Subject: Digital Technologies
Year Level: 3-4
Strand: Digital Technologies knowledge and understanding
Sub-Strand:
4.6 Explain how developed solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs; and envisage new ways of using them
Link to resource:
https://www.edmodo.com/
Cross Curriculum Priorities:
Sustainability
Links to other learning areas:
Literacy
Numeracy
Science
ICT Capability
A classroom activity using this resource:
Edmodo (2014) was created with the main focus to join education and technology. Edmodo creates a fun and engaging way for students to participate in learning and use existing systems for school needs. Edmodo is an app with which students will be able to keep up to date with homework, assignments, quizzes as well as access progress reports. Using this application in the classroom creates a new and innovative way for students to interact with teachers and peers in a safe and secure way. The teacher can upload different discussion topics, polls as well as hand out award badges for student achievements.
This resource ties in well with many different learning areas such as literacy as the teacher is able to upload each weeks spelling list and have students complete it on the app, sending the results directly to the teacher through an account. It also encourages students to be more engaged in learning as it incorporates the use of ICT and with new things being uploaded daily, it gives students an incentive to work toward gaining badges and awards which the whole class is able to see.
Another great feature of this app is that it provides a safe environment for the students to communicate with one another, so if a student is stuck on a homework question they are able to post the question on the discussion board and have their peers help them along (under the supervision of the teacher).
If you are looking to incorporate group learning, other learning areas or a more environmentally friendly classroom this is a great app to look into.
Using this resource:
This resource is easy to set up and requires each student to have access to an iPad or computer. Once the students have created a username and password the teacher is able to add them to a group (i.e Year 4 Spelling Class, Year 3- homeroom)
The students are only able to have access to content that is shared by the teacher. Once they have access to this group, the students are able to contribute and complete tasks set for them by the teacher.
I have seen Edmodo used in a way that embraces the idea of the ‘flipped classroom’. My son used it as a PEAC (Primary Extension and Challenge) student where he only met with the group once a week. The teacher would set tasks for the students to complete and videos for them to watch and comment on before coming to each week’s session. This enabled the students to be engaged and ready for action in the minimal time they had each week.
I can also imagine that it would work very effectively if a student was ill or perhaps travelling long-term as it would allow them to keep in touch with the classroom in their absence.