If you scroll down through a few of my blog posts you will see my technology goals for the school year. Well, #6 has finally become a reality. Two weeks ago, the students all signed up for Edmodo. Edmodo is a social networking site for educators and their students. Its format looks very similar to Facebook, which of course most of the students will recognize. We are using Edmodo for a few key purposes:
#1. It makes it very easy for students to communicate with me and with each other. The minute a student posts a question or comment, I receive a text message on my phone. By using the Edmodo IPhone app (or my computer), I can quickly respond. This has already proven useful to answer questions about upcoming homework or tests and quizzes. It made it quite easy for the students to communicate with me when I was in Dallas at the football coaches convention.
#2. I can post all of the homework assignments on Edmodo which are easy to download. I have placed a link on my old homework page to Edmodo so students can quickly learn about their assignments.
#3. The calendar allows me to post due dates for homework, tests and quizzes, and FHAO paper dates. It is an easy visual which helps the students know exactly what is coming up.
#4 I can post videos for the students to watch or links to articles that need to be read. The students also have the ability to post videos and links on the site.
This site is limited only to me and my history students. No one else has access to our group. However, if any parents are interested in access to the site, I can arrange for that as well.
I am excited about the possibilities with Edmodo. The early feedback from the students has been very positive. If any educators are reading this and have advice on how you have used Edmodo, I would love to hear from you.
1 comment:
Consider using Edmodo as a backchannel in class one day, if possible. It is a great way capture a class discussion or student comments during a video (so much better than a worksheet). And because you get to participate, you can help them make connections between what is on the screen and the content you are studying in class. Even better, challenge them to find more information about a specific detail & to add a link into the conversation. By the time the video ends, you and your students will have created a fabulous resource for digging deeper into the content.
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