Alien Assignment

iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Teaches: language, creativity

CTR Rating: 82%

CTR Review

This is a light-hearted scavenger hunt that has a specific role for both parents and children. After a short comical (think Jetsons, with a family of aliens) animated introduction, you are asked to run around your house or school to take pictures of specific items. For example "the control panel is smashed. Take a picture of something that has buttons so we can fix it." Once four clues have been photographed, you are asked to hand your phone to a parent who can correct the choices. This is a great example of how the technology can be used to facilitate collaboration between a parent (or a teacher) and a child. Both the content and the design are limited. For example you never get to see your photos in the story context and the photos could all easily be of the "wrong thing" like your foot -- the app has no way of knowing. But Alien Assignment's comical introduction makes it fun for adults and children to play along together. And it is, after all, free. Note that this app is designed for iPhone/iPod Touch sized screens and a camera is required. Disclaimer: CTR Editor Warren Buckleitner is an unpaid advisor for ELE, which is also a project of the Fred Rogers Center. He had no role in the development of this work.