S

EDMODO

Building an online communityoutside of the classroom walls

I have been using Edmodo for 2 years. The site is continually updating with new features.

Edmodo has been a key part of developing the community of my

classroom (inside and out). It also provides opportunities for my

students to communicate in the target languages that they may

not have at home .

Why do a presentation on Edmodo?

Course syllabus (outline) with Edmodo info for parents

What is Edmodo?Edmodo is a classroom website that is completely controlled by

the teacher…

…and it looks like

Facebook!

What are the benefits of using a classroom website

like Edmodo?

Classroom management: for example, homework updates & communication about field trips

Opportunity for students to communicate with you or the class about any questions they may have about an assignment

Creating a community and links between yourself and the students in the class

You can share links and YouTube videos

Students who are away know that there is a website available for them to find out what they missed

You can create online polls (ex. which activity you prefer, what game do you want to play in PE next, how do you learn best?)

You can even create online quizzes: , multiple choice, true or false, short answers and fill in the blank included

There is an app for that! Most cell or iTouch devices can download the app for free.

What are the benefits specific to Edmodo?

Classroom management: Students may post messages ONLY to the teacher or the entire class. Cyber-bullying (or online drama) is reduced.

You can post your assignment criteria online (either to save paper OR in case students lose the criteria it is available to you)

Students can turn in assignments online; better tracking of assignments turned in on time (a record).

and the best part…

Parents can sign up too!

I have reduced the number of phone calls to parents by at least 60%

If parents feel like they don’t know what their child's homework is, they can check Edmodo

EACH CODE GIVEN TO A PARENT IS INDIVIDUAL TO THAT STUDENT; THEY CAN ONLY ACCESS THE INFORMATION YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE!

Let’s sign up and try it out…

www.edmodo.com

CLICK HERE!!!

FILL IN THE

INFO

…and you’re in!

Creating groups: create one for each class you

wish to use Edmodo with

Click

on

“Cre

ate”

Fill in the informati

on for your class

Your Group Code

Each class you create has a separate group code

Include the group code on the class syllabus at the beginning of the semester

I have found it easier to have students sign up on my school computer the 2nd class so that it is done This serves as an

incentive for students to get their outlines signed since I tell them that they will have to have it signed in 1 day or else I will delete them until the signed form is handed in)

Managing your account

This account has 8 parents associated with it.

The parent code spreadsheet is a list of all of the personal codes for each student.

I hand out the parent code to the students with their course syllabus on a step-by-step instruction sheet addressed to parents.

Building Connections

Parents and students can contact you directly through the website (direct message)

Students can post messages on the wall

Teachers can choose to send group messages to just the class or both the class and the parents

Teachers can also communicate with members of their clubs or teams (who they might not see on a daily basis in class)

Creating an assignment

1. Click on “Assignment.”2. Fill in the Assignment

Title, Description, Pick a due date and then send it to your class (and I would suggest the parents as well)

3. Students click on “Turn in” and then you get a message saying that the assignment has been turned in

4. You mark it and either send it back, or put their mark in. Parents can also see their child’s mark

Communicating with the entire class (and Parents)

Choose the parents if you

want to send it to them.

Choose the

group (or

individual

student) you want to send

the message

to.

Press

send

Choose if you want to send a Note, Alert, Assignment, Quiz

or Poll

You can

attach a file or

link

Your LibraryAny document posted by yourself or by a student

is archived in your library (great for future use)

You can even connect to Google Docs!

Edmodo only works if students actively use it :

(learning from my mistakes)

Engage students the first week of class by:

A poll to be used in class the next day

Video links that will engage students in the content of the course (engage in discussion the next day)

Homework update (ex. syllabus signature deadline)

Ask them to talk about what they learned about the website

Resources and helpful links

Click on the image to be directed to this

help page from Edmodo. Then click on

the sample parent letter link and adapt it

to your needs.

Teaching with Technology: information about what makes a quality website with ideas

Using a classroom website to communicate with parents