1. Edmodo Using Social Networking to Enhance Learning

2. What is Edmodo? Edmodo is a free and secure social learning network for teachers, students and schools. Edmodo provides classrooms a safe and easy way to connect and collaborate, offering a real- time platform to exchange ideas, share content, and access homework, submit assignments, grades and school notices. It is a great tool to promote collaboration, communication, and engagement among students.

3. More about Edmodo Click the picture to view a short video to learn more about Edmodo.

4. City School of Decatur’s Instructional Technology Mission CSD will support the effective and appropriate integration and utilization of technology resources in rigorous, engaging and authentic learning experiences, providing students with a tool to not only achieve curriculum objectives and state standards, but to also provide life skills. To enable our graduates to be successful in post secondary endeavors in the 21st century, the technology department will provide support and opportunities for all students and all staff for effective utilization of technology to play an essential role in student learning, teaching, and operations of the district.

5. Edmodo and Our District Vision Edmodo supports our district’s technology mission because it provides students with an engaging tool that supports an authentic environment in which students can develop academic skills as well as various skills that they will need as citizens of the 21 st century such as collaboration and communication as well as technology skills.

6. Edmodo and Our District Vision Students can use this tool in the classroom as well as outside the classroom to continue their integration of technology and learning. Teachers can use various instructional strategies such as flipping the classroom to challenge students and provide support for students as well Edmodo provides the flexibility we need for use with multi-grades and different platforms. Promote the use of different platforms available within our school district (Ipads, phones, computers, etc.)

7. Evaluation of How Well Edmodo Supports CSD’s Vision Our school district is always seeking opportunities to expand the connection between learning and technology. Edmodo provides us with a tool that can meet the instructional needs of teachers while also providing valuable opportunities for students to develop 21 st century skills such as collaboration and communication in a safe environment. Our district has many technology tools at our disposal and need to find authentic ways for students to connect with these different tools. Edmodo provides a comfortable setting for this that can support curriculum as well as student comprehension of technology skills. With Edmodo, we will provide our students with an engaging environment that will connect with how our current students take in and comprehend information.

8. Objective Students will develop 21 st century skills through their use of Edmodo while also applying their learning to meet the curriculum standards. Teachers will use Edmodo to increase the participation of their students. Teachers will use various instructional strategies to meet the needs of their students through Edmodo.

9. Key Benefits Edmodo is free and provides a variety of tools for teachers to meet the needs of their students Teaches 21 st Century Skills Allows for Anytime/ Anywhere Learning Allows for more student participation Provides opportunities for active learning as well as developing higher order thinking skills

10. Target Population Edmodo can be used with grades 2-12. Edmodo can be used with various configurations. A 1:1 technology model would work best, but any classroom that has the access to enough technology or has adopted the BYOD policy would be effective. To provide universal access to all students, Edmodo should primarily be used at school.

11. Target Population (continued) Most schools have a computer lab or a class set of laptops or IPads. Pilot classrooms should be implemented to test out the effectiveness of this technology. CSD classrooms have at least four computers and access to other technology such as laptop carts/class sets of Ipads All teachers have a CSD issued laptop Decatur High has began piloting a BYOD program.

12. Equipment and Software Edmodo is free and there is no additional software to purchase to use it Edmodo can be used on Ipads, computers (Apple and Windows), and Android devices Wireless access is required for each laptop computer, Ipad, or other mobile devices Google Docs accounts may need to be created if teachers plan on using this tool

13. Technical Support Edmodo offers a comprehensive teacher manual and other guides to support educators such as an Edmodo Rollout Guide Edmodo offers a search forum for users to search for answers to questions There are support features for teachers, parents, and students to use to gain help There is a FAQ section for users There are direct contact links to contact support personnel

14. Limitations of Edmodo Edmodo supports opportunities for students to engage in additional learning opportunities outside of the classroom by allowing students to connect with one another online. However, if students lack a computer or internet, this may not be possible. If students are working on a collaborative project, they are unable to message one another through Edmodo. Teachers can’t recover lost information about a student.

15. Limitations (continued) Teachers can’t delete the account you created yourself, you have to send a request. It is difficult for students to upload work from their iPads. This can be a multi-step process and something always seems to go wrong. Calendar won’t pull in assignments from other teachers using Edmodo. Each class is separate. Although there currently is no advertising on the site, the privacy agreement does not preclude there being some in the future. The software is still developing certain features.

16. Cost of the Technology The Web based tool is completely free and so is the app for mobile devices With a 1:1 configuration, we would need a web accessible device for each student grades 2-12. Our schools have computer labs/ computer workstations/ computer and Ipad carts The most cost effective model would be to use a combination of each of these models We may want to purchase more devices if success with the technology is shown with our current technology These devices do not have to be computers, so we can minimize cost by purchasing tablets with our current contract with Apple or locate our cost effective technology tools

17. Cost of Technology (continued) Given our current Apple configurations, training, and current leasing contract with Apple, if we decide to purchase additional tablets, it would be more cost effective to purchase additional mobile devices through Apple. The Ipad 2 is currently priced at $ 399

18. Potential Funding Sources CSD provides the CSD Instructional Technology department with a budget to purchase technology or replace current technology Our PTA groups raise funds for various projects. Additional funding can be obtained through organizations such as the Decatur Education Foundation or DonorsChoose.org through grant writing

19. How can we use this technology? Using Edmodo, teachers can support curriculum standards by using the various features of the site to promote student engagement and learning through their instructional planning based on the needs of their class. Various tools are available to teachers including a tool to create self grading quizzes, grade books, assignment uploading, video embedding, etc. The tools can be used for a variety of reasons such as assessments or openers. For example, teachers can use the poll/survey tool to begin a discussion about a historical figure or event or to access student prior knowledge. Teachers can use Edmodo on its on or within other activities or projects Edmodo can be used to support various subject areas.

20. How can we use this technology? (continued) Edmodo has various apps that teachers can use to support student learning. Our students can collaborate on a variety of projects and practice using various 21 st century skills Various features on Edmodo provide our students with a great place to display their work and receive feedback from peers Students can access their class information including documents, videos, assignments, and applications anytime and anywhere Edmodo’s self grading quizzes provide the feedback students need as they complete their assignments We can use this tool to collaborate with other educators.

21. How can we use this technology? (continued) Classrooms can essentially go paperless as students could turn in all assignments electronically including homework. Teachers can create groups to allow students to communicate outside of class. Edmodo allows students to have access to teachers for questions about homework outside of class.

22. How Does Edmodo Promote Specific Learning Goals? Edmodo’s design promotes meaningful collaboration among its users. This is an advantage when thinking about instructional planning for authentic learning opportunities. The various tools provided by Edmodo help teachers design engaging tasks that promote critical thinking as well as high order thinking Teachers can use this tool for various subject areas and use different student configurations to meet the needs of their students The different tools promote communication through various mediums and provides a genuine audience for its users Edmodo can be used a complete learning module or it can be used with other tools to provide authentic learning experiences for students

23. How Could Edmodo be Used to Differentiate Instruction? Differentiation with Edmodo is easily provided as teachers can assign various tasks or create small groups designed to support students Small groups can be used for reading groups, tutorial sessions, and for breaking down our classroom into smaller, more manageable sections Documents uploaded by the teacher can be differentiated for student use Activities/Projects can be tailored with the various tools on Edmodo to meet the needs of a variety of learners

24. Communication/Collaboration Edmodo’s interface provides a safe opportunity for students to engage in meaningful communication with their peers and teacher The various tools provided by Edmodo provide students with tools to share their thoughts and understandings with an authentic audience Students can engage in various tasks that call for collaboration including projects and peer reviews Given the connectedness of Edmodo, all students need is access to the Web and they can collaborate and communicate from any location Communication between students can be fostered online as well as offline by teachers connecting both mediums

25. Evaluation of Research While Edmodo has been around since 2008, it has recently gained momentum and even with this momentum, there is little research about it’s effectiveness. Generally, feedback from users and experts has been positive. “Teachers have noted that Edmodo even strengthened the relationships between students, and led to a stronger classroom Community”(Mills, 2011).

26. Evaluation of Research According to Technophilia, “Edmodo is a very worthwhile collaborative application geared directly towards educators and their students (Technophilia, 2010). I agree with this statement. The tools and features of Edmodo seem centered around its users: teachers and students. The safe environment and tools provided offer a worthwhile context for students to collaborate with each other. Thus, learning from each other.

27. Evaluation of Research According to Sandy Fleming, “Edmodo has a great deal of potential as an educational tool. It seems to combine features of an on-line class platform with the instantaneous communication and micro-blogging capabilities of Twitter. Edmodo offers a number of features that will allow creative and technologically- savvy educators and class leaders to create some very powerful learning tools.” (Fleming, 2012) Edmodo has great potential and as it continues to develop I believe it will provide positive advances for its users. I think the ultimate test will come with continued use by the technologically savvy as well as technology novice teachers. Moreover, I believe Edmodo has the potential to connect students with concepts in new and exciting ways through powerful learning experiences.

28. Implementation Plan To provide a lasting change, I would utilize John Kotter’s Change Model. We will also use the SAMR model for technology integration with teacher in planning for and evaluating the use of the new technology. Starting with pilot classrooms in grade levels 2-5 and increasing a grade each year. The SAMR model will help us move from using technology as an add-on or enhancement to using it as an integral and transformative force

29. SAMR Model

30. Implementation Plan Within these pilot grades, a sense of urgency would be built around this new technology including major opportunities for using this new technology. Next, we would form a guiding coalition of building leaders and teachers that would act as technology leaders who would act as mentors and encourage members of the pilot group to work together to use this new tool.

31. Implementation Plan Working together, the guiding collation using information collected from their teams will develop a clear vision about our use of Edmodo and strategies for achieving this vision. We would then communicate our change vision to our pilot members as often as possible and use any medium available to us to communicate this message. Next, we would empower broad based action by getting rid of obstacles such as antique technology and encourage risk taking among our pilot members

32. Implementation Plan Within our first year, we would provide opportunities for short term wins or successes to continue to encourage our pilot teachers to continue the change of using Edmodo. We would also visibly recognize and reward people who made the wins possible. As we make progress, we would consolidate improvements and produce more change by adding new grades to our pilot pool. We will also reinforce the behaviors shown that led to the improvements. Finally, we would anchor these changes in our culture. We would need to articulate the connection between the new behaviors and school success with Edmodo.

33. Professional Learning Many teachers will need to be trained on how to use Edmodo effectively as a learning tool. Our district has many teachers/ leaders that can lead this training for teachers. ▫ Training opportunities could be held during weekly staff professional learning at faculty meetings, during grade level collaborative planning times, or professional learning sessions held at central office. ▫ The plethora of training videos, guides, and other materials could provide opportunities for staff to train themselves on how to use Edmodo effectively. ▫ Some staff members may need further training on how to use Ipads or other mobile devices in the district when using Edmodo. ▫ A needs assessment will need to be used to determine staff needs.

34. Reflections From this project, I learned how to evaluate technology objectively and look for both the positive and negative when evaluating technology. In evaluating this technology, I learned more about the different roles that technology can take in the education process to meet the needs of diverse students. Moreover, I learned more about this impressive tool and plan on using it with my students to further their collaboration and communication skills as well as foster critical thinking and higher order thinking.

35. Reflections I think this experience improved my professional practice because it challenged me to look at all aspects of a piece of technology. Also, I believe this experience has helped me to think about different methods for integrating technology into the learning experience. Additionally, this experience has enhanced my professional practice as it helped me to think about methods and different aspects involved in integrating technology into the learning environment. Finally, I feel that this experience helped me to be more reflective on how I use technology with my students.

36. References Edmodo Research Page. (n.d.). - Web 2.0 Tools. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from https://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/display/INSITE/Edmodo+Research+P age Fleming, S. (n.d.). So Much More than Twitter: Edmodo for Teachers. Bright Hub. Retrieved November 5, 2013, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/33632- review-of-edmodo-social-media-for-teachers/ Review: Edmodo Class Microblogging. (n.d.). RSS 20. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://technophilia.madharasan.com/974/review- edmodo-class-microblogging The SAMR Model |. (n.d.). The SAMR Model |. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://blogs.yis.ac.jp/pd/2011/02/15/the-samr-model/