The Earth by Tinybop
Publisher: Tinybop Inc.
Price: $2.99
App Objective: This educational app makes the Earth’s internal structure and processes interactive. Children can trigger and explore geological events (from volcanoes to river meanders), travel back in time to see how our planet was, and access a wide documentation about the topic with high quality sounds, pictures and illustrations.
Content: Science
SubDomain: Earth & Space Sciences, Life Sciences
Audience: Primary, Upper Elementary, Middle School
Disability Category Tag(s): Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability
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Editor Review
Admin reviewed at 2016-11-17
Practice: No
Does the application provide many (i.e., at least 5) practice opportunities before moving on to the new concept or skill? Practice opportunities are essential because they increase the likelihood that the student will permanently remember the new information, and enhance the student’s ability to generalize learned skills to other settings. Choose the option which best describes the app.
Feedback: No
Are students notified of each correct/incorrect response and given the correct answer? Providing students with feedback is important because it helps them learn how to identify mistakes and self-correct errors. It also ensures that they correctly practice/acquire a given skill or concept. Choose the option which best describes the app.
Progress: No
Is progress detected by the application’s tracking system? Progress monitoring is a critical educational component because it helps educators utilize student data in making decisions regarding instructional practices. Additionally, research indicates that when progress monitoring is utilized, teachers’ decision-making processes improve and students become more aware of their own performances and learning processes. Choose the option which best describes the app.
Usability: Yes, with paid
Is the application easy to navigate and is it easy to access help when needed? The usability of an application is key because it determines whether the program is accessible to all users and if technical support is available. Choose the option which best describes the app.
Customization: No
Can the application be customized easily for an individual student? Having the ability to customize an app is necessary in order to meet the unique needs of app users, including those with special needs. Choose the option which best describes the app.
The Earth is an interactive diorama with which children can learn and visualize several natural phenomena and processes through touch. The app provides several hot-spots, from volcanos activity to mountains erosion, with which users can interact learning how these processes work. Moreover, in some it is possible to add elements (e.g., buildings, trees) and use the forces of nature (e.g., lava, wind) and see the direct consequences on the eco-system. Furthermore, the internal structure of the Earth and its geologic eras are available to be explored. The app’s layout is well designed and easy to navigate, and cause-effect relations and interactive affordances are intuitive to understand. A specific dashboard is provided to adults in order to handle profiles and get tips and instructions. The program provides an appealing introduction to a variety of Science topics. With proper integrations (also suggested by the app’s handbook), it could function as a first engaging step for more articulated interventions. Finally, interface and aesthetics are clear and elegant guaranteeing an immediate experience despite the lack of customization options. [version 1.1.5]
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