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Easy Blog Jr.

Mindprint Rating

Tags

^Music, Art and Makerspaces K-8 Website

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • The app has a limited number of simple features making it very usable by a younger audience.
  • Has the key features students want including video, photos, voice-overs and comments.
  • Enables teachers to password protect all accounts to ensure student safety and set posting options.

Considerations

  • Although the app could be used by all ages, the interface will feel most suitable for elementary school students.

Mindprint Expert Review

EasyBlogJr. is a free and easy-to-use blogging tool to connect teachers, students and parents. Teachers create a password protected account and add protected accounts for parents and students organized by class. Students can then login through an iPad or the website and post a blog to the private community. Students can easily add/take/record a photo or video from within the app. The app is self-explanatory for young writers to use without support. Each blog entry invites comments from the class community, providing students the opportunity to learn how to give constructive feedback and encouragement. Teachers also can use the app as a communication tool between the teacher and parents. Giving students an opportunity to write for an audience can be an effective way to increase their motivation and care about the quality of their work.

Academic Benefits

Improves academic skills

  • Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
  • Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
  • Presents educational concepts accurately
  • Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
  • Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
  • Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
  • Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

Fun

Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
  • Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
  • Visually appealing to children in the target age range
  • Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
  • Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
  • Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
  • Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

Easy to Use

Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Has a free or trial version
  • Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
  • Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
  • Student should be able to use independently after first use
  • Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
  • Multiple users can save a profile
  • Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
  • Can play without sound and not distract others
  • Students can save work between sessions
  • Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
  • Requires registration before using the first time
  • Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
  • Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
  • Overall - Easy to use