DOGOnews.com Review
Grade Levels: K-2; 3-5; 6-8
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies
Description
DOGOnews.com is an online website presenting news and non-fictional articles for students. These articles are written specifically for student interests and seemed to be of high appeal. Actually, some of these non-fictional articles are even written by children, which offer news from a “younger” point of view. After all, as stated on their website, “DOGO means young or small in Swahili,” so what other title would be more fitting for children? Once on the website, there are three main tabs (pages) to choose. The first tab is entitled “News” which enables the user to select from a variety of categories (Current Events, Entertainment, Sports, Social Studies, Science, International, etc.,). The second tab entitled “Maps” allows the user to utilize Google Earth imagery to read articles from other countries and discover what’s happening in that ‘corner’ of the world. The third tab is entitled, “Site” which uncovers other kid-friendly websites for children. The hundreds of websites have been carefully and safely selected before links are added to DOGOnews.com.
In addition to the three tabs mentioned above, the website also offers DOGObooks.com (a place to discover, review, and rate books), DOGOmovies.com (a place to explore kid appropriate movies rated G, PG, and PG-13), and DOGOteachers (a place for teachers to customize using DOGO content specific lesson plans.) Teachers can create a Class page to monitor student online responses to thousands of non-fictional articles that incorporate Common Core State Standard lessons for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8.
Accuracy of Content
The purpose of this website is to inform and provide students the opportunity to read interesting informational articles. The non-fiction articles are accurate and constantly updated. The site provides objective and factual information. DOGOnews.com is easy to maneuver for ages 7-14. The content can be quite challenging to read, however, there is an option to have the text read to the user by scrolling to the bottom of the article where it reads, “Listen to the Article.” In addition, there are also many challenging vocabulary words through the readings. However, many of these bold printed vocabulary words offer a dictionary link for the definition and grammar usage.
Technical Quality
The website DOGOnews.com is simple to access from a laptop or computer. Students and teachers can easily glide through the site comfortably by clicking on the features offered on the entire site. The website is colorfully elegant and ‘good looking’ to the viewer. The website has interesting academic content and is uniquely designed offering children a way to enjoy reading non-fiction texts on their differentiated levels.
Use of Technology
DOGOnews.com does make great use of technology because it offers a variety of special features like audio capabilities, short video-clips, and comment boxes are available when students’ are eager to share their thinking. The graphics are exciting, interactive, and suitably pleasing to the eye. Using this technology will provide hours of enriching and engaging ways to support productive thinking in order to make meaning of non-fictional articles that come to life in the minds of children. The use of DOGOnews.com will build more meaningful personal connections of the world around them.
Role of Student
Students using this website will be empowered because it gives them choices based on their interest levels either by reading or listening to quality non-fiction articles. Students can feel comfortable and confident reading these texts because it offers varied reading levels for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Depending on the instructions, students either can select their own articles giving them the freedom to roam or be instructed to their Class page for direct lessons to follow using the “News”, “Sites”, and “Maps” tabs. Students can work in pairs or in a small group. The idea is to have students collaborate by responding to “Critical Challenges” or “Article Comprehension” questions directly after each of the articles. As students share their thinking with one another; it validates and gives value to their learning.
Role of Teacher
The role of the teacher is as a facilitator. The teacher introduces the website initially during a whole class or small group setting using the Smartboard (in my opinion) in order to demonstrate and model all the capabilities i.e. login-in, passwords, locating articles, comment boxes etc.,. Then, students can customize an avatar and begin their exploration of the website. In order to monitor students’ use of technology, it’s easy to install a username and password for every student on the ‘Class Page.’ I recommend that the usernames are the first letter of the first name and then their last names. In addition, I believe using the same password for each student will make life a lot easier to remember. Once a student signs-in, you can monitor articles read by students based on the comment boxes. Teachers may choose to use a virtual post-it note to leave specific instructions of any desired action. There is a brief tutorial which allows a teacher to quickly understand and set-up the class page.
Classroom Usage
DOGOnews.com is an incredible website of non-fictional reading that is more important now than ever to help connect students to quality non-fiction viewing material. Having the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as a new emphasis gives students exposure to reading non-fiction texts, vocabulary, using comprehension skills, and allowing background knowledge needed for young students. By creating this FREE account and uploading your class page gives children news resources and videos to read or listen which will hopefully foster a love of non-fiction information. The possibilities of creating collaborative groups to discuss their reactions and feelings of these articles will increase a desire for engagement. Some of the activities that students can do are: create summaries, make presentations from the acquired knowledge, or even generate open-ended questions for discussions. I highly recommend clicking on the useful icons of CCSS, National Curriculum Standards (NCS), or suggested grade levels in order to give your students suitable options based upon their abilities and successes.
Critical Summary
The DOGOnews.com website is clean and simple to navigate. The tabs (pages) on “News”, “Sites”, and “Maps” made it clear and comfortable to use. The flexibility of having an audio component (if needed) for any reader was a superb option. However, not all the articles were equipped with the audio availability. The structure and layout was user-friendly which created a positive experience. The variety of academic content in Science, Social Studies, and Literacy was in depth.
Overall Rating
I give this website an overall rating of 7 out of 10.
Explanation of Rating
I gave DOGOnews.com an overall rating of 7 out of 10 because the sites accuracy of content, use of technology, role of student, and classroom usage categories were very thorough. My only displeasure comes from the fact that not ALL of the articles are audio capable. The website is definitely worth looking into; ever since I have conducted this website review I’ve been actively using DOGOnews.com with my own 4th grade students. They love it!!!
Grade Levels: K-2; 3-5; 6-8
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies
Description
DOGOnews.com is an online website presenting news and non-fictional articles for students. These articles are written specifically for student interests and seemed to be of high appeal. Actually, some of these non-fictional articles are even written by children, which offer news from a “younger” point of view. After all, as stated on their website, “DOGO means young or small in Swahili,” so what other title would be more fitting for children? Once on the website, there are three main tabs (pages) to choose. The first tab is entitled “News” which enables the user to select from a variety of categories (Current Events, Entertainment, Sports, Social Studies, Science, International, etc.,). The second tab entitled “Maps” allows the user to utilize Google Earth imagery to read articles from other countries and discover what’s happening in that ‘corner’ of the world. The third tab is entitled, “Site” which uncovers other kid-friendly websites for children. The hundreds of websites have been carefully and safely selected before links are added to DOGOnews.com.
In addition to the three tabs mentioned above, the website also offers DOGObooks.com (a place to discover, review, and rate books), DOGOmovies.com (a place to explore kid appropriate movies rated G, PG, and PG-13), and DOGOteachers (a place for teachers to customize using DOGO content specific lesson plans.) Teachers can create a Class page to monitor student online responses to thousands of non-fictional articles that incorporate Common Core State Standard lessons for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8.
Accuracy of Content
The purpose of this website is to inform and provide students the opportunity to read interesting informational articles. The non-fiction articles are accurate and constantly updated. The site provides objective and factual information. DOGOnews.com is easy to maneuver for ages 7-14. The content can be quite challenging to read, however, there is an option to have the text read to the user by scrolling to the bottom of the article where it reads, “Listen to the Article.” In addition, there are also many challenging vocabulary words through the readings. However, many of these bold printed vocabulary words offer a dictionary link for the definition and grammar usage.
Technical Quality
The website DOGOnews.com is simple to access from a laptop or computer. Students and teachers can easily glide through the site comfortably by clicking on the features offered on the entire site. The website is colorfully elegant and ‘good looking’ to the viewer. The website has interesting academic content and is uniquely designed offering children a way to enjoy reading non-fiction texts on their differentiated levels.
Use of Technology
DOGOnews.com does make great use of technology because it offers a variety of special features like audio capabilities, short video-clips, and comment boxes are available when students’ are eager to share their thinking. The graphics are exciting, interactive, and suitably pleasing to the eye. Using this technology will provide hours of enriching and engaging ways to support productive thinking in order to make meaning of non-fictional articles that come to life in the minds of children. The use of DOGOnews.com will build more meaningful personal connections of the world around them.
Role of Student
Students using this website will be empowered because it gives them choices based on their interest levels either by reading or listening to quality non-fiction articles. Students can feel comfortable and confident reading these texts because it offers varied reading levels for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Depending on the instructions, students either can select their own articles giving them the freedom to roam or be instructed to their Class page for direct lessons to follow using the “News”, “Sites”, and “Maps” tabs. Students can work in pairs or in a small group. The idea is to have students collaborate by responding to “Critical Challenges” or “Article Comprehension” questions directly after each of the articles. As students share their thinking with one another; it validates and gives value to their learning.
Role of Teacher
The role of the teacher is as a facilitator. The teacher introduces the website initially during a whole class or small group setting using the Smartboard (in my opinion) in order to demonstrate and model all the capabilities i.e. login-in, passwords, locating articles, comment boxes etc.,. Then, students can customize an avatar and begin their exploration of the website. In order to monitor students’ use of technology, it’s easy to install a username and password for every student on the ‘Class Page.’ I recommend that the usernames are the first letter of the first name and then their last names. In addition, I believe using the same password for each student will make life a lot easier to remember. Once a student signs-in, you can monitor articles read by students based on the comment boxes. Teachers may choose to use a virtual post-it note to leave specific instructions of any desired action. There is a brief tutorial which allows a teacher to quickly understand and set-up the class page.
Classroom Usage
DOGOnews.com is an incredible website of non-fictional reading that is more important now than ever to help connect students to quality non-fiction viewing material. Having the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as a new emphasis gives students exposure to reading non-fiction texts, vocabulary, using comprehension skills, and allowing background knowledge needed for young students. By creating this FREE account and uploading your class page gives children news resources and videos to read or listen which will hopefully foster a love of non-fiction information. The possibilities of creating collaborative groups to discuss their reactions and feelings of these articles will increase a desire for engagement. Some of the activities that students can do are: create summaries, make presentations from the acquired knowledge, or even generate open-ended questions for discussions. I highly recommend clicking on the useful icons of CCSS, National Curriculum Standards (NCS), or suggested grade levels in order to give your students suitable options based upon their abilities and successes.
Critical Summary
The DOGOnews.com website is clean and simple to navigate. The tabs (pages) on “News”, “Sites”, and “Maps” made it clear and comfortable to use. The flexibility of having an audio component (if needed) for any reader was a superb option. However, not all the articles were equipped with the audio availability. The structure and layout was user-friendly which created a positive experience. The variety of academic content in Science, Social Studies, and Literacy was in depth.
Overall Rating
I give this website an overall rating of 7 out of 10.
Explanation of Rating
I gave DOGOnews.com an overall rating of 7 out of 10 because the sites accuracy of content, use of technology, role of student, and classroom usage categories were very thorough. My only displeasure comes from the fact that not ALL of the articles are audio capable. The website is definitely worth looking into; ever since I have conducted this website review I’ve been actively using DOGOnews.com with my own 4th grade students. They love it!!!