The Montclair Kimberley Academy's online learning structures provide
opportunities to teach 21st century learners in innovative, engaging
and effective ways. Since 2007, all teachers in grades 4 - 12 have used Moodle (Modular Object Orientated Dynamic Learning Environment) to post their homework, syllabi and assignments. This open source e-learning platform affords exciting opportunities beyond the classroom, through the use of forums, chat rooms, journals and online activities. As early as third grade, students become adept in the creation and uses of PowerPoint presentations, and some
faculty at the Middle and Upper Schools also use their own web sites to
create a virtual spaces where they present course materials and
additional resources.
Online learning also provides students, their peers and teachers with
exciting opportunities to interact with one another and to extend their
learning outside of the classroom. Lively interchanges on electronic
bulletin boards can add depth to concepts introduced in class as the
teacher and students post ideas to build knowledge together and provide
one another with feedback in their responses. Similarly, online chats
allow students to use a real-time digital space to clarify ideas from
class, ask questions of their peers and teachers, and offer new
insights into ideas being studied. Turnitin.com, an interactive service
to review student writing, allows students to examine each other's
original work online and provide descriptive feedback. All of these
"electronic exchanges" of information and ideas effectively extend the
learning space of the classroom.
The libraries on all three campuses provide access to extensive online
resources-from encyclopedias to large databases such as ProQuest Direct
and EBSCOhost. Through use of these resources, students learn to search
for, locate, filter and utilize digital information to hone information
literacy skills and add depth and breadth to their understanding of a
research topic. Older students can also use JSTOR to access scholarly
journals to further enhance the depth of their research and
understanding of concepts.
