Subject: Digital Technologies
Year: P-6
Strand: Processes and Production Skills
Sub-Strand: Digital Implementation
Content Descriptors:
Year P: Engage with information known people have shared in an online environment, and model strategies to stay safe online.
Year 1: Share and publish information with known people in an online environment, modelling strategies to stay safe online.
Year 2: Share and publish information in a safe online environment, with known people.
Year 3: Work with others to create and communicate ideas and information safely.
Year 4: Work with others to create and communicate ideas and information safely, using agreed protocols (netiquette).
Year 5: Create and communicate information, including online collaborative projects, using agreed social, ethical and technical protocols (codes of conduct).
Year 6: Manage the creation and communication of information, including online collaborative projects, using agreed social, ethical and technical protocols.
Cross curriculum priorities: Literacy, ICT
General capabilities: Personal and social capabilities, Ethical understanding
(“Technologies Learning Area Scope and Sequence”, 2015)
Edmodo
Edmodo is an educational social networking site, which allows teachers to create an on-line classroom environment. This on-line classroom can be used to share classroom content, share and submit assignments, create and take polls, post messages and host discussions. Teachers and students can post links, pictures, videos, documents and presentations. Edmodo is a great communication platform for teachers, parents and students, enabling teachers to manage communication. It is a fantastic social learning tool, and can be used for classroom management purposes.
The site functions similarly to Blackboard, and the layout is similar to Facebook. This makes it engaging for students and an excellent tool to introduce students to the social networking world, in a safe and secure environment.
(Edmodo, 2016)
How to Use
Teachers can simply visit the Edmodo website and sign up for a free account. Add your classroom as a ‘group’ and you are given a unique code to share with students. Students create a login, and once they have joined the group they will have their own page, which they can personalise, and begin joining in with discussions and posting.
Features
- Parents can monitor their child’s activities
- Post links, photos, documents and videos which are then stored in a Library
- Linked to Google Drive
Advantages
- Free and secure
- Social networking in an educational context
- Content management
- Simple to join and create classes
- Excellent for networking
- Engaging
- Safe platform for students to collaborate
- Digital communication
- Model and reinforce ethical digital citizenship
- Peers provide feedback
- Runs on any internet browser
- Mobile app
Possible Disadvantages
- Required supervision
(Edmodo, 2015)
Professional Learning
Edmodo also offers a yearly webinar, which they call Edmodocon. Recorded seminars are available all year round, and participants can download a certificate to add to their professional learning portfolio.
(Edmodocon, 2015)
Resource Links
Edmodo Website: https://www.edmodo.com
Edmodocon Website: https://edmodocon.com/
Mobile App: https://www.edmodo.com/mobile/
Platforms
Android
iPad
References
Edmodo. (2015). Retrieved from webpage https://www.edmodo.com/home
Edmodo. (2015). Retrieved from webpage https://www.edmodo.com/mobile/
Edmodocon. (2015). Retrieved from webpage https://edmodocon.com/
Technologies Learning Area Scope and Sequence. (2015). Retrieved from School Curriculum and Standards Authority website: http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/technologies/digital-technologies2/technologies-overview/Tech_Scope_and_Sequence.pdf