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This is the 5th post in the “30 days to using the best of the web’s free tools for educators” series. Be sure to subscribe to the Teacher Challenge blog by RSS, like us on facebook, and follow us on twitter to keep up with future challenge posts as they are published.

edmodoIn this activity you will learn:

  • more about what Edmodo is
  • how to create your free account
  • how to create a group for students

Overview

Edmodo is a Web 2.0 tool that allows teachers to safely share ideas, files, assignments, videos, projects, etc.with students and with other teachers in real time. It is a safe and secure social learning site for classrooms. Edmodo does not require student email addresses and only the people who have the group code can see the students.

The teacher must first register (for free). Then they can create a group or groups for their class. Students will then register and use the teacher’s code to join that class. On the front page of Edmodo, there is a video: What is Edmodo? Spend a few minutes reviewing this video before signing up.

Or, watch an Edmodo overview video from YouTube here:

Below are some samples of ways to use Edmodo in the classroom.

  • Pen Pals (go to the Community site to connect with other teachers)
  • Make up work for when students are absent
  • Video commentary – can post a video on line and have students write comments about the video
  • Peer editing
  • Book clubs
  • Daily feedback
  • Students can turn in assignments via Edmodo (documents, glogs, etc.)
  • Enter comments on assignments, give positive feedback to students, give grades to students
  • Writing vocabulary sentences and having conversations about them

Challenge and Task

To see an example of  Edmodo, register for a free teacher account. Once you are in Edmodo, on the left hand side are the words “Groups Join or Create”. Click on Join and use the following code: zzywbh. This will allow you to join the NCTies EDU Glogster group. You can then view the different URLs that are posted of sample Glogs. The latest posts will be at the top of the page.

Now that you know a little more about Edmodo, how can you use it in your classroom? What do you think your students will say when you tell them you are going to do social networking in your classroom? Please share your comments and post any links (group codes) that you would like other people to look at.

Tips and Resources

The Edmodo blog posts up-to-date information. The blog includes quick tips, managing your account, how to embed glogs, videos, etc.  They also have different webinars every month. If you run into problems, check out the Edmodo Help Center. The support you receive from Edmodo is simply amazing! Edmodo Communities allows teachers to connect with other teachers and see how they are using Edmodo in the classroom.

About

My name is Dorene Bates and I am a District Instructional Technologist with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. My personal blog is Learning Technology 2.0 and my wiki is Learning Tech 2.0 (from pbworks).

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