What is it?

• YellowDig is a community platform similar to X Communities, where students can discuss and share their opinions, including files, in the class community. They can interact with other posts, using emojis, accolades, and comments.
• Instructors can set their expectations, and the platform will automatically grade students based on these criteria by the end of the semester.
• It can be integrated into Brightspace, and the grades will be automatically sent to the assigned grade book.

What is its purpose?

Yellowdig is an online platform that aims to enhance student engagement and facilitate interactive discussions in educational settings. Its primary purposes include:

1. Encouraging Active Participation: Yellowdig allows students to post, comment, and interact with each other’s contributions.
2. Facilitating Peer-to-Peer Learning: Students can share insights and learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives.
3. Enhancing Instructor Efficiency: Yellowdig provides tools for instructors to manage discussions, set up grading rubrics, and monitor student participation with minimal intervention. Currently, grading discussions on D2L is not automated. Therefore, if the criterion requires commenting on two other posts, instructors or their assistants must grade this manually.
4. Automating Grading: The platform includes features that automatically transfer participation scores to the gradebook, reducing the administrative workload for instructors.

How do I use it?

1. Send a request to add to the course shell ( link to the ticket).

2. Follow this instruction to connect D2L to the community.

If the university does not buy a subscription, students should pay for joining the community.

Why would I use it?

If you are looking for an online platform that encourages student discussion with minimal instructor intervention, Yellowdig might be an option. Here’s an overview:

1. Flexible Setup:
   • Instructors have control over the platform settings.
   • You can set the rubric (point system), choose discussion topics, and define the required points students should earn for each week.
   • Discussion topics can be activated or deactivated as needed. This allows for adaptation to the course flow.
2. Pin Awards:
   • Posts can be highlighted by pinning awards to them. This allows for the recognition of valuable contributions.
3. Student Autonomy:
   • Previous users have noted that the platform allows classes to self-organize. Usually, it takes 2-3 weeks.
   • Students can find their own communication pathways around the course content.
4. Automatic Grading:
   • Yellowdig will automatically transfer a percentage grade (0 to 1) to the BrightSpace gradebook at the end of the semester.

However, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider:

1. Limited Control Over Content:
   • In a busy class, instructors may struggle to control the content fully.
   • The self-organizing nature of the platform can lead to both empowerment and potential chaos.
2. Post Quality:
   • There are no automatic AI detection tools to check whether students use AI to generate posts or comments.
   • Both students and instructors are required to be vigilant regarding side conversations and irrelevant tags.
3. Learning Curve:
   • There might be a learning curve to fully understand Yellowdig, both technically and as a pedagogical tool.
   • Determining the best fit within your class and domain may require some exploration.
4. Students fee:
   •  Building a community and connecting BrightSpace to the community is free. However, if the university does not buy the subscription, students should pay a fee to connect to the community.