The following ratings are based on my evaluation of the designers purpose in creating the app, and its functions, as well as learners primary use of the app and functions.
Hi = moderate to high use in this category
Lo = little to moderate use in this category
N/A = little to no potential or practical use
Name of app: Busuu
Reviewed by D. Justice
Details: company, release/version date, operating system(s)
Busuu , 6/2/20 v. 18.9.0.435, Android and Apple
Cost: free to paid subscription
Following are explanations of these ratings in relation to the article MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES, AND 21st Century Skills published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services Task Force and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). My ratings can be found on the Summer 2020 App Rating Spreadsheet
Review
App Description: A foreign language learning application
Application in my learning environment: can be used for additional English language learning practice in regularly scheduled and reminded intervals.
Connection to LDT 505 Themes:
Being a largely automated language learning app, Busuu scored low marks on a number of types of literacy and higher order thinking. Following are explanations of those ratings in relation to MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES, AND
21st Century Skills published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services Task Force and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21).
Busuu has great potential a collaborative learning app as it already has an interactive chat and correction feature. Learners and native language speakers can interact, correct and advise work submitted by students, and may be maximized by some users. The reason I rated collaboration as Lo is these features are not mandatory and are not the crux of this app that appears to be designed primarily for independent language studies.
I rated Busuu as Hi for Communication and Initiative & Self-Direction. Again, with the ability to converse with native language speakers I believe this is the most powerful aspect of Busuu that I had not experienced from previous language learning applications. Similar to other apps Busuu allows learners to set their own goals, to self-direct their own schedule for study and pace. Learners are also able to choose lessons and modules by interest or need or follow the app’s prescribed curriculum.
Notari based ideas upon Goodwin and Highfield (2012)who proposed a classification for preschool children and Busuu is generalized here as an app for: knowledge-building and skill-building , collaboration, learning- and teaching-support, communication.
This is an Instructive app which has elements of ‘drill-and-practice’ design, whereby the app delivered a predetermined task. This app is expected to mainly satisfy learners Cognitive and Affective needs by using learning resources and fulfilling personal goals (Noessel 2003).
Busuu has the portability and ease of use to fulfill Looi’s concept of Seamless Learning. Seamless Learning is, “marked by continuity of the learning experience across different scenarios or contexts, and [is especially dependent on] the availability of one device or more per student. ”
Resources
Institute of Museum and Library Services. (2009). Museums, libraries, and 21st century skills. Washington, DC: Author. (pp. 4–16 and 25–28)
Looi, C.-K., Seow, P., Zhang, B., So, H.-J., Chen, W., & Wong, L.-H. (2010). Leveraging mobile technology for sustainable seamless learning: A research agenda
Notari, M. P., Hielscher, M., & King, M. (2016). Educational apps ontology. In D. Churchill, J. Lu, T. Chiu, & B. Fox (Eds.), Mobile learning design (pp. 83–96). Singapore: Springer.