Name: iTunes U
Reviewed by: Megan Riggers
Details: Apple Inc., Released May 2007, Most Recent Update May 2017, Compatible with iOS 9.3 or higher
Cost: Free, In-App Purchases

Review: Let me start by saying this app wasn’t exactly what I was expecting it to be.  I thought iTunes U was a freemium, or open education resource…and while some of it is, it ended up being more of a powerful search engine for finding educational resources.  This app breaks down searching for content by age and subject, and then breaks down the results into apps, podcasts, virtual textbooks, and digital books.  There are some freemium options within the app, for example, there is a “Get Started with Code” series from Apple Education, and other iOS “Standout Courses,” but it’s very limited.  This app is flexible, adaptable, it is extremely initiative and self-directed, it would address both information and media literacy, as a tool itself it is ICT literacy to a T, and depending on what learners pursue in the app itself, would address many of the other 21st Century Skills as broken down in “Institute of Museum and Library Services” (2009).

Name: BrainPOP Featured Movie
Reviewed by: Megan Riggers
Details: BrainPOP., Released October 2012, Most Recent Update May 2017, Compatible with iOS 8.0 or higher
Cost: Free Limited Access, Explorer Package 2.99/Month unlocked four more video per/category, Full Access 6.99/Month

Review: BrainPOP Featured Movie is an app is an extension of BrainPOP.  It is an educational video app that provides short, impactful videos on a variety of topics ranging from math and engineering to English, history, and health (and several subjects in between).  Additionally, it provides content specific multiple choice styled quizzes on each video and keeps track of your scores.  While I don’t feel that BrainPOP Featured Movie is the best app for 21st Century learning, I do think that this is a great supplemental resource for parents and teachers to use in their classrooms.  I wish it was more interactive, and that it had more featured unlocked in the Free version.  BrainPOP is easy to navigate, interactive, and delivers fun and informative material that students of a variety of ages enjoy (I’ve even used their videos for my high school students).

Sort video tutorial on BrainPOP Featured Movie App.

Name: Class Dojo
Reviewed by: Megan Riggers
Details: Class Twist Inc., Released February 2013, Version 4.15 Released September 2017, Compatible with Andriod, iOS, Kindle Fire, and Web-Based devices 
Cost: Free

Review: Class Dojo is an app and website based tool that focuses on facilitating communication.  It has resources for communication, collaboration, a badge economy, fun and engaging lessons on a variety of social topics, amazing graphics and an easy to navigate interface. Class Dojo keeps educators and parents on the same page, it helps parents stay tuned into what their children are doing in the classroom, promotes communication between peers, helps keep groups on task, integrates technology into the classroom, adds an element of “gamification,” is personalized, customized, on-demand, connects informal and formal learning with the ability to awards badges based on achievements not strictly related to academics, etc.  A great app for students K-12.
Here’s a cute video from Class Dojo’s YouTube channel that I think illustrates their goals to better connect students, classrooms, and home environments.

Here is a great breakdown of the app (take a quick look at page 2), you can see how user-friendly and extensive the app is.