The Apps and Software I used most during 2013 - a completely subjective wrap-up

Happy new year of the horse - 2013 is over but the 365 days of it left an experience that I want to share. Especially when it comes to software and apps that I used in the past year and of course the experience - my completely subjective opinion. So feel free to read, play around with the same toys and have completely different results. I will order the pieces of software in order of how often I have used them plus the operating system - this sometimes creates a big difference.

Teachertool - I used it every single day of school on my iPad

Objectives:

Keep track and record my students' attendance every lesson, record the content of the lessons, monitor homework, check lists for payments (etc.), seating charts with pictures of my students, recording achieved marks and calculate end results, exchange data with homeroom teachers - as long as they use teachertool as well, secure my recordings and observations.

Cons:

No sync possibility with your windows pc or your mac.

Pros:

All my data are safe because of the integrated backup functionality, plus of course the iCloud backup.

Udo Hilwerling is the developer and he will answer emails and is thankful for feedback and suggestions. 

Recommendation:

Buy it and start to work with it for one whole school year - I bet you will find it very handy. The 24,99€ are more than worth it.

Download it here from the German iTunes store

Alternative for German teachers that is worth a try:
Notenbox für iPad - because it supports all platforms and sync via internet.
http://www.awin.de

Powerpoint - I use it every singe lesson on my windows PC

Objectives:

Creating presentations for my in lesson lectures. Since the classes I teach are mainly laptop classes and the introduction of iPads is a future plan, I also use it to create my worksheets nowadays. 

Creating presentations for students' laptops that offer additional support mechanisms when it comes to language of instruction, individualised learning speed and support.

Cons:

The versions that are available for windows and mac will give you different functionality especially when it comes to the biggest PRO. See below.

Powerpoints will lose the animations when watched with an iPad - unless the Office 365 is available.

Pros:

Based on my experience you want to use the windows version of Powerpoint. Why? Because it offers the possibility to use shapes and other objects as trigger for further animations. i.e. I am able to prepare additional support items (word lists, media, word-fields, etc.) that can be individually called up by students according to their competence level.

Recommendation:

Use Powerpoint to create your own presentation, develop your worksheets using powerpoint as well. Right now, I introduce lesson goals and task at the start of the lesson. The students will get access to the powerpoint as well - or the printed work sheets based on the Powerpoint.

After some time we will come together to fill in the results. Every student is able to activate further support mechanisms within the powerpoint.

Give it a try - I measured it! Creating the presentation and the linked worksheets for one 45 minute lesson took me no longer than 18 minutes.

Alternative:

Keynote on mac and iPad - surely is an alternative. When it comes to looks and intuitive setup keynote pulls it off surely. Additional features like mentioned above are a big zilch though.

Conclusion: Powerpoint for lesson creation by teacher - keynote is ideal for students work.

Evernote - at the end of every lesson - at least (on iPhone, iPad, windows and mac)

Objectives:

Keeping track of written excuses by parents, record parent-teacher-meetings, record the lesson results by taking a snapshot of the white- or blackboard, record audio notes, store web clippings, archive documents, ...

How could I live without it?

Pros:

All your notes are available on all of your devices. Hand written notes can be scanned or just added by taking a snapshot with the smartphone or the tablet. All notes can be searched and organised in notebooks and with tags.

Megapro:

Notes or notebooks (folders) can be shared with public or with selected individuals (no need for them to even install Evernote).

Cons:

The NSA might probably scour through all your notes. Are you surprised? Me, I don't care.

You will probably upgrade to paid version. :)

Monthly fees.

Alternative:

I can't even think of looking for one.

Conclusion:

A great tool to keep track of the outcome of me lessons, regardless if it is posters, worksheets, whiteboard drawings, etc. - could it be done easier than clicking a pic?

At the same time you are able to share the whole records with your students - no need to hand them copies, just share with them to bring them up to speed.

Dropbox - all day long - to secure my lesson preparation and to access it from everywhere (all operating systems).

Objectives:

Keeping my lesson preparations and work materials accessible from every machine and possible workplace for me.

Never worry about a hard-drive crash or using an new computer.

Pros:

Wherever I am - I am able to access all my work. Moving to a new computer has never been easier. Sharing worksheets and exam papers with other teachers across the whole planet has saved me so much work. Available on every single platform I am able to think of and work on.

Cons:

Monthly fees depending on the size of online storage.

Alternatives:

Skydrive, Googledrive, ....

Conclusion:

Once hooked you will stick to it. Although I am fancying my own Synology diskstation at home.

Knowmia teach - I use it at least twice a week

Objectives:

This little app really had a huge impact on my lesson planning. With it I am able to create lectures that my students are able to watch at home or during my lessons at their own speed and time.

I am using this app to effectively flip my lessons - "flipped classroom concept".

Cons:

I have not managed to include videos within the lectures that I create.

Pros:

Easy creation of online lectures based on already existing Powerpoint presentations (PDF import) on my iPad. The platform and the app are free. There are no commercials and ads like on youtube. There is no inappropriate content available on www.knowmia.com but thousands of really good lectures.

Students are able to follow my lectures at home, at their own speed and are able to replay them as well.

Ideal for exam preparation and students joining in at a later point of the class.

Recommendation:

You just need to give it a shot. Students seem to absorb the content better than through real life lectures - funny that is, but it works.

Alternative:

There are other apps out there. Some are free as well (www.showme.com).

I reckon that Explain Everything is a serious competitor offering more functionality - try it out, the 2,99€ seem to be worth the investment and you are free to host your videos on different platforms.

i-Nigma - a free QR code scanner for iPad and iPhone - once a week.

Objectives:

Link additional content to my printed worksheets.

Why not putting QR codes on print worksheets so my students are able to access videos, supporting information, audio files, etc. with it. 

Cons:

Students need tables or smartphones with headphones to access whatever is hidden within a QR code.

Pros:

Linking a video of a dangerous experiment to a worksheet, connect a behavioural study to an according youtube video, hide a result check within a QR code, present additional help on demand, ... .

The possibilities are amazing

Recommendation:

Just pep up one of your worksheets with QR codes and see what will happen if your students will have to use their smartphones to work during a lesson instead of being able to use them for distraction. :)