EDMODO, A SOCIAL LEARNING NETWORK

Hi,

This entry is one of my favourite part of ICT in ELT. It is about Edmodo, a secure social learning network for teachers and learners. This network has some similar features like many other social networking webpages, where, one could post something and others could comment on the post, and tag people and many others. However, this network is a secure social network which focus on learning and for teachers and learners use in and outside classroom. It provides a secure platform for the teachers to share, connect and  collaborate content and educational devices, and also have access to class discussion and learners' homeworks, grades and notifications. 

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equals to social networking

How to use:

You have to sign up to use it and it is free. Below show the cover page for Edmodo. 

In a classroom, the teacher could sign up to Edmodo and create a group for the respective class of students. When creating a group, Edmodo would provide the teacher with a code for the respective group created.  Then, the teacher has to invite the students to join the group by proving the group code. The students have to sign up an account and join the group created by their teacher using the code given. Edmodo also allows the parents to join the respective group that their children in using a code too. It is not only collaboration between teachers and students but also encourages the involvement of the parents on their children learning process. In addition, there is also phone application for Edmodo which is compatible in most smartphones like iPhones.

 Why I would use Edmodo in my classroom:

1. Helps to connect teachers with their respective group of students - closed and secure group. For instance, it is easy for the students to notify their teacher if they are sick or have any other issues without others knowing it. 
2. Enables the teacher to share lots of educational related links and websites with the students and vice versa too. 
3. Create a change in the way of teaching, where, the teacher may assign tasks,ask questions, collaborate and communicate with the students outside the confines of school environment. For example, student may post a question to teacher, and teacher receive text message and respond to it immediately. 

 Edmodo could be improved:

1. By having the ability to contact and chat among students (beneficial in terms of peer feedback) or student - teacher (more secure, especially for students who are shy to post their opinion publicly in the group). Without this ability, the students may feel controlled by the teacher because their teacher always monitor the group activity. 
2. In this era of IT, this network should be promote more throughout the world, so that, more teachers would utilise this in their classroom and appreciate the importance of ICT in teaching and learning process. 

MJ