This document discusses several apps that can be used in a classroom setting, including Remind 101 for communication with parents, ClassDojo for encouraging positive behavior, Tether for connecting an iPad and MacBook, Brainpop for educational videos, BookSource for tracking library books, Lightbot for introducing coding, Sun & Moon Free for viewing moon phases, Duolingo for language learning, Doceri as an interactive whiteboard, and Keynote for creating presentations. For each app, the advantages and disadvantages are provided.

1. Writing Assignment – Week 4
Kimberly Wilson
Spring 2016
Belhaven University – Jackson, Mississippi

2. This app is a great way for me
to keep lines of communication
open with parents. It is a
reliable and direct messaging
system that allows teachers to
send class announcements and
uploaded attachments, like
permission slips, for parents to
view and submit.
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•Communication with parents is
easy and effective while
remaining safe
•Paperless form of providing
assignments to students and
receiving their responses
•Receive notifications when
students/parents update or
respond
DISADVANTAGES:
•Parents and students must sign
up in order to receive the
services
REMIND 101

3. ClassDojo
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•Customizable to fit the needs of individual
students
•Promotes positive feedback and classroom
environment
DISADVANTAGES:
•Students’ pursuit of points becomes more
important than a lesson
•Objections are attempted about decisions made
on giving points
ClassDojo is an app that is intended for teachers and
teachers to encourage good behavior and gain important
skills and curiosity through the use of a point system. This
app will be used to encourage my students to practice self
control and encourage good decision making in a positive
manner.

4. TETHER
Tether enables teachers to
connect their iPad and the
MacBook computer in order
to present information from
anywhere in the classroom.
If there is a program or
information that is saved on
a computer, the teacher
can simply connect the two
and keep moving as they
teach without having to
transfer information or
programs to the other
device.
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•Allows the teacher to move
around the room without
attachments
DISADVANTAGES:
•Computer and iPad have to work
in tandem and must be open at the
same time.

5. BRAINPOP
ADVANTAGES:
•Engaging and interesting way to
present information
•Very informative with accurate
information
•Presents on multiple topics and
subject areas
DISADVANTAGES:
•Users have to subscribe to it in
order to receive the videos and
information
Brainpop is a program created for
teachers to display educational videos
that present information about a
multitude of topics from different areas
of study. It will be used to reinforce the
new knowledge that students are gaining
through lessons being taught in the
classroom. Each video has a series of
questions that follow to ensure students
comprehension of what they just learn.
These will be done as a whole group with
discussion.

6. BOOKSOURCE
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•Easy to use
•Personalized for each student
in the class
DISADVANTAGES:
•Teacher has to upload all of
the students names and create
login information
Book Source is a great tool for
organizing and keeping track of
classroom library books. It provides an
easy and accurate way of checking
books in and out, so they are less
likely to “run off”. My students
simply go to our library, choose a
book, and bring it to me to check out.
I can log on to the app from my iPad
or MacBook, and type in the name of
the book or simply scan the barcode
on the back.

7. LIGHTBOT
ADVANTAGES:
•Some puzzles are FREE
•Easy to use as an introduction
to coding for students with
little to no experience
•Give users a practical sense
of control-flow while learning
how to write commands
•Has a wide range of difficulty
levels with 20 puzzles.
DISADVANTAGES:
•It cost $2.99 to gain access to
the entire program
•Does not use
coding/programming
terminology
Light Bot is a great app that provides an
opportunity for students to begin coding.
This year we have implemented a 5th
grade
computer science course. Our students
have been learning how to code, and these
puzzles give them a fresh slate and a new
aspect of coding. My students have also
worked with 4th
grade classes to teach them
what coding is all about, using this
program.

8. SUN & MOON FREE
The Sun & Moon Free app is designed to provide an accurate
moon and sun phases calculator. As students learn about the
relationship between the Sun, Moon and Earth, they can use this
app to see the location of each. It depicts the current moon
phase in comparison to their current location, as well as moon
phases from particular dates of the past and future. Students
will use this app to create the Moon Phases Poster Project.
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•Informative and “At A Glance” views of
current moon phase
•Displays sun/moon data for 2 weeks
DISADVANTAGES:
•Ad-sponsored, but can purchase to remove

9. DUOLINGO
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•No Adds
•No Fees
•Engages students in fun ways
DISADVANTAGES:
•At times, the app quits without
warning
•Better as supplemental material
rather than the only source used
Duolingo is an app that I will be
able to use in the classroom to
improve vocabulary and
speaking skills of ELL students.
They will be able to play games
and listen to stories and
complete lessons as they
practice speaking and reading
the English language.

10. DOCERI
ADVANTAGES:
•FREE
•Allows mobility for teachers
•Teachers can save presentations for later
use
•Supported by a variety of devices: iPad, Mac
or PC
DISADVANTAGES:
•No keyboard to type on
I use this app often in my classroom. It is an
interactive whiteboard that enables me to take
pictures or screen shots from websites and
display them on the board. At the same time, I
am able to write or mark on the images as
needed to explain what we are talking about.
It has also been used to create Venn-Diagrams
and discuss key points of the lesson being
taught. The students like it because they can
visualize what we are learning and copy it into
their spiral notebook for notes.

11. KEYNOTE
ADVANTAGES:
•Provides numerous layout
and them options
•Easy to use
DISADVANTAGES:
•Can be expensive
•Only developed for use on
an Apple device
Students and teachers may use
Keynote to create presentations to be
presented from their iPad or MacBook
Air. My students have created
Keynote presentations to display their
knowledge and understanding of
vocabulary words, as well as a
Fraction of the Year project for Math.