Katelyn Walker - App Reviews

 App Reviews

 

The ISTE Standards for Students include a category for student collaboration. ISTE Standard 1.7 identifies that students should learn to be “Global Collaborator[s],” wherein “Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally” (2022). 

 

The following apps would be appropriate to use with college students in my courses in order to achieve ISTE Standard 1.7:

 

1.     Flip

 

Third Party Review:

https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/flip

 

Flip is an app that allows recording short videos or discussions and sharing with groups. It could be used for continuing class discussions after class or used for students to contribute to discussions using videos. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Android. I’ve used Flipgrid with my students in classes before, and this is the updated version of Flipgrid, developed by the same creators. It’s provided for free and would be suitable for really any age, but for my purpose, it is suitable for college students. The commonsense.org website is non-biased and provides the name of the author of the review. Both criteria make this a reliable review.  

 

2.     WordPress

 

Third Party Review:

https://www.getapp.com/website-ecommerce-software/a/wordpress/

 

 

WordPress is an app that allows for students to create blogs and share content; it includes options for aesthetic design, as well as embedded videos and photos. This is a great tool to use for students to use for a semester-long course project. I might ask students to use this space for publishing their writing and sharing with peers. It is offered for free with limited storage. The app would be suitable for college students and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, with a web-based version, as well. The website getapp.com provides comparative reviews of software options. It is non-biased. 

 

3.     Wrike

 

Third Party Review:

https://www.getapp.com/project-management-planning-software/a/wrike/reviews/

 

Wrike is a mobile app that allows for collaboration on large and small projects. As a classroom tool, it could be used for group projects, allowing members to organize a timeline, assign tasks, and upload work for all members to see. Additionally, the editing feature would provide students a chance to review and contribute to a group paper project. Wrike is priced at $9.80 per month but also includes a free option, and it would be suitable for college students. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, and also has a web-based version. The website getapp.com provides comparative reviews of software options and is non-biased. 

 

 

All of these options would be suitable for meeting the need for mobile collaboration with college students, but I really like the option of using WordPress. It seems like a pretty advanced app for creating blogs and websites, and I like the fact that it provides a web-based platform for students to access for more detailed creation of content. Yet, the mobile option would provide student the chance to work on their content with their phones, as well. 

 

 

Resources

ISTE Standards: Students. ISTE. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students 

 

App Review - Hailee Miradakis

The standard I chose is a second grade ELA writing standard number 40. Write a personal or fictional narrative using a logical sequence of events, including details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings and providing a sense of closure. For this assignment, I will concentrate on creating a fictional narrative using a logical sequence of events.

 

https://edpuzzle.com/media/628552f08f242940e7995e69

To begin my lesson, I would assign an EdPuzzle. EdPuzzle is a website where you can assign interactive videos. Each student can watch the video at their own pace. These can be great for stations since they do not have to be completed whole group. Within the videos, there will be questions the students must answer correctly to move forward. If the students do not know the answer, they may rewatch the previous section of the video. The teacher receives live data of how the students are doing on the assignment. You can create your own interactive videos, upload videos from YouTube and add questions, or chose from a large library of already created videos. It is free to teachers, or school systems can upgrade to a larger package. EdPuzzle can be used with all ages.

https://www.storyboardthat.com/

Next, as a class we would brainstorm a general story, allowing the students to come up with their own details. Then, the students would write their story. Once they have written their story, they would create a comic strip on StoryBoardThat to go with their story. They would be required to create three scenes (beginning, middle, end). In StoryBoardThat, students start with a blank template. They can choose a background, characters and objects. They can position each character, choose their facial expressions and what they look like. The student can also add speech bubbles to the scene (this is also great for teaching quotations). Once finished, you can download and print out the comic strips. Teachers have a 14 day free trial, but must pay $9.99 a month after that or the district can buy it for whole schools. StoryBoardThat can be a bit complex so I would not suggest using it with students below second grade. 

https://info.flip.com/about.html

To finish the assignment, my students would present their comic on Flip (formally known as FlipGrid). Here. I would have the students show their comics one scene at a time and read what they have written to go along with it. On Flip. A student can record themselves. They can record themselves as many times as they like. What I like about flip is how simple it is. In second grade, it takes a lot of time to introduce new apps to students. With Flip, it is simply hit record and stop. This app is definitely geared towards lower elementary, although I have used it with fifth graders before. Once the students are finished, they upload their video, and the teacher and other students can watch. If the teacher chooses, students can even comment and like each other’s videos. Students do not need an account. The teacher has a free account and simply shares a code with the students.

For my students, writing is not a strength. Considering the majority of students are still learning to speak English, writing it is even more difficult. This can be made easier through the creation of comics and video recordings. I believe the most useful application would be FlipGrid. Through this app, the students can record themselves reading their story and critique themselves. They can hear out loud some of the grammatical errors they make, and revise and edit their own work. This also encourages them to do their best because once it is published, other students can watch their video.

App Review-Mica Mecham

The standard I am going to research apps for will pertain to the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders since my current job centers around working with teachers in higher education and giving them tools to take back to their college classrooms.  See original source here: alabamagms.blol.core.windows.net

The standard reads as follows: “To realize the mission of enhancing school leadership among principals and administrators in Alabama resulting in improved academic achievement for all students, instructional leaders will be held to the following standards:”

Standard 3: Rationale This standard addresses the need for instructional leaders to recognize quality professional development as the key strategy for supporting significant improvements. Instructional leaders are able to articulate the critical link between improved student learning and the professional learning of teachers. Skillful instructional leaders establish policies and organizational structures that support ongoing professional learning and continuous improvement. They ensure an equitable distribution of resources to accomplish school goals and continuously improve the school's work through the ongoing evaluation of staff development's effectiveness in achieving student learning goals. They make certain that employee annual calendars and daily schedules provide adequate time for learning and collaboration as part of the workday. Instructional leaders also distribute leadership responsibilities among teachers and other employees. Distributed leadership enables teachers to develop and use their talents as members or chairs of school improvement committees, trainers, coaches, mentors, and members of peer review panels. These leaders make certain that their colleagues have the necessary knowledge, skills, and other forms of support that ensure success in these new roles.

1. Diigo: Diigo - Better reading and research with annotation, highlighter, sticky notes, archiving, bookmarking & more. Consumption App 

Third Party Reviews:

Diigo Reviews (capterra.com)

Diigo Website Review | Common Sense Media

Diigo is a free social bookmarking browser extension and application for phones and tablets that help users to save, organize, annotate, and share useful websites across multiple devices. The tool can be used by students or teachers, but for my purpose, it would be used by educators. The most useful feature in this app for teachers/leaders attending professional development is the annotation feature that has the ability to add highlights and sticky notes to texts on web pages and PDFs. The bookmarked pages with annotations can be shared through email and IM. This app allows for easy collaboration and there is a version for teachers that also allows them to share pages and sites with students, so it has versatile potential. This is not an app I have personally used, but I think I may give it a go.  I have so many sites that I save on my browser, and I may see how this app performs. 

2. Genius Scan: Genius Scan - PDF Scanner - Apps on Google Play File Management App

Third Party Reviews:

Genius Scan Plus Review | PCMag

Genius Scan - PDF Scanner App Reviews 2022 | JustUseApp Reviews

Genius Scan is an excellent app that lets users scan documents and store them as multi-page PDFs.  There are actually multiple Genius apps (Scan, Fax, and Sign) that integrate seamlessly with each other. The basic app is free and seems to do a great job with few limitations, but it does have the option for users to upgrade to have documents synchronously scanned into cloud storage such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc., automatic image cleanup, access to all three app features in one (the ability to scan, fax, and sign), etc.  This is an app I personally have used for a long time and is excellent.  It is user friendly, and I love that I don’t have to convert the files into PDF myself. This is an excellent app for everyone of every age needing to scan documents and save them. It was actually a fellow educator who introduced me to the app years ago, and I still use it in the classroom and in my professional career.    

3. Splashtop: Splashtop Remote Access Screen Sharing App 

Third Party Reviews:

Splashtop review—highly specialized remote access tools | TechRadar

Splashtop Personal - Remote Desktop - Download (softonic.com)

Splashtop (getapp.com)

Splashtop is an app that allows users to remotely access their desktop computer from anywhere on the go. This program is known for being easy to use and the personal access unlimited version is free for users to access the desktop, but to access your main computer files from a device while away from your desktop, users will need to upgrade to the $1.99 monthly subscription. In-app subscription purchase includes access to everything from anywhere, anytime across platforms, including access to files, online gaming, music, etc. Reviews for this app appear to be all positive and customer service appears to be strong. This app would prove useful for educators when it comes to simplifying what you have to carry with you while working and the ability to share information with others from any of your devices. This app would be best suited for adult professionals, teachers, or college-aged students. 

 Apps Review

https://www.ixl.com

The first app I have chosen is called IXL and this app will allow teachers to set the standard by being able to approve certain lesson plans for students or kids that are working from home and intervention and enrichment, and parents use IXL at home to maximize learning. It’s a comprehensive curriculum that helps with K-12, with content from science, math, language art, social studies, and Spanish IXL’s curriculum has been recognized as The SIIA Cordie award winner for Best Math Instructional Solution for Grades PK-8, Best Advanced Mathematics Instructional Solution, Best Foundational English Language Arts Instructional Solution, and Best Reading/Writing/Literature Instructional Solution for Grades PreK-8 The EdTech Digest Cool Tool award winner for Best Language Arts Solution How to Home school’s top Online Homeschool Curriculum & Resources. The Alabama Statewide Efficacy https://www.ixl.com/research/Impact-of-IXL-in-Alabama.pdf is a credible site that gives a review of the IXL app for students. Their contact is Call (855) 255-8800 or email orders@ixl.com. 1-year classroom license plan with 25 students.

https://www.abcmouse.com

ABC Mouse is one I have used a few times for my own kids while preparing them for the next grade level. It is a full online curriculum for ages 2-8 and they can advance to Adventure Academy and their ages are 8-13 in Reading, Math, Science, and Art. The price is $12.99 a month until you decide to discontinue the subscription. It's easy to see how much progress your child is making with the ABCmouse.com Progress Tracker. In addition to the display of the total number of learning activities completed in each category (books, songs, puzzles, games, and art), there are easy-to-read graphs that show progress both by academic level and by curriculum subject. ABC Mouse focused on achieving results—positive educational outcomes for kids—rather than awards, Age of Learning is proud to have been consistently recognized for the excellence of our products, receiving numerous national awards from education, parenting, and media organizations. The multi-award-winning ABC mouse curriculum, the leading and most comprehensive digital learning resource for children ages 2–8 have been honored with awards since its launch in 2010. And all of our newer tech products—Adventure Academy, ABC mouse Mastering Math, Reading, and ABC mouse Assessment Center—have also been singled out with awards for their educational excellence. Contact ABC mouse @ https://support.abcmouse.com

https://parents.mindplay.com/

Mind Play is an individualized reading intervention that features virtual reading teachers. These "reading coaches" emulate one-to-one tutoring instruction and support. Instruction is direct, explicit, and quickly targets reading gaps that prevent accurate and fluent reading. The program is used for 30-minutes a day, five days a week minimum, and improvement in basic reading skills is seen in the first month. The average student using the program at home improves one grade level every 10 weeks (20 hours). Mind Play was selected for the 2018  Awards of Excellence Tech and learning and in 2020 they were recognized for their contribution to helping kids learn to read. https://mindplay.com/mindplay-named-finalist-for-2020-tech-edvocate-award.  Mind Play is only $25 a month. Contact: 800.221.7911

 

I have never used Mind Play but I think it would be the app I would purchase because of the pricing, award-winning learning, and they have a private couch that can be scheduled to assist the students if needed.

App Reviews- By Lori Deerman

ISTE Standard 1.1- Empowered Learner- Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences. 

1. eSpark- 

Click here for eSpark Reviews

eSpark is research based and data driven. It uses a student's NWEA or Star assessments to create an individualized learning plan for each student in grades k-5. iPads with iOS 12 or later are supported. iPads running on iOS 11 or earlier are not supported or recommended. On iPads, students can access eSpark through Safari browser by typing eSpark.eSpark sets students on a quest where they take a pre-quiz. Then they are exposed to several different learning apps, videos, or songs correlated to the standard assigned to the quest. Upon completion, they will take a post quiz and make a video synthesizing all that they have learned during the quest. Student progress reports help teachers identify learning gaps, areas for remediation, and class trends on standards. eSpark can easily be used during center time. It is also differentiated for small group environments. eSpark offers 24/7 online support and $2,000 for schools professional development. The pricing is determined per student so it is catered to each individual school and requires a quote. From experience, I know that it is pricey but well-worth it. The average growth for students consistently using eSpark is 20% per subject area. 

2. Blooket- 

Click here for Blooket reviews

Blooket is a trivia or review game. It can be played whole group to encourage active participation with students in k-12. The teacher can pick from a library of question sets or compose a unique set. Players are given a game code to log in. Once all players are logged in, their device becomes their game controller. Players will answer questions to help them win. This game is very engaging. It is a completely customizable, motivating, innovative way for students to learn. The free version allows teachers to create and host games. The paid plans are $4.99 monthly or $35.88 yearly for reports, copying of question sets, priority support, exclusive features and early event access, and student game tokens.

3. iStation

Click here for iStation reviews

iStation is intended for students in Pre-k-8th. It is a supplemental learning system for reading, math, and ELL students who need a focus of language. Students complete a monthly assessment which monitors and reports growth. It also adjusts the student's instruction based on their progress.  The iStation program is compatible with iPads, Chromebooks, Macs and PCs. Pricing varies based on choice of learning program, number of student accounts and features. Pricing can vary from $5.95-$39 per student or campus-wide prices range from $1,500-$11,500 per campus.

Of the three apps, I love eSpark. It is the most engaging app for young learners. Student instruction is based off of student assessments and data. The dashboard is easy to access and the data is clearly presented. I like that it has a component for the student to tell how they are feeling each day. That tool can give the teacher insight on a student's mental wellbeing each day. Students grow substantial amounts after using eSpark and they enjoy using it. 

Theories of Critical Thinking

 

Theories of Critical Thinking

There are always new educational methods introduced to change the teaching and learning in education. Deep learning allows students to acquire skills to make room for creative thought and gain problem solving skills. When comparing new ideas to the ones of the past, there is accuracy, transparency, and learning potential. Newer forms of teaching strategies are emerging. In the past an assessment of a teacher was based on their ability to deliver the content of a lesson. Now technology and teacher delivery strengthen and encourages student success.

Library Media Specialists and classroom educators are collaborating to bridge the gap of literacy. New and improving types of literacies are constantly developing. The world is ever-changing, and it is vital to change with it. In order to keep up with times, it is important to acquire as much knowledge and skill as possible. It is not optional anymore; it is necessary to stay up to date with technology. When using digital and media literacy, it is vital to include the following: the use of texts and technologies to access information; the skills of critical thinking and evaluation; creativity; and the ability reflect ethically and individual and collaboration.

In 1948 a group of educators classified goals and objectives into three domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The general idea of the taxonomy is that what educators want students to know can be arranged in an order of less difficult to more difficult. The levels are designed so that one level must be mastered to reach the next level. The original taxonomy levels by Bloom presented verbs and behavior statements for each level. In 2001 Anderson and Krathwohl modified Bloom's taxonomy to switch the names of the levels from nouns to active verbs and reversing the order of the highest two levels. Students learn about topics at various levels. Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs is used in classrooms worldwide. It is used to help progress learning objectives that describe the learning process. Before you can comprehend a concept, you must memorize it. In order to apply an idea, you must understand it. In order to assess a process, you must have analyzed it. In order to produce an accurate decision, you must have completed a detailed assessment.

Progression in education and technology had provided numerous ways to meet the individual needs of students. When learning about taxonomies, several important classifications have been used to plan, organize, and evaluate programs.  The helpful are those that have gone through long and careful research goes into these classification systems. Educators are most comfortable with the simple version of the cognitive levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. When collaborating to develop a lesson plan, teachers can use a format that include learning taxonomies and multiple intelligences. With the limited time that teachers have, technology provides teachers with more ways to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each student’s learning style.

Social status differences exist between the two individuals act to impede effective communication. It is a difficult task to educate a student that is not mentally ready to receive information that is provided. It may be difficult for a teacher to comprehend or have empathy for a student who has other things to think about than schoolwork. There needs to be a way to bridge the two worlds.

 

References

Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/about-pearson/innovation/open-ideas/ARichSeamEnglish.pdf (Links to an external site.)  

 

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17.

 

Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/bloom.pdf  

 

 

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21.  

 

Rogers, E. M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75. https://archives.joe.org/joe/1963summer/1963-2-a2.pdf  

 

App Reviews - Geraldine Mendiola

EIM 505 App Reviews

Common Core Standards: Designed to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to take credit courses in a two or four-year college program or to enter the workforce.

1. IXL - 

https://www.ixl.com/ 

IXL is an app to assist students with learning different subjects such as math, English language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish from grade Pre-K to 12th grade. This site is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, or Chrome OS. It is also compatible with iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, android phones, and Fire tablets.  IXL gives questions and explanations of how to solve thousands of math, language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish skills. Students are also given rewards for their achievements along the way for meeting challenging tasks. Membership is available for this app for family use which starts at $9.95 per month. I find this app to be helpful in school as well as at home for students or even little ones who are willing to learn. 

2. BrainPOP - 

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/brainpop-featured-movie 

BrainPop is an app to assist students with learning different subjects such as math, English, science, social studies, arts & music, health & SEL, and Engineering & Tech from grade Pre-K to 12th grade. This site is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, or Chrome OS. It is also compatible with iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, android phones, and Fire tablets.  BrainPOP's content changes daily, so the student or child would be engaged with different activities daily.  There is a two-week free trial. If you decide to subscribe, their prices range from $14.95 to $19.95 depending on which plan or combo you prefer. I find this app to be helpful in school as well as at home for students or even little ones who are willing to learn. 

3. Kahoot! Algebra by DragonBox - 

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/kahoot-algebra-by-dragonbox 

Kahoot! Algebra by DragonBox is an app that is used for visual and intuitive learning. This app is built to visualize math in ways kinds can better understand. The characters see what numbers are and how they behave in the ways they related to each other, but in a way that kids can understand more easily. This app is compatible with iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, android phones, and Fire tablets. It is free to try for 7 days and then you have an option to subscribe for $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year. I find this app to be helpful with students struggling with math concepts or even numbers.

I believe the app I like the best is IXL because it challenges a student to better themselves. The student is given a task to complete and if they are unsuccessful, they can continue with explanations of what or how to complete the task. After the task has been completed the student receives rewards for their achievements. The student can continue to the next level and so on. I have seen and worked with students on this IXL app and see that it does assist the students with their studies. Teachers can follow their progress and assist them where needed. 

App Review by Samantha Johns

    I have selected standard 10 in seventh grade civics. Standard 10 states that students will be able to “describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States. The standard also includes that they will be able to differentiate between a right, privilege, duty, and responsibility of citizens and noncitizens. They will also have to explain how the United States’ citizenship is acquired by immigrants. There are three different educational apps that will help me to teach, remediate, and enrich this standard.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/us-citizenship-test-2022-audio/id1103037173

    The first app is called Citizen Test 2022. This app allows users to learn the answers and questions for the USCIS Citizenship Civics Test. It has flash cards and a quiz that users can take. The app is free of charge and it suitable for ages 4 plus. It is compatible with Google and Apple devices. This review site is a credible source because it is a third party website without bias. This is something that will not only help teach the standard but also will provide enrichment. The standard includes students being able to explain the naturalization process in the United States. I have always made students take the 100 question test that has questions immigrants are required to answer. I usually phrase it like “Could You Become a U.S. Citizen?”. This would be a great app for them to complete in their free time to practice for this quiz or just to practice their knowledge of civics.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/relevote/id1461723373

    The second app is called ReleVote it makes it easier to explore bills and documents without bias to really see what your representatives are doing in Congress. This would allow students to be civically engaged citizens and allow them to not form biases or opinions but rather look at the facts. This app is free and is marketed as suitable for ages 4+ although I would argue it would best for 6^th grade and older. It is compatible with Google and Apple devices. This review site is a credible source because it is a third party website without bias. This is a great way to model to students how to be involved not only in the voting process but to know and understand what representatives vote on and how sessions of Congress work. This is much better than watching NPR. 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/5-calls-contact-your-congress/id1202558609

    The third app is called 5 Calls. This app provides phone numbers and scripts to representatives and helps track issues that may be important to voters. This will teach students how they can be active participants in our democracy. This app is free and is marketed for 4+ but I would think students would need to be 13 or older in order to make calls and deal with the controversial issues. It is compatible with Google and Apple devices. This review site is a credible source because it is a third party website without bias. This would be a great way to teach students how they can contact their representatives. I could easily be used to help students write a letter to their representative as a writing assignment.

    I believe the best app for my age group would be the first one which is the Citizen Test 2022. This is something that I can students playing again and again because they want to do better and better on the test. In the past I have students complete a google forms test that has a hundred questions and I tell them it is not for a grade other than participation. A lot of the students get frustrated that they do not know the information and perform poorly on the citizenship test. This app would allow them to practice and could even be something that we do before, during, and after I teach the civics standards. I think it is important for students to know the naturalization process and how this test plays a role in that. Valuable discussions can come from this app like why is that important enough to be on the civics test? Is there something that you didn’t see on the civics test that you think should be on it? The possibilities are endless with this app and it also allows students to practice the civics concepts they are being taught throughout the year. Although the other two apps seem like great apps I am afraid they would not translate as well in a middle school classroom due to the complexity and controversial nature of issues that would be discussed. I think both of those apps would translate better to high school students especially those in 12^th grade government courses.

   

Theories of Critical Thinking 

   As I read through the 5 articles provided, I instantly began to think about how technology has changed the way that I view and experience learning. As many know, I have never been an educator so I am somewhat unfamiliar with technology and learning from the viewpoint of an educator, but I am able to make my reflections on my numerous experiences leading training for my colleagues.

      One of the articles that stood out to me the most happens to be Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain.  This article provides some insight into why we performed our methods of training employees. The understanding of why we presented different materials to employees in multiple formats so that we could help with comprehension led to the understanding of the material.

     When I think about how the content of these articles will help me in my current position, I think that understanding the importance of how people learn and the methods by which I can help them to get to more complex aspects of this process.  

Theories of Critical Thinking - Hailee Shell Miradakis

 Having technology in the classroom today is essential. We are living in a digital world, and it is important that students are prepared for this during their school years. In order to prepare them, we as teachers must also be trained in proper technology literacy. As stated by Hobbs, "Although investments in technology have increased significantly in the recent years, simply purchasing the latest digital technologies does not necessarily lead to the acquisition of digital and literacy media competencies." (Hobbs 2011) We as teachers need to be confident in our own technological abilities. It is not adequate enough to simply have all the latest technology, if we do not know what to do with it. In the work force, we need to be innovators or early adaptors, as stated by Rogers, and stay up to date on the new uses for technology. 

Technology should not simply be a time-filler, babysitter, or source of busy work. When utilized correctly, it can extend learning far beyond the classroom. The higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy can be difficult to reach at times, but technology opens the doors to many more resources that can aide in reaching those goals. technology is also a great source for differentiation, as stated by Kuhn. One classroom alone is filled with several different learning styles and levels of education. Utilizing technology can help to bridge the gap for all learners. 

In a perfect school in a perfect world, we would be surrounded by teachers who are innovators and early adopters. However, the unfortunate reality is that often times, we are surrounded by late majority and laggards. I strive to fall into one of the first two categories where ever I teach. Despite who I may be surrounded by, I can still choose to stay up to date on the latest technology and how to use it in my classroom and meet all my students needs at their own unique levels. Technology is a resource that should be utilized to diversify our teaching, not replace it. 

References

Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson.  Retrieved from

            https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/about-pearson/

            innovation/open-ideas/ARichSeamEnglish.pdf

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.  

Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/bloom.pdf  

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.   

Rogers, E. M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75. Retrieved from https://archives.joe.org/joe/1963summer/1963-2-a2.pdf