Review - 3

      Educational Technology Mobile App

www.huffingtonpost.com/audrey-watters/mobile-phones

http://www.androidforacademics.com

 

The mobile revolution has already changed the way many of us work, play and communicate but smartphones, apps and mobile technology also have the ability to make a strong impact on all levels of education. We’re definitely just at the tip of the iceberg and there are real challenges but mobile tech can soon be a valuable tool for educators and students.

Mobile application, also known as mobile apps, are internet applications that run on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Mobile apps were designed to help users connect to internet services that are more commonly accessed by desktops, laptops, or notebook computers. They make it easier to use the internet on a portable device. A mobile app can be a website booking utility, a mobile based instant messaging client, and many other applications.

But I can't help but wonder if, in the rush to build native apps -- apps designed specifically for iPhones, iPads, Androids, and/or Blackberries, we are neglecting the mobile Web -- applications and websites optimized to be accessed via any mobile browser, smart-phone or not. And as such, the great promise of greater access to more knowledge and technology is only coming to those who can afford smart-phones

When Scitable launched its mobile versions of its website last year, it opted not to create apps, but to design the site to be accessible via any mobile phone. As the site is built in HTML5, those students accessing the Scitable site on an iPhone or iPad can get a media-rich experience, and yet the site is still accessible by those with the simplest of cell phone browsers. Scitable's mission -- to "democratize science education" -- coincides with its mobile strategy, making the educational site accessible to those with feature phones and with limited or no access to broadband. Scitable's users, it's worth pointing out, aren't just in the U.S., but come from over 156 countries.

we are seeing a great deal of innovation as developers take advantage of smart-phones' features -- mobile Web, GPS, cameras, voice recording -- in the construction of educational apps. But building these mobile technologies for education doesn't have to mean building a native app. If we're to take full advantage of the connectivity and communication afforded by mobile technologies, we should turn to the mobile web to make educational content accessible to more than just the smart-phone owners.

As iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches become more integrated in classrooms, educators and students are looking for new ways to apply them to the learning process. Applications on all of these devices can help automate current classroom processes or present new ways to learn that previously had been unexplored.

Android for Academics has four apps on the market for teachers; Attendance, Grade Rubric, Grade Ticker, and Grade . 3 are free, and a free version of Grade  is due out this semester. 

 

The good: It makes educational content accessible with no limit which facilitate learning.

The bad: just the smart-phone owners who can access to the content and  not everyone can afford tablets or smartphones.

The bottom line:     Mobile apps were designed to help learners to access internet for easy learning via e-books …..etc

Rating : 2/5 (Poor)