My Big Campus, from Lightspeed Systems, is an online service that allows schools to create an engaging, collaborative online environment.I’ve been using it since September and have been exploring new features and how it works with my students.There are some really great features about My Big Campus that make it an extremely useful tool.My Big Campus was just recognized with two awards. One was the Tech & Learning Award of Excellence and the other was the eSchool Media Reader’s Choice Award. My use of it for the past 7 months has proven to me that it is deserving of these awards. A Google search for “My Big Campus” will produce rave reviews from students, teachers, and administrators. It lives up to the hype too.My Big Campus has been very useful in setting up class discussions over vacation, as well as connecting with my class during state testing, when the class schedules are changed and we lose class time. I’ve been able to hold discussions as well as posting activities and resources for students.The students would rather use this than textbooks. They like being on the computer to do their work and they tell me that doing the work on the computer doesn’t seem like homework. By having all the class materials on My Big Campus, students don’t have to carry books home or worry about forgetting or losing something.The discussion forums are also something the students like. They feel more comfortable posting comments and questions through the site than asking in person in class. They can also post the question when ever it pops into their head and it will be answered by another student or myself.My Big Campus is available as a free standalone solution to educators, or integrated with the Lightspeed Systems Web Filter through the completeCampus Collaboration Bundle. A free app for iOS and Android devices is also available to make anytime, anywhere learning easier.My Big Campus is easy to use, powerful, and full-featured. I am constantly finding new features and ways to use it.David Andrade is a Physics Teacher and Educational Technology Specialist in Connecticut. He is the author of theEducational Technology Guy blog, where he reviews free educational technology resources for teachers, discusses ways to use technology to improve teaching and learning, and discusses other issues in education.
He is also a professional development trainer and presenter at conferences, helping educators learn new and innovative ways to educate students. He is also a Discovery Education STAR Educator and member of the CT DEN Leadership Council.
Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of his employer.
