Blog Post #6 Case Study

     The two digital platforms I chose for a case study are Kahoot and Epic. These two platforms are more commonly used in education for the benefit of students, providing an enjoyable learning experience. I chose Kahoot because, since being in this class and reading other classmates' blogs and discussion posts, seeing how many enjoyed using the platform in their classroom sparked my interest. Therefore, I wanted to go on a deeper dive into how Kahoot is a safe and effective way that students and their families can utilize both in the classroom and at home. The second platform I decided to look into was Epic. Epic is an app that I use frequently in my classroom. The app allows me to share collections of topics we are working on to use in phases. The first being sharing a collection of a topic and allowing students to explore the books and then write facts down regarding the topic, then writing two to three questions they wish to answer throughout the unit. Another major benefit to why I love using this app is that I can assign students books to their reading level, as well as read-to-me books for my students where reading is a major challenge for them. 

Kahoot is an online platform where students can play online learning based games and take multiple-choice quizzes. Kahoot allows teachers to create quizzes or search the platform for material directly related to their grade level. In terms of engagement, it can be an extremely effective tool for both students and parents. The platform allows for a fun and interactive learning experience. The great thing about the platform is that students can play individually so that teachers can use it as a formative assessment without having to give a physical paper test. Or the second option is allowing students to work in groups on a quiz and have the communicative skills practiced amongst their peers. Outside of the classroom, parents and their students have the opportunity to use the platform at home as a fun practice tool instead of getting an extra booklet to complete practice pages.

 Positive effects of Kahoot are that you are able to implement a learning style and builds a positive rapport between the teacher and student, it reduces the students' stress and anxiety of taking a test-like assessment (Wang,2020). Another positive effect of Kahoot is the learning style and For teachers, it's an Innovative way to give a formative assessment without putting the pressure of a paper test on the students. Negative feedback regarding the app is the accessibility of the app. Another is that the questions can only be projected on a larger screen, with the students only having the four choices on their screen to choose from. In terms of privacy and safety, Kahoot is user-friendly and age-appropriate. You can filter quizzes directly related to the grade you are working with. A nice benefit is that there are both educational and recreational quizzes relating to the hobbies and interests of students. 

The second application I have decided to do a case study on is Epic. Epic is an online reading platform for students K-12. Epic gives students the opportunity to explore a wide variety of books in a digital format. Epic's primary function is to allow students to read literature that might interest them or that is not available in the school library. As well as further students' development in literacy. Teachers use Epic as a platform where they can monitor students' number of books read throughout the year. Another major function of Epic is having the capability to assign collections to students that directly correlate to a specific unit of study being worked on in class. Epic promotes the ability to have a free version of the app as well as a paid version for parents, so they can allow their students to access their favorite books and collections at home. Epic promotes communication between peers through the collections they each have. Students can go off on their own and read an assigned collection of books and have a conversation around their favorite books that they enjoy. Outside of the classroom, it can be a major benefit for students to have the opportunity to read books that spark their interest and have a conversation with their parents or guardians regarding what they just read. This can influence the practice of reading and comprehension at home. 

     

In terms of how Epic influences information is accessed, shared, and learned is through social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. All of these platforms are being used to promote a positive narrative around digital literacy. It gives the families the ability to have access to the digital literacy platform anywhere as long as they have online access (Möller, 2015). Potential positive outcomes of Epic on students' learning include building a positive relationship with reading. For me personally, I wish I had the opportunity to work with the platform when I was a student because I fully believe I would now, as an adult, enjoy reading a significant amount more. The platform gives the student access to material designed to their interest as well as material being covered in class. Epic can be utilized individually as well as in group project settings. A negative effect of this platform is the two different options of the free version and the paid version. The free version is only available for students in school until three o’clock in the afternoon. However, parents have the option to pay for the paid version, where they can use the platform past general school hours. Lastly, in terms of online safety, it is a user-friendly and safe online platform. The adult in charge of the account can permit settings where they can only explore their grade-level material. Overall, I enjoy the app and the benefits of the digital literacy platform. 

References: 

Möller, K. J. (2015). Apps in Literature-Based Classroom Instruction: Integrating Reading and Response through Traditional and Digital Media. Journal of Children’s Literature, 41(1), 54-.

Wang, A. I., & Tahir, R. (2020). The effect of using Kahoot! for learning – A literature review. Computers and Education, 149, Article 103818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103818