I was excited to the part of our class, because I thinks students being able to create is one of the keys in showing their learning. I have used several different apps in the past to create on the ipads like Bookabi, Aurasma, Chatterpix, Educreations, Haiku Deck, ect. Unfortunately these are now no longer allowed for us to use as apps. The district says the most common reason they are not approved is because:
*App is not free
*Terms of Service do not allow for student under 13
*App has features that are not safe like in-app texting
*Does not align with learning standards and district curriculum.
I looked at the charts provided, but because of the limitations of our devices I stuck with apps that are actually approved for us to use. Then I searched our approved list for any others that might be creativity tools/apps as well.
As I explored these tools I did consider the TPACK model, especially focus on the technology being used and knowledge needed, the pedagogical knowledge (what the teacher must know), and the content knowledge. Of course I also, explored what the tools could do to truly enhance my students education and if it would be appropriate for my students in the 5th grade.
The first tool I looked at is standard on all of our ipads and that is iMovie. I do think that iMovie can be intimidating at first, at least it was for me, but I found that students can figure it out quickly. I movies allows for students to to create videos or pictures pieced together in the form of a movie. Students can be creative and use green screen with imovie to do a report over something they learning, or even create like a newscast. Students can create books reports or do One thing I have done in the past in a preposition video where students will take a stuffed animal and take pictures of it in different places. The students would then add the picture along with a sentence using the preposition in an iMovie presentation.
I also looked at PuppetPals2. This app allows students to make short videos Students will need to have access the microphone to add their voices and the camera if they are putting an image of themself in it . Students can either use selected characters or they even use a photo of themselves. (I think students will enjoy this part). Students can choose a setting and music to go in the background (or even no music). Students could do a biography report with this from that person’s point of view with them “talking.” They could just insert a picture of the person. In math students could explain how they solved a problem or explain how to do a specific skill. Student could also explain a science investigation and what theyy learned using the characters in Puppet Pals.
One last one I looked at was Toontastic.Toontastic begins by students 3 options; short story, classic story, or science report. I began by looking at science report since I do teach science. Students select a setting (or can draw their own), characters (or can draw their own). Then the students go through 5 steps of an experiment. I think students would enjoy being creative and using this tool to share their information from the investigation. I think this allows students to be creative in different ways. If some are confident in their drawing they can draw. If some students are confident in their verbal skills, they can be showcase that. Also, students could record stories in Toontastic as well as poems. Students could tell about an historic event using this app.
**One thing I want to note will all three of these (iMovie, Toontastic, and PutterPals, there is a component where students are need to use the microphone. The one drawback to many students using these, is that a classroom needs to be very quiet in order to not pick up the background noises. Another option would be to have students have a quiet place option of the building they could go to.**
In the end, I believe devices should be used more for outputting than inputting. Allowing students to create will really show what our students know. Creativity tools also can allow for collaboration with other students
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