October 28, 2013
QA Graphics has developed an educational mobile app for Skewed News Tutor. The app has been published in the App Store, available for purchase for use in the classroom to help middle and high school students become more discerning news consumers.
Skewed News Tutor is the creation of Colleen Bradford Krantz, journalist, author and documentary filmmaker. After a decade of reporting, Krantz grew frustrated with the sometimes-subtle opinions buried within news reports. This led her to begin Skewed News Tutor in 2012, a trusted provider of educational resources aimed to help students and others improve their ability to filter information and identify solid reporting. The News Tutor mobile app, developed by QA Graphics, was created for use in the classroom to help students gain a better understanding of the process behind journalism and news reporting.
“I’ve always loved journalism. This is not an attack on journalists but is designed to set expectations for high-quality journalism,” said Colleen Bradford Krantz, founder of Skewed News Tutor. “I looked to QA Graphics because I felt a level of professionalism right away, and was pleased that they were able to develop the app as I had envisioned.”
The app, titled News Tutor, was designed to put users in the shoes of a journalist and help them learn what makes a good and accurate report. Krantz outlined the educational lesson, and then looked to QA Graphics to design and develop the app. The app sets the scene where the user begins as an intern and is guided through a series of situations in which they must determine the most fair and accurate way to report on news. They are provided a series of videos, quiz questions, and a game in which they are to determine the accurate way to report on a situation. As they progress through the quiz, users are promoted to beginning reporter, senior reporter, and then overseeing other reporters.
“QA Graphics had a smooth process in place to move throughout the development,” said Krantz. “I really liked how nicely organized things were right from the beginning. The team took ownership in a sense, being excited about making the app, and they developed it to be just as I hoped.”
The News Tutor app is available for purchase in the App Store for both iPads and iPhones, and an Android version is expected to be released at a later date. The app’s intended audience is schools using iPads in the classroom, ideally for students ages 13 and over, but also for college students and the general public.
“We’ve started testing it with students, and they’ve commented on how it makes them think about the news a little differently. Teachers have also said that with so much information available online, an app like this helps students learn how to better filter that information and understand when something may be slanted,” said Krantz.
If this first app goes well, Skewed News Tutor plans to develop a series of apps built around the needs of specific curriculum. In addition to educational apps, QA Graphics provides custom mobile application development for use across all platforms for business, entertainment and more. To learn more about QA Graphics’ mobile app development services, contact 515-965-3403.
About QA Graphics
QA Graphics is an Iowa-based creative design company specializing in interactive applications, 3D design and animation, mobile app development and other multimedia. The company is also a leader in the building automation and green building industries, providing HVAC graphic development services and energy dashboards to help organizations educate occupants about building performance and sustainability. To learn more, visit www.qagraphics.com.
About Skewed News Tutor
Skewed News Tutor was founded in 2012 by journalist Colleen Bradford Krantz, of Des Moines. The company creates multi-media products to promote media literacy. Becky Waller Bausman, of San Francisco, is chief strategy officer. Des Moines middle school teacher Ed Moody serves as educational advisor to Skewed News Tutor. To learn more about Skewed News Tutor’s videos and mobile apps, visit http://skewednewstutor.com.