Nifty educational tools and apps

Sub-title: Out of the millions of educational tools available on the web, here’s a list of some that are great time-savers for both tutors and students

Summary: The use of technological tools for presenting information is a trend fast gaining influence with educationists who want students to be involved in the learning process. Incorporating these tools and applications into the teaching process can be a boon for teachers and students alike.

Education today is not limited to the conventional classroom methods of imparting knowledge. This is particularly so in an era that has witnessed such high amplitudes of tech explosion. Tradition and convention aren’t the ship to board with the digital natives. Given the exposure today’s children have to virtual stimulation where they are the centre of the universe, it becomes impossible for them to relate to or empathise with something without being involved in it. More than three centuries later, Benjamin Franklin’s words are truly taking shape- “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

The use of technological tools for presenting information is a trend fast gaining influence with educationists who want students to be involved in the learning process. There is constant effort to vary teaching styles and incorporate different methods of delivering information in pedagogy. The incorporation of LCD projectors, digital cameras, smart boards, etc. is evidence enough. But like education, technology too is a dynamic process; something new is introduced every day.

It is best to keep updated with new tools and applications and adopt them into the teaching process. It’s not just students who benefit from it; even for educationists, they are big time-savers and eliminate a lot of effort and manual labour. Here are a few apps to do just that:

1. HMH Fuse (Algebra and Geometry): HMH fuse is an interactive curriculum designed to aid learning of algebra and geometry concepts. The app includes step-by-step explanation of concepts with examples, quizzes, tips, hints, etc. You can also review the scratch work done for every question making it easier to trace the error. It also serves as a personalised learning plan for students. Available for Ipads and Androids, the HMH Fuse has 3 editions. You can learn more about this app at http://www.hmhco.com/shop/education-curriculum/math/secondary-mathematics/hmh-fuse.

2. Oxford Picture Dictionary (OPD): As the name suggests, OPD is a picture dictionary for mobiles and computers. It helps tutors to not only build students’ vocabulary but also evaluate it. The systematic flow of introduction, high resolution visual illustration and application works towards the understanding of the overall concept and not just the word. If you search for ‘kitchen’, for example, it does not just display a kitchen but a list of common objects found in the kitchen such as the stove, the oven, the pans, the wok, etc. You can easily get your hands on this at the Oxford University Press website or you could use https://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/dictionaries/oxford_picture_dictionary/?cc=global&selLanguage=en.

3. Wonder of the Universe: This is one of the most appealing apps there is. It takes you to a virtual tour of the universe guided by Professor Brian Cox. Not only does it do an in-depth study of every aspect of the universe- the ocean, the rocks, the stars, the solar system, etc.-

but also provides students with notes and graphs for further study. You can watch the video demo for a better insight into the app at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Pnb5Zr2Po.

4. Springpad: Springpad is where you organize and share information and ideas in any form. It is basically a bookmarking software that works as an information manager. Learn more about this app at https://springpad.com/about.

5. School Fuel: This is probably the best mobile learning platform for tutors. It allows tutors to connect with learners outside the classroom and makes the use of other apps very easy and convenient. It allows you to organise various apps and share it with specific groups of students. For example, you could share the HMH Fuse app with students who need more help with algebra while the OPD could be shared with another set of students from the same class who need help in vocabulary building. To get more details on this check out http://www.schoolfuelapps.com/.

6. Digital Storytelling Tools: After having saved princess Zelda from Ganondorf by solving puzzles and completing quests and fighting battles, listening to the adventures of Tom Sawyer may just not be exhilarating enough. Incorporating digital stories can be a great teaching aid. Digital stories could be in the form of audio, video, animation or any other depiction of stories in a digital format. Digital storytelling tools are easily available over the internet such as the Zimmer Twins, Story Birds, Capzles, etc.

7. Worksheet generators: A worksheet generator might not do much for the students but is sure a boon for tutors. It takes all of 2 seconds for this software to create a worksheet for any subject you are looking for. These are, again, available on the web. You might want to try www.worksheetworks.com and www.toolsforeducators.com