Epic

 Epic!


I was interested in Epic because it is something that I have never heard of before. I found Epic in the “Top 15 Software Mentioned by Elementary vs Secondary Teachers” and it was the 5th on the list. Epic is a platform that makes books easier to access for kids (EPIC, 2022). Epic is a subscription service that gives many families, teachers, and children access to thousands of free books, videos, and quizzes (EPIC, 2022). It is for the ages of children that are between 2 and 12 years old (The Smarter Learning Guide, 2022). The Smarter Learning Guide (2022) also stated that there are many different devices that Epic can be downloaded on. It is also professionally curated to ensure that the books that are on the app are engaging to kids. 


Here is a video on how to use Epic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTjY_bWGeGY




Ease of Use


From the reviews that I have seen on Epic, it seems fairly easy to use. There is a section of the review that said it is very easy to sort through the book and filter them by the kid’s age, interests, and reading level (Smart Learning Guide, 2022). Creating an account for Epic is also really easy to do. The books are very easy to search for and locate. One can easily click on the book that they would like to read to their class and it will show up. Overall, Epic is very easy to use. 


Versatility 


Epic is versatile in the sense that it has many different books, audiobooks, and videos for the students to watch. There are so many different books for students to read with a variety of genres. Some examples of genres for students are cars and trucks, animals, backyard animals, big cats, kindness, identifying emotions, and even sports. If a teacher decides to purchase the free version of Epic, they will have access to one free book per day. Teachers could also pay monthly for Epic so students will be able to enjoy multiple books per day. There is also an option on Epic that is called “read to me” and the students will then be read to. There are also many different videos that are on Epic. Some of these include, Where the Wild Things Are, Scaredy Squirrel, and Thump, Quack, Moo. There is even a tab on the Epic website where you are able to see your own personal library. Teachers can hear different books and they will appear in the library for quick and easy access. Overall, Epic is very versatile because it has many different books for students to choose from that range in a variety of grade levels. 


Overall Likelihood of Using


I am very likely to use Epic in the future. This is because there are so many different books and videos for the kids to choose from on this website. It is very easy to navigate as well. I can even find books that are appropriate for the grade level that I am teaching. I am looking forward to using Epic in the future. 

Connections to Course


Epic connects to “the Seven Events of Instruction” through presenting the content. This is because the teachers can use the books to enhance their lessons. For example, if a teacher is educating students about the different seasons, they could use a book from Epic to help them explain the different seasons to the students.


Epic connects to the “TLC framework” through “T3- Instructing.” Teachers can also use books or videos to enhance their lessons. For example, a teacher could show a video about butterflies if the students are learning about that in class. The teachers could also use the audiobooks in class to have the students listen to another reader other than them during the lesson. 


Websites Used

https://www.getepic.com/about

https://smarterlearningguide.com/epic-reading-app-review/

Comments

  1. Kylie ScherbarthMarch 21, 2022 at 5:41 PM

    Hi Haley,
    Epic is a great resource for all ages of students that helps them with their literacy skills. I really like how there is an option to have it read to you and the audio books because it would be a great way to differentiate for students who are ESL or ELL in your classroom. My mentor teacher uses epic and all of our students love using it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kaitlyn WaleMarch 23, 2022 at 5:28 PM

    Hi Haley,
    My students at my placement absolutely love Epic. We don't use it super often during class, so when we do they get really excited. While it is very versatile like you mentioned, I learned last week that not every book has the option to be read aloud to the students. I do have an ELL student in my classroom and she really enjoys having the stories read aloud to her.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Document Camea

Image
  Doc Camera This blog entry is about a tool that I am interested in from Dr. Wang’s PowerPoint about “T3PP Technologies for Resource and Blogging.” This was the third option on the hardware list to choose from.  The document camera is a tool that is used to project something onto the board for students to see. A teacher could take a book, a worksheet, or anything else and place it underneath the document camera. The camera allows the students to see what is being displayed more clearly. Ease of Use The document camera is fairly easy to use. Each document camera is different, but as soon as one gets the hang of using it, it is very easy. A teacher left a review on weareteachers.com about a document camera that they were using in the classroom. The teacher stated how simple the document camera was to use (Staake, 2021). The teacher also stated that the document camera just needed to be turned on and switched to the correct function on the computer to work (Staake, 2021). The li...
Read more

Interactive Whiteboard

Image
  Interactive Board I found this technology in the RQ2 Technologies Hardware table of the PowerPoint. I chose this technology because we have been interacting with it in class. The interactive whiteboard is a tool that can be used in classrooms for teachers to enhance their lessons. They can create lessons on the whiteboard and include videos, games, pictures, and different technologies that will enhance students' understanding of a subject. The interactive whiteboard allows images from a computer screen to be shared on the large screen. The teachers and students are able to “interact” with their fingers or a pen on the board.  Here is a video on how to use the interactive whiteboard: Interactive Whiteboard Tutorial - Bing video Ease of Use The interactive white board is fairly easy to use. Platinum Copier Solutions (2017) stated that one of the perks of the interactive whiteboard is how easy it is to use. They explained that the interactive whiteboard is very clean and requir...
Read more

Dreambox

Image
  Dreambox  I found this tool in the RQN Technologies Software Table in Dr. Wang’s powerpoint. Dreambox is an online learning software that is focused on teaching math to elementary and secondary students (Dreambox, 2022). Dreambox adapts to each child that is in the classroom and drives each child’s learning by giving them concepts to work on that are appropriate for the level that they are at (Dreambox, 2022). Student progress is also tracked so teachers are aware as to how each of the students are doing. This will help teachers guide the instruction in the classroom because they will be aware of the concepts that the students need extra help on.  Here is a link on Dreambox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCMOEfi7Fvk Ease of Use Dreambox is a very easy tool to use. After talking to the teacher that I am volunteering for at Lincoln Heights, she stated that it is a very easy tool to use. This is because it is user friendly and simple to navigate. She said that she was ab...
Read more