Peer Review

European Exploration: The Age of Discovery App for iPad

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This is an app for iPad that allows the user to become an explorer in the 15th century. The user: chooses the ship captains, builds the ships, charts the course, and make discoveries. Points and money are earned after answering questions about the discovery. This money is used to continue discovering new lands The app is free.
Type of Material:: simulation
Recommended Uses:: The app can be used for many types of work: homework, classwork, individual or group in social studies class.
Technical Requirements:: iPad requires iOS 4.3 or later.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The learning goals are for 4th and 5th graders in European history and associated with the Age of Discovery.
Target Student Population:: 4th and 5th graders are the target population, but any student could use the app in elementary, middle or high school, teacher education classes in social studies.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Basic knowledge of European exploration is helpful but not needed. Minimal requirement is iOS 4.3 or later.

Rating:
Strengths:: Students learn about different explorers, the type of ships and equipment needed, and get a sense of the unknown with discovery. The app could be easily integrated into the curriculum for extended learning or enhancement without the need of an assignment. The app is flexible and integrates the concepts it seeks to teach well.
Concerns:: Research citation is not easily found, and the primary source is Wikipedia. Material about the explorers and ships is good, but little information is provided for the "discovered" items except the name of the geographic location, population, crop, or good.

Rating:
Strengths:: The simulation can be used to meet world history standards about the Age of Exploration. Teachers could create assignments to extend learning about people, resources, and geography of the different regions/continents.
Concerns:: Although the app has wonderful interactive tutorial for the app itself, no prerequisite knowledge is discussed and there is no formal assessment, but the questions asked and the accumulation of gold could work for assessment, though it can't be printed.

Rating:
Strengths:: Wonderful directions and app is easy to use. The graphics are appealing and engaging. The app will run off-line. Users can enjoy individual sessions.
Concerns:: The app does not save the session if the user needs to stop. When the app is turned off, all progress is lost. There are not indications for how the app addresses accessibility requirements.

Other Issues and Comments:: Engaging and interactive for students. Some users may need to use the tutorial guides that are available. It would be helpful if there were lesson application ideas for extended use. It would also be helpful to have assessment samples to accompany the lesson ideas.
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