How many times have you tried to have a great discussion about literature/writing with your students, only to find 3-4 of them carry the conversation? If your students are like mine, too many times to count! I want to hear everyone's opinion and ideas, so I turned to the web to find a solution.
Enter Micromobs. Strange name - great site.
Enter Micromobs. Strange name - great site.
Micromobs advertises itself as the "easiest way to start a group discussion." After exploring several options, I think they may be right! All discussions are private, which maintains student privacy and safety. You can post a link to your discussion forum (called a "mob") on your website, and students can begin using it. You can edit your profile and email settings (I encourage it!), and Micromobs will email you a summary each day. Users can also post via email, which makes it easier to begin a discussion thread. The site is friendly for mobile-viewing, so students can even access it via smartphones. The one downside - no moderation. Students can see their replies and posts immediately, with no chance for you to moderate comments.
With the right class, Micromobs can greatly improve student discussion. Give it a try!
With the right class, Micromobs can greatly improve student discussion. Give it a try!