App Reviews - Shelena Cofield

ISTE Student Standard-Curate Information, 1.3c, Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.

Trello Educational Review - https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/trello-organize-anything

Trello is easy to use and provides a simplistic way to plan and organize virtually anything. Even though it is designed to manage teams, tasks, and tools, it most certainly can be used to assist in collaboration and organization of content. Users create cards to house information of any kind: text, images, checklists, links, etc. Users simply create a board, add lists for different types of content to be collected, and then enter content. Cards may be arranged and organized freely, providing powerful visualization of the content. Trello is free for individuals/teams to organize any project, and it includes up to 10 boards, unlimited cards, unlimited storage, unlimited Power-Ups per board, 2-factor authentication, and more. Paid versions are available for additional functionality, but they are not necessary as the free version is quite generous. The intended age group is 12 and up. Trello is available via web browser or mobile app for both iOS and Android. The review listed above is from the Educational AppStore, which aids parents and educators by reviewing and recommending educational apps and websites. The Educational AppStore uses certified professional teachers to review and certify websites and apps which lends itself to credibility and reliability.

Evernote Educational Review - https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/evernote

Evernote provides a way to save ideas, notes, web links, images, PDFs, and more on any computer or phone. One can even email notes, printed or handwritten, to a personalized Evernote email address. Important documents can be scanned and saved within Evernote. Evernote promotes productivity by providing users with a way to get things done by organization of tasks, notes, and schedules, all in one place. It is easy to clip web pages and mark them up with arrows, highlights, and text. All saved information is synchronized across multiple devices allowing ease of access anywhere. The free version provides note-taking capabilities, synchronization of up to 2 devices, 60MB of uploads, a Home dashboard with 3 widgets, the ability to clip web pages, and allowance of attachments such as PDFs, photos, images, documents, and files. The paid versions allow connection of a Google Calendar account, management of tasks, offline access, powerful search options, custom templates, integration with other software (Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.) and much more. While Evernote is designed for adults, children under age 16 may use it with parental consent. The Common Sense review states the app is recommended for students in 6^th grade and above. Evernote is compatible with the following device operating systems: Mac, Windows, iOS (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch), and Android. Common Sense is credible because they review technology with kids in mind and suggest learning tools that prepare students and teachers for technological success. Additionally, they provide information for families and teachers to choose high-quality, age-appropriate, and diverse content for kids that supports well-being while safeguarding privacy and support healthy media and technology.

OneNote Educational Review - https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/microsoft-onenote

OneNote is note-taking software included in Microsoft’s 365 suite of products. It allows for organization of information into sections and pages within a notebook and includes easy navigation and search capabilities. Users can enter text and highlight or add ink annotations. OneNote provides the capability to clip and save from the web, record audio notes, insert online videos, and add files. Notebooks are synchronized across all devices and allow sharing and collaboration with others. OneNote is free to download and use, but there are premium features, like collaboration with other users, that can only be unlocked with a Microsoft 365 subscription of $69.99/year. The Common Sense review states the app is recommended for students in 6^th grade and above. OneNote works on Windows, Apple, or Android devices. Common Sense’s credibility is directly related to them being a leading source of technology recommendations for families and schools since 2003; they are an independent, nonprofit, and research backed organization focused on helping parents and educators navigate the digital world with children in mind.

All three educational apps are beneficial and may be more useful depending on what content is to be curated. If I had to choose one app, however, it would be OneNote because so many schools are Microsoft 365 schools and already include access to its entire suite of software. There is a lot of continuity and power in collaboration amongst the Microsoft products. Also, OneNote is easier to use and lacks the complexity and initial learning-curve that both Evernote and Trello present to new and younger users.