Meeting 21st Century Skills

For quick reference, the mobile app is faster than logging on to the excellent website version and keeps the favorites list for personalization and review. There's really no fluff, just clear definitions, and interesting facts. The Word-of-the-Day narratives are usually engaging, and encourage students to think about how words and their meanings develop and continue to develop. The audio pronunciations are a great aid, especially with high school vocabulary and SAT practice. The app also allows students to copy and share definitions to notes or social media.

The dictionary is good for what it is designed. It provides word pronunciation, part of speech and various definitions and usages. There are various third party uses for dictionaries, but the website doesn't provide any activities or extension. It is a tool to help you understand words and word meanings. Just like any tool, it only works if our students use the tool.

Great tool to engage students! All Media Centers should be using this online tool for our 21st century learners. I love how I don't need internet access for the dictionary and also the word of the day function. It's helpful to be able to save words as favorites as well. My only complaint is the synonyms. There are very few or none on some words, and most do not have antonyms. None have near synonyms or near antonyms, which would be useful. Other than that, very helpful. Love the voice action for spelling purposes. However, a spell check type of recognition on a word search would be helpful.