Review by Debbie Gorrell, Common Sense Education | Updated November 2013

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HudsonAlpha iCell

Name: HudsonAlpha iCell
Item: HudsonAlpha iCell
Rating: 2
Author: Debbie Gorrell

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Cells come alive with interactive graphics but learning is limited

Subjects & skills

Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.

9–12

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5 images

Kids can learn about three types of cells.

Tap to learn about an animal cell membrane.

Some cells structures have an automatic zoom-in feature to give kids a closer look.

Basic text teaches kids about plasmids in a bacteria cell.

Pros: Differentiated learning and cool graphics appeal to a variety of learners.

Cons: The learning experience doesn't go beyond using three main diagrams to memorize cell structures.

Bottom Line: This free resource is full of useful information and interactive graphics, and is a fun way to teach kids about different kinds of cells.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Exploring the graphics is a great way to start teaching kids about cells. Provide students with a graphic organizer that they can use to take notes while learning about the cell structures. You might also want to give them unlabeled cell diagrams and have them fill in the labels as they explore each cell. Students could also use the app to study for an exam. Have them work in small groups and take turns trying to name and describe each structure in a cell before tapping on the structure. Others in the group can keep score by tracking correct and incorrect answers.

What Is It?

HudsonAlpha iCell is a reference app with cool, interactive graphics that teach kids about cells. Kids tap to choose animal, bacteria, or plant cell on the main page. Each cell is colorfully designed, but none of the structures in the cells are labeled, so beginners may have a difficult time navigating their way through the cells and remembering what they learned. Once kids tap on a structure, the structure name pops up and explanatory text appears at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes the screen automatically zooms in on a structure, but kids can zoom in or out and can rotate cells for a 360-degree view using their fingers. At any point after selecting the cell type to explore, kids can choose from a menu of text options: basic, intermediate, or advanced.

Is It Good for Learning?

Students can learn about cells at their own pace. After tapping on a cell structure, they can learn the name and function of the structure. There are three text levels to choose from: basic, intermediate, or advanced. Basic text typically gives one or two short sentence descriptions of structures, intermediate gives longer descriptions with additional vocabulary, and advanced gives very detailed descriptions with challenging vocabulary. There's plenty to learn about each type of cell, but the app doesn't provide challenges or activities for kids to test their knowledge or apply their learning.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Would it motivate students and hold their interest? Is it visually appealing? Would it inspire teachers to try something new or change their instruction?

Kids will enjoy tapping, zooming in and out, and rotating the colorful illustrations, but without challenges or activities, they may not stay engaged for very long. Some games or quizzes would help keep kids interested.

Pedagogy Does the tool help teachers promote a more student-centered experience? Will students gain conceptual understanding or think critically? Does it deepen teachers’ pedagogical thinking?

Three levels of text provide differentiated learning, which helps kids of varying abilities. Cell structures aren't labeled until kids tap on them, and there are no opportunities for kids to apply what they learn.

Support Can students and teachers get assistance when they need it? Is it created with people of different abilities and backgrounds in mind? Is learning reinforced and extended beyond the digital experience?

Navigation is easy and instructions are provided. When images of cells first appear, their structures aren't labeled. Kids who are just learning must randomly tap on a cell to figure out where the structures are located.

Common Sense Reviewer

Debbie Gorrell Educator

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Donna M. , Classroom teacher

Classroom teacher

Vista Visions Academy
Vista, United States

Good 3-D visual of an animal, plant and bacteria cell.

The graphics are good and students can rotate the cell to see it from various angles in 3-D. Students at all grade levels find this engaging. I like the fact that when students click on a structure, it becomes magnified and they can choose to read text about it at the basic, intermediate or advanced level. This allows it to be used at different grade levels and language proficiencies. Other than manipulating the cell and reading the text, there is nothing else for students to do. It would be great if th ...

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