Android Apps In Education 80/20 For use on high school Android based tablets

Tablets on classrooms, BYOD schools In these times, student bring smart phones to school, and many campuses are utilizing tablets for students to access textbooks as well as leaning management systems. What kind of tools/apps can be loaded to make leaning more engaging? Can we find free apps that we can access to encourage more educationally relevant use of these devices.

Adobe Reader App Allows students to open and save PDF files from the web or . Text pieces from the web or linked by teacher web pages can be opened more easily for reading.

For Microsoft Documents The free version allows for viewing Excel, PowerPoint or Word documents. For a fee-based version, students can open and edit documents.

QR Reader App QR codes can take a device/smart phone straight to a website, picture or text. It gives quick access to a resource without having to input long web addresses.

Classroom Use Students can use with Android based Smart phones or Wi-Fi tablets that have a lens. Students can scan the code then be taken to a primary source page in social studies, an audio story in language arts or a science demonstration on YouTube. Post around the room as a scavenger hunt. Post at the classroom door to get the “DO Now” going!!

Google Goggles App Google Googles is an app that identifies one dimensional pictures and graphics then links to an informational website. For instance, to the right, the application is used to click a photo of text in a foreign language, the app identifies the language and translates it.

Google Goggle In this example, a student could take a picture of a primary source or painting posted in the classroom or on a fieldtrip, then be provided with the name and title of the artwork.

TED App Who doesn’t love TED talks? They cross a wide range of genres and ideas. At the end of the year, I had shown a couple of TED talks as warm-ups then had the kids respond in journals and discuss. I should do more. I can see having kids view the talks as valuable homework- maybe viewing one relevant to an interest or area of interest- then practicing summary writing skills.

Mathlab Graphing Calculator Years ago, I spent a small fortune on scientific calculators and graphic calculators for my brood. How wonderful that students now can download for free and have the luxury of seeing their math calculations. It can level the playing filed in terms of appropriate tools for high level coursework.

Dictionary Apps Dictionary.com flash card maker allows for building lists of words for content study. On their mobile device, they can access right before exams and during down time.

Dictionary.com I really took the time to have the kids learn to use this site, and we just bookmarked it. It has audible pronounciation of a word, synonyms, antonyms, as well as examples and multiple definitions. A must for reading and writing.

Google Apps There are so many Google apps available, and I need to take more time to discover how they can all be utilized, but I do know that , Docs, Presentations, YouTube—all allow for cloud storage and sharing. Providing ways for paperless feedback and sharing.

These are a few apps that I explored, I am also looking at some new tools I discovered recently such as Edmodo Voice thread, and Ever Note. I see there are apps available but I don’t want to bog kids down, as the year progresses, new needs will encourage the discovery of new tools.