I enjoy getting kids talking to each other. While I enjoy talking, that isn't the most effective format for learning. Kids need to wrestle with ideas, and discuss things thoughtfully with their peers. Previously I've done that in a myriad of ways. We'll have literature circle groups where kids talk about books. We will also talk as a whole group, debating using thumbs up/down (or through "clickers"/Activotes) and talking about why we agree/disagree. Those have been great strategies, and I plan to continue to use them.
Currently I'm in my second full week of using Communicator with my kids. In short, it is an online, secure portal where my 5th graders can post to a discussion board, post on a blog, and create a wiki. I can effectively track their work using an RSS feed. All the while no one needs to worry about outsider drifters coming in and doing anything elicit. Hooray! We're using each of the functions in a different capacities, and with different rates of success so far.
What I'm most excited about is the discussion their having currently. Thus far I have posted two analysis/judgement questions for them to respond to, each linked to our work in Social Studies. They needed to evaluate different landforms/geographic features, and explain which would be most difficult to settle near. This required understanding of landforms, and their potential impact on humans. The conversation has been great! We've started posting our responses, and quickly the question turned to "can I reply to someone else?" I limited that at first, modelling how we want to give constructive feedback that is specific (positive and negative). The response has been overwhelming. Seeing my kids give great feedback and edit their posts to make them more specific has been wonderful, and precisely what I was hoping for.
Not all kids thrive on the in-class discussion. This other method is simply another way for me get kids engaged, and get kids talking to each other. So far, so good!
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