Technology Reflection Assignment- Edmodo

Description/Experience

     The technology that was demonstrated in seminar was the use of Edmodo. Edmodo is a social networking site that connects teachers to students, and teachers to other groups that could help provide ideas for the classroom. I took away its versatile use because it can be used for so many things. I loved that you could praise students via badges, grade papers, give automatic feedback, and facilitate a class discussion all from a social networking site. I definitely took away that it could be used with almost any age and teachers could even give assignments online that directed them to another website. This is an excellent tool to utilize inside and outside of the classroom.

Application

     Students will be able to use Edmodo to create a creative interactive storybook to share on the discussion board through an assignments tab. The students will be able to effectively use Edmodo and find the assignments tab. The students will be able to create a virtual storybook using the Storybird website. The students will be able to attach the Storybird link to the Edmodo assignment box. Through the use of Storybird, students will be able to use sentences in order to express their creativity.

      Students no earlier than second grade could complete this assignment and grasp the outcomes of the lesson. Student any earlier would not possess the knowledge of constructing sentences or even operating the Edmodo site. Older students could complete more intricate stories, but second graders are developing sentence structure skills, so this would be appropriate to see where the students are in this skill. 

     As a teacher, you would know if the students reached the outcomes if they successfully submitted the assignment and posted on Edmodo. The mentor or I would be able to click on the link submitted and see the storybook that the student created. If the student demonstrates understanding of the pictures and knowledge of sentence structure, then the student will have a comprehensive sentence describing the picture. The teacher can then give automatic feedback through Edmodo, so the student knows whether he /she is on par with the outcomes or needs to go back and try again.

     Students will first go into the computer lab and log on using their student identification and passwords. They will then click on the internet icon and go to the Edmondo site. The teacher will demonstrate the process along with the students on an overhead projector or smart board that is connected to a master computer. Then students, will click on the assignment box in Edmondo and go to the Storybird website by opening a new tab. The teacher will have an account already set up for the students to make storybooks. The students will log in to Storybird and choose one of the templates to write a story about. The students will fill in the text boxes using complete sentences, correct punctuation and spelling to the best of their abilities. The teacher will monitor the room and ensure that all students are staying on task, but will not answer how to spell or punctuate. Five minutes before the end of the lesson, students will be asked to save their work, copy, and paste their link in the Edmodo assignment box. Then the student will turn in their work. The teacher can review the storybooks at her own discretion and provide feedback immediately. The teacher will then show exceptional student work the next day to provide praise and models for those who did not grasp the concept. 

Reflection 

Pedagogy-Content:  

     In order to represent the content and make it more comprehensible to students, I would primarily use demonstration. If I demonstrated on a smart board, as was done in seminar with us, then students could see what it is expected of them and how it was to be completed. This would also be used as an example because I would have already had a storybook done and an assignment box created, so during my demonstration, the students could see what would be considered quality work and how to submit it successfully. Finally, all of this would be tied together verbally through explanations of what I am doing. This reaches students of different learning styles so that students can comprehend what is being taught and explained. Younger students would be less familiar with the technology being used and may not understand how to operate the site as well as older students. Older students may have a conception that Edmodo is identical to other social networking sites, like I did when I first encountered Edmodo. Some students that do not have access to computers, particularly from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds, may be discouraged and have a misconception that technology is not helpful, but rather confusing.

 Technology:  

     This technology allows teachers to assign assignments assessments, give instant feedback, and give reinforcement in the form of badges. It is a social networking site so students can not only interact with the teacher, but with other peers. This allows for class discussions, but still allows the teacher to monitor and control the students’ comments. The teacher can control if a student is in the group or not, and can see if a student has turned in an assignment. The site is easy to access and to utilize. Particularly for older students that have had previous experience with other social networking sites, particularly Facebook. Setting up an account takes less than five minutes and students can customize their own profiles.

Technology-Pedagogy

     The technology would be used in my activity because the students access the assignment from Edmodo and turn in the assignment using this site. Also, the teacher grades this assignment using this site and can show the class example storybooks from the link provided on the turn in page. This technology would change the way I teach this activity because instead of creating a storybook from scratch with paper, glue, and pens, turning in the assignment, and waiting for feedback, now the assignment is posted clearly without the chance of students losing the instructions, the students receive a direct link to the assignment where they create it virtually and then submit directly to the teacher so they can receive instant feedback as soon as the teacher grades the assignment. Also, Edmodo provides a sharing capability so other students can view the other students’ hard work where previously it took up valuable class time to share assignments with other peers. I would consider implementing effective classroom management strategies by using interactive and engaging activities and assignments in order to keep students interested in learning and on task. I planned on keeping the assignment short and simple rather than using a complicated site where many steps are involved. I also planned on demonstrating exactly how log onto Edmodo and where to find the assignment to avoid any confusion and wasting any time. By walking around the classroom and answering questions, I would keep the students focused on the task rather than chattering with their neighbor.  

Technology-Content: 

     Using Edmodo allows for the content to be presented in a much clearer way than what was previously used before the development of the technology. Now, students can see teacher explanations and directions much easier than before. Also, this technology allows for the literacy assignment to be handed in virtually and assessed by the teacher virtually as well. Content now is not just handed in paper form, but rather much more creative and interactive templates can give students the ability to focus on the sentence structure. Using this technology changes the way students understand the content in the activity because students can also ask questions to teachers and students at any time, so the time constraint does not exist because content can be discussed not only in the classroom but also through a virtual class discussion. This allows for learning to continue throughout the day, not just during school hours. Students are actually practicing what is in the activity by responding to a post in word and sentence form, so the students are practicing what they learned in the activity by using Edmodo. Teachers can also give personal comments to students to help their understanding, which may not have been possible in a classroom setting during the day. 

Technology-Pedagogy-Content: 

     I think the content would be effectively taught by showing demonstrations but also letting the students be hands on with guided assistance. If students create their own projects, they will be more invested in their learning. For this activity, the basics of words and punctuations will have already been taught, but by using this technology, it can effectively teach students to apply their previous knowledge to new situations. The technology would enhance what to teach and how to teach it because it opens up the classroom time frame and allows students to display their own thoughts and questions. This gives a teacher a wider range of how to teach because the teacher knows exactly what kinds of questions the students have through probing. Because Edmondo is a site for individual students, it enables the teacher to allow more hands on interaction with the content.  It enhances what to teach because students now have the ability to discuss things outside of the classroom, so you can spend more time on content, and Edmodo allows for practice through the assignments box. I would choose teaching strategies that allowed students to be creative and interactive with the internet. This not only allows students to focus on learning, but the teacher presents it through various learning styles such as the visual stimuli of the example, the auditory directions, and kinesthetically by actively typing their own story. There are so many applications available for all different subjects that it is beneficial to the students if they facilitate their own learning and let me assist and guide them through feedback. Edmodo allows me to do just that. This is a great tool that allows for varied use in the educational setting.