Peer Review

appoLearning App for iPad

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This free app provides a comprehensive list of peer reviewed, educational apps for babies through high school. The top five apps in a wide variety of categories are hand-picked by teachers and app experts and scored on a 100 point scale as to the educational content, kid appeal, assessment, features and design, value safety and privacy.
Type of Material:: App for iPad
Recommended Uses:: Learners or family members looking for materials to help grasp K-12 content or special needs approaches to learning. Pre-service and in-service teachers and teacher educators could also make use of these apps within their instruction.
Technical Requirements:: iPad iOS 6.1 or later with access to iTunes
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The user will be able to search for top rated educational apps and understand why they were chosen, if they are free or have a cost, how to use them, and best features of each. The user will be able to supplement or reinforce skill/knowledge building in content.
Target Student Population:: Elementary, middle and high school , college level, and adult learners
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Basic computing/app skills

Rating:
Strengths:: The information provided by this app is of the highest quality from teachers in a wide variety of disciplines and areas of expertise including, among many other topics, such topics as mythology, religious studies, world languages, art, music, life skills, autism, brainstorming, flashcards, study aids, creativity tools, phonics, exercise and much more. The directory is divided into sections by grade levels: early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school.
Concerns:: None

Rating:
Strengths:: The app makes finding quality educational apps for all ages and disciplines very efficient. The Community Picks area makes finding the right app even easier. By tapping on an icon, the user can receive more information about why it was selected, how it works, education connections, and a rating report card that looks at educational content, learner appeal, assessment, features/design, value, safety/privacy. The scoring process is also explained. It is easy to select apps for specific content and use as a lesson material.
Concerns:: None

Rating:
Strengths:: It is easy to navigate, locate app reviews curated by the experts, see the cost (if any), as well as check on articles available about the apps/uses. There is an article about use of Android apps as well even though this app focuses on iOS.
Concerns:: None

Other Issues and Comments:: User can view most of the material without begin connected once the app is on a device. To download app or check on links would require user to connect to internet. List of experts includes background information. Some of the apps are free while others have a cost.
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