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Site of the Week

Site of the Week


Today's site of the day is History.com. Run by the History Channel, this website provides educators invaluable resources including; videos; documents, pictures, and interactive maps. Additionally, it contains numerous episodes of it's regularly scheduled television shows for you to watch at the end of a long day in the classroom. 

As the use of iPads and tablets in the classroom are on the rise, I have evaluated some apps that are plausible for educators to use with students. 

This app is a speech to text application. It is very convenient for users and allows for great versatility in uses. However, the application needs to be connected to the cloud in order to have access to it’s software features. I rated it a 4 in all categories except Feedback in which it scored a 3. It’s score was lower than the other categories because at times it can misinterpret words. Such misinterpretations could be frustrating to students. 

The TED app is an application similar to that of the YouTube apps, which allows for users to search different talks hosted by TED. A great feature of this application is that it has an inspire feature which randomly accesses videos that may peak a users interest. The app achieved 4’s in all categories except differentiation in which it achieved a 3. 

 

The iTunesU application allows for users to browse “courses” on a variety of topics. They can then download videos, podcasts, or audio files in the desired categories. Additionally, users can browse the cache of university, college, or schools previously uploaded lectures. The app scored 4’s in curriculum connection, user friendliness, and student motivation. It scored a 3 in differentiation. I was unable to rate the feedback and reporting features as it does not have features available in those areas. 

The Google search application allows users to run google searches with ease. Furthermore, the application can manage the use of other apps such as Google Goggles and Google Earth. The only issue arises in the use integration with other apps occurs if a user does not own the apps integrated into Google Search. Fortunately if the user does not possess said apps, the Google Search is automatically linked to the App Store. Overall I rated this app a 4 in all categories except feedback as it does not possess any feedback features. 

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

A funny thing happened to me this afternoon. I was in a grocery store buying my lunch when I stopped at a free sample table. The woman (we'll use the name Jane for our purposes) did an excellent job explaining to me the two items on the table, so I figured I would give them a try. To my surprise one of the foods was better than I thought. As I did not have enough cash to buy the item,  I figured I could scan the QR code on box and then add the site to my bookmarks and buy it another time. I asked her "Can I see the box so I can scan the QR code?" Judging solely by her reaction, one would have thought I asked her in Latin.  I'd seen the look before, it's the look a student gives the first time you ask them to analyze  the Declaration of Independence. I politely told  her "it's shortcut that you can use on a smartphone, but it's fine." She just smiled, shook her head a bit and handed over the box. After all that I got the box only to find it did not have a QR code, so I simply snapped a picture of it.

Looking back on the situation I guess I was speaking another language, I was speaking in "digital".  Jane is part of a group that Mark Prensky colloquially termed “digital immigrants”, born before the introduction of digital technology. As I was born after Prensky's "immigration" cutoff of 1980, I inherently speak a different "language". To Jane I  and my "native" compatriots life a lifestyle as unique and culturally diverse  to "immigrants" as the United States was the tens of thousands of Italian, German, and Irish immigrants entering through the gates at Ellis Island.  Who would have thought that a trip to the store would be so enlightening?