App Smash Reflection

Teaching math can sometimes be a difficult thing to make digital. I like using apps that are appropriate and easy to use in the physical classroom and in the digital classroom. The two apps I decided to use were Nearpod and Popplet. I have personally used Nearpod in my class before, but Popplet was recommended to me my a co-worker. Once I familiarized myself with Popplet, the two apps seemed to be a sensible smash.
Let's face it, teachers share have been using Power Points all the time. I choose Nearpod because the presentations are interactive. The students don't just watch the screen they have to participate. I also like Nearpod from a teacher's stand point because it offers a library of created presentations. Some are free and some are for a small fee. The one I used was created by Stephanie Filardo, a high school math teacher. 

All too many times, I have seen my students sit in class and look interested in the lesson only to go home and not remember a single thing they were taught. The idea behind having students to create a concept map of their own is to force them to make sense of the content in their own way. The Popplet can then be used later to study for upcoming test and quizzes. In essence the students are using the information that they are given to develop their own way of rationalizing information and studying. I think this is extremely appropriate and achievable for a set of honors students. For years, teacher have been providing students with concept maps and students merely had to fill in the blanks. Allowing students the opportunity to create their own illustrates for the teacher what the students  have identified to be important. 

I must admit I did have a small challenge with this activity. When I started to create my example Popplet, I had not created an account. I did not realize until after the Popplet was complete that there was no way to save or share the Popplet so that the YouTube video would be able to view. Therefore, I had to export my Popplet as a jpg file. If I could change anything, I would have created my account first.