Awesome Apps for Documenting

The following two apps are excellent for documenting student observations, conversations and products for assessment for, as and of learning. (See Growing Success for more information on assessment).  I have used both of these apps myself to see which style suited me more. This is what I know about each so far: 

Sesame Snap- This app can be downloaded directly from the app store but you can also access your account online at www.sesamehq.com.  Within this app, you can easily capture notes, pictures and videos about student learning.  These snaps (or snapshots of learning) can also be tagged with curriculum expectations and assessments you have created within the app.  All snaps are then easily added to student portfolios.  


Pros for Using this App:

• Snaps from multiple devices will sync to student portfolios.  
• You can also easily access files online if you also like to work on a laptop or chrome book.  
• The app includes all Ontario Curriculums K-12, Learning Skills and Work Habits and Catholic Graduate Expectations.  When you create your class, you can select the areas of the curriculum you would like to add.
• The app is easy to use and has an excellent support forum that you can access online for help with any questions you may have.
• Students can participate in using the app as a self-assessment tool (I haven't tried this yet)
• It's free!

The one thing I've found that might not work for some people is that curriculum expectations can only be added to a snap on the web version of the program.  If you create a snap in the mobile app, you would have to later go online and add curriculums to it.

Educators Log- This app can also be downloaded from the app store but does not have an online version for working from an account on the web.  Within this app, you can also create multiple classes or groups and take photos, videos or notes to create learning stories. The capture of learning then goes into student folders.  Learning Stories can be printed as one or two-page PDF's and can be shared with parents.  Learning stories are stored within the app and do not sync between devices but do sync when sent to dropbox.

The nice thing to about using this app is that you can easily add curriculum expectations to the learning stories on your mobile device as you create the learning story.  This avoids you from having to go back later, but that option is there also if you don't have time to complete the story on the spot.

Some things to note about this app:

• You can form an online account to create your own bank of learning expectations or standards.  They are not created for you.
• Each student will have a folder where learning stories are filed.  Each learning story has a separate folder within the original folder for quick access but which also means you need to do some extra clicking to review what you have captured. (on Sesame, the snapshots of learning are stored in a timeline format that scrolls from one to the next)
• The app is easy to use and has an excellent Quick Start guide on the web to support you in learning to use it.
• It costs $13.99  

It may help to try the one that sounds like your best fit to see if you like it, then if you don't, there's always another option.  (I know- there are others too but I haven't explored these). Happy Documenting!!