Sunday, September 30, 2012

Geography and Science - Cross over apps

There are a number of apps that are being released that give us direct and instant access to real time data to events and happenings around the world. These apps allow the students in the classroom to have the same data and information that authorities, scientists and researcher have. This is important form the students point of view as it makes the learning more real.

Other apps have been designed to get students to think about their own environment and how their decision have an impact not only on the environment now but into the future.

TrailMaps: $2.99 AU
Navigate with high-resolution topographic maps for the entire United States and GPS functionality, you’ll have the detailed maps you need for a safe and fun trip. Aaerial images can be downloaded onto your device so there is no need for network access while you’re in the outdoors.

Your World: FREE
Your World is the best app to learn where the countries of the world s are located. The free version lets you place 25 countries onto a stunning 3D earth. Get the rest of the countries and territories from within the game by either sharing on Twitter or Facebook, or purchasing the upgrade.



GeoExpert HD:$4.49
Have fun learning to locate the countries and capitals of the world. Choose what you want to learn: Countries or Capitals.Designed to help you learn, not as a knowledge test. Continually being improved. Exciting updates are coming soon! Follow international news reports understanding where events are taking place.



Happy Planet: FREE
This is our planet, earth! In order to keep earth happy, you need to face the evil sources of pollution. This is not going to be easy though because your enemies will be colossal smokestacks, evil factories and nuclear toxic waste. On the other side, you are also a guardian, protecting all forms of life, from the smallest plant to the wildest animal!



GeoData $1.99
Download landcover, elevation, and population data that covers the entire planet. Generate 3D anaglyphic stereo views of standard, satellite, hybrid, and terrain maps. See possible future sea-level changes caused by global warming.



Puzzling Plates: $1.99
Puzzling Plates provides an interactive, engaging experience that inspires you to explore the large, tectonic plates that make up the surface of Earth. Includes three levels, each with a hands-on activity and a bonus round. You'll first learn how tectonic plates fit together by moving them into position like a jigsaw puzzle. Get it right on the first move level.



Volcano Trek: $1.99
Volcano Trek is an exciting, informative and interactive new app that allows you to track active volcanoes, get notice of earthquakes as they happen, plan travel adventures to volcano destinations and more. The Volcano Trek app is a great volcano app for students, geo-geeks and adventurers alike.



Landforms: $0.99
This Landforms app is built for elementary kids ages 5 - 10. App teaches plethora of landforms and is designed in collaboration  with Teachers, parents & students.  It has unique landforms riddles to indulge kids, and challenging questions for young minds. App is ideally suited as a study aid in classrooms and homeschooling.




Routes. Planning your journeys: $1.99
Planning your Journeys is now as easy as touching a map! Forget using a paper map in a Hotel when you are going to planning the route for tomorrow! With this app you will save a lot of time and it will be much more easy!



Planet Earth 3D: $1.99
Most of us know about the Moon and Mars more than we know about Earth, our home planet. Well, that’s not the case anymore. Planet Earth 3D is a great iPad app that can help you learn about our home more than ever before and easier than ever before. Everything is presented in an easy to read format.



Disaster Rader: FREE
Disaster Radar is the first and only real-time WORLD WIDE natural disaster and emergency monitoring app! If you are looking for information on hundreds of natural disasters and emergencies happening around the world then Disaster Radar is for you. Try it out today and see what is happening around the world!



Earth Alive: $1.99
You know what it's made an iceberg? What’s the process of mountain building? How are the fossils formed, which sometimes the scientist found on the surface? How many types of forests exist? Corals around underwater volcanoes? Do tornadoes spin clockwise or counterclockwise?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

PianoPad - Keyboard App with great features


PianoPad is another keyboard app to come onto the market recently, however, this app has a couple of nice little features. It was developed by Greg Haybittle a teacher at Edmund Rice College in Wollongong. His school had already made the decision to go 1:1 next year and he wanted his music students to embrace the technology. He didn't even own an iPad up until 3 months ago. Within a couple of months not only had he developed an app but he got it on the app store.

Called PianoPad the app not only allows you to record a keyboard performance but also to email it to others or to your teacher. You can record, playback or just email the performance. Here is an music app developed by a music teacher for the music classroom.



The beauty of this app is that the notation is recorded as text. This means that the traditional problem of transferring the music file is resolved . Because the file is saved as text not only is it a much smaller size it can also be cut and pasted into wikis or websites and saved or shared with other students. This means that you can also update the wiki or blog with songs the kids are interested in. Better still get them to update it. The ability to randomise the notes or even reverse them also acts as a way of discovering new note combinations.



You can also put your own face in the app as well as change the background to customise the music experience. This would be a great app for any school but especially good in primary schools or junior secondary. Greg is saying that the kids are now asking for a iphone version. He has told them they may need to wait a while - he does have a day job.