Edmodo: A Microblogging Educational Platform

I’ve been aware of edmodo for quite a time now though I have never had the chance to use it with my students yet, as the scholastic year did not start yet.
What is Edmodo?
We all know twitter as a social networking platform and a microblogging platform for language learners right!!! The thing is that twitter does not have the security that our students need for safe microblogging. This is where edmodo comes in with its enhanced new features.

Simply put, Edmodo is a microblogging platform for education. You notice this on the home page of edmodo where there you can sign up as a teacher or a student.

Once you enter as a teacher you have to create an account to use edmodo. Your pesonal page contains all the features you need to connect with your students. You can upload assignments with files, link to urls, embed videos, or post a note.
The security in edmodo is that you have to create a group to connect to. Once this is done, you are given a code which in turn you give to your students. So, when your students enter edmodo as “student” they will be asked about the code which they should insert.
The following video is a tutorial to introduce you to the features of Edmodo.

How Can You Use It with Your Students?

You can make it as means to deliver assignments and notes
Students can use it as a microblogging platform. The same as twitter. As a result, you can build a task around it. For example, you can assign a task for students to accomplish such as researching on the internet and share what they found out using the link , embed, and file sharing features.
It is great especially for absent students. You can share the worksheet done in class and deliver the assignment at the student’s fingertips so her or she would’nt fall behind.

Try Edmodo now and share you ideas if you have an other creative use for it with you students.
Your comments, as always, are welcome.

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