Welcome to an exploration of educational technology with me, Tanner Higgin. In the vast world of interactive whiteboard and screencasting applications, two names stand out: Educreations and Explain Everything. These tools are invaluable for teaching, creating, and assessing, but how do you decide which one suits your needs best? Let’s dive into a comparison of these popular apps.
Both Educreations and Explain Everything excel in the basics, allowing educators and students to create, record, annotate, and share engaging mixed-media presentations. These apps enable users to prepare content in advance and enhance it with sketches and narration during the recording process. This dynamic approach breathes life into traditional presentations, making these tools ideal for flipped classrooms and showcasing student learning.
One of the key differences between these two tools lies in their design. Educreations offers a streamlined and user-friendly interface, focusing on drawing and simplicity. In contrast, Explain Everything provides a more complex interface but compensates with its depth. Users can zoom and pinch each slide infinitely, creating dynamic presentations. Additionally, Explain Everything allows for editing recordings, whereas Educreations only permits pausing during recordings.
When it comes to platform availability, Educreations is limited to the iPad. Explain Everything, however, is more versatile, running on iOS, Android devices, and Windows PCs. The iOS version of Explain Everything currently offers the most features. If you require compatibility with Android, Windows, or iPhone, Explain Everything is the better choice.
Pricing is another important factor. Explain Everything is available for $2.99 per license. Educreations offers a free version and a paid version, which costs $11.99 per month or approximately $99 per year. The paid version of Educreations includes licenses for up to 40 students, providing a cost-effective solution for teachers looking to involve an entire class.
To summarize, if you don’t have an iPad, Explain Everything is the clear choice. If you do have an iPad, the decision becomes more nuanced. Explain Everything is ideal for those seeking a comprehensive tool for occasional use, particularly in flipped classrooms. Educreations is better suited for educators and students who want to explore screencasting and interactive whiteboards without overwhelming complexity. Additionally, if you need multiple licenses, Educreations Pro at $99 a year offers excellent value for whole-class use.
That’s a brief overview of Educreations and Explain Everything. For more insights into the best educational technology tools and lesson ideas, visit us at Common Sense Education.
Conduct a detailed comparative analysis of Educreations and Explain Everything. Focus on their features, user interface, platform compatibility, and pricing. Present your findings in a report or presentation format, highlighting which tool you would prefer for your educational needs and why.
Download and explore both Educreations and Explain Everything. Create a short interactive presentation using each tool. Pay attention to the ease of use, available features, and overall user experience. Share your creations with your peers and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each tool.
Develop a case study where you implement either Educreations or Explain Everything in a classroom setting. Document the process, challenges, and outcomes. Reflect on how the chosen tool impacted student engagement and learning. Present your case study to the class.
Perform a cost-benefit analysis of using Educreations versus Explain Everything in a school setting. Consider factors such as licensing costs, device compatibility, and potential educational outcomes. Present your analysis in a written report or presentation.
Organize a peer teaching session where you demonstrate how to use either Educreations or Explain Everything. Prepare a lesson plan and guide your peers through creating a simple project using the chosen tool. Encourage feedback and discuss the potential applications of the tool in various educational contexts.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
Hello, I’m Tanner Higgin. I explore a lot of educational technology—perhaps an excessive amount. One observation I’ve made is the abundance of interactive whiteboard and screencasting applications. There are so many that if you stacked them, they could reach impressive heights. This is a testament to their popularity.
Interactive whiteboard and screencasting apps are valuable for teaching, creating, and assessing. But how do you choose the right one for your needs? Let’s examine two of the most popular options: Educreations and Explain Everything.
Both apps excel at the fundamentals, making it easier for teachers and students to create, record, annotate, and share mixed-media presentations that engage learners. Users can prepare some content in advance and then add elements like sketches and narration during the recording process. This approach adds life and context to traditional presentations, making both Educreations and Explain Everything suitable for flipped classrooms and demonstrating learning.
So, what sets these two tools apart? One aspect is their design. Educreations offers a focused and streamlined experience with a clean design that emphasizes drawing on the whiteboard, making it user-friendly. Explain Everything, while a bit more cluttered, compensates for this with depth; each slide can be infinitely zoomed and pinched, allowing for a more dynamic presentation. Explain Everything also allows users to edit their recordings, whereas Educreations only offers the option to pause recordings.
In terms of platforms, Educreations is straightforward—it’s available only on iPad. Explain Everything, on the other hand, is more versatile, running on iOS, Android devices, and Windows PCs, with the iOS version currently offering more features. If you need compatibility with Android, Windows, or iPhone, Explain Everything is your best option.
Now, let’s discuss pricing. Explain Everything costs $2.99 per license. Educreations has both a free version and a paid version, which is $11.99 per month or approximately $99 per year. The paid version of Educreations includes licenses for up to 40 students, which can be a cost-effective option for teachers looking to involve an entire class.
To summarize: If you don’t have an iPad, go with Explain Everything. If you do have an iPad, the choice is more nuanced. Explain Everything is ideal for those seeking a comprehensive tool for occasional use, especially in flipped classrooms. Educreations is better suited for teachers and students who want to explore screencasting and interactive whiteboards without overwhelming complexity. Additionally, if you need multiple licenses, consider Educreations Pro at $99 a year, which provides good value for whole-class use.
That’s the overview of Educreations and Explain Everything. For more information on the best educational technology tools and lesson ideas, visit us at Common Sense Education.
—
This version maintains the essential information while removing informal language and any potentially inappropriate comments.
Edtech – Short for educational technology, it refers to the use of technology tools and resources to facilitate and enhance learning processes. – Edtech has revolutionized the way students engage with course material, making learning more accessible and interactive.
Interactive – Refers to systems or programs that allow users to engage actively with content, often through direct manipulation or feedback. – The interactive software used in the classroom allows students to participate in simulations that enhance their understanding of complex concepts.
Whiteboard – A digital or physical surface used for writing and drawing, often utilized in educational settings to facilitate teaching and collaboration. – The digital whiteboard in the lecture hall enables the professor to share notes with students in real-time.
Applications – Software programs designed to perform specific tasks or functions, often used in educational settings to support learning and productivity. – Educational applications on tablets have made it easier for students to access course materials and complete assignments on the go.
Educators – Individuals who provide instruction or education, often in a formal setting such as schools or universities. – Educators are increasingly using online platforms to deliver lectures and engage with students remotely.
Presentations – Structured displays of information, often involving slides or visual aids, used to convey ideas or information to an audience. – The students prepared detailed presentations to showcase their research findings to the class.
Design – The process of creating plans or layouts for software, systems, or educational materials, focusing on functionality and user experience. – The design of the new learning management system prioritizes ease of use and accessibility for all students.
Compatibility – The ability of software or systems to work together without conflict, often important in educational technology to ensure seamless integration. – Ensuring compatibility between different educational tools is crucial for a smooth learning experience.
Pricing – The determination of the cost of products or services, often a consideration in the adoption of educational technology solutions. – The pricing of the new software was competitive, making it an attractive option for schools with limited budgets.
Students – Individuals who are engaged in learning, typically enrolled in educational institutions such as schools or universities. – Students benefit from the use of technology in the classroom, which can provide personalized learning experiences.
