Week 4-Edmodo Reflection

Edmodo provides a free and secure social networking service for teachers and students. The site has many functions and has the potential to underpin the everyday functions of the classroom. Edmodo functions in the same way social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter do; students can post and create profile pictures etc which will in turn embed productive pedagogy 'Connectedness' into your classroom. Edmodo is secure in the way that teachers create a group and students use the special code to be able to access and join that group. There is also an option to develop groups within groups (could be used for collaborative tasks, reading groups where students can respond, etc.). There is a mobile and iPad app available for Edmodo, giving an option to allow 'Push Notifications' so that teachers and students are alerted when a new message is received.
Teachers can upload files and links that they can access from any device; allowing transition from room to room without any disruption. Teachers also have the opportunity to develop Polls where students vote. This tool could be used for a range of reasons; to choose an excursion destination, to develop an understanding of how students feel in the classroom, how much students enjoy a particular task etc. A full list of the functions available on Edmodo can be found HERE.
As I do not have a class of my own to test this tool with I have searched the Internet for what other teacher's opinions are if Edmodo. One teacher on her edublog (Felicity's EST430 Blog, 22 July 2011) suggested the only negatives she could find with the site were the fact that she spends hours trying to find old posts once she has closed the site as you can't simply search for a student and it shows you everything they have posted. This blog also suggested that the site is great for homework; the teacher can post the homework on Edmodo and if students have any questions regarding the homework, they can comment underneath and their peers or teacher can reply.

Edmodo can replace so many tools in the classroom. I would use it instead of S Drives, whole class emails, surveys, calendar, whole school notices, hard copy assignment details and so much more.