COOL TOOLS FOR A CHILLY WEEK: Here we go again! We've got our favorite edtech teacher and administrator tools for the week right here, as highlighted in our Instruct newsletter. Our fave S'Cool Tools are:
Free! Could personalized videos and games help your students master Common Core standards? Common Core Quest, for iPhone and iPad and for Android, recommends activities from OpenEd’s library of more than a million videos and games based on a student’s demonstrated mastery through math and ELA quizzes.
Free! And speaking of those standards, could imagine stuffing all the Common Core standards--and then every state standard into your phone? Surely would be a handy way to pull up that 7th grade Common Core standard or even Texas’ “essential” knowledge for 8th grade social studies. MasteryConnect has neatly tucked both the Common Core and now all 50 State Core standards into a handy collection of apps available on iOS, Droid and Amazon. Check out what you need here.
Free! Tell students to connect with parents and teachers on social media and most would roll their eyes in response. But show them GoEnnounce and they might change their tune. Students create a profile page showcasing their interests, accomplishments, and challenges at school. Plus, they can use it for fundraising and supporting their friends.
Free! Are your students--and their parents--asking for advice about where to go for high school, or college? On Niche, they can get advice from over 1,290,000 reviews of K-12 schools to make an informed decision about what comes next. And as an educator, you can use Niche to see what student experiences are really like at your school--and add your own opinion. Check out more on Niche’s approach here at EdSurge.
$95 and Up: If your students are impatient to bypass pesky tutorials and start building prototypes of their ideas, development kits from SAM Labs may be able to help. Described as “Lego for the Internet generation” by Wired, the wireless, rechargeable, Bluetooth-connected building blocks take care of the software connections, allowing students to start creating, no training needed. Packs start at £60 (around $95).
