It’s that time again, more iPhone apps for your educational use. This month is will showcase some of the best ed tech apps you can put on your iPhone (well-the best I can find at least). You’ll be organizing, making movies, brushing up on your math skills in no time! So sit back, reach for your iPhone (or iOS4 device) and read on past the break to find out which cool apps you’re missing out on.
Animoto
I know Omar and I are spending a bit of time on this slick web app, but we feel the need to come full circle. The Animoto app is as easy to use (if not easier) than the website. It does pretty much the same thing, it takes about 12 photos (from your camera roll) and creates a slick looking video with sound. Heck you don’t even need an account to do it on your iPhone, and it’s free to boot. The app also offers a bunch of music that help make your movie stand out. Once the movie is done you can share it with people or download it to your iPhone. Give it a try, it is a lot of fun to make some cool videos that you can share with your class and with your colleagues. Check out the quick video I made below.
SimpleMindX
This is a mind mapping app. It is an interactive mind map that you would make on paper. You start with a central idea in the middle then create other ideas that connect to it. The app is a lot like MindMeister but is not as feature rich. Of course the MindMesiter app is over $5 and this little guy is free. If you’re out and inspiration strikes, this could be a good way to flush out your ideas for the next great unit. Check out the map I made below
iFormulas
This is a math app and it is pretty handy as a reference sheet. It has a bunch of handy formulas that go from the very basic to calculus. It does not perform any of the calculations which I like being a previous math teacher, but instead gives you the formula as a guide to help you properly set up your problems. It could probably stand to offer a quiz option to help you recognize the equations, but for being free it is handy to have in your pocket when fielding questions from the class and you need a quick check.
Curious George’s Dictionary
This is pretty fun, what can I say. There is a paid version of this app, but the free one does pretty well, especially for those children learning the ABC’s. It lets you swipe through the alphabet. When you pick a letter, it has some nice music and a classic Curious George picture to go along. Tap the picture and the word is spoken. It is nice word association app and will keep my little guy pretty occupied learning when he gets a little older. The
Stop Motion Recorder
Of the five this month, this is my favorite. It pretty much lets you make stop motion movies with your iPhone and it is beyond simple. Creating stop motion videos on a computer can be troublesome (even with iMovie) and you often run into roadblocks. With this app, you simply start it up, aim it at what you want to animate and click the start button. It automatically takes the picture and gives you a few seconds to move the object. The previous picture overlays the live view giving you an idea of how much to move the object and how to position the phone. Once done you can set how fast or slow the movie goes, save it to your camera roll, e-mail it, or send it to YouTube. Check out my Oranjeboom movie below. It is $0.99 but that is a small price to pay for inspiring the next claymation master eh?
Technology in the Classroom 