Parents' Guide to Rockd

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Education
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Common Sense Media Review

Mieke VanderBorght By Mieke VanderBorght , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

Geologists go social in high-level interactive reference.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

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Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Unclear whether personal information are shared for third-party marketing.
  • Unclear whether this product displays personalised advertising.
  • Unclear whether data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • Unclear whether this product uses a user's information to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
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What's It About?

Sign in to ROCKD with a unique username and password, through your Facebook or Google account. Kids can also skip the login to forgo access the social media features. Rockd uses your location to provide geological information about where you are including stratigraphy, physiographic region, lithologies, historical geological views, presence of fossils and minerals, and more. Kids can also look up this information about any location in the world. In the activity feed, kids read posts from other users who share photos and geological features from locations they've visited. If kids sign in, they can also share their own data collections.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

A combination of crowd-sourced and academic data provides a rich treasure trove for kids interested in and knowledgeable about geology. Rockd does a great job of harnessing much of what modern technology can offer. There are databases of sophisticated satellite images, current and historical geological maps, and fossil and mineral records. A compass function allows kids to act as researchers and use their device to record coordinates and scientific measurements "in the field." And the social media platform is a space for sharing what you've found with others, discovering new places, and contributing to an ever-growing database of geological data. However, Rockd isn't a toy. For kids to use all these features and understand what they all mean, they'll need a significant amount of knowledge and familiarity with, as well as interest in, geology and geological terminology. If your kid fits the bill, they will likely find Rockd an amazing tool that allows them to join a community of professional scientists and high-level amateurs.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the wealth of geological information included in Rockd. What do all those terms mean? Help your kids look up words or concepts they don't understand.

  • Go out together and use the app to gather data and learn more about the land underneath your feet. What are some different kinds of rocks? What are the most types in your area?

  • If kids want to join the social media platform, talk about how to share safely. What kinds of photos are okay to share? Are you okay with your kid sharing geolocation data?

App Details

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