Daniel Jones gave a fun presentation that just highlighted different apps that trainers could use to develop content and make things more engaging in the classroom. I think this is a great idea to have one of these types of workshops for our faculty.
Jones broke these groups of apps into different categories. I will list the apps based on the categories that he used:
Augmented Reality
Top 10 HP Reveal Alternatives & Competitors – HP Reveal allows you to create augmented overlays for static triggers such as images in a book or a poster. Make them come to life with a Harry Potter effect.
Thinglink – Thinglink enables to tag images to enhance the image with audio files, other images, or other multimedia.
Zappar – Check out Zappar in action. A tool for easily creating augmented reality artifacts.
QRStuff – With QRStuff or any other QR generator, you can create QR codes for many data types. This makes it easy to supplement your content.
Quizzing and Polling
Kahoot -Kahoot allows you to create game like quizzes. You can also use games that have been created by others. A great practice tool.
Quizlet – Quizlet is a quizzing tool that allows you to create your own or use quizzes previously created. Students like Quizlet so much it was recently in the news.
Poll Everywhere – Poll Everywhere is a tool you can use to introduce live polling into your lectures or classroom. They can be easily integrated into presentation tools such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Prezi.
Mentimeter – Mentimeter is another real-time polling tool to help create audience engagement.
Plickers – Plickers is one of my favorite tools. It is a low-cost polling tool that uses paper-based QR codes to do live polling in a classroom setting.
Presentations
PowerPoint – Folks are using only a fraction of the capabilities of PowerPoint. With PowerPoint, you can create videos, standalone elearning courses, choose your own adventures, infographics, graphics, and much more.
Ludus – Ludus will help you design spectacular presentations.
Niftio – Niftio allows you to create great presentations that you can control from a mobile device. You can also include Q&A sessions with the audience.
Swipe – Swipe looks like an incredible presentation tool that could really ramp up classroom engagement.
Slidebean – Slidebean can track your audience’s view time for each slide.
Animation
Animaker – Interested in creating animations? This program could help you.
Animatron Wave – A tool for creating marketing videos and animations.
RawShorts – This is another animation program that you can use to create explainer videos.
Video & Microlearning
Videoshop – Videoshop is a simple video editing tool that you can use on your mobile device. It will allow you to trim, add multiple clips, add music, and much more.
VideoLeap – Videoleap is a quick and easy video editing tool for mobile devices.
Filmr – Filmr is a quick and easy tool for editing video on your mobile device.
Lumen5 – Lumen5 is one of my favorite tools. I use it all the time to create videos from my blog posts.
Biteable – It claims to be the world’s simplest video maker.
Graphic Design
Snappa – This graphic design tool will help you improve your message regardless if it is a poster or slide deck.
Word Swag – Use Word Swag to add text to your photos. Has a great collection of text styles.
Snapseed – Snapseed is a program that you can use to enhance your photos on your mobile device.
Microsoft Pix – Do you struggle taking good pictures? Microsoft Pix may help you with its photographic intelligence.
GIPHY – Very simply, this is an animated gif making tool.
Writing and Stories
Twine – Twine is an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories.
Storyboardthat – Storyboard That is a storyboard application. It will allow you to plan out projects such as videos, comics, and other content.
Promptsmart – Promptsmart is a teleprompter application. It will auto advance based on your voice.
Inklewriter – inklewriter looks like it was a great tool to write interactive stories. However, it plans to discontinue in August 2018.
Office Lens – Office Lens allows you to take pictures of documents and whiteboards. Once the pictures are taken, the app will clean them up for you.
Post It Plus – Post-it Plus app allows you to take a picture of a post-it note session. You can then rearrange the notes on the app.
WhatTheFont – Have you ever seen a font and wonder which one it was? This app will help you hunt it down.
Overall, this was a great collection of apps. Jones also opened the floor to allow others share their favorite apps.
