THE Journal

Mobile Learning | Feature

5 Apps Every Teacher Should Have

• By Graphite by Common Sense Media
• 07/17/14

Common Sense Media’s service Graphite, which offers independent ratings and reviews of learning apps and websites, has compiled this list of indispensable applications for educators. For complete reviews, and for each app’s "Learning Rating," visit the Graphite website.

Nearpod
Grades: K-12
Price: Free
Concepts:  Academic development, self-assessment
For truly interactive presentations or assessments, Nearpod is a must-have. In the classroom, teachers can view real-time student activity and response to quizzes, polls or open-ended questions. Students in turn can watch videos, take notes and instantly see result to their answers. Great for assessing and creating individualized instruction for homework. Read the full review.

Geddit
Grades: 4-12
Price: Free
Concepts: Identifying strengths and weaknesses, self-reflection
Geddit gives teachers a window into student understanding and attitudes during a lesson. With Geddit, students can privately check in with teachers and select bars to show their degree of understanding from low to high. Teachers can then address their individual needs one-on-one, helping them gain confidence and progress to a higher level. Read the full review.

Showbie
Grades: 5-12
Price: Free to $99.99
Concepts:  Time management, working efficiently
Designed for the tablet classroom, Showbie lets teachers virtually create, collect and review assignments — in a single location. These features reduce time spent organizing, saving and tracking students’ work. Built-in cartoon creation and mind-mapping tools offer students ways to apply creative or critical thinking skills for coursework. Read the full review.

Notability
Grades: 6-12
Price: $2.99
Concepts: Brainstorming, group projects
Notability takes the ho-hum out of taking notes. Teachers and students can draw; snap photos; and add audio, graphs, or content from websites, then assemble them by projects and share. The variety caters to individual needs while making group collaboration fun for research or brainstorming ideas. Read the full review.

Explain Everything
Grades: 7-12
Price: $2.99
Concepts: Presenting with digital tools, digital creation
Explain Everything, is the ultimate presentation/flipped classroom tool. Interactive whiteboard and screencast functionality allows users to draw, animate, annotate, zoom and pan across the screen, producing captivating visuals. Integration with multiple cloud services helps users to import, export and share content. Presentation-savvy teachers who enjoy design and editing may get hooked. Read the full review.