WHAT’Snew
Molecularium, the educa-
tion arm of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute’s
Nanotechnology Center,
has released NanoSpace, the newest addition in its virtual
scientific amusement park. Molecularium presents highly
technical information using fun, simple, and free games,
activities, and animations for students in grades 5–8. In
NanoSpace, students discover the atomic and molecular
breakdown and uses of common elements and compounds,
such as menthol and propane. They can take a ride in a
nanotube elevator to explore the different forms of pure
carbon and learn the periodic table of elements through an
animated memory game. The arcade is full of retro and fu-
turistic games, where students aim at electrons to build the
electronic structure of an atom or fire atoms to build target
molecules and reveal how certain atoms bond to each other
while others bounce off.
MORE INFO: nanospace.molecularium.com
ITV has launched an animated storytelling app with British and American
sign language. The Signed Stories
app is fully accessible in sign language, subtitles, narration,
animation, and music. It aims to make books easier to read
for children with deafness and those with special education
needs, including autism, Asperger’s syndrome, dyslexia, and
Down syndrome. ITV is creating digital versions of a wide
range of award-winning picture books in partnership with
leading children’s publishers. The app will feature books for
preschool and primary school children, including contemporary stories, updated folktales, and fairy tales. It’s available
as a free download from Apple’s App Store. All books featured within the app will be individually priced.
MORE INFO: bit.ly/PxHtJc
Edutopia has released a guide
designed to help educators effec-
tively and safely use mobile devic-
es, including cell phones, tablets,
and e-readers, to enhance learn-
ing in K– 12 classrooms. “Mobile
Devices for Learning: What You
Need to Know” recommends that educators take advan-
tage of mobile devices to engage students and help them
develop digital media and technology skills, and it offers
specific tools that teachers can use right away. The guide,
sponsored by Google, suggests that teachers develop formal
policies using mobile devices. The guide recommends apps
such as Nearpod, iNigma, Puppet Pals HD, Martha Speaks
Dog Party, and Motion Math for elementary students; Drop-
box, BrainPOP, Poll Everywhere, Word Joust, Frog Dissection,
and textPlus for middle school students; and Evernote, Twit-
ter, Socrative, The Chemical Touch, and Shakespeare Pro for
high school students.
MORE INFO: www.edutopia.org/mobile-learning
PresentationTube is a new
network designed
to help teachers
and students record, upload, and share video presentations.
The recorder synchronizes a variety of visual aids, including presenters’ audio and video footage, PowerPoint slides,
drawings, handwritten words, and web content to produce
video presentations ready for uploading and sharing via the
Presentation Tube network. PresentationTube helps presenters involve the audience via scrollable slide thumbnails,
comments, and quizzes. It has unlimited video storage,
unlimited video delivery, and no banners or ads. Educators can use this technology in regular classrooms, flipped
classrooms, e-learning courses, blended-learning environments, distance education settings, virtual conferences, and
business orientations. Presentation Tube is simple to use and
easily searchable for viewers.
MORE INFO: www.presentationtube.net
L&L senior editor Diana Fingal compiled this information from press releases sent to the L&L editorial office. The L&L staff does not
review the products and resources, and they are offered here without recommendation. Send press releases to products@iste.org.
