. Check it out. Don't mistake this for Google Earth's Street View.

Halftones

Format: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Price: $0.99
Vendor: iTunes


Halftone turns your photos into unique, vintage comics that friends and family will love! More than a simple “photo filter” app, Halftone makes it easy to add paper styles, captions, speech balloons, graphic stamps, and fonts (including built-in comic fonts).

RH: This is an entertainment app that can turn your pictures into fun "comic" like end products. I have had some fun making cards of my grandson's antics.

Just a sample of a Halftone creation. Lots of fun. Also, I signed it using A+ Signature (previous post).

Net Texts

Format: iPad, Computer
Price: Free Demo App
Vendor: iTunes


Introducing the Net Texts iPad app, which lets students use multimedia courses customized by their own teachers instead of a backpack full of heavy books!

RH: This app is amazing and has tremendous potential. I thought it would be fun to create an app that would allow a teacher to aggregate subject matter from open and free resources on the Internet in any subject or area of study. Well, this app does just that. I don't know the details of how this will be priced or if it will be an education open source app. There is a web site introducing it which can be searched under the same name. Awaiting further details. Caution! When you download this app and choose a course to download as well, it will take awhile as it is thick and rich with goodies.

Have Technology Will Travel

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: Internet Blog


Fishing for good classroom apps? Here is a blog site that has put together a ton of good search sites for the latest apps for classrooms.


RH: As you read down his page you will see Blog Posts, Websites Devoted to Apps,  a Database List of Apps, a group titled "Other," and the author's (Jason Mammano) Personal Must Have Teacher Apps. Granted, these will be reviews from teachers you don't personally know but it is a good resource none the less.

Good Notes Free

Format: iPad
Price: Free Lite (upgrade 3.99)
Vendor: iTunes


GoodNotes lets you take handwritten notes, sketch diagrams, mark-up PDFs and organize them on a beautiful bookshelf. Turn pages with a swipe, highlight or add notes to any page, and share your notes with anyone. GoodNotes will automatically save your notes and has full backup function to prevent data loss.

RH: This is the free version of GoodNotes. This app provides a number of templates including lined, blank, squares, and music note sheets. The free version limits you to two notebooks and the upgrade is a little pricey at 3.99. I really like the ability to enlarge your paper as you write and then shrink it back at will. You can also import images and be able to write all over them.

Groovy Grader

Format: iPad, iPhone
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


A very simple grade percentage calculator. 


RH: This app can be opened, set for number of questions, and you are ready to quickly access percentages. If you have an assessment where you are using number of questions correct, this is perfect. It works just like the old slider grade percentage indicators.

Rover

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

Can’t access Flash on your iPad? Rover CAN! Rover is the free education app that streams educational Flash content to your iPad.

RH: This is a games app that makes it possible to access Flash. If you get a message that you need Flash to view a video, then, you cannot view it on your iPad unless you have a nifty program such as Rover. You open Rover and paste the URL of your intended video into the browser of Rover and you can watch it. Rover plays the video inside Rover and fools Flash. Some videos play a little "clunky" but it's better than not being able to play it all.

Papa Johns

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


An app that allows you to order your pizza online.


RH: I am reviewing this app not because I love Papa Johns, I do, but because you can search iTunes for any of your favorite eating or service establishments, such as Great Clips, etc. With the app you can order, set an appointment, or get infinite information about the establishment. For example when I look at my hair cut place's app I can see how long is my wait and set my appointment. When I arrive, my name is already on the screen and if I time it right, I'm next.

Educreations Interactive

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Educreations is a new iPad app that turns your iPad into a whiteboard. You can use the app to illustrate concepts and narrate what you're doing on the screen. You can draw images from scratch on the Educreations iPad app or you can upload images and draw on them. Your completed lesson can be shared directly to others or made public on the Educreations website.


RH: Educreations is very similar to Show Me and Screen Chomp iPad apps. All three of these free iPad apps could be used to deliver short lessons to students. You could also use these free iPad apps to have students develop and share short lessons with each other and you. I prefer ShowMe.

SCOtutor for iPad

Format: iOS 
Price: Free (for a short time)
Vendor: iTunes


This reference app and tutorial explains all aspects of iPad use. The best part is that it has a search able contents on demand.


RH: This is a bit long at over 2 hours but you can search any area of interest and is free for now. Get it soon.

Google Currents

Format: iOS
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


From the publisher: Google Currents delivers beautiful magazine-like editions to your tablet and smartphone for high speed and offline reading. 


James: Though I prefer Flipboard, mostly for the layout, one feature I like about Google Currents is that news is updated continuously, even while you read, and the "trend" feature gives a nice, efficient look at headlines. Otherwise, get Flipboard.

Edmodo

Format: iOS, Windows (via internet browser), Droid (via internet browser)
Price: Free
Vender: iTunes, Google Play

Edmodo creates a message board for students to access teacher created material, respond to items left by a teacher and their peers, and take online quizzes in a Facebook like environment. It does not allow students to message each other, is closed from outside access, and allows for teachers to monitor student work. Students can only access Edmodo when they are given access to a teacher-created groups or classes.

James: I like the potential that Edmodo has, and I am planning on having each student have an account next year. This will let me post Flip instruction, allow absent students to see what occurred in the classroom, and also take formative assessments. The teacher creates groups for students to belong to, which can be classes or small collaborative groups. I tested this for a literature circle, and it has a lot of promise.

Please read the first comment below before setting up your Edmodo account.

ProCon.org

Format: iOS
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

The ProCon.org app is an RSS feed to the procon.org website.

James: With the move towards Common Core Standards, and the "special place" for argument, I have begun using procon.org as a venue for different perspectives on current issues. While not every topic is age-appropriate, it still is a cornucopia of argument. Especially useful is resources for the current presidential election.

iBooks

Format: iOS
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

Publisher's Description: Both a way to read books and a way to buy them, iBooks transforms the simple act of reading into something simply delightful.

James: iBooks is Apple's "Nook" or "Kindle" app. It is a pretty good eReader, but what I like about it is that it can take any PDF file you download onto the iPad, which then can be organized into "bookshelves". In iBooks, the PDF page turns are vertical, rather then the horizontal scroll that is typical in other PDF readers.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Format: iPad, Droid
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play

Merriam-Webster Dictionary on the iPad.

James: I prefer the M-W Dictionary over the Dictionary.com App. The app has a clean interface.

Evernote

Format: iOS, Windows OS, Droid OS
Price: Free
Vender: iTunes, Developer Homepage, Google Play

Evernote makes it easy to remember things big and small from your everyday life using your computer, phone, tablet and the web.

James: I use Evernote on my PC at work and home, and on the iPad. On the PC, I have downloaded the Evernote clipper for Chrome browser and use it to clip nonfiction articles for use in class and professional articles for me. Because Evernote keeps everything up in the Cloud, what I clip at home, I can access at work, or on the iPad. In Evernote, I have made behavior logs for each class, parent contact logs and committee notes to track what was discussed from one meeting to the next. Evernote can work like a simple word processor, and notes then can be bundled into notebooks. A great app!

ShowMe

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Turn your iPad into your personal interactive whiteboard!
ShowMe allows you to record voice-over whiteboard tutorials and share them online. It’s a radically intuitive app that anyone will find extremely easy to use, regardless of age or background.

RH: This app is fantastic for recording whiteboard tutorials on any subject. I have recorded and placed them on my web page for student review, played them during class, and had a sub play one that I pre-recorded for a review. This app works much like Khan's flipping the classroom model. You can pause the recording and make corrections, erase clutter, or even bring in new images. Of course, you can draw your own.

Yellow Pages

Format: iPad, iPhone, Computer, Droid
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play, Internet


Yellow Pages app.

Dictionary.com

Format: iPad, iPhone, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play, Internet

Dictionary reference app.

Google Search

Format: iPad, Droid
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play


Basic Google search app redesigned for the iPad.


RH: This search app has been redesigned for the iPad and has some cool features. To name just two, it has a "voice" search and a "goggles" search. The voice is obvious but the goggles allows you to take a picture and the app searches for like images from its world wide data bank. Pretty cool.

Socrative Student

Format: iPad, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet, Google Play

Student version to go with Socrative Teacher "Clicker" app. Students may down load this version or may go to the Web and log on and enter your teacher room number. 


RH: This is the student side of Socrative and it seems to work very well. They may run it from the app or the Web.

Mr. Braunsdorf's 7th grade science

BYOD (bring your own device)

Show the results on the screen

Socrative Teacher

Format: iPad, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet


An Internet based program that works from your computer or from your iPad or Droid. This is the teacher version which when connected to student devices works like a "clicker" service with which you may conduct a written or oral quiz. Students may download the "student" version or go to the web page and log in.


RH: I have only experimented a few times with this app. So far I feel that it has great potential. Students may use their personal devices to give you feedback or you can set up individual tablets on the back shelf and have students participate in that fashion. You can choose to ask one question at a time or set it to run at student pace.

CLASS DOJO

Format: iPad (Home Screen), Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: Internet


Class room management program that is Internet based and can help you arrange seating and track class behavior.


RH: I have only used this a few times. It has great capabilities to track and record student behavior. That I know of, it does not give you the ability to import pictures at this time. This Web based program does not have an app at this time. You may select "Add to Home Screen" to make an "app-like" icon on your iPad.