Status: Beta reviewer

Categories of apps she/he wants to review: Books - Education - Entertainment - Games - Lifestyle - Photography - Productivity - Utilities - Other

iDevices she/he owns: iPad1- iPad2- iPad3- iPhone4

Description: I am a very busy first grade teacher and mom of three. I serve as our school technology coordinator among MANY other roles and duties. I am a self proclaimed nerd and proud to be hard working and forever busy.

Profile categories: Can test apps with kids ages 3-5 - Can test apps with kids ages 6-10 - Can test apps with kids ages over 10 - Teaching kids ages 3-5 - Teaching kids ages 6-10 - Teaching kids ages over 10 - Educational Technology specialist

Date when her/his profile was validated: 2012-10-02

User who invited him/her: Jean-Eudes L.

Total review Karma: + 1     ?

Her/His app reviews

metronome [text]

Link to the App Store

Rating
What I liked	I really like that it is simple and clean. I liked the various time settings and the different tones that it uses. I feel that it would be very useful for those involved with music or any task where you need to keep time. I enjoyed it and found it to be relaxing and with adaptations could be useful for young children.
Improvements	This app is too simple. It is too expensive for what little it does. It is geared to too narrow of a market. There is nothing visually appealing about it. It needs a help section for users with tips and suggestions. It needs a better description in the app store so that it is more clear exactly who it is intended for. It could be made useful to smaller children just learning music or in a classroom setting by making it more appealing to younger users. Children just learning music or learning to keep time, beat, rhythm, etc. could enjoying using a metronome like this one with additions.
General review	I probably wouldn't spend that much typically for such an app. It is very simple and only allows you to change the time and background color. The description given for it isn't very specific. I wish this app could be made enjoyable for a larger audience and the price is too high.

Wubbzy's Train Adventure [text]

Link to the App Store

Rating
What I liked	In the read to me mode, I love how the words light up as it reads. This is important for beginning reading readiness. I also like that the pages are interactive. I really like the option to lower or raise the volume of the music, sounds, and voice in the options section. The option to start from current page or start over when switching modes is a big plus also. I like how the games come in during the story and then proceeds with the story. I love the "Grown-Ups Corner" giving parents tools to help children and to get involved with the text along with the child.
Improvements	There is too much text on each page for this age range. More pages and less text per page would be more age appropriate. I would like to see more coloring pages, and more games. Also, different skill levels for the games as well. The "Just a Book" mode was not necessary for me. I'd rather have more stories or games. There was a problem with the videos on my ipad 3 device. They wouldn't show properly (only the top corner was visible and only a few of the words were visible) and it caused the app to complete lock up. I had to restart the device after each video.
General review	This would be a good app for very young children (preschool) with parental guidance. It wouldn't be one that children would spend a lot of time with. I would expect this app to be free or 99 cents for the amount of content on this app. The interactivity is good but not what I would expect from a paid app.

iTooch Middle School [text]

Link to the App Store

Rating
What I liked	I liked the type of text that were chosen for the reading passages. I like the progress bar on the side to show a continual visual of progress. I like that there is an option to reset the app so that you can start from scratch. I like the ability to switch between test and practice modes on each screen. The lesson explanations are very helpful. I LOVE that there is a link within the app that describes the opportunity to write content for the app.
Improvements	Please check the grammar and spelling on the introduction and help pages. I noticed a lot of mistakes. I would like to see the reading text be on the same screen along with the questions rather than having to tap the character. I would like to see the questions not repeat themselves. Several came back up very close together in practice mode. I would like to see the app take the student to a review of the lesson after missing a question.
General review	This app is a good tool for students to use to practice and develop skills. It is very appropriate for the age range and is appealing through its way of sharing progress on leader boards. It provides a wide range of questions, skills, and subject matter. It incorporates social studies and history facts into the reading content adding another layer of learning.

Meet the Insects: Village Edition (1.0.0) [text]

Link to the App Store

Rating
What I liked	The pictures are very high quality and there are a good number and variety. The observation journal fits very well with the the new Common Core Standards that are expected of children. It is great that pictures can be taken and added to the observation journal. The details given about each insect are very informative and educational and make the topic interesting for kids. The app is smooth and easy to navigate. It is not too crowded with too many options. I love the quiz section!
Improvements	I would like to see a tutorial added that would appear when first opening the app explaining a little about the components of the app. Maybe something similar to a help section just to introduce it or a place to go if not sure what to do. I found it a little confusing when there was more that one page of items in a section. The flashing arrow made me think that I needed to tap it rather than swipe. After a few minutes of playing I figured it out though.
General review	I thing that this app is wonderful and would be very valuable in a classroom setting especially. I think that many children would love this app in or outside of a classroom. It is very educational and fun for kids. The vocabulary and terms would be somewhat difficult for children under eight or nine years old but the app has many features that even younger children could use and enjoy. I found very little about this app that I didn't like.

Weather and Clock for Kids [text]

Link to the App Store

Rating
What I liked	I love that kids can see what the time, temperature, and weather is like in other places and countries. This made it more interesting for my students. I like that there are interactive aspects to the objects in the setting. The voice and character are very kid friendly and add to the attractiveness to children.
Improvements	I would prefer that there be an option or that the time be stated in a different way when tapping on the clock. i.e. "five thirty two pm" rather than "five hours and thirty two minutes". Ideally, I would like to have the option of either or to have it stated both ways. I would love to see more interactive things in the setting and some info for kids about time and weather. An interactive book in the setting about weather possibly. Maybe even a little game or two.
General review	This is a simple app that is very easy to use. Not a lot of options but cute and attractive to young children. It has interactive aspects that help keep children interested. It would be more inviting if there were more interactive options in the setting.