Enriching Learners with Edmodo

Interested? Our experience with Edmodo and how enriching this group of readers has helped them as learners. 

innovative? I learned about Edmodo couldn't wait to try it out with my students.  Edmodo is a free private social platform for education where you can set up microblogging in your classroom or connect with other classrooms. 

Here are the students' favorite parts of Edmodo...



I was learning along with Group E. We tried to give all aspects of Edmodo a shot.  During our exploration of Edmodo as a group of learners we:

Posted our own Notes
Replied to each others comments
Submitted Assignments
Added sticky notes to embedded Wallwisher of facts from the book
Took a quiz using an embedded Google Form
Linked to a collaborative Google Doc
Created a couple of Polls for votes & opinions
Added colored stickes to an embedded Lino canvas of our predictions
Experimented with Edmodo Chalk -
                 Edmodo's own real-time document that's similar to
                                    Typewithme or EtherPad 
Used the File option to upload images to show book choices to vote on
Took various responses and put them in a Wordle to analyze

Edmodo Beta Testers  - I contacted Jeff O'Hara, @zemote, through Twitter about joining this group.  When I find something that is really beneficial for my students, I can't help but to continually reflect on how it could be even better.  I am thankful to be a part of this "Group" on Edmodo and value the opportunity to give feedback.  I'd suggested about adding an option for the students to respond to the grade they are given. I knew it would come up and that at least one of my students would want to talk to me and inquire further details regarding their grade. I'd added comments along with the grades given, but sure enough one student still wanted to discuss it more.  Another suggestion that I really hope they add is an online sticky note tool option within Edmodo similar to Wallwisher.  It would also be neat to have a quiz generator tool.  Yet, I'm so thankful for the embed feature that allows other options to be utlized within this private microblogging format. 

Edmodo is something that I'm glad we have implemented into our classroom.  We have now conducted our "small group" for reading on Edmodo for 3 different books.  For our next learning task, the students will learn how to embed their glogs they are currently creating.  It will be awesome to be able to comment on each other's interactive book reports designed in Glogster EDU.

IMPACT?  Discussion was able to continue beyond the small group table.  A few of the students were going on and talking to each other at home.  Attitudes were altered!     Students went beyond their comfort zones in their converstations.  I enjoyed learning along with this group and being an example for my students that we should embrace learning and keep at it.

My heart goes out to the students who are proficient in the expectations of the grade level, but need MORE!  There are times when I've seen this type of student who is capable of the "above & beyond" be content with the norm.  Among the various levels of learners in the classroom, these students don't always get the extra attention that the students who are "left behind" are getting.  I understand that every student has a need & as a classroom teacher I need to ensure they are all being met, but I really noticed some of my above grade level students starting to slip.  Lately, I've been trying to give the students in my class who fit this criteria avenues to expand their learning & no excuse to be satisified.  My goal is that they will see the value of continually learning & striving for one's best! 

Impressed?  I am just amazed at how well the students succeeded with Edmodo.  Our class really enjoys sharing our learning with others, but this is something that was special in the fact that it was our own private reading group.  Edmodo is a valuable tool that we will continue to utilize in our classroom!