Last year, I was able to apply for a classroom technology grant from my school district. The deadline was in January, so I was totally bummed when I walked into Best Buy and saw the amazing Crayola Digital Toolkit for the iPad, just a few days AFTER I had submitted the application. By an incredible stroke of luck, I had a chance to update my application just a week later, and I promptly added 3 of the Deluxe toolkits to my 'wishlist'.
The toolkit helps to unlock a variety of features on three of the free Crayola Apps.
Here is my honest assessment of how I would/have used the Crayola apps in the classroom. The apps are free, the tools cost around $30 for a set. I bought three sets, so that I can have a set on three out of my six art tables. My plan is to utilize the iPads for about half the class at any given time, while the other half of the class works independently on a materials-based work of art. If it is the end of a semester or year, the half of the class that isn't using an iPad would be doing a free-choice art center activity (art centers in my room are in tubs that can be used anywhere: just take a basket back to the table, return materials when finished.)
These apps are great because students can use the stylus-crayon tool to color inside the lines, and even though the stylus looks like an over-sized crayon, they can select colored pencils, markers or crayons to 'color' with on the screen.
The 3-D glasses were really exciting for the kids, because they look cool wearing them, but I'm not sure that they actually help to see in 3-D when using the 3-D app.
The airbrush tool is cool, but students have to hold it just right in order for it to 'spray'. They could also just do this with their finger, but the tools add another level of interactivity.
Although these apps+tools are great because of what they do at face value: allow students to use a variety of digital tools to color, and stamp, they fail to go much beyond the most basic skills. Which is really great for young kids, or students who need to work on basic fine motor skills without making a mess. These apps also students a lot of options, students can direct their own decision-making and choose what they want to color or interact with and they can lead their own learning which is great. In terms of higher order thinking, these apps don't allow for a lot of high level decision making. They are sort of like digital coloring pages. The students REALLY loved having the tools as accessories on the iPads.
The toolkit helps to unlock a variety of features on three of the free Crayola Apps.
Here is my honest assessment of how I would/have used the Crayola apps in the classroom. The apps are free, the tools cost around $30 for a set. I bought three sets, so that I can have a set on three out of my six art tables. My plan is to utilize the iPads for about half the class at any given time, while the other half of the class works independently on a materials-based work of art. If it is the end of a semester or year, the half of the class that isn't using an iPad would be doing a free-choice art center activity (art centers in my room are in tubs that can be used anywhere: just take a basket back to the table, return materials when finished.)
These apps are great because students can use the stylus-crayon tool to color inside the lines, and even though the stylus looks like an over-sized crayon, they can select colored pencils, markers or crayons to 'color' with on the screen.
The 3-D glasses were really exciting for the kids, because they look cool wearing them, but I'm not sure that they actually help to see in 3-D when using the 3-D app.
The airbrush tool is cool, but students have to hold it just right in order for it to 'spray'. They could also just do this with their finger, but the tools add another level of interactivity.
Although these apps+tools are great because of what they do at face value: allow students to use a variety of digital tools to color, and stamp, they fail to go much beyond the most basic skills. Which is really great for young kids, or students who need to work on basic fine motor skills without making a mess. These apps also students a lot of options, students can direct their own decision-making and choose what they want to color or interact with and they can lead their own learning which is great. In terms of higher order thinking, these apps don't allow for a lot of high level decision making. They are sort of like digital coloring pages. The students REALLY loved having the tools as accessories on the iPads.
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