Rabu, 30 April 2014

Hundreds of Free Science eBooks for Teachers and Students

May 1, 2014
Over the last few days, I have been sharing here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning some useful resources that teachers can draw on to find educational free eBooks. After citing the 13 best sites for free eBooks, today I am sharing with you a great platform called Science Books that provides free online science books. I have gone through some of the links embedded there and found them really interesting.



Science Books Online lists free science e-books, textbooks, lecture notes, monographs, and other science related documents. All texts are available for free reading online, or for downloading in various formats. eBooks on Science Books are organized into  the following categories :
You can either select your favorite categories from the menu on the left, or browse  through the list of recently added books.
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Google Just Released New Standalone Apps for Docs, Sheets and Slides (Offline Features Included)

May 1, 2014
Google announced today the release of new standalone mobile apps for Docs and Sheets (Slides coming soon).This means that you no longer have to access your Google Drive app to create docs, sheets and slides. You can do that on each app separately and of course, you’ll still be able to use the Drive app to view and organize all of your documents, spreadsheets, presentations, photos and more.


 According to Google, providing standalone apps for each of the Google Drive services will  make it easier for users to  quickly find, edit and create documents, spreadsheets and presentations on the go.
These new apps come with some interesting features. First, when you open any of these apps, you will be able to see your most recently edited files which means less time searching and scrolling. Also, The apps also come with offline support built in, so you can easily view, edit and create files without an Internet connection.

You can download the new apps from the links below:


Grab Math Tools iPad App While It's Free (Was $4.99)

May 1, 2014
I just learned from Tony Vincent that Math Tools iPad app is now free for a limited time. It used to cost $4.99. Math Tools is a great Math app that is designed specifically to cater to the math needs of kids and preschoolers. Math Tools comprises a collection of familiar math learning tools that allow young learners to:



  • Learn to count 
  • Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and times tables 
  • Develop an understanding of number ideas and number values 
  • Create number bonds 
  • Learn to use and practice multibase and number bond theories 
  • Challenge themselves through setting numbers and operations to create complex equations


Here is what Math Tools include within it:

  • An Abacus for counting units, tens and hundreds 
  • Sets of 10, 20 & 40 Counting Beads for practicing number bonds 
  • Four different Number Squares to practice times tables, number sequences and much more 
  • An interactive landscape that allows you to create pictures and count as many objects as you can 
  • A set of Multibase tools which will help you visualise numbers and the rules of addition and subtraction 
  • A series of Numibond blocks which are a set of shapes and patterns that help you count and form number bonds 
  • A set of up to four Dice that will help you set operations, learn different counting methods and challenge yourself over and over again 
  • More tools coming soon!

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Excellent Visual Featuring The 6 Benefits of Mind Maps

April 30, 2014
There is nothing that  beats mind maps when it comes to increasing one's retention rates. Mind maps enable our minds to visually process information  creating thus strong neural pathways to hold the learned information for an extended period of time. I have always used the power of mind mapping both in my personal studies and also with my students in class. With the proliferation of web 2.0 technologies, you no longer have to depend on pen and paper to draw your mind minds, there are now a number of great web tools and iPad apps that you can use to create mind maps. Also the benefits of using mind maps are multifarious.

Here is a great mind map which highlights 6 benefits of mind maps. These benefits are: 
  • Organize
  • Brainstorm
  • Understand
  • Recall
  • Note-take
  • Communicate
benefits of mind maps

Here is another similar visual but this time on the Laws of Mind Maps








Thank to Edudemic for the heads up

The Impact of Media on Kids

April 30 , 2014
While the affordances of technology in our lives are innumerable, its negative side effects are alarming particularly on our kids. Digital natives spend most of their time interacting with media and this interaction sometimes comes at a costly price. The visual below from  highlights some of the disturbing facts about the impact of media on kids in the US. I invite you to have a look and share with us what you think of it.


impact of media on kids  

The 3 Types of Digital Portfolios Teachers should Know about

April 30, 2014
Digital portfolio take different forms and are used for different purposes. Whether to document, diagnose or simply celebrate learning, digital portfolios have the power to transform learning and enhance academic achievement.






There are three main types of digital portfolios you can try out in your class. I have drawn on the work of Hally Clark to explain to you what each one of these types mean. I have also included links to pages where you can access web tools and iPad apps that you can use with your students to create digital portfolios.

1- The Process Portfolio
As its name indicate, this kind of portfolio highlights the process of learning and not the outcome.Using a process portfolio, students will be able to reflect on what they learn  over an extended period of time. They can for instance write an essay and then keep checking it periodically and in every time they reread it they  edit, delete or add something to it. As they keep working on their essays, students get to spend sometime reflecting on the changes they did and contemplate other ways to make their writing better.This kind of reflection usually prompts students to pose new questions, think critically, and so often, conduct additional research into what they are working on.

2- Showcase
This is where students display their best achievements. This type of portfolio is particularly essential in boosting students self-esteem and in increasing their sense of pride in what they have learned. In Showcase portfolio, students are encouraged to share their finished work using different formats including: images, videos, blog posts, audio clips, pic collage and many more.

3- Hybrid or growth portfolio
A hybrid portfolio is a combination of process and showcase portfolios. The kind of work students feature here is more encompassing and representative of both the process and outcome of their learning.In this way, students will be able to both reflect on their learning as well as highlight and share the best pieces of their work that have value to them as learners. In a hybrid portfolio, students can work on longitudinal projects spanning extended periods of times. They can for instance take a project from the previous year and expand more on it over the following years.



Selasa, 29 April 2014

600 Free eBooks for Teachers and Students

April  30, 2014
A couple of days ago I shared with you here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning a post featuring 13 important resources where you can find free public domain eBooks. Right after publishing this article, I got a comment from Bob on Facebook page of this blog recommending Open Culture to be added to that list. I am glad Bob reminded me of this wonderful resource.



Open Culture has a section where you can download 600 free eBooks to your Kindle, iPad/iPhone, computer, smart phone or e-reader.These eBooks cover  great works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, including works by Asimov, Jane Austen, Philip K. Dick, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Neil Gaiman, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf & James Joyce. I invite you to check out this resource and share with your students.

10 Awesome iPad Apps to Engage Students in Hands-on Learning

April 29, 2014
Here are some great iPad apps to boost students creativity and get them engaged in hands-on learning tasks. Using these apps students will be able to carry out a variety of creative activities including : making talking avatars,  creating digital books, recording screenshots and tutorials, creating pic collages,  and making videos and audio clips . All of these apps and many more are included in this wonderful visual from Tony Vincent.

1- Book Creator

The simple way to create your own beautiful iBooks, right on the iPad. Read them in iBooks, send them to your friends, or submit them to the iBooks Store. Ideal for children’s picture books, photo books, art books, cook books, manuals, textbooks, and the list goes on.
2- Explain Everything

Explain Everything is an easy-to-use design, screencasting, and interactive whiteboard tool that lets you annotate, animate, narrate, import, and export almost anything to and from almost anywhere.
3- Tellagami

A Gami can be an exciting tweet or status update. It can be a fun way to tell a story. It can be a thank you message or a vacation postcard. It can be a birthday greeting, party invite or cool way to share photos. The possibilities are endless!
4- Pic Collage

PicCollage allows you to create amazing collages using your photos, fun stickers, text with cool fonts and frames. Once you're done, share it to PicCollage, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Path. You can also email it or send a physical postcard anywhere in the world! Perfect for travel memories :)
5- VideoScribe

VideoScribe is a completely unique app, designed to help you create engaging whiteboard-style animations quickly and easily. It delivers the power of a multi-thousand pound production to your phone or tablet.
6- Croak.it

Convey thoughts and expressions on the go via your voice with just one tap. Whether its a song you are humming, a poem you wrote , a story you want to tell or just your views on the weather, Croak.it! is the easy way to get your voice out there and be heard by the world.
7- Talking Gina The Giraffe

Say anything to Gina and she will speak your words back to you the way only she knows how. Take good care of her and she will be the best friend you ever had! Make sure not to neglect her or treat her badly or she won’t be as cheery.
8- Trading  Cards

ReadWriteThink’s Trading Cards app allows kids and teens a unique way to share their understanding of various topics, to build study aids for school, or to create their own fictional world of characters.
9- Animoto Video Maker

Turn your camera roll into beautiful, pro-quality videos. Choose your music, photos, and clips and share amazing videos with your family and friends.
10- Skitch

See something that sparks an idea? Use Skitch to snap it, mark it up with simple tools, and send it on in an instant. Your bold ideas stand out even brighter with Skitch.
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Senin, 28 April 2014

10 Tips and Tools to Teach Using Word Clouds

April 29, 2014
A word cloud is a visual representation of textual data. Word clouds highlight words that are repeatedly used in a given portion of text through making them look larger in the generated graphic. There are several ways you can use word clouds ( also called tag cloud) with your students. Here are some of them:
  • Students can use Word Clouds to analyze their writing. They can paste portions of what they have written to see if there is any match between what they were asked to write about .
  • Words clouds can also help students improve their reading comprehension. By generating word clouds of the texts they read, students will be able to identify the key terms and themes talked about.
  • They can use word cloud tools to brain storm a topic or create a discussion either inside the class or online
  • They can use them to teach vocabulary
  • They can use them in reading activities to promote comprehension
  • Students can use them to feature important ideas from a discussion or a video content
  • The entire class can use word clouds to react to a certain topic
  • Have students create word clouds that generate understanding of a concept, standards or vocabulary word.
  • Illustrate classroom thoughts or views using a word cloud to survey students.
  • Create a class word cloud that highlights class expectation
  • Post students first names to create a class or group word cloud
Here are some useful web tools to help your students create word clouds:

1- Worlde
word cloud tools


This is a great tool for generating word clouds from text that you provide. Words that appear more frequently in your text tend to have more prominence. Worlde also allows its users to customize their clouds with various fonts, layouts and colours. Once done you can print out your clouds or save them to Worlde gallery to share with others.

2- Tagul

word cloud tools


This is a web service that enables users to create awesome word clouds. It also has more or less the same functions as Worlde above . It does  require a sing up.

3- Word It Out
word cloud tools


Word It Out  It is very simple and easy to use word cloud tool . Just type in your text and click on word it button and you will get a generated word cloud that you can save using an email address. What is even cool about Word It Out is that it allows you to create word clouds of a whole web page, a document, or even a table.

4- Yippy Cloud

word cloud tools


Yippy Cloud is a tool that is ideal for those teachers who have classroom blogs or websites. They can use it to create a cloud based on any topic or query. Just provide the topic title and selec the setting of your word cloud like border stye, link style and width then click ' update cloud ' to generate a word cloud around that topic. This word cloud can be embedded in your blog or wiki using a generated embed code.

5- Wordshift
word cloud tools


This tool allows anyone to sift through text and create word clouds of important words in a text. Just copy and paste a segment of your text and Wordshift will help you feature the recurring words in it. It also helps in marking and sorting different lists of words important to educators and provides a visualization of word thesaurus relationships.

6- Tagxedo
word cloud tools


Tagxedo is an awesome word cloud tool that turns words from any source into a visually appealing cloud that highlights the frequencies of occurrence within the body of text.


7-Tag Crowd

word cloud tools


This tool allows users to create engaging word clouds out of three text sources ; the URL of a web page, copy and paste, or uploaded text file with a maximum of 5 MB.

Google's Lesson Plans for Teaching Computational Thinking

April 29, 2014
A few days ago I shared with you here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning a set of Google Lesson Plans to teach students about effective search skills. Today I am sharing with you another equally important resource of lesson plans from Google  but this time on teaching computational thinking in your class.



Google makes it easy for teachers to incorporate computational thinking into the curriculum with these classroom-ready lessons, examples, and programs. 
Lessons include complete teacher editions, student worksheets, and any applicable Python programs. Examples include short exercises from core subjects with key CT concepts to consider. Programs include Python examples and exercises for teachers to enhance their existing lessons. Math lessons, examples, and programs are based on the Common Core Standards, while science materials are aligned with the California K-12 Content Standards.

What is Computational thinking (CT) ?

 " Computational thinking involves a set of problem-solving skills and techniques that software engineers use to write programs that underlie the computer applications you use such as search, email, and maps. However, computational thinking is applicable to nearly any subject. Students who learn computational thinking across the curriculum begin to see a relationship between different subjects as well as between school and life outside of the classroom. "

Check out Google Computational Thinking lesson plans HERE.

Great iPad Tips and Resources for Teachers

April 29, 2014
Below is what I have been preparing for you over the last weekend. I have gone through all the archive of posts I have shared here and consulted several other external resources to compile this guide. The purpose behind this work is to help teachers and educators better tap into the full educational potential of iPad and make a good use of it in their instruction as well as in their professional development.




I divided this guide into 5parts:

  • iPad Technical Tips
  • iPad Management Tips and Tricks 
  • Resources for Finding Educational Apps
  • iPad Apps Evaluation Rubrics
  • iPad classroom posters



iPad Technical Tips


1- Take a screenshot 
To take a screenshot on your iPad just click on the the Home button followed immediately by clicking on the Sleep/Wake button. You will hear a click sound after the shot is taken. All the screenshots are saved in your iPad's Photo's Gallery. From there you can can email or share them on popular social media.

2- Print Docs from your iPad
My favourite way to print docs from iPad is through using AirPrint. AirPrint enables instant printing from iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Mac without the need to install drivers or download software. Simply select an AirPrint printer and print. It's that simple. AirPrint is compatible with most of the popular printers ( Canon, HP, Brother, Epson, Dell…etc). Check out this article to learn how to use AirPrint.

3- Double Click the Home button
When you double click on the Home button you will be able to :

  • View and launch recently used applications
  • Lock screen orientation, adjust brightness, play media, and adjust media sound.


4- Creating folders for apps
To create a folder for your apps.Touch and hold icons until jiggling, then drag the app on top of another and a folder will be created  to hold both of them. You can add more apps to this folder by dragging other apps to it. Give the folder a  name the folder then  click on the home button to save.

5- Check the open apps
To check all the apps that are open on your iPad. Click on the Home button two times then a thumbnail of the apps that are opened will be displayed. Swipe right to left to go through them. To close any app, jus tap on it and swipe it upwards.

6- Activate Guided Access
Guided Access keeps the iPad in a single app, and allows you to control which features are available. This is great when working with students. To start Guided Access, triple click the home button in the app you want to use. Check out this visual guide to earn more about  how to use Guided Access.

7- Copy/Paste
To copy and paste a portion of text on iPad, just tap and hold down and then select the text you want to copy then click on copy. To copy the whole paragraph, tap four times. To paste your text, just tap and hold down then click on paste.
Check out more iPad technical tips from this page and this page.


iPad Management Tips and Tricks

Techchef4U has this wonderful cheat sheet that features some important guidelines and tips on iPad management. You can download this document in PDF format from this link.






Places to look for educational apps

Here are some of the trusted platforms where you can search for educational apps to use with your students.


 iPad Apps Evaluation rubrics

Here are some wonderful rubrics to help you and your students better evaluate the apps to use in your class.


 iPad Posters for your class

There is a section here in Educational technology and Mobile Learning where I feature iPad posters that teachers can use in their classes. Here are some samples I selected for you.

5 Good Tools to Create Charts, Graphs, and Diagrams for Your Class

April 28, 2014
Sometimes complicated information is hard to understand and requires a visual illustration. Graphs and charts are ideal for visually communicating complex data. As teachers, we often have recourse to these visual aids to improve our students comprehension. There are actually a wide variety of web tools that you can use to easily create graphs and charts, below are some of my favourite.




1- Hohli Online Chart Builder



Hohli Online Chart Builder allows you to easily create a variety of charts. The chart types it offers include: Bar charts, Lines, Pie Charts, Venn Diagrams, Scatter plots,  and Radar charts. The process to create your chart is very easy; just pick out the chart type you want, customize its size, select a background for it, provide the data and there you go.

2- Infogram


Infogram is a great tool I have been using for creating infographics. Infogram allows you to create more than 30 chart types. Anything from bubble charts and treemaps to simple pie charts.

3- LucidChart

This is another wonderful tool for creating flowcharts, mindmaps, and diagrams. LucidChart has a very simple interface which allows you to just drag and drop elements to create your charts. LucidChat is also available for Google Apps and can be used offline.

4- ChartGo

Create graph and charts online quickly. ChartGo is a graph maker tool. Simply follow these steps; pick your settings, paste your data and click the create button. That's it. For additional chart setting options, visit each chart type in the menu section on the left. You can also use existing graphs by clicking on the graph examples section.
5- Juice Labs

Juice Labs provide a plethora of pre-made charts that you can download for free. You can use the filters search for and  find the right chart type for your needs. Then download as Excel or PowerPoint templates and insert your own data.

6 Useful Math Glossaries for Students

April 28, 2014
One of the stumbling blocks facing students learning math is the complex math terminology . Not understanding a set of math terms for a homework will eventually result in student not being able to do the homework. That's why having a handy math dictionary around can make all the difference in math learning. I have compiled for you some useful math glossaries that you can share with your students to help them understand the math lingo.



1-Studygeek


Studygeek is a website that provides tutorials and lessons on a variety of Math concepts including Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, and Statistics. It also features a Math vocabulary section where students can find definitions of Math terms. The dictionary is organized alphabetically.

2- The McGraw Hill


The McGraw eGlossary is a wonderful math dictionary for students. To start using it, you need to select the grade, look at the alphabet. Click on the first letter of the word for which you want to see a definition. Next, look at the list of words on the left. Click the word for which you want to see a definition.

3- iCoach Math


iCoach Math provides a comprehensive dictionary of Math terminology. All the terms are arranged in alphabetical order. Use Command + F ( on Mac ) or Control + F  ( on Windows ) to search for any term. Each term comes with a textual definition accompanied with a visual example.

4-A Maths Dictionary for Kids


A Maths Dictionary for Kids is an animated, interactive online math dictionary for students which explains over 600 common mathematical terms and math words in simple language.

5- Dictionary of Numbers
Dictionary of Numbers is an award-winning Google Chrome extension that tries to make sense of numbers you encounter on the web by giving you a description of that number in human terms.

6- Visual Mathematics Dictionary


The Visual Mathematics Dictionary as its name indicates is a math dictionary that offers both  visual and textual explanations of math terminology.

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The Best Educational Web Tools to Engage Students in 1:1 Classrooms

April 28, 2014
Here is one of the best educational web tool collections I have come across this year. The slideshow presentation below is created by Jonathan Wylie and presented in Iowa 1:1 conference this April. Jonathan provides a wide variety of web tools that schools and teachers can use to engage students in 1:1 classrooms. Almost all of these tools can work across different devices and can also be accessible both at home and at school via the web.




Jonathan arranged these tools into different categories. Luckily all the tools included in the presentation below are hyperlinked. Click on any title to access the corresponding tool. Here is a brief round-up of the categories covered :
  • Backchannel tools
  • Assessment tools
  • Flipped classroom tools
  • Presentation tools
  • Coding in The classroom
  • Content curation tools
  • Creation Tools
  • Gamification tools

Minggu, 27 April 2014

The Four Important Models of Blended Learning Teachers Should Know about

April 28, 2014
In its basic and simplest definition, blended learning is an instructional methodology, a teaching and learning approach that combines face-to-face classroom methods with computer mediated activities to deliver instruction. The strengths of this instructional approach is its combination of both face to face and online teaching methods into one integrated instructional approach.



Blended Learning is a big concept, an umbrella term, that contains several other sub-methods. Below are the four models that are most used in schools today.The definitions together with the accompanying videos featured here are taken from Blended Learning 101 course. This course is offered by Khan Academy ( one of the leading protagonists of blended learning approach) in partnership with the Clayton Christensen Institute and the Silicon Schools Fund.

1- Flipped classroom
 Flipped classroom or flipped learning is a methodology, an approach to learning in which technology is employed to reverse the traditional role of classroom time. If in the past, classroom time is spent at lecturing to students , now in a flipped model, this time is utilized to encourage individualized learning and provide one-on-one help to students, and also to improve student-teacher interaction. While the instructional or teachable content is still available in class, however this content is mainly designed in such a way to be accessed outside class which is a great way for struggling students to learn at their own pace.
Check out this page for more resources on Flipped Learning.

2- Station Rotation Model
In a station rotation model, within a given course or subject , students rotate at fixed points in time between different learning stations, at least one of which is an online learning station.Other stations might include activities such as small-group or full-class instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and pencil-and-paper assignments. Some implementations involve the entire class alternating among activities together; whereas others divide the class into small-group rotations. In the Station Rotation model, students rotate through all of the stations.

Watch to see how KIPP school in Los Angeles as the station rotation model as a core part of their educational model.



3- Lab Rotation Model
In a lab Rotation model, students rotate at fixed points in time between a classroom and computer lab, in which students learn predominantly online. The classroom is generally reserved for other learning activities.

Difference between Lab rotation model and Station rotation model:
In station rotation model students are rotating within a given classroom whereas in the lab model they are actually rotating out to a learning lab where they are doing their online learning.

Watch to see how Navigator Schools use this model in their instruction.



4- Flex Model
In the Flex model, online learning forms the backbone of a student's learning, even if it directs students to office activities at times, and students are able to move flexibly through different learning modalities with the goal of optimizing their learning experience based on their specific needs. Each student in essence has a customized, fluid schedule among learning modalities. The teacher of record is on-site, and the teacher-of-record or other adults provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring . Some implementations have substantial face-to-face support, and others have minimal.

Watch how Summit public schools is using the Flex model in their instruction.



27 Ways Teachers Can Facilitate Learning in Today's Classrooms

April 27, 2014
Technology and teaching pedagogy are engaged in a symbiotic relationship and  developments in the earlier are reflected in the form of changes in the latter. One instance of this symbiotic relationship is the new conceptualization of the roles taken up by today's teacher and students . For centuries ago, teachers were viewed as the centre of knowledge with an authoritative and teacher centred style while students were looked at as passive recipients of knowledge, buckets to be filled.

However, among several other reasons, the recent digital revolution has the most impact on changing these traditional roles. The open and widespread access to information together with the new skills and digital habits that emerged as a result of this heavily digitized culture of todays learners, the teacher-student roles have been radically transformed.  The teaching pedagogy is more student centred with teachers as facilitators guiding learners through an exploratory journey of meaning making in the class. This facilitation of learning takes many forms and successful teachers are those who spice up their teaching methodology with different ways to present and facilitate learning in their class. Mia from Anethicalisland has this wonderful graphic that features 27 ways teachers can guide and facilitate learning. Enjoy

facilitating learning

9 Handy iPad Apps to Create Instructional Multimedia Materials for Your Class

April 27, 2014
After we have learned about the iPad apps to help us assess our students learning and create more interaction in the classroom, today's post from " iPad as Teachers' Pet " features a set of great apps that you can use to create instructional media for your class. These apps will allow you to design a variety of multimedia productions to share with students.

1- Stick Around

Design labelling, sorting, and matching puzzles for your students using stick around. Play as a group, hand your iPad ff to students, or share to other iPads.

2- Explain Everything

Use Explain Everything to record your voice as you draw on a whiteboard. You can also import images and video and add annotations and animations.

3- Educreations

Educreations turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard. Videos are uploaded to your page on educreations.com

4- VideoScribe HD

Create animated  videos with VideoScribe HD by placing text and illustrations on a canvas. Your narration plays as a hand draws what's on the canvas.

5- Snapguide

Share beautiful step-by-step how-to guides using Snapguide. Take or import photos or video and add captions. Guides are published on snapguide.com

6- Haiku Deck

Create stunning slideshows with Haiku Deck. Simply enter your text to see copyright-friendly images that you can use as backgrounds.

7-Prezi

Create, edit, present, and share presentations that zoom and rotate using Prezi. Insert text and images onto a large canvas. Uploads to Prezi.com

8-Strip Designer

Craft your own comic strip pr book with Strip Designer. Select a template, insert photos, and add balloons.

9- Audioboo

Use Audioboo to record up to 10 minutes of audio. Every recording generates a link that you can copy and share.

9- Songify

Songify turns speech into singing. Your voice is auto-tuned and combined wit music