Ashley Bumgarner – Software Tool Evaluation EME 2040

Software Tool Evaluation

The software that I chose to evaluate is ClassDojo, a groupware tool that allows parents, students

and teachers to stay in touch and share information about what is going on at school I chose ClassDojo

because I noticed it being used in most of the elementary school classrooms that I observed last semester.

During my observations, I saw teachers using a few of the features such as the class point system and the

family communication. I was interested in learning more about the program and was surprised by the

information that I found. ClassDojo offers many different tools to support hands-on, individualized

learning in the classroom, like class portfolios and in-app assignments, and it also has helpful instruments

such as a noise meter, timer, and group maker. Schools can sign up for the program, or individual teachers

can sign up to use it. After learning more about the program, I would definitely consider using it in my

own classroom.

Teachers can create lessons within the app, and students load their work directly into the app

using classroom or home devices. What is really great is that there are so many different ways that

teachers can individualize learning experiences using the app. Assignments can be given to the entire

class, with recorded directions, or can be given to specific children. Also, teachers can allow students to

complete assignments in different ways. For example, a student might tell a story using the video

recording feature or they might upload a picture story that they drew. The app allows teachers the

flexibility to assign work that meets the needs of individual students. When thinking of lessons that I could

assign with the app, I think that I would have children focus on a specific topic and use a variety of tools

within the app to demonstrate their knowledge of learning. Perhaps I would have children talk about their

pets or what animal they would want as a pet. I could assign a simple writing lesson, in which they would

draw a picture and write a couple of sentences on the topic. Then, they could submit a video of them

introducing their pet at home or talking about a pet that they would like to have. I think that using this

type of technology in the classroom can be especially helpful for monitoring student progress because all
Ashley Bumgarner – Software Tool Evaluation EME 2040

student work can be found in one place. What is especially helpful is that students can add their own work

to their digital portfolio in the app, so a teacher does not have to take extra time to collect and organize

work—it’s already there if the students are utilizing the portfolio feature.

It was simple to learn how to use the program—I just had to sign up for a free account to access

the features. The ClassDojo website offers brief tutorial videos along with the option to sign up for more

detailed live online trainings. Also, when a teacher signs up for an account, they are assigned a demo class

to test all of the features. I enjoyed exploring the program and learning about all that it has to offer.

https://www.classdojo.com/