Can Online Games Really Work as a Learning Platform?

Can Online Games Really Work as a Learning Platform?
You might not realize this, but online games can actually do much more for your children than just provide them with a fun and time-consuming pastime. They can be used as a learning platform, as well.

Through the years, online games have actually become more and more popular with parents, teachers and kids alike. As a matter of fact, they are now considered to be a big part of today’s educational system, penetrating into classrooms and helping students learn various digital technologies while mastering different academic subjects and gaining more knowledge and skills in the process. Some of the subjects that these games can help greatly with include languages, math, painting, management, economics and physics.

As such, it is safe to say that online games really work as a learning platform – and an efficient one at that. After all, the right games can teach, control and evaluate students, as well as boost their overall motivation to learn more and study more. Aside from that, teachers and parents will also get to monitor the students’ progress as time goes by and help them become more responsible in terms of their studies overall.

There are also various other benefits that come with using online games as a learning platform, though.

Playing online games is a pastime that will give children the chance to hone their skills while having fun at the same time. Parents and teachers will also have an easy time evaluating the knowledge and skills of the children through these games. While it wouldn’t be right to call these games proper assessment tools, especially if they aren’t labeled as actual educational games, they will still be able to evaluate the learning skills and progress of students with them in time.

Aside from that, online games are easy to access nowadays. Plus, students will be able to develop their creative skills when playing the right games. Playing online painting games, for example, can hone their creativity skills like no other.

Naturally, any top quality games can evoke a sense of learning responsibility in children and encourage them to learn new skills while developing their creativity. Online games do not just assess skills, after all; they can improve the learning process and turn it into a more interesting and efficient one, as well.

Online games can also be used to demonstrate and develop certain knowledge factors and skills, such as the use of computer skills, which is required by every online game out there; and the knowledge of math. There are actually quite a few quality math games on the Internet nowadays, where children will have to solve basic equations non-stop or within a certain limit of time.

There are also online games that can help hone creative skills and management skills, or even a mixture of both. If you are trying to use online games to teach younger children certain skills, then you might want to opt for games that feature their favorite cartoon characters. A lot of the time, children respond better when they see their favorite characters on the computer screen as they play.

There are also a lot of social media games that can help children multi-task and exercise their brain better. Believe it or not, even the most basic Facebook games out there can do wonders at exercising a child’s brain, no matter how futile they may seem.

Overall, it goes without saying that using online games for teaching and learning processes can definitely be very beneficial due to the convenience, accessibility and pleasure that come therewith. You just need ot make sure that your kids play the right ones.

Image Credit: Jeroen van Oostrom




Author Bio:
David Miller is an educational researcher who has vast experience in the field of teaching, Online testing and training. He is associated with prestigious universities and many leading educational research organizations. He’s also an ed-tech veteran, currently pursuing research in new eLearning developments and contributing author with ProProfs.

Replace Your Wedding Photographer With These Apps

Replace Your Wedding Photographer With These Apps

Imagine how great it would be if you could get out of spending one to four thousand dollars on a wedding photographer and still get the most wonderful pictures of your special day. This is all possible through a wedding photo app. If that is not enough to get you excited, then how about the fact that you can get such an app for just around $100? You will still have to pay to have the photos printed and framed, but you cut your wedding photography costs down an impressive amount. Here are some of the best photo apps that 2014 has to offer.

1. Wedsta

Remember when cameras were put out for the wedding guests to pick up and take pictures of the bride and groom, themselves and other people at the wedding? Well, this app really simplifies the whole process and is compatible with any iPhone or Android. You get the app and setup your account, then make sure that each of your guests has the app on their phone and is registered in your account. From here, a digital copy of any pictures your guests take while using the app will appear in your account, and you can access these pictures to share, print, edit, etc. for a year.

2. Capsule

This is a new one that's still free. Just like the other photo apps, Capsule allows anyone who you grant access to upload photos to your album. In addition, your guests can also choose the photos they want as keepsakes and print them on their own or order them.

Those whom the bride and groom grant access to their account can also like and comment on any photos in the album, whether they were present at the wedding or not. Popular social media accounts are also integrated so that the bride and groom can share their pics easily and quickly. If you have pictures on Instagram that you would like to include in your Capsule album, then you can do that as well through the use of the famous hashtag. There is no expiration date for this app, so you and others you invite can begin adding photos as early as you like.

3. Wedding Snap

This is another photo app that is compatible with both iPhones and Androids. Pricing starts at $99. With this app, your wedding moments are captured through the eyes of your family and dear friends rather than some photographer. Anyone you share this app with can take both pictures and videos of your wedding. There is no expiration date on your account so you can go to your Wedding Snap gallery and enjoy the special memories captured here forever. Since you can purchase this app as early as you want, you can capture those special moments from prewedding days as well.

4. Wed Pics

This wedding photo app seems to have some neat features and it's free. The bride and groom as well as an unlimited amount of guests can upload videos as well as photos. Uploads can then be organized into different albums. Those who were unable to attend the wedding can also be granted access to view the photos. You can do high quality downloads of any of the photos for printing and conventional framing or digital framing. There is no expiration on storage time, so you can download the app and make an account as soon as you want and include photos from events such as the proposal, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, etc.

ixigo Travel App for Windows


ixigo Travel App for Windows

Searching for flights on your Windows phone has never been more easier with the ixigo travel app that brings the features of the flight app, hotel app and the train app merged into a mega product that will solve all your travel needs. Here’s what all you can do:
  • Compare the prices and information from more than 100 travel sites for the best hotel and airline deals
  • Find the cheapest airfares and hotel deals across the world on a single platform
  • Read unlimited reviews from leading hotel review sites
  • Find train schedules, seat availability, PNR status and real time train running information
  • Browse through different train routes and choose the most convenient option
  • Explore berth/seat maps to select convenient seats
  • Rate and review trains.
The app has three sections: Flights, trains and hotels. Below are the features of these three sections in more detail.

Flight Search

Forget logging onto your computer every time you book your flight. The smart and intuitive flight app brings you the best and cheapest rates available across India’s leading travel agencies, such as jet airways and makemytrip, on a single platform. So you won’t need to check different websites for the cheapest airfares. The simple, fast and functional design offers you a seamless experience from searching your flights to booking it on the website of your choice from your Windows smartphone.

Train and PNR

This segment has all the features of the award-winning ixigo Indian rail and train app. Very useful for frequent train travellers, this app solves the problem of finding train availability, PNR status, train running status and more. You will receive notifications when your PNR status is updated or if your train has been delayed/cancelled. You can also compare routes of various trains and select the one that is most convenient. This segment allows you to rate and review various trains and go through other user reviews to help you make a more informed choice.

Hotels

This new section helps you find the best hotels in the places you are visiting according to your budget. Similar to the flight app, you can search and compare more than 250,000 hotels across the globe, from multiple travel sites, on a single platform. You can also rate and review hotels and read through the numerous user reviews collected from the best hotel review sites. This segment also contains an impressive list of budget hotels in all the major cities, complete with pictures, room rates and amenities available. The best part is, you can call these hotels and further negotiate on the prices mentioned.

This travel app for Windows smartphone is truly a timesaver when it comes to travelling. The attractive and fast interface also comes without annoying advertisements. The compact size of 3.8 MB is an added boon. All in all, the ixigo travel app for Windows smartphone is an amazing one app solution for all your travel bookings. We give two thumbs up for this app. Get it at the Windows App Store now!




Author Bio:
This post is submitted by Chandralekha. This time she has written information about ixigo travel app for windows. In order to make your trip hassle free use best rail app and PNR app etc. Hope the information shared about the travel app may help to plan your trip.

Online Flashcards: An Effective Learning Tool

Online Flashcards
An entire study session can become useless if the information being read is not readily absorbed. Not much learning happens in a boring study session. It needs to be more engaging and interesting for a student to easily grab the concepts being taught. Flashcards are a perfect tool for this purpose. It becomes easier for a student to process information if it is provided in a highly interactive, fun and engaging manner. Unlike other study resources, the effects of using this learning tool are visible straight away. Let’s look at online flashcards in a more detailed way.

How are Online Flashcards Different from their Traditional Counterparts?

The purpose of online flashcards is the same as traditional ones. Students use the course material and other relevant information in order to create their own summarized engaging flashcards, which are then used to revise what have been learned so far.

So, what is the difference then? The difference comes with the use of modern technology. Online flashcards not only help students fulfill their study goals, but provide a much more engaging and interactive effective learning tool. They are not another electronic, flashier version of the traditional means of learning, but are in fact a handy addition to the learning system.

Why Use Online Flashcards

With the availability of free online study tools, making flashcards is not a difficult task. Flashcards can be easily created and stored online. You no longer have to spend hours and hours making flashcards. With online software applications you can create colorful, attractive and engaging flashcards in a matter of minutes. You can even add pictures and small animations.

You no longer have to carry the flashcards physically. Since, most services are cloud based, flashcards created can be accessed from anywhere. You will also not have to worry about forgetting your flashcards at home. They will be with you all the time. You just have to use a compatible device to access them over the internet.

Besides all this, creating online flashcards does not cost you any money. Different sites allow users to create online flashcards free of cost. Similarly, these online flashcards are stored in the form of libraries. You can easily arrange them according to subject matter and the sequence you desire to study them in. Unlike traditional flashcards, online flashcards can be shared among several people at the same time.

Online flashcards can be used in different ways. You can not only revise and learn from them but put them to other uses as well. For example, you can randomize the flashcards you have created and create a quiz for yourself. The quiz will be based on the information you have added to your online flashcards, giving you the chance to test your knowledge in a stress-free environment.

Online Flashcards and Teachers

Students are not the only ones who can use online flashcards. Teachers can make use of online flashcards to enhance the effectiveness of their classes. Students can be asked to prepare online flashcards as their assignments. Similarly, teachers can also use online flashcards to create quizzes and test their students’ knowledge and skills. Good thing about this is that students will not feel stressed or pressured. Rather, they will see an online quiz as some form of puzzle or game. Besides this, teachers can simply review the flashcards created by each student from time to time to check on their progress.

Online flashcards are an effective learning tool that not only gives students an interactive and engaging means to study, but facilitates teachers and helps them improve the effectiveness of their teaching sessions as well.



Author Bio:
David Miller is an educational researcher who has vast experience in the field of teaching, Online testing and training. He is associated with prestigious universities and many leading educational research organizations. He’s also an ed-tech veteran, currently pursuing research in new eLearning developments and contributing author with ProProfs.

The Evolving Face Of BYOD

The Evolving Face Of BYOD
The emerging trend of BYOD has taken the corporate world by surprise and there are many business owners who are still not quite convinced with the BYOD (Bring your own device) model. Traditional businesses still believe in providing their employees with the desktops and workstations that can be both procured and managed by their in-house IT team. The very idea that smartphones and mobile devices (which once were for personal use only) can be used for official or business purpose sounds a little bizarre to many. But all this does not hide the fact that there are several companies that are successfully using the BYOD model where cloud telephony, thin clients and MDM are fast becoming a way of life.

The concept of BYOD is catching up fast, exciting employees with their new found freedom, and confusing employers with loss of control. IS BYOD that good? What are the issues being faced. Is BYOD inexpensive? Can you run your full office workload on a smart phone or a tablet? Well, the answers to all these questions lies in how you want to use technology with the prevailing business processes in your company.

The concept of BYOD does not sound as exciting as it used to when it entered into the IT lexicon. Companies who had immediately implemented the BYOD model have slowly found out that it has its own limitations and shortcomings, which at times provided more hindrances to business processes and hampered productivity. This does not mean that BYOD is going to fade away into the oblivion; companies will certainly try to accommodate the concept into their broader model of endpoint procurement.

BYOD is an extremely exciting concept wherein employees will be able to bring their own mobile telephony and computing devices to the office. They can easily connect these endpoint devices to the cloud telephony system at office. Cloud storage will replace the ubiquitous servers and desktops. Company executives will be able to work from anywhere by logging in to the central office network. They will be more comfortable by working on their own devices rather than coming to the office and switching on their desktop. Thus, there will be more freedom in the way the employee work which eventually will boost their productivity. A definite positive impact on the bottom line of the company should be the eventual outcome of the new BYOD induction policy.

Well, the reality is a little different from the above where there are instances of many companies that have actually found the BYOD move difficult. The most challenging part of allowing employees to bring their own device is the loss of control. Yes, the company owners do not have any control on the way their employees use their devices and they hardly have a say what is stored on not stored on these devices. Installing management apps on the tablets and smartphones owned by the employees is a big headache as majority of the employees are not comfortable with the idea of installing the apps. Thus, companies find it really difficult to manage the employees who are not ready to do away with the privacy of their devices.

The ownership of the devices also plays a very significant role in determining their use. If the companies are worried about the privately owned devices then they can try out a different model - COPE (Company owned and personally enabled). Under this, the companies can buy the mobile devices and the employees can use it for both their personal work as well official work. Thus, the employees will be equally comfortable working with the company procured devices without affecting negatively affecting the productivity levels or efficiency. BYOD can be given a completely new face by adapting the COPE model.

Image Credit: basketman




Author Bio:
Michelle Patterson has been working with telecom companies for over 20 years, and is excited with the new IP/VoIP/Cloud Telephony and other systems flooding the market. She is learning as much as she can about IP Telephony, Cloud Telephony, VoIP, Unified Communications, etc.

Is Managed File Transfer (MFT) important in 2014?

Excuse Me!


Managed File Transfer
Managed File Transfer (MFT) ever heard of it? Well until just the other day neither had I, but apparently since the late 1990’s this little niche of an industry has been growing steadily to meet the demands of those of us who wish to exchange large amounts of data on a regular basis. And when you stop and think about it, it’s not surprising that this has happened. Nearly all of us exchange files of one kind or another every week, it’s just that some of us do it on a more industrial scale (think of those running databases and sharing info between one or more business units).

These folk are almost always going to need more than just a good FTP file storage and exchange site.

Professional Needs

What these professional guys require is a whole raft of additional features that go beyond just the ability to transfer a file form one person to another.

First and foremost they are going to want to know that the channel used to carry the transferred data is secure. For those that are really concerned about security that will mean the target file being encrypted not only whilst being transferred but also while it is at rest on whatever server it is stored.

Coming close on the heals of this requirement is the ability to have the transfer made not just person to person but also the possibility of transferring between person and process/application, or process/application to person and even process/application to process/application. This will allow the accommodation of automating the exchange, which in turn may require the integration of third party products such as content and anti-virus scanners.

Managing these exchanges is also extremely important to the corporate user, since keeping control of their data is paramount when considering the potential cost of a data loss or breach. The ability to refer to an audit trail of what was shared with whom is almost as important as preventing the unauthorised access to the data in the first place.

Should You be Interested in MFT

So now that you understand slightly better what MFT is all about should you be making use of it? Do you have a regular and on-going need to exchange data with business partners, sales teams and potential new clients? For most of us the answer is probably yes, but the good news is that there are emerging new products that can achieve this MFT without major cost or in major changes to our existing working practices.

The Future of MFT Today

A favourite of mine is a strong contender to be the next market leader in my humble opinion. It offers everything above and then some but unlike the norm it doesn’t ask you to take a leap of faith, a sort of step into the unknown. This product comes with several independent certifications and industry awards. Not necessarily the be all and end all, but offering a refreshing level of comfort in the fact that you are not the guinea-pig on this occasion.

Summary

And so it seems that although as I’ve stated earlier that this industry has matured, there appears to be always room for innovation and improvement. Oh and if you want to look at my choice go to egress.com.

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