In the article, 7 ipad Apps for Outdoor Adventures,
Monica Burns, an educator and consultant, enlightens us on some ideas fro summer
learning. She has compiled a list of
interesting ipad apps that could keep could students engaged over the summer
break. I picture students on family
vacations using these apps and getting the whole family involved.
An app called Bird Guides could be used anywhere, even in the backyard. It may encourage families to put out some birdseed and see what happens. The National Parks app could be used for trip planning. Visiting one park could strike the interest to explore and compare other parks with this app. Compass would be a great app for a hiking trip or even for “hiking” around the neighborhood. Iphoto is a great app for documenting any summer activity. Kids can practice taking pictures, editing and even printing or posting their summer adventures. Trees is an app that could be used anywhere…in the backyard, at a park or on vacation. Pines to Vines is a reading app that is not free (as most of the others listed here are) but it provides a lot of interactive activities and, in my opinion is worth the $10 price. How to tie knots is a low cost ($1.99) app that shows students how to tie 40 different knots. I like this app because it combines technology with old-fashioned hands-on learning. This article provides us with some great ideas for summer learning activities that start with an ipad. The ipad makes these lessons portable, but they also contain ideas and activities that are outside of the ipad. Many ipad activities and games are internal. They don’t engage conversation, physical activity or knowledge to build on. These ipad activities guide the child into physical activities such as hiking, birdwatching and interacting with nature.I consider this a win-win. Kids get to use their technology device such as an ipad, while they get moving and thinking about the outdoors.
Reference:Burns, M. (2014) 7 ipad apps for outdoor adventures. Retrieved on June 5, 2014 from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ipad-apps-for-outdoor-adventures-monica-burns
An app called Bird Guides could be used anywhere, even in the backyard. It may encourage families to put out some birdseed and see what happens. The National Parks app could be used for trip planning. Visiting one park could strike the interest to explore and compare other parks with this app. Compass would be a great app for a hiking trip or even for “hiking” around the neighborhood. Iphoto is a great app for documenting any summer activity. Kids can practice taking pictures, editing and even printing or posting their summer adventures. Trees is an app that could be used anywhere…in the backyard, at a park or on vacation. Pines to Vines is a reading app that is not free (as most of the others listed here are) but it provides a lot of interactive activities and, in my opinion is worth the $10 price. How to tie knots is a low cost ($1.99) app that shows students how to tie 40 different knots. I like this app because it combines technology with old-fashioned hands-on learning. This article provides us with some great ideas for summer learning activities that start with an ipad. The ipad makes these lessons portable, but they also contain ideas and activities that are outside of the ipad. Many ipad activities and games are internal. They don’t engage conversation, physical activity or knowledge to build on. These ipad activities guide the child into physical activities such as hiking, birdwatching and interacting with nature.I consider this a win-win. Kids get to use their technology device such as an ipad, while they get moving and thinking about the outdoors.
Reference:Burns, M. (2014) 7 ipad apps for outdoor adventures. Retrieved on June 5, 2014 from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ipad-apps-for-outdoor-adventures-monica-burns
I agree with you that these particular apps are a win-win situation. Many are so tied to their technology, they stay inside and miss all the cool things they could see and learn outdoors.
ReplyDeleteI teach first grade and many of my students have a hard time finding something to do outside unless they have a ball. I don't see kids digging holes, pretending, or exploring nature. I think this is sad because when I was young, I spent almost the entire day outside because there was nothing to do inside.
These apps sound great for outside exploration.
Wow. These apps sound really great. As a high school teacher, I know that the greater majority of my students never leave their house during summer vacation because of all the games that they play on the inside. Technology is a big draw for students so it is possible that apps like these might draw students of all ages out into the great outdoors!
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