Evaluating Educational Apps

Cherner, Dix, and Lee (2014) classify educational applications (apps) as either a) teacher resource apps, which support a function of collaboration or classroom management, or b) instructional apps, which students use to meet outcomes of the course. Collaboration tools are used to allow members of the course to discuss, share, edit, and comment on each other’s ideas. An instructional app could be a program to support content delivery, student engagement, or a way to support teaching, social, or cognitive presence within the course.

Apps can further be categorized to be used in eLearning courses as skill-based, content-based, or function-based (Cherner, Dix, & Lee, 2014; p.172). Skill-based apps provide skill-and-drill practice to better remember or increase fluency for a specific academic skill. Content-based tools are solely used as delivering content, either to reinforce previously learned content or to teach new content. Function-based apps allow the user to create something from what has been learned.

For this Discussion, you will identify and evaluate a potential mobile application for use within your eLearning course. The app can be either a collaboration app (a teacher resource app), or a content-based or function-based app (i.e., instructional app). Figure 1 shows examples of the types of apps in each category.

Figure 1: Examples of Collaboration, Content or Creation Apps

To prepare:

Read Gedik, Hanci-Karademirci, Kursun, and Cagiltay (2012), Hsu and Ching (2012), Mao (2014), and Walling’s Chapter 13, “Are Apps a Good Fit for Learning Goals?” (2013). Review the learning outcomes of your eLearning course and determine one that might benefit from a mobile application (cell phone or tablet). Consider whether a collaboration tool, a content tool, or a creation tool might help students meet an eLearning course outcome. Select a potential mobile application (app) or online tool that you may use as part of your eLearning course.You may choose either type of app—teacher resource or instructional resource—to evaluate and discuss.

By Day 7 of Week 7:

Post the mobile application name and a link to its online description. Then, provide a brief answer to the following:

• How is the app intended to be used (i.e., collaboration tool, content-based, or function-based tool)?
• How can you envision using the app in your eLearning course?

Finally, post a prompt for your classmates regarding the use of this app in eLearning courses.



The Readings!!!

• Gedik, N., Hanci-Karademirci, A., Kursun, E., & Cagiltay, K. (2012). Key instructional design issues in a cellular phone-based mobile learning project. Computers & Education, 58, 1149–1159. 

• Hsu, Y.-C., & Ching, Y.-H. (2012). Mobile microblogging: Using Twitter and mobile devices in an online course to promote learning in authentic contexts. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 13(4), 211–227
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• Mao, J. (2014). Social media for learning: A mixed methods study on high school students’ technology affordances and perspectives. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 213–223. 
   
• Walling, D. R. (2014). Designing learning for tablet classrooms: Innovations in instruction. New York, NY: Springer.
  • Chapter 13, “Are Apps a Good Fit for Learning Goals?” (pp. 75–80)