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August 15, 2001
Quick Picks
QuickTopic.com
Emphasis: Asynchronous online discussion.
Grade Level: 4-12. Platform: Web site.
Price: Free for basic service. Fee-based customization options include colors, fonts, and logos for $9.95/month. Future options will include sign-in registration.
Publisher: Internicity, Inc.; Cambridge, MA; (617) 583-1137 QuickTopic.com
Online bulletin boards can be excellent catalysts for student discussion. New research suggests that online environments may provoke even the most reticent students to speak out. Quick Topic is an easy-to-use, secure Web tool that can help teachers create the conditions for meaningful class discussion online.
Once the Web site is set up, students need only the private class URL to post or read a comment. Joining the conversation involves three easy steps: click to post, type a message, and submit to the list. A timesaving feature allows students to sign up for e-mail delivery and reply features without having to visit the site daily. Additionally, a new Document Review feature lets teachers upload Word and HTML documents for class review and commentary, an excellent tool for sharing essay drafts, class notes, and discussion questions.
Quick Topic does not currently identify students' postings by e-mail address, but by the name they use in the discussion. Furthermore, teachers cannot preview or screen comments before they're posted or see who visits the group without posting, so this tool may work best with more mature students. However, posting under pseudonym can present a verbal channel for less talkative students who may feel more confident with a virtual identity than a physical one.
An ad-free site, Quick Topic does not collect or share participants' e-mail addresses or publicize the group's URL; only students who have the Web address for the discussion can find the site. Teachers who want to experiment with online discussion will welcome the secure environment provided at Quick Topic.
Evaluator: Molly Joss, consultant, author, and adult computer and SAT prep teacher.
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