Innovative Apps for Educators in 2015

Stumbled upon this article on Twitter, of innovative apps for educators in 2015!

https://www.noodle.com/articles/32-innovative-online-tools-to-use-in-2015

 Looks good! Edmodo being on the list drew my attention, since I'm using that one to organize my class lesson plans, and communication. I also use the Edmodo gradebook feature, and my library is filled with my bag of tricks!

I see Khanacademy on the list, of course, and iTunes U and instaGrok.

Those I have used in the classroom with my fourth and fifth graders.

Some of the other apps on the list I haven't tried, so I'm going to look a few of them up, at least! 

As a teacher friend of mine said, "I don't think we even know what the possibilities are yet, of using iPads in the classroom!"

Movie Making

I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't making about ten movies a week for my classroom and school. This week I made an iMovie and a movie trailer to go along with it, that will be shown at our school fundraiser next weekend. The movie theme is about technology and STEM at our school.

I went on my planning periods, which are few and far between since I teach a combo 4th and 5th grade class, to all the classrooms in the school to film. 

I looked for signs of use of iPads, Chromebooks, laptops, computer workstations, and computers in our computer lab, and filmed teachers and students utilizing the technology to transform learning. It was amazing! I was so impressed by the diversity at our school, and the creative ways teachers are enhancing learning through use of technology. 

The STEM activities I filmed included robotics, automation, and building of simple machines. We have various grant winners on our staff, and wow, I was floored by all I saw. Lucky me to be a filmmaker this week!

I love the iMovie app still, and it's only limits are the user's imagination!