Student Book Discussion Ning vs. Moodle - Classroom 2.02024-03-29T11:32:31Zhttps://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/649749:Topic:201371?x=1&id=649749%3ATopic%3A201371&feed=yes&xn_auth=noNancy Bosch's reply above had…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-04:649749:Comment:5793952011-01-04T17:21:21.766ZKathy Lawrencehttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/Bellefaire
<p>Nancy Bosch's reply above had some good insights into this. Last year, we had a big push in our district for Moodle. Teachers used the forum for discussions from k-12, and I did not hear any complaints. The only issue emerges is if you want to involve (outsiders -- including parents), we do not have accounts for anyone but our students. Otherwise, if you do some research about how to ask higher order thinking questions, and prep kids maybe with a rubric (see below) about how to comment…</p>
<p>Nancy Bosch's reply above had some good insights into this. Last year, we had a big push in our district for Moodle. Teachers used the forum for discussions from k-12, and I did not hear any complaints. The only issue emerges is if you want to involve (outsiders -- including parents), we do not have accounts for anyone but our students. Otherwise, if you do some research about how to ask higher order thinking questions, and prep kids maybe with a rubric (see below) about how to comment effectively, Moodle seems to do the job.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Moodle commenting:</p>
<p><font size="2"><font size="4"><b>Possible Rubrics for Grading Student Comments in a Forum:</b></font><br/><br/><b>Needs Improvement:</b> Comments seem to be completely out of place <b>-</b> unconnected to the topic. Little evidence suggests that the student thought deeply before commenting<b>.<br/><br/>You're Getting There:</b> While comments demonstrate some connection to the topic they demonstrate
simple thinking. Reader is not convinced that the student thought deeply<br />
before commenting.<br/><b><br/>Rock Solid:</b> All comments are clearly
connected to the topic. Comments demonstrate the the students<br />
considered the text carefully and thought deeply before sharing with the<br />
group.<b><br/><br/>Comment Master:</b> All comments are clearly connected
to the topic. Comments are challenging and interesting to the reader -<br />
encouraging further study of the topic and / or selection.<br/><br/>Adapted from: <a href="http://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/f/Handout_DiigoSharedAnnotationDirectionsTEACH.pdf" target="_blank">http://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/f/Handout_DiigoSharedAnnotationDirectionsTEACH.pdf</a></font></p> Hello, recently the school nu…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-04:649749:Comment:5793672011-01-04T15:56:17.886ZDeborah Boatwrighthttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/DebB
Hello, recently the school nurse asked to run an online book discussion group. I am now trying to decide Moodle vs Blog. Any insight would be appreciated.
Hello, recently the school nurse asked to run an online book discussion group. I am now trying to decide Moodle vs Blog. Any insight would be appreciated. Good Luck, let me know what y…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-11-17:649749:Comment:2168152008-11-17T19:49:39.279ZNancy Boschhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/nbosch
Good Luck, let me know what you think after your first discussion is over. N
Good Luck, let me know what you think after your first discussion is over. N Just thought I would let ever…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-11-17:649749:Comment:2167542008-11-17T18:14:04.107ZKathy Lawrencehttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/Bellefaire
Just thought I would let everyone who so graciously replied to my question know, We decided to go with Moodle per Nancy's reflections. We are being very thougthful about structuring our questions and also decided on this platform because of the internal security of "our server". We just got up and running last week. I have enjoyed making the connection with the teacher in Texas, and hope that the kids get something positive out of the overall experience. If Ishmael Beah "drops in" that would be…
Just thought I would let everyone who so graciously replied to my question know, We decided to go with Moodle per Nancy's reflections. We are being very thougthful about structuring our questions and also decided on this platform because of the internal security of "our server". We just got up and running last week. I have enjoyed making the connection with the teacher in Texas, and hope that the kids get something positive out of the overall experience. If Ishmael Beah "drops in" that would be awesome. Great picture of Torin! The first time we did a book…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-11-17:649749:Comment:2167382008-11-17T18:01:52.264ZNancy Boschhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/nbosch
The first time we did a book discussion on The City of Ember the author popped in, she was new then--now too busy! BUT it was really exciting! N
The first time we did a book discussion on The City of Ember the author popped in, she was new then--now too busy! BUT it was really exciting! N On our marine biology Ning, w…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-11-17:649749:Comment:2167242008-11-17T17:51:41.533ZSean Nashhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/SeanNash
On our <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/">marine biology</a> Ning, we have been having a chapter by chapter discussion of The Enchanted Braid: Coming to Terms With Life on the Coral Reef by <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/profile/Osha">Osha Gray Davidson</a>.<br />
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The author is such a super guy, he signed onto our Ning and pops in and out to comment periodically.<br />
Pretty exciting stuff for the kids to see.<br />
<br />
In fact, he mailed a…
On our <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/">marine biology</a> Ning, we have been having a chapter by chapter discussion of The Enchanted Braid: Coming to Terms With Life on the Coral Reef by <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/profile/Osha">Osha Gray Davidson</a>.<br />
<br />
The author is such a super guy, he signed onto our Ning and pops in and out to comment periodically.<br />
Pretty exciting stuff for the kids to see.<br />
<br />
In fact, he mailed a <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/photo/2128468:Photo:2038">fossil</a> (one of the main "characters" in the book) to me to give to one of my students who spoke so fondly of it in his blog. There are photos on the site of Torin <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/photo/2128468:Photo:2035">opening his gift</a>. You also need to <a href="http://stjoeh2o.ning.com/photo/2128468:Photo:2037">check out the letter.</a>.. again, what a cool guy!<br />
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The connections we have made from just this site since summer are astounding- really.<br />
<br />
Sean We have a blog A Really Diffe…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-11-17:649749:Comment:2166832008-11-17T16:45:03.512ZNancy Boschhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/nbosch
We have a blog <a href="http://areallydifferentplace.org">A Really Different Place</a> with threaded discussions--not many earth shattering posts but does get a lot of participation with many more girls participating than boys.
We have a blog <a href="http://areallydifferentplace.org">A Really Different Place</a> with threaded discussions--not many earth shattering posts but does get a lot of participation with many more girls participating than boys. I hear you.. in graduate scho…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-11-17:649749:Comment:2166672008-11-17T16:31:36.433ZDeborah Boatwrighthttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/DebB
I hear you.. in graduate school we used blackboard and we had discussion threads. Does that work for students?
I hear you.. in graduate school we used blackboard and we had discussion threads. Does that work for students? I teach gifted elementary stu…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-10-17:649749:Comment:2014142008-10-17T20:30:19.358ZNancy Boschhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/nbosch
I teach gifted elementary students and have done about 8 different book discussions over the last 5 years using at first Blackboard and then Moodle. We read at least one SPECTACULAR book a semester (students come once a week). The platforms work about the same. I search the internet for high level book discussion questions (synthesis, analysis, and evaluation) and get permission from the author to use them. Why re-invent the wheel? I post each of the questions and have set up formal "rules" for…
I teach gifted elementary students and have done about 8 different book discussions over the last 5 years using at first Blackboard and then Moodle. We read at least one SPECTACULAR book a semester (students come once a week). The platforms work about the same. I search the internet for high level book discussion questions (synthesis, analysis, and evaluation) and get permission from the author to use them. Why re-invent the wheel? I post each of the questions and have set up formal "rules" for responding, the goal being improved writing skills and improved reflective and critical thinking.<br />
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You can see our book discussions here <a href="http://www.smsdonline.org/login/index.php">http://www.smsdonline.org/login/index.php</a> and use baguest for username and password.<br />
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OK, here are my editorial comments: None of the kids "love" it", they tolerate it. They will do it because I assign it. Their written responses have improved over time but they do not seem to do a lot of thinking before answering the questions. Generally the responses are mediocre no matter how much they loved the book, I get 1000 times more out of them orally. I respond to each entry and ask them to respond to each other, my comments and theirs seem shallow and repetitive. Even the kids that "love" to write, don't get off on answering the questions. I guess it is no different to them than answering the questions at the end of the chapter in a basal reader.<br />
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I've taught gifted kids for 25 years and I see their writing skills taking a nose dive---I blame NCLB, since they never seem to write much in the regular classroom but the online book discussion hasn't been the answer.<br />
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The best outcome I had to online question/response activity was with a Philosophy unit I did with 6th graders, Using David White's book we discussion a philosophical question in a group, then they reflected about the discussion and how it related to their lives. Finally I got some deep thinking!<br />
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The kids are much more enthused about blogging, which you could do with another class. You could pose thought provoking questions like "What if electricity had been invented?" or "What would have happened if Walt Disney hadn't been born?" or "How would things be different if the South won the Civil War?" "Should all kids where school uniforms?" "at what age should a kid have a cellphone?" Then let them go at it, at least they'd have to think, organize their thoughts and reflect!! You can see our blog here <a href="http://areallydifferentplace.org">http://areallydifferentplace.org</a> .<br />
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So that's been my experience with online book discussions. It actually may be a better tool in the regular classroom since they have to answer the questions for a grade. In our gifted ed classroom we get much deeper reflection orally. Good luck and let me know how things turn out. N That would be very helpful, w…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-10-17:649749:Comment:2014012008-10-17T19:55:31.418ZKathy Lawrencehttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/Bellefaire
That would be very helpful, when you have the time.
That would be very helpful, when you have the time.