Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Edmodo

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience

During the last seminar, the classed learned about a technology called Edmodo.  This website gives teachers and students the opportunity to communicate and interact in different ways.  Edmodo is a free, safe program for all students and teachers to use and it can be accessed anywhere, including schools.  There are many features on the website that could be very beneficial for students.  Edmodo allows teachers to post assignments and discussions for the whole class to see.  Because this website is very similar to Facebook, most students already know how to use the features and they can communicate with each other.  I think Edmodo is a very useful website because students can ask questions, receive information, be given assignments, and see their grades.  This website is also beneficial for those students who are shy or embarrassed to talk out loud during class.  This gives them a chance to communicate or ask questions to the teacher or other classmates.

Application

An instructional activity using Edmodo would be very difficult to come up with in my PDS because I am in a Kindergarten class.  The students in my classroom are so young that it would be hard for them to complete assignments or activities.  Because all of the students in the class know how to use a computer, I could do a short and easy activity with them through Edmodo. 

Learning outcomes: Through this activity, learners will gain knowledge and understanding about the use of the computer and of Edmodo.  The students will learn about the alphabet through the activity on the website and how to interact with their peers in groups.  

Learners: This activity will be designed for students that are in Kindergarten.  These children are around five or six years old and the lesson should be done in small groups.  Placing four or five students together may help the students reach their goal.  The children can gain information off each other and help each other learn.

Assessment: When a group finished their assignment an instructor would check and make sure they completed it all and help them save it. After saving the activities, the students would come together as a whole to have a discussion.  We would talk about the lesson and the alphabet and the students could tell what they learned or had questions about.  The students learning outcomes would be determined by their whole class discussion and their group work on Edmodo.  I could see how effective the lesson was by the student’s comments and questions during the discussion 

For this activity, I would start by already having the students placed in their groups and Edmodo would be up on their computers.  I would discuss Edmodo with them and explain how to click on the link to their activity.  Once I explained everything, I would have the groups open up their assignment and start playing the game.  After the group completed their activity, they would raise their hand for a helper to come assist them with saving it.  I would have all the students sit in a circle when they were finished so we could have a whole class discussion about the website and the activity. 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

I would represent the content by first writing the directions for the activity on the chalk board and going over them with the students.  Next, I would bring up and showing them the website on the smart board.  I would show them exactly what they needed to click on and what to do.  Also, prior to starting the activity I would have the class go over the alphabet and the information they will have to know to complete their activity.  When using the smart board, the information becomes comprehensible to students through visually seeing what needs to be done and hearing the instructions out loud.  Some students may already know how to use a computer or the internet.  Although they all use them during class time at some point, some use them more than others and many students are taught at home.  Also, students who understood and knew the letters of the alphabet probably had a less difficult time completing the assignment.

Technology:

There are many major functions of this technology and these are what make it a beneficial and helpful website.  The discussion board on Edmodo provides students with the opportunity to ask questions to one another or to the teacher.  Also, students can get homework help from their peers or talk about a lesson that was done in class.  Teachers have the ability to post anything they want, including assignments, for the class to see or complete.  On this website, students are able to submit assignments right then and there, and the teacher is able to grade them immediately and give them instant feedback.  Teachers can also provide students with badges that serve as rewards.  The entire class can see the badges, so it gives students the opportunity to compete with their peers.  Edmodo is very accessible.  It is free for all students and has very self explanatory directions along with it.  Once students sign up and make a password, they can use their account and start right away.

Technology-Pedagogy: 

The technology would be used for my activity by exploring the website and finding the link to click on for the assignment.  This technology allows for the students to access the activity right off the webpage and start it immediately.  This benefits the teacher because they do not have to provide the website for them.  Using the technology would change the way the lesson was taught by engaging the students in an online game that will help them with their knowledge of the alphabet.  Certain classroom management strategies should be considered before doing this assignment.  Because the students are so young, I would place them in small groups at different computers to work together.

Technology-Content:

Content for my activity could be represented in different ways by using this technology.  The information and and the activity are very engaging for the students because they are on the computer and they are fun and exciting.  Because the students are learning the alphabet on the computer, they do not have to worry so much on writing the letters and they can focus on identifying them.  After the students played the game provided by the technology, they could practice the letters of the alphabet by playing that same game on their own or making their own type of game.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

The content would be effectively taught and the teacher would use appropriate pedagogies, as well as technology.  The instructor is still teaching the students the same material and in the same way.  The technology effectively helps the students learn and grasp concepts by providing them with engaging information.  The way the students are using the taught information is helping them learn effectively.  The selection of this technology could enhance the content and the pedagogy of the lesson.  It can provide the information to the students in fun and exciting ways that may be difficult for an instructor to do.  The content is given to the students and the technology allows the students to complete activities and receive grades and feedback.  For this technology,  a teaching strategy I would choose would be similar to the lesson given above.  Because the students are still so young, there are not many things that could be done with them using the technology because they will not understand it that well.  Through this technology I would provide the students with information, activities, pictures, or anything else that could help their understanding of what was being taught.