Instructions
Collaboration and communication apps have become ubiquitous with everyday functioning but there can be both risks and benefits to using these web-based tools, especially for children and teens. Apps noted as dangerous for children and teens include Snapchat, Whisper, Blendr, and WhatsApp, yet several of these apps can be used to good advantage for teaching and learning.
In this assignment, you will investigate and gain experience in the use of 2 collaborative/communication apps for personal, pedagogical, and/or professional purposes providing evidence of engagement with at least 2 other individuals. Choose from apps such as Marco Polo, VoiceThreads, #GroupMe, Hangouts, etc.
Then, you will identify 5 or more apps that are of particular concern for educators and parents, revealing both the perceived benefits and the possible or likely risks when used by school age students. Using a site like Wix.com, Site123.com, or Smore.com, you will publish your findings to a webpage in blog type or newsletter form with descriptions, warnings, safeguards, and links.
For each of the 5 apps, provide a brief description. Then, using knowledge gleaned from experience, from current professional literature, and from current scholarly articles (published within the last 5 years), discuss warnings and safeguards that should be put in place when using the app for teaching and/or learning purposes.
List the apps reviewed and discuss each. Include the following:
Description
Warnings
Safeguards
Links to the app and other helpful resources