Implementation of Edmodo

This year on Twitter and at recent conferences I have heard of Edmodo.  I have looked at how some teachers are using Edmodo in their classrooms. I have hesitated to implement some of those ideas not because I didn’t like it or didn’t find value, it was just a matter of implementing something new to what I already have going on.  I had set up an account, but had no motivation to get my students set up.  So I had shelved the idea of Edmodo in Room 20.

This changed when I was in planning to do a Mystery Skype with Kim Powell (@powell4thgrade). We have scheduled to do a Mystery Skype with each other’s class.  Students are to research facts about their state prior to the session.  Students are then going to present the facts to each other and then eventually try to guess what state they are from. The idea of Edmodo came later when Kim asked me if I used it.  As you now know, I hadn’t. The reason she asked is because this isn’t her first Mystery Skype rodeo, her class has used it in other Skypes with other classrooms and found it as a way to get others involved.  Her class backchannels. Yes, I had to ask what that was.  Heard of it, but not fully understood the concept. Back channeling is a way to get others involved in the experience.  While students present the facts of their states, other students are having discussions online using Edmodo.  Hence, backchanneling (is that a present progressive?).

After thinking about it, I had my class signed up in no time.  It was easy.  All I had to do was create a group code and have them sign in under that group code.  They were signed up in a day. Since then my students have been having a blast with it. I have let them just be social with it.  I have added a video on YouTube that someone put together as a trailer to Island of the Blue Dolphins.

After watching the trailer I had them post their predictions and thoughts. It was very interesting to see them post their predictions, and they were replying to each other. I furthered the conversation by asking deeper questions that made them think critically. Since, then we have read a few chapters and I am using Edmodo as a discussion board for students to share their thoughts about the characters and events in the novel so far. I plan on posting Depth and Complexity Icons we have used to deepen those conversations. I have also added questions and links to our current chapter in Science regarding electricity. My students are enjoying Edmodo.

So after just one week, students are engaged as it comes at a good time after state testing. Students are engaged in learning with the links and videos I have recently posted and they are also engaged with each other. So it is going to be fun being creative and finding the potential of what Edmodo can bring to my classroom.

So again thanks to Kim Powell (@powell4thgrade) for kick starting this experience. You can find her blog here.

As I was writing this blog post Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1) posted his Edmodo ideas on Twitter. You can find those linked here.

The Skype session is coming up, so there may be an update in the making for this blog post!

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