Little Monkey Apps

Introducing Little Monkey Apps

As a first post, we'd like to say hello and introduce ourselves. Aleesha, Kevin and E.M.K make up the Little Monkey Apps team.

Aleesha has worked for twelve years in primary school classrooms and worked with other educators on to implement various technologies into classroom practice without anxiety. (for the teachers that is!)  She is passionate about utilizing technology in an adaptive manner and not being caught up in technology for technologies sake. Aleesha’s  favorite phrase is ‘Why would you do it that way?’  or when she is not being so polite, 'What's the point of that?' Aleesha has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Teaching and is part way through completing her Masters in Education. 

Kevin has worked for many years in software development.Kevin gained access to an iPad at work, bringing home an unopened dust gathering box. After downloading a few games for his daughter he noticed that these early years Apps were either incorrect (when first teaching the alphabet a does not say the sound uh it also says a as in apple, o as in was, ay as in tray… )  These games were designed for a child to play and be quiet.

As a challenge professionally and personally, he decided to create a simple App for his daughter. After watching her play it, he decide that he could have a go at this App developing! Whilst his day job takes up most of his time, of an evening, Kevin hides himself in the study, stealing one of the Ipads when his family aren’t looking. 


EMK is the Little and Monkey section of the team.

How did Little Monkey Apps begin?

Little Monkey Apps began as a response to the use of iPads in classrooms and the misconstrued view that simply by using the technology students would learn. It appeared that whilst iPads were being bought, there was no connection between quality teacher-student pedagogy , interaction between teacher and student  and the content available on iTunes.  Teachers recognise that there is a place for ‘edutainment’  - quality games that reinforce skills in an interesting way. Little Monkey Apps does not intend to enter this market, too many quality games have already been created.

What do we value?

Little Monkey Apps have been created for educators to interact with their students and includes educational activities that follow on from core teaching activities.  Little Monkey Apps aims to provide tools which educators can use to teach their students. Some Apps such as Times Tables has been created as a response to provide familiar teaching activities that mirror traditional pen and paper (or blocks and counters) so that even the most reluctant iPad teacher can be supported and gently introduced to utilizing this technology for teaching experiences. 

Most importantly, we do not intend for Little Monkey Apps to replace physical experiences. Students require material to be presented in a number of ways, on paper, physical use of blocks, through games and use of the iPad. The Apps contain ideas on how to use non-iPad based pedagogy.