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Science Glossary

Mindprint Rating

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Science Study Skills & Tools MS/HS/College iOS App

Skills

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • This is a free app with straight-forward navigation.
  • Explanations are brief so students will not feel overwhelmed with information.
  • Definitions include hyperlinks to related terms to aid understanding.

Considerations

  • App does not currently have broad coverage of key terms.
  • Definitions do not always provide sufficient detail to ensure comprehension and all appropriate hyperlinks.
  • Explanations are entirely text-based.

Mindprint Expert Review

Science Glossary is a free tool for high school and college students to look up specific science terms. The navigation is straightforward with a scrolling index on the left hand side of the screen and the selected term and definition on the main part of the screen. The explanations are concise with hyperlinks to related terms. Unfortunately, there are no supporting visuals and some of the explanations may be too brief for students previously unfamiliar or uncertain of the concept. Often times there are challenging terms that are not hyperlinked for reference so students may find themselves still wondering after they read the explanation. Some of the hyperlinks are inappropriately placed (a scientist's "work" is linked to the physics definition of work) .Currently, the app includes several hundred terms so students may not be able to find all the terms they need. Students may find the sister website at www.VisionLearning.com more useful.

Academic Benefits

Improves academic skills

  • Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
  • Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
  • Presents educational concepts accurately
  • Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
  • Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
  • Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
  • Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

Fun

Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
  • Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
  • Visually appealing to children in the target age range
  • Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
  • Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
  • Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
  • Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

Easy to Use

Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Has a free or trial version
  • Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
  • Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
  • Student should be able to use independently after first use
  • Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
  • Multiple users can save a profile
  • Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
  • Can play without sound and not distract others
  • Students can save work between sessions
  • Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
  • Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
  • Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
  • Overall - Easy to use

Cognitive Concerns

May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs

  • Attention
    • Problems or examples are not interesting for the target age range
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • General Information
    • Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
  • Organization
    • Problems or examples are not interesting for the target age range
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Basics
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Comprehension
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Fluency
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Verbal Memory
    • Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
  • Verbal Reasoning
    • Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Vocabulary
    • Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
  • Working Memory
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own

Manufacturer Description

A glossary of scientific terms and short biographies that support our science education website, http://www.visionlearning.com. All definitions link to related terms and to free, detailed science learning modules. Though geared for high school and undergraduate students using our website, the glossary and modules are appropriate for anyone generally interested in science.