This has been my first year to use Edmodo with my classes. My students have taken to it like fish to water. But even more so, it has opened up opportunities to write for different purposes. I think this is important because students need to see writing as another form of communication.
Here are several ways we have incorporated Edmodo in our gifted classes:
Weekly Journal Entries- I normally prompt students to make connections with the topic they are exploring and their own experiences. Instead of just limiting journal writing to a notebook, now students are able to post and share their thoughts, opinions, concerns, and doubts with others. The instant feedback my students receive provides further affirmation for their writing.
Collaborative Projects- In the fall we used Edmodo to collaborate with classes during The Global Read Aloud. We created a group where students could post their reactions and predictions to the novel, Tuck Everlasting. This semester, I am incorporating that same structure to create Book Clubs for several novels we are studying. I am taking it a step further to post some products such as illustrations from a section of the book that other partner classes can guess (Literature Circle Job), Haikus about nature (for The Whipping Boy), and video trailers for the novels. I am interested in seeing the feedback and dialogues that take place through these Book Club Groups.
Keeping in Touch with Former Students-This year we were sad to see two of our students move. To keep in touch, I created a group where the class can leave notes and keep their fellow classmates updated in the happenings of our classroom. I even awarded them a “We Miss You” badge.
Checking in After-Hours or during an Extended Break- My students love Edmodo so much that they asked if they could log in at home. They love to see what their classmates are doing on the weekends, during holidays or breaks. I think that this communication among peers is essential in maintaining the sense of community that we have. However, as informal as the communication may be in these instances, I always stress the usage of correct grammar, punctuation, and complete thoughts.
How do you use Edmodo in your classroom? What have been your favorite features? I would love to hear your ideas!
Very cool to see social media used in the classroom! Love the "We Miss You" badge--great idea! :)
ReplyDeleteHave you taken a look at My Big Campus? Very similiar to Edmodo but with many additional features. Its Educational Resource Library is pre-populated and hits it out of the park!
crissycochran,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I have not heard of Big Campus and will need to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.
Elle
Teaching has changed so much over the years. The use of technology and what teachers are now able to do with it just excites me to a great extreme. Being ADHD I wish that we had had these sources available to us while I was going through elementary school to even high school. I just think that not only will it help kids with learning disabilities but also all other kids. I feel that it will make them excited to learn and make them strive to learn even more!
ReplyDeleteAudrey, you are so right! Technology has the potential to reach all learners. I have observed several community-based special needs classrooms at my school that have blown my mind with their uses of technology. The sky's the limit in terms of how we implement it, but we must remember that it is supported by sound teaching strategies and excellent teaching!
ReplyDeleteMrs.Deyamport, I have a question? I am new to the technology world, but I was wondering, what separates Blogs, and Edmodo from sites like facebook,twitter and youtube. How can I promote other sites to students, that are hook and facebook, twitter and youtube.
ReplyDeleteHi Joe!
ReplyDeleteFacebook, Twitter, and Edmodo are considered social networking sites. Facebook and Twitter have a 13 and older policy for children, while Edmodo is a safer and closed networking tool for educators. I have found that Edmodo is more education focused, too. There are also kid/school-friendly sites to post videos such as Vimeo, School-Tube, and Teacher Tube. There are many sites and tools to engage your students, it all depends on what you want to accomplish and protecting your students from inappropriate content- which is a must.