Team Shake
Team Shake is a free app that you can get on the iPhone, iPad or other iOS devices. In short, the app provides an easy way for teachers to create teams of students. Teachers can input the students along with their gender and skill level and then the app generates balanced teams. In a HPE setting this app could be used to make sure that selected teams are fair and that there is no one left out or picked last. This will enable students to have a fair game in which to practice their skills. The app is also a great classroom management tool as students come to see the benefit of being able to have even teams on the playing field.
The only negatives of the app are that it might stop students from developing interpersonal skills as they learn to pick their own fair teams. More preparation is needed by the teacher as well as they need to have the app prepared and ready to form the teams so as not to disrupt the class.
I neglected to use Team Shake within the lesson plan I created for Week 3 under the Forward Planning Tab. However if I had my time again, I would use the app to generate teams for mini-games at the end of lessons or would even use Team Shake in week 5 to create the teams for the tournament in Weeks 6-10.
The only negatives of the app are that it might stop students from developing interpersonal skills as they learn to pick their own fair teams. More preparation is needed by the teacher as well as they need to have the app prepared and ready to form the teams so as not to disrupt the class.
I neglected to use Team Shake within the lesson plan I created for Week 3 under the Forward Planning Tab. However if I had my time again, I would use the app to generate teams for mini-games at the end of lessons or would even use Team Shake in week 5 to create the teams for the tournament in Weeks 6-10.