Where to start? Yellowdig allows my students to interact in an authentic way - the way they would in an in-person class - in an online format. I first used this as a student and loved it! It allowed me to get to know my classmates on a personal level that's rarely possible in a traditional discussion board. It also makes my life easier and richer as a teacher. It is self-grading, but that doesn't mean you can ignore it. While you don't have to grade it, best practice is to monitor the conversations, award accolades for exemplary posts, and occasionally contribute. This allows me to understand my students on a deeper level, what they know, what they need, adn how they grapple with the course content. When deployed appropriately, the result is a interactive learning community. Rather than answer specifc questions and respond to a limited number of their peers, students are free to post whatever they want related to the course content. This allows them to continue the conversation past the expirary date of the unit. Some of the cool features include: - You determine the value of posts based on word count and additional content like video files. - You determine the accolades you want to award and their point value (there are some to get you started as well). - Both you and the students can set notification preferences so you don't miss a thing. - The layout purposely mimics a social media app with the newest content posting to the top of the feed. This format is familiar to many students. - Yellowdig provides a certification course to familiarize new users with the functionality and to educate them in best practices. - Students never have to create an original post. This makes it easier for students with anxiety about using the tool. They can ease into it in a way that feels safer and less vulnerable.

That it allows learners to co-construct knowledge with their peers. Additionally, it is user-friendly and allows for extrinsic motivation via the points structure.

The courses I teach normally meet once per week, and Yellowdig is a great tool for keeping students engaged with eachother and our course content between meetings. I love that they build their own community, and how easy it is for them to share both linked and uploaded content. Best of all, automated grade passback means I have more time to do the rewarding parts of my job - interacting with my students!