"App Smashing" is a phrase I learned from Greg Kulowiec at the Atlanta EdTech iPad Summit. According to education writer Beth Holland, "The general concept between App Smashing is merging content from a variety of apps." The concept is liberating and has teachers de-emphasize the apps themselves, and instead focus on the purpose of the lesson.
Here is an app smash (utilizing Explain Everything and iMovie) that a group of teachers and Greg worked on at the summit (it was the first time that I went to a conference where the keynote speaker attended sessions and worked with participants):
iPad Summit Madness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4bcGJDjThY&src_vid=gFJszvSKSJk&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_835958
Here is the video of how the Muppet Remix was made:
Muppet Making with Explain Everything
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFJszvSKSJk
Since attending the iPad Summit, where a key message was "It's not about the Apps," I examine the workflow of apps that have educational value and ask myself if and how it would assist in teaching a lesson. My creativity with the iPad and the computer has reached new levels since I have framed apps and software as layers that can harmoniously produce something that could not be accomplished in isolation.
My most recent app smash was created before attending the NAIS Teachers of the Future gathering this summer. The inspiration came on a tour at the Folger Shakespeare Library, and was further motivated by the fact that "selfie" was named the 2013 Oxford Dictionary word of the year. I will be sharing the following app smash (utilizing iFunFace and iMovie) with my students.
Folger Shakespeare Library iFunFace iMovie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_9ILG4lVoE&feature=youtu.be
For more information about app smashing, please check out the following link: http://edtechteacher.org/blog/?p=2191