Teachers considering the benefits of flipping the classroom and have an iPad available may want to try the following very reliable iPad Apps to assist with this endeavor.
While it may seem a daunting task to put all of those into action with one’s students, they are easy and actually fun to use and do not require a lot of technical skills and experience. Over the course of the last school year, the teachers at my school in East Tennessee have found the tools described below very helpful in managing their flipped classrooms.
Three Ring: Users create and maintain e-portfolios for all students. The teacher simply takes a picture of the students’ projects or work and places it in his or her file. Additionally, one can videotape students as they present projects or group assignments.
Splashtop: With this App the teacher can control the desktop or laptop with the iPad and walk around the room as he or she assists students. The teacher can even access a home computer from school.
SimplTransfer: This useful App allows the teacher to easily transfer pictures or videos in bulk wirelessly between the iPad or iPhone, and the computer.
Too Noisy: This App assists students in self-monitoring their noise levels. The flipped classroom can get rather noisy since students spend much time in groups. Used sparingly, this can be a great reinforcement tool for keeping noise down to acceptable levels.
ShowMe: Recording lesson videos or lectures is a snap with ShowMe. This App allows the teacher to write on a blank screen in a variety of color schemes, or annotate over any screenshots saved in the iPad’s photos.
Markup: Markup was created by the makers of ShowMe and is an easy tool for grading students’ papers online and quickly returning them to the sender. Students email their papers to a special email address provided by Markup. After annotating over their papers, the teacher can send them back for immediate feedback.
Explain Everything: This is a more advanced recording tool which lets users record over any file and even allows for recording a video inside the video. It has numerous tools that can yield great professional results.
Edmodo: The App can be used as a course management site that allows teachers to upload all of their classes and makes it possible to post assignments, quizzes, videos, and files for students to view at home or in class. It is a secure place for students and teachers to exchange information. Teachers can also use this tool to network with professionals in their field of study.
Remind 101: This is a messaging service that allows for easy reminder notifications for students.
Socrative: This is a great App for interactive teaching activities and immediate feedback. Students can take quizzes and complete exit slips from their cell phones, laptops or tablets.
With the above mentioned tools, any teacher can quickly achieve and manage a flipped classroom. While it may sound difficult at first, the Apps are reliable and have stood the test of time. Personally, I am a great believer in the flipped classroom model as I have seen my students flourish and become much more engaged in their daily lessons over the course of the last two school years.
