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: Xodo
Reviewed by D. Justice
Details: company, release/version date, operating system(s)
Xodo, 5/19/20 v. 5.0.10, Android and Apple
Cost: free
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: PDF reader, editor, and annotation application with affordances like drawing directly on the PDF.
Application in my learning environment: Can be used collaboratively with Google Drive to discuss articles by students groups highlighting and striking points of import or contention among the group.
Connection to LDT 505 Themes
The most salient IMLS Task Force 21st Century Skills:
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Creativity and Innovation
- Communication and Collaboration
Notari
This app was chosen from the perspective of the: learner for collaboration, learning- and teaching-support, communication.
The purpose of this app can be categorized by the following groups:
- Knowledge & skill building apps – The largest group of educational apps uses formalized content that can be easily checked by a computer
- Collaboration apps – works well with apps like Google Docs or Dropbox
Notari based ideas upon Goodwin and Highfield (2012) who proposed a classification for preschool children and Xodo is generalized here as a:
Manipulable app that allows for guided discovery and experimentation, but within a predetermined context or framework.
Constructive app characterized by a more open-ended design that allow users to create their own content or digital artifact
This app is expected to satisfy learners Cognitive, Social, Affective needs by practicing and interacting group problem solving (Noessel 2003).
I would like to see students use this app to collaboratively build group knowledge and discuss interpretations of articles and or theories. This type of collaboration is supported by Kearney who quoted Vygotsky saying, “social interaction, conversation and dialogue are fundamental to learning from a socio-cultural perspective as people engage in negotiating meaning.” This type of learning can be conveniently accelerated by this mobile app.
Resources
Institute of Museum and Library Services. (2009). Museums, libraries, and 21st century skills. Washington, DC: Author. (pp. 4–16 and 25–28)
Kearney, M., Schuck, S., Burden, K., & Aubusson, P. (2012). Viewing mobile learning from a pedagogical perspective. Research in Learning Technology, 20(1), 1–17.
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.