Man, I feel like someone just set me up here. For anyone that has been reading my posts since the beginning of the class you will know where this is bound to end up, that's right, edmodo.com. Before I get to into that let me address at least one other social networking tool and the possible contributions it may add to the classroom.
I think that one technology that is being overlooked for classroom use is Twitter. Many associate it with mindless updates about mac & Cheese and how much kids hate their parents, but there is real value to be had in an application that kids are already so tied in to. Twitter can be used to facilitate classroom discussion by allowing students to que topics during a love classroom discussion, it can be used to allow students who may not usually raise their hands to participate using a media that is more comfortable to them, and even better, Twitter can be used to extend the conversation outside of the classroom. All of these concepts are very basic, but motivate students by allowing them to engage in class via a format they are passionate about. The biggest struggle here is in keeping students focused and on task while still teaching.
Of course Twitter was my sidebar so now it's on to bigger and more "edmodo-ier" things. If you visit the site edmodo.com you will be greeted with a Facebook like atmosphere specifically designed to enhance the classroom and extend the classroom into kid's every day lives. Here is a great example from Geek.com about a teacher who integrate edmodo into a field trip.
http://tinyurl.com/edmodotrip
This is just one great example of how edmodo can be integrated into the educational environment. Edmodo is also accessible via regular desktop or laptop computers and kids can interact with school notes, archived professor lectures, and form study groups in an environment that is safe and controlled.
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly the kind of thing I'm thinking of for usage, but as I look at it I don't see much compatability with more mainstream social networking. Is there any functionality with Facebook, Twitter, etc?
Joe, there is not specific integration with FB or Twitter at this time, though they are on all the major social networking sites, and they do have apps for iPhone, BB, and Droid. One of the great things about edmodo is that they are very responsive to user input, and many of the changes that have been made over time have been due to users making suggestions. Of course the idea of integration becomes more real as edmodo itself gains traction. I would think it would be coming down the road.
ReplyDeleteI had not thought about the Twitter usage as a viable classroom tool, but I think that it could definitely work. I wonder if there is some way to do a close-group account which would keep each post within the class. Perhaps this type of function would be better served by a different tool. Research to perform......
ReplyDeleteNot sure about closed group accounts, but I would think it would be doable with a # and the incorporation of something like Tweetdeck.
ReplyDelete