Saturday, February 6, 2016

App Smashing - Hstry and Thinglink and Tackk, Oh My!




App Smashing began well before the term was coined. You might remember way back, when you created your first website (or really any digital product), and you decided to try to embed a video and then asked yourself, "How can I add some questions for my students to answer?" Perhaps you gave them a paper worksheet, or if you were a bit more adventurous, you might have added the questions directly to your site. Now you had the "problem" of collecting papers, so maybe you embedded a Google form.

As new tools became available you found yourself adding them to your repertoire, and sharing them with your students. Before long, you had your students creating rich multimedia projects and portfolios that included all sorts of cool things, from word clouds to interactive images. You had in fact taught them how to App Smash and you did not even know it...


What is App Smashing?

App smashing as defined by Greg Kulowiec (@gregkulowiecon Twitter) is the process of using multiple apps in conjunction with one another to complete a final task or project.

Why App Smash?

Even with all the options available to us, there is rarely one tool that can do everything you need/want. App Smashing demands creative thinking, making the issue of not having the "perfect app" into a positive. It allows you and your students to take a topic as far as it can be taken, providing opportunities to create engaging learning products. Most importantly, App Smashing is plain fun.

Let me share with you an example. This is a Tackk + Thinglink + wizerme + edpuzzle  + lessonpaths + blendspace + Youtube, in which the students will end up responding to a Wix by using Hstry. I know, it is probably too much, but I wanted to show you just how far you can take things. 



App Smashing Rules

https://goo.gl/Gni2Bl



There are really no rules. It is really about choosing what you (or your students) consider the best tool for the job. App smashing is really about pushing yourself out of the ordinary, and teaching your students to use technology as a tool to increase their learning.








My Favorite App Smashing Tools in no particular order


Mrs. Garcia's Classroom Webtools, by mrsgarciaserrato


Are you ready to App Smash?


For more on App Smashing, particularly with students, visit K12tecnology