Thing 16: Bitmoji Fun!

As soon as I saw this Thing listed, I knew it was going to be my first one. I had seen bitmojis, but I didn't know anything about them, and I certainly didn't think about them in an educational context. In fact, before I did any reading, I downloaded the app, agonized over the creation of my bitmoji, and downloaded the Chrome extension. Then I went back to the Cool Tools post to try to figure how how to use this very fun digital toy in school. I was not disappointed.

I loved the idea of adding a bitmoji to student work as a way to provide feedback. It's not terribly precise, but it's certainly eye-catching. I like the idea of using it for both formative and summative feedback, obviously paired with more specific language. I wish I could add a bitmoji to a comment rather than inserting it directly into a document, but alas, it can't be perfect I suppose. However, it was extremely easy, and the students really liked it. Many times I'm afraid students don't read teacher feedback very carefully, but this was an easy way to let them know they were on the right track or they needed to revisit their work. I tried to find different ones, but it there weren't that many appropriate choices to draw from when students needed to re-check their work. Here were two that I used:

 

I also really like the idea of printing bitmojis on labels and making my own stickers. If only someone would make library-themed bitmojis! :)

The only drawback I see, and it is significant, is that when students see me using Bitmoji, they may want to create their own, and some of the language is inappropriate for any school setting, let alone an elementary school setting. I am a little nervous that a student might say something like, "But my Librarian has a bitmoji!" in order to convince his/her parents to allow them to create one, only to see some of the inappropriate language. I know they hear worse on tv and on the bus, but still.

That said, I am planning on continuing to use Bitmojis - mostly because they are so fun! I am looking forward to trying new ways to use them.