The Instructional Challenge:
Your instructional challenge is to develop one brief lesson or professional development training module that shows how online learning can fit into your workplace's model of practice.
Solution:
RMS has adopted and implemented the web based micro blogging tool, Edmodo. While many teachers have started using Edmodo on a regular basis, we would like to see all teachers using Edmodo to create a consistent implementation for all students despite what classroom they are in.
During our SIP days we will be offering breakout sessions to help teachers be comfortable and implement Edmodo in each classroom successfully. We will be looking at topics such as “Edmodo basics”, “Edmodo Advanced”, and “Professional Development and team planning”. There are many opportunities to expand our online learning with Edmodo for our students and for ourselves.
Below is a breakdown of the skills that will be covered in each of the breakout sessions to help you choose which session would best fit your needs.
Edmodo Basics
• Sign up
• Create a Class
• Create notes to students
• Use Library
• Set up student profiles
Teacher Marcia Simmons, on Edmodo
Setting up teacher account and groups
Edmodo Advanced
• Share Discovery Education Videos by adding to Library
• Assigning quizzes
• Using Polls
• Creating sub-groups
• Making and awarding badges
• Adding your own screen casts
In this session we will be talking about how to utilize some of the more advanced features of Edmodo. This session assumes you are comfortable using the Edmodo interface and the basic skills listed above. We will be using other digital resources the district subscribes to such as Discovery Streaming and Odyssey. We will also talk about how to submit and grade assignments and quizzes, use the poll feature, create subgroups, making and awarding badges to encourage students, and adding screencasts to your Edmodo pages.
Create, submit and grade assignments
Teachers can share screen shots or PowerPoints that will help students as they work through a new problem or need review. Screencasts can be used to give students an option to review material they might not have mastered in their first viewing or lesson. This gives students an option to still work at their own pace- whether I am working with someone else or not.
Quizzes can be used to check for understanding or pre-assess students before a new unit. I have had students submit their three ideas for a project in a quiz (shown below) to give me the ability to copy and paste their ideas into a poll to get feedback from their peers.
Polls can be used to get instant feedback in an anonymous way. Students could vote on multiple choice answers- giving teachers feedback to help direct instruction. I have used polls as a way to get peer feedback on which idea would be the most interesting for a project.
Professional Development and Team Planning
• Planning on shared calendars
• Sharing lessons, PowerPoint, and worksheets
• Creating Team pages to reflect on co-taught or co-planned lessons
• Open communication between team members
• Joining professional groups such as Discovery Education, textbook companies and content subject areas
In our district vision we say, the district will “provide current, challenging, innovative, proven and appropriate programs, activities and opportunities that focus on the diverse needs of our students.” Edmodo is just one way that we are trying to accomplish this goal. We are looking to other schools to model successful tools that will give students current and innovative programs that support classroom learning goals. We are also looking to the leaders in technology advances to see what skills our students should be experiencing. As we seek out the best option for our students we have come across many sources to guide our implementation. The Horizon Report shows emerging technologies and a suggested timeline for school implementations. We have found the Horizon report suggests that cloud computing should be implemented in the k-12 classrooms in a year or less. (Horizon, 2011) Edmodo offers all of our students the opportunity to work in the “cloud” with their Edmodo backpack (library). Students are able to save their work and upload it to Edmodo to continue working anywhere they may be.
Mobile learning is increasing in the k-12 classrooms with the introductions of iPads, iPods and other tablet type solutions. The Horizon Report also suggests mobile learning to be a one-year or less implementation. (Horizon, 2011) Edmodo is ready to be used by many of these devices to keep students connected whether they are on their laptops or mobile learning device. The Edmodo app, available through iTunes, has many of the web-based features like seeing and responding to posts, providing access to grades and grade books, and library items. Using the app will increase student’s mobility when using Edmodo.
A personal learning network can be a powerful tool for teachers as they seek out ways to be a better teacher. We often tell teachers, “don’t reinvent the wheel”. Why not use Edmodo to help share these resources with each other- don’t reinvent the activity! Teachers can share their worksheets, quizzes, assignments, videos- essentially any piece of work they want with the teachers on their teaching tem or teachers in their building by uploading or posting the work to other teachers in Edmodo or using the Library feature.
Our vision statement says the district will, “engage students, staff…. to establish relationships that lead to a passion for and a commitment to continuous growth.” We believe personal learning networks will be a way to encourage teachers to make connections as a team and provide support.
Creating a PLN: Edmodo
PBL with Edmodo “The difference between the 21st century classroom and the traditional classroom, is that everything that we do not only focuses on 21st-century skills but it is project-based – which means connected to the real-world.” (Baig, 2011) Communication and collaboration are part of working in a project based learning classroom, using subgroups in Edmodo can give students an opportunity to share their ideas and collaborate with peers. Small groups can be formed inside of each class to create a place where students can save their work or share it with their small group of peers they are working with. (Edmodo, 2011) As Hewes explains in her Edmodo post on PBL, Edmodo posts can give students the option to present their creative project to display the final product to the whole class or teacher. Students can also post their progress to their group or teacher and reflect on their progress, ask questions, and get feedback from peers or teachers. (Hewes, 2011)
PBL and Edmodo
As we close, we would like you to see what some other schools and teachers are saying about Edmodo and their teaching.
Heineman Middle School in CSD 158
Wiregrass Ranch High School
Edmodo features many other schools in their past webinars focused on implementing Edmodo. Some of the featured schools include: Chicago public schools and how they use iPads and Edmodo, Denver Public Schools and online PD for teachers, Nashville and Brunswick County Schools and how they create global learning networks, Orange County Public Schools in Florida- Mater Day High School in Santa Ana California and McCracken County Public Schools in Kentucky on their 1-1 implementation and Edmodo. All of these models focus on Edmodo benefits such as: mobile applications, district and teacher control, student participation, parent interaction, online file storage, community based professional development, virtual classrooms, collaboration, communication, PBL, global connections, increased student and teacher productivity, student choice, student reflections, media literacy, and college and career readiness.
As you can see through the multiple videos and model schools there will be many different ways that Edmodo can be used in your classrooms. We have many suggestions based on what works for each individual teacher, however that doesn’t mean you have to use Edmodo like other teachers have. We hope these sessions have provided you many ideas on how to adapt Edmodo to function in your classroom like we have.
References:
Baig, K. (March 2011). Edmodo helps teachers connect with students online: Attend their webinars for more details starting today. Retrieved from http://onlinesocialsavvy.com/?p=1566 on February 24, 2012.
BIEPL (poster) (December 8, 2011). PBL and edmodo. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KJmI1ZcBv8 on February 23, 2012.
Biztechtchr (poster)(February 17,2011). Do you edmodo? Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coAve-sfYdc on February 21, 2011.
DCSDonDemand (poster) (March 18, 2011).Create, submit and grade assignments. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1SXlLtmJ_Y&feature=related on February 23,2012.
Edmodo (2011). Edmodo webinars. Retrieved from http://blog.edmodo.com/ on February 22, 2012.
Edmodo (2011). PBL edmodo. Retrieved from http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/12/29/project-based-learning-with-edmodo/ on February 21, 2012.
Hewes, B. (May 27, 2011). PBL+edmodo= awesome. Retrieved from http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/05/27/pbl-edmodo-awesome/ on February 25, 2012.
Pascoschools (poster)(December 2, 2011). Edmodo at wiregrass ranch high school. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBoGBKE4hd4 on February 25, 2012.
TTrustTech (poster) (December 2, 2011). Creating a PLN: Edmodo. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGyjJN478ac on February 24, 2012.
