AASL announces 2014 list of Best Apps for Teaching & Learning

CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced its 2014 list of Best Apps for Teaching & Learning at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Las Vegas. The list of 25 apps provides new technology resources for school librarians and their teacher collaborators. Now in its second year, the list is considered the "best of the best" by AASL.

The selection committee developed an evaluation criterion for vetting apps in five distinct categories connected to pedagogy – books; science technology engineering and math (STEM); organization and management; social sciences; and content creation. Chosen for their embodiment of AASL’s learning standards and support of the school librarian’s role in implementing career and college readiness standards, the apps honored in 2014 include:

• Books:
  A Day in the Market, Audubon Guides: Butterflies, Brian Cox’s Wonder of Life, Disney Animated, War Horse Interactive Edition

• STEM:
  Dragonbox Algebra 5+, Kodable Pro, Monster Physics, NOVA Elements, Water Cycle HD

• Organization and Management:Easy Portfolio,
  GoodReader, instaGrok, Pocket, Subtext

• Social Sciences:Civil War by KIDS DISCOVER,
  Duolingo, Historypin, Umano, US Geography by Discovery Education

• Content Creation:Notability, Photo Editor by Aviary,
  RWT Timeline, Shadow Puppet, Tellagami

Descriptions and tips for the 2014 Best Apps can be found at www.ala.org/aasl/bestapps.

"The AASL Best Apps for Teaching and Learning Committee is proud to honor another twenty-five apps for their excellence in education in our second annual list. These apps are models for innovation, student engagement, and instructional value added to learning," said Melissa Jacobs Israel, committee chair.  "We hope educators will continue to use AASL's professionally vetted lists to inspire, engage and integrate mobile technology in the library and classroom.”

The apps recognized as Best Apps for Teaching & Learning are of exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learning as embodied in AASL's “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner.” Recognized apps foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration and are user friendly to encourage a community of learners to explore and discover.

The Best Apps for Teaching & Learning list is based on feedback and nominations from AASL members. School librarians can nominate their favorite apps at www.ala.org/aasl/bestapps.  Nominations to be considered for recognition at the 2015 ALA Annual Conference must be submitted by March 1, 2015.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library field.