In 2 Tech

If you've always wanted to learn another language, now is the time! Duolingo is a great app for learning several languages, including Spanish, Italian, German, French and others. Users may find it by going to www.duolingo.com . One may also download it for FREE in the Chrome Store, Google Play or the iTunes App Store and learn on the go. I've got it on all my devices and have spent endless hours trying to learn Italian. I've got a long way to go, but it has made learning a new language fun for me!

Class Dojo is a great App/website for managing the classroom. Teachers setup their classes and award Dojo points for behavior, work ethic, manners and other key behaviors that help students become successful in the classroom. Teachers may generate student and parent accounts and reports too, which are great for communicating positive behaviors and study skills and negative behaviors and study skills that need to be corrected.  

This is a great app for creating color-coded notes, checklists, and reminders. I've got it installed on my Android phone, my computer and my iPad and use it mainly to leave myself To-Do lists and random ideas or thoughts that I may want to come back to when I have more time. The great thing is that it syncs across these different platforms, so that I can access them  f rom  just about anywhere. It is available in the Android Market, the Chrome Store and iTunes App Store.

With more and more students using smartphones, I love the continued push of new apps that make videos and other student-created media accessible from anywhere. WeVideo is a great tool for allowing students to use their devices or a computer to upload video from any number of locations (e.g. Dropbox, Box, Picasa, Flickr, Instagram, etc.) and edit it from anywhere with an Internet access. It also includes some great themes, music and effects for making videos look professional. 

I discovered Nearpod at a technology conference last year and it may be one of the neatest apps for instruction that I have stumbled upon in quite a while. Install the app on your iPad or you may install the app into your Google Chrome web browser from the Chrome Store. Create a Teacher Account. Have students/others install the app on their smart phone. Go to nearpod's store and purchase or download free presentations. Once you open the presentation your are assigned a pin #. Distribute that pin to the class and have them enter it after opening their nearpod app. Be prepared for the excited response of having students, as they follow along with the lesson and engage in live feedback. What a great new way to present!