Safe online behaviour is a key priority for all schools in 2011. Students and teachers who gain experience in using social networking tools in a productive and appropriate manner are better prepared for 21st Century teaching and learning. In terms of working with students Edmodo is a great place to start. Edmodo is similar to Facebook but better suited to education, with clever privacy controls and interface make it perfect for learning. It provides a very easy to use interface with no real learning curve. It also provides the ability to share media, eliminating the need for virus sharing USBs. And most importantly it is a way for students to learn the skills of communicating with each other in a private, moderated environment, as Edmodo doesn’t allow students to directly message each other. Every time we introduce this tool on the project teachers absolutely love it and end up using it for many subjects. Part of the reason teachers love it so much is that students who are reluctant to contribute to lessons often really shine and become leaders and helpers in an online community. Melissa Giddins also talks about her experience using Edmodo on her blog, she talks about the importance of posting on a regular basis and to talk about it in class.
To find out more about our courses visit the Professional Learning page on our website.
