PowerTeacher Mobile

Application Review: PowerTeacher Mobile
Reference: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/powerteacher-mobile/id390563073?mt=8

Review/Summary:  This is an application for use with the online PowerTeacher Gradebook.  At first, I didn’t think this would be that useful.  After working with it, I found it very useful for sharing grades with both parents and students.

Reflection:  The usefulness of this tool is the immediate feedback.  The tool allows you to show a student or parent the immediate effect an assignment has on their grade.  This is also quite useful for use with immediate grading or spot checks for homework.

TestWise Online Testing

Web-Tool Review: TestWise Online Testing
Reference: http://www.testingforschools.com/

Review/Summary:  This is an online tool used for pre- and post-assessments of students in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.  The tool allows for the district or classroom teacher to load a test and have the students take the test online.  The feedback provided is immediate and drives student placement from year to year.  In addition to testing, the web tool also can be used as a tutoring instructor.  This was used with several of our after school tutoring students this year.

Reflection:  The usefulness of this tool is the immediate feedback.  The tool allows you to test a student and then determine their strengths and weaknesses.  The online problem I have with the tool is it only allows for multiple-choice questions.  It does have all of the features expected of a district level software and the data aggregation reports are amazing.

Infinite Pre-Algebra

Program Review: Infinite Pre-Algebra
Reference: http://www.kutasoftware.com/

Review/Summary:  This is a PC based application for use in a Pre-Algebra classroom.  The software is a collection of instructional and assessment questions.  In addition to creating tests and worksheets for use in the classroom, the questions are directly exportable to a student response system like eInstruction’s CPS. The software is a little on the more expensive side but there is a free trial and a variety of free worksheets and export files available as well.

Reflection:  This is an excellent resource for middle school math teachers as it gives a compilation of questions for use in the classroom.  The questions range from extremely easy to very difficult.  This program is perfect for two types of instruction.  The first type is skill practice.  The second is interaction through a system like the CPS. The amount of time saved by using this program is phenomenal.

Application Review: Geogebra

Application Review: Geogebra
Reference: http://www.geogebra.org/cms/

Review/Summary:  This open source software is a wonderful tool for use in any middle or high school math class.  The software is designed to be a replica of a paid software called Geometer’s Sketchpad. The application allows for the manipulation and development of two major area of mathematics: Geometry and Algebra.  For geometry, this tool is useful for creating all sorts of shapes and develops theorems and basic understanding of a concept.  For algebra, this tool is useful in displaying all sorts of functions and other equations.  In addition, the program can be used to create data charts for the equations as well.

Reflection:  Having used this software in class, I can attest to the power it has.  The software is an excellent tool for developing the students understanding of more abstract concepts like similarity of triangles and their theorems.  In addition to its power with geometry, the software very easily lends itself to graphing equations and making function tables.  This helps to drive home the meaning behind terms like directly proportional and linear as well as nonlinear.

Web-Tool Review: WolframAlpha

Web-tool Review: WolframAlpha
Reference: http://www.wolframalpha.com/

Review/Summary:  This amazing website is a computation engine.  From determining the day you were born to telling the number of calories in 10 jellybeans, it allows you to enter data and get an answer.  What makes this more useful than a cursory search is the fact that it allows you to make variables and modify an answer to your needs.  This is great for use in any classroom as it allows for research, application, and interpretation of the task at hand.

Reflection:  This is a wonderful tool for all teachers but especially math teachers.  This can be used to model so many problems.  From equations to geometric figures, I am able to show my students a visual or verbal representation and solution to the problem that we are working.  The down side to this site is it is universally accessible, including cell phones.  I have caught several students cheating by using this tool.  As such, I would recommend using it as a teaching tool and talk with the students about the importance of owning their knowledge.

Google Drive

Application/Storage Review: Google Drive

Reference: https://drive.google.com/start#home

Review/Summary:  This storage resource is an amazing tool developed by Google.  Integrated with Gmail and the host of Web Apps that Google has created, this tool can be used to upload, download, and store files across the world.  The use of this tool in the classroom is amazing as each student can share to a class email account the documents and materials they create.  With a free 5GB of storage, this has to be one of the best solutions Google has every created.

Reflection:  With this being a brand new technology, I have only tested this with my students once so far.  The amazing thing about this is its integration with sync folders on my computer.  I am able to link what the kids create in Google Docs to my home computer and grade their work without having to move anything.  In addition, it is linked to all of the other parts of my Google life.  I am able to access it whenever, where ever.  Within the next 2 months, this will probably replace my Dropbox account.

Blog Review: TED-Ed - Lessons Worth Sharing

Blog Review: TED-Ed - Lessons Worth Sharing
Reference: http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/

Review/Summary:  This article focused on the creation and use of TED talks resources in the classroom.  TED-Ed is an outreach from the people who create the TED talks used in a variety of areas to inform people about issues and technology in our world.  TED-Ed is an attempt to take this information and make it student friendly especially for elementary and middle grades.

Reflection:  I have never used this resource in my class but it does seem interesting.  In addition to providing content in an interesting way, it also is very useful for brushing up on content before teaching.  The videos are somewhat similar to a subscription that we use in our county called Brain Pop but this has two advantages.  First, it is free to use.  Second, the videos can be saved indefinitely on your computer.  The only disadvantage is that the videos are hosted through YouTube.  For our district this is not a problem as teachers can access and display the page; however, in other counties this cannot be done.