App Test Drive Week 3

Since this past week was testing week, I wanted some laid back classes for my seventh graders  Sounds like a great App Test Drive Week to me! I give students a number of apps to try out for me.  They have to use the app for 30 minutes, then fill out a short form -- one each day.  See below if there is anything you can use in your classes.

1. Animoto: (3.5 stars out of 5) Animoto is an app that allows you to quickly create and edit videos. Disclaimer: Only two students reviewed this app.
2. explOratorium: Color Uncovered: (3.8 stars) This app allows students to learn about the lesser known facts about colors and illusions.
3. explOratorium: Sound Uncovered: (3.9 stars) Made by the same museum as Color Uncovered, this gives sound bytes into some surprising sides of sound. Just be prepared.  Students need headphones and be ready for them to test your age with sound.
4. FaceTalker: (4.5 stars) Take a still picture.  Turn it into a video with a moving mouth. The high score may be due to the goofiness factor rather than the serious educational value. However, there is value in it.  Disclaimer: Never give middle schoolers an opportunity to be absolute goofballs unless you’ve had your morning coffee.
5. Morpholio: (3.5 stars) Morpholio, in tandem with its mother web site, is a place to create, share, and store your drawings.  It’s like an online collaborative canvas and portfolio for your artwork.  Disclaimer: This app was only reviewed by two students.
6. Springpad: (3 stars) Springpad will probably never be a student favorite, but adults will like it. It’s basically a personalized student organizer with places to put notes, schedules, etc... and it looks like Pinterest.
7. Ubersense: (4 stars) Record a video and play it back in slow motion.  It doesn’t sound exciting but it is if you are a coach, teach in the sciences, or have any sort of repetitive motion in your disciplines.  When replaying the video in slo mo, you can analyze the form and motion and compare to an expert’s motions. Disclaimer: Again, only two students reviewed this app.

Click here for the raw data and to see students’ comments.

I’m always on the lookout for good apps and have a wonderful group of students who are willing to test drive them for us.  If you have ideas, let me know.

Previous test drives:

Week One

Week Two