“Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Edmodo"

Technology Reflection Assignment

 

Description/Experience

In the technology demonstration presented in the last seminar, we were introduced to Edmodo. Edmodo is a social networking site for teachers and students to communicate with one another. Teachers can post websites, answer questions, and easily communicate with their students while they are at home and at school. I currently use Edmodo to communicate with my PDS Coordinator and all of the other students in my cohort. I feel that Edmodo is a very good way to communicate with classmates and teachers.

 

Application

A learning activity that I could use in my future classroom incorporating Edmodo could be first having the students create an Edmodo account. Next I would put directions about the assignment on the webpage. After students are done with the assignment, they would turn in their assignment in the drop-box. I could have students go to another website to read a story. Then on Edmodo I would post questions for students to answer and turn in. Students would gain practice in using online sites, and learning how to turn in assignments on Edmodo. They would also gain skills in English by reading the story. I imagine this assignment being designed for a fifth grade class. I would know that the students acquired the learning outcome based on their answers that they turned in on Edmodo. I would know if my activity was successful if my students were successful in creating an Edmodo account, finding the website that the story was on, and successfully answering my questions and turning them in to the drop-box.

 

First students would create their account. After the students created their accounts, I would show them how Edmodo works. Once I felt that they had a good understanding of the information I was presenting, I would put the link to the website that had the story that they had to read on Edmodo. Next, students would go to that link and read the story. I would then post the questions that the students had to answer on Edmodo. Each student would have to answer the questions, and then put their answers in the drop-box.  

 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

I would make sure that the content was in the student’s zone of proximal development. In order for students to be successful, teachers must be certain that the content that is being taught is developmentally appropriate. For my activity that I described previously, I would have to make sure that the story I chose for my students to read was appropriate for their reading level. This assignment would have to modified for different grade levels, by having students read stories that were either at a higher level or a lower level. Students would have to incorporate their reading knowledge in order to complete this assignment.

Technology:

The major functions of Edmodo are communicating with other students and instructors online, and being able to complete assignments and ask questions at home or at school. This technology is very accessible. Students can use this technology wherever internet access and computers are available. Edmodo is such a good tool because students can use it not just at school, but also at home.

Technology-Pedagogy:

 Technology is used in this assignment because students must access their Edmodo accounts in order to find the assignment, and turn the assignment in. The way that using the technology would change my teaching is that I would be essentially teaching through the computer. Since I would be assigning the assignment through Edmodo, and having the students turn the assignment in on Edmodo, I would also be answering student’s questions on Edmodo. In order to have a classroom that is under control, I would try to make sure that all students were very clear on their assignment so that they would be less likely to have to talk to their neighbor while completing this assignment.  

Technology-Content:

Using this technology would change the way the content is represented in my activity because the examples, illustrations, etc. would all be online. Instead of giving these examples, illustrations, etc. on the blackboard, or on an over-head, you would be giving the examples online on Edmodo. Using this technology students would change the normal way that they practice or understand the content in my activity, because they would not be reading a physical book, but instead be reading a story from a website.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

The content would be effectively taught through thorough instructions and examples of what I wanted the students to do. Using Edmodo would enhance reading stories because the students would be able to read the story from anywhere they have internet access. If the student was unable to have a physical copy of the book, they could go to the link and read the story there. It would give me the opportunity to teach my students using technology which would benefit them because they would get experience using the specific technology (Edmodo). I would decide what methods would work best to teach this assignment based on the needs of my students. If I felt that it would be best to teach them how to use Edmodo through watching me do it (visual learners), I would use that method, or if my class consisted of auditory learners, I would just verbally explain what they needed to do to successfully use Edmodo to complete their assignment.