In my last post, I mentioned a little bit about my school's effort in the use of KidBiz3000 (a product of Achieve3000), an online non-fiction reading program. Read my last post if you would like to learn more.It has now been 6 days since I e-mailed my students their first news article, and it has been mostly a success. I say mostly, but not at the fault of KidBiz3000, but at the lack of my students' ability to think critically and write an appropriately formatted e-mail.
However, I continue to see much potential in this program and the doors that could be opened once this program is used in full force. For example, with the constant e-mailing and replying that my students and I are conducting, it almost feels like a wiki in the works. I could give my students a news article to read on KidBiz3000, then post a response question on the classroom wiki and let my students converse, debate, and validate their ideas until their hearts' content. They could further research the topic posed in the article and post their findings for other students to view on the classroom wiki, as well.
I've been so fascinated by the potential of a classroom wiki and can't wait until I get one started. KidBiz3000 might just be my doorway to this new adventure.
1 comment:
What an interesting program. I hadn't heard of KidBiz3000. I've enjoyed reading about it. I'm eager to hear about your further adventures with this program.
Like you said about your students excitedly writing back to you, I had a similar experience. A few years ago when I was teaching grade 5, I used Moodle and had students post their writing in there. I was able to offer comments inline or at the end and then they would revise. It was the most successful way I had found after years of trying, to conference with upper elementary students. So, of course, I promptly moved overseas and stopped being a classroom teacher.
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