A dynamic new platform, Yellowdig, will be introduced to the Advanced Standing MSSW students starting this summer and will expand to other programs over the next few semesters.
The objective is to create a dynamic, student-driven online space where learners can connect, collaborate, and engage in meaningful discussions beyond the traditional classroom setting. Yellowdig will support peer-to-peer interaction, knowledge-sharing, and community-building to help students feel more connected to their academic journey. Enhancing online engagement and fostering a sense of community among online MSSW students will enrich the program experience.
UTCSW Instructional Designer Abiodun Ajayi is excited to share this new platform with students. “In Spring 2025, we administered a survey to all online students (BSSW, MSSW, and DSW) at the college to assess their sense of belonging within online courses,” Ajayi explained. “One key finding was the importance of community. The data revealed that students expressed a clear desire to connect with their peers both within and outside the classroom. Yellowdig provides a structured and monitored way to facilitate these connections. The platform supports discussions, networking, etc., which makes it a great fit for our programs.”
The gradual rollout will allow Ajayi’s team to monitor the success of the platform. “Our first focus is on Online MSSW Advanced Standing students, followed by a broader rollout to our MSSW Online program in the Fall semester,” he said. “We structured the implementation this way to assess its effectiveness and gather feedback before considering expansion to all UTCSW programs. If the platform proves successful in improving engagement and fostering a stronger learning community, we may implement it across other UTCSW programs.”
Tailored for educational institutions, Yellowdig blends social media-style interactions with advanced learning analytics to create a more dynamic learning experience. By promoting engagement with community-driven learning game-like elements, the platform encourages active participation through points, badges, and leaderboards, which motivate users to contribute and interact with others. Content sharing and peer-to-peer interactions foster collaboration, while real-time feedback and analytics allow instructors to track and enhance engagement. This keeps users motivated and connected, making learning more engaging and social.
“One of the most exciting features of Yellowdig is its gamified approach to engagement, where students earn points for participation,” Ajayi stated. “Another feature is the platform’s ability to support continuous discussions and interactions, unlike regular LMS discussion boards, which often restrict students to responding to a single prompt and engaging with only one or two peers. Also, Yellowdig is very user-friendly. Its interface resembles a regular social media platform with features designed for academic engagement.”
The premise is to turn every classroom into an active learning community through its research-driven, hyper-interactive platform. The platform was built on three main pedagogical principles: agency, mastery, and connectedness. The various features of the platform are inspired by these pedagogical principles to turn learners into co-creators of knowledge and to empower them with robust performance analytics as they cruise through their learning journey.
“We are excited to see how Yellowdig enhances our students’ experience, particularly in fostering connections and reducing the isolation often felt in online learning,” Ajayi noted. “The idea of students feeling more connected to their peers, their professors, and ultimately to their program of study is something that will have a lasting impact on their overall experience at the UT College of Social Work and will set us apart from similar degree programs.”
For questions or more information, contact Abiodun Ajayi at [email protected].