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Social Networking

10/14/2013

4 Comments

 
Social Networking and Google

Where do I begin with social networking… I have had a Facebook account since 2006. This was when you had to have a college email to have an account.  I found it to be a great way for two way communication about school work and by using groups for collaboration.  When Edmodo was introduced for education, I jumped on the bandwagon early on.  Here was a great safe way for two way communication for my students about class work.  A blog or web site did not allow this instant communication or networking for my classes.  I have used Edmodo as a way to differentiation assignments for students, create assignments for grading, and load classroom content and homework for easy student access.  My students have been able to communicate with their whole class and myself about class work. There are so many wonderful apps built into Edmodo which allow enrichment to our students.  Edmodo just launched a new version with quizzes as part of the software.  And there is an app for that!!  Some student who do not have access to a computer or the  internet at home, many of them have smart phones and allows them to access the content from their phones.  Along with all of the other amazing uses for my students, Edmodo has become a networking site for me with teachers who teach the same content.  There is a group for just 7th grade Social Studies teachers in Georgia.  I have also created a technology group for my school.  I post a different technology tool for teachers each day.  I have also folders which included information about different TKES information and school procedures.

I am slowly making my way into the world of Google; however I have learned to not have all of my eggs in one basket.  I have not used Google docs in my classroom because I tend to have my students create something other than word or PowerPoint documents.  However, our school staff does use Google documents in various ways.  As part of our professional learning communities, each of our grade levels has a Google Doc create to enter student concerns and celebrations.  We then use this data each week to discuss students with concerns.  This allows us to have document of this data already complete at the end of the year.  I recently created a Google Doc for our school to use in our Instructional Rounds.  We are assigned different classrooms to go observe as part of preparation for different TKES criteria.  Instead of writing the observation form, the teachers were able to complete the Google doc using their iPad while in the classroom they were observing.  The use of Google docs in professional use has allowed our teachers to have better practices working collaboratively.  I am sure there are great uses in the classroom, but I have not had the need yet.

Being a social studies teacher, pictures and other forms of media play an important part of instruction.  Many times these images are incorporated into lecture in a PowerPoint.  I upload these lectures to my class Edmodo groups for students to have access to these files.  I have also uploaded class lectures and videos on to websites for substitute to be able to go over the same material I would if I was in the classroom. 

A site such as Slide Share allows teachers to share videos and presentations.  But also teachers can search for content which could boost their own instruction.  This site includes tags for teachers to search.

Social Networking, Google and presentation sharing sites allow us and our students to work in a more collaborative network.

4 Comments
Emily Davis
10/14/2013 05:41:44 am

Hi Christa,

I enjoyed reading your comments as I am pretty new at Edmodo myself. I would love to join your technology group and also set something like that up in my school!

I can see great potential in Edmodo, but I think that the start-up time would be extensive in the elementary setting. Do many classrooms in your school use Edmodo, and, if so, how was the program introduced to students? Have you ever had problems with students using the Edmodo wall for things outside of classroom content, and how have you addressed this if so?

Along the same line, how did you get faculty on board with using Edmodo for professional development purposes? Sometimes I feel that new initiatives would be viewed as "just another thing" and not explored and valued due to the time constraints that teachers face. Do you have any advice for breaking down those barriers?

Reply
Melanie Turner
10/15/2013 08:33:30 am

Christa,

It sounds like we are kindred spirits in the Edmodo world! I was sold right off the bat as well. I haven't tried out the new quiz features yet. Do you find that the teachers in your technology group share resources freely, or are they mostly consumers?

Reply
Christa Heath
10/15/2013 08:46:14 am

Emily, most of the teachers a my school do use it some more than others. We do have a news group for each grade level which all the students are members. It is an easy way to send out updates to parents as well.
Did you know Fulton is one of their top users in the country.
We set digital citizenship guidelines pretty high for them and speak to the advance and set expectations. They know we can and will trace IP addresses if we have to.
I created the group for my school on my own last year as part of being a member of Fulton Technology Leadership Forum. It was the easiest way to share and be a storage place for them.

Melanie-My school technology group, it is mainly me sharing with them. My content group we do share a lot.

Reply
Jenny Vowell link
10/20/2013 12:32:37 pm

Hi Christa,

Since I do not have a regular classroom, (I am the high school counselor) the description that you gave of the professional learning that takes place through Edmodo is exactly how I envision Edmodo would work for professional learning in my school. In my blog I mentioned that Edmodo is a wonderful platform for local teacher interaction but I really enjoy the aspect of collaboration that takes place internationally. I’m hoping that Edmodo will serve a conduit to international professional learning. I often wonder how other countries educate their students. Do you have any international collaboration with other social studies teachers?

I am also new to using Google Docs but I am really excited to learn how to use them. I have so many, many (seems endless) forms that have to completed and ultimately put into an Excel spreadsheet. I’m very much looking forward to using Google Forms to make the whole paperwork process much easier. I love anything that places the responsibility on the student. It serves as great practice for acquiring life skills.

I am wondering if you were able to investigate the Classroom 2.0 website. It is a wonderful digital resource for professional learning. I’m looking forward to using this website to increase my knowledge of international education. I’m not sure why, but I believe my focus tends to be myopic. I would like to develop a sense of what is happening in other countries. What are they doing that is so popular in Finland? What does school look like in Spain? These are just areas of education that I am interested in learning about. Do you have similar areas you would like to explore?

Reply



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    Author

    Christa Evans Heath
    Educator and Technology Specialist

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  • Home
  • Meet Christa
    • Centennial High School Learning Commons
    • Centennial High School Makerspace - The SPaCE
    • Contact
  • Resume
    • Education >
      • KSU Specialist Portfoilo >
        • Introduction
        • Video Reflection
        • Vision
        • Diversity
        • Capstone
        • Blog
        • Field Experiences
        • Standards >
          • Standard 1 >
            • 1.1 Shared Vision
            • 1.2 Strategic Planning
            • 1.3 Policies, Procedures, Programs & Funding
            • 1.4 Diffusion of Innovations & Change
          • Standard 2 >
            • 2.1 Content Standards & Student Tecnhology Standards
            • 2.2 Research-Based Learner-Centered Strategies
            • 2.3 Authentic Learning
            • 2.4 Higher Order Thinking Skills
            • 2.5 Differentiation
            • 2.6 Instructional Design
            • 2.7 Assessment
            • 2.8 Data Analysis
          • Standard 3 >
            • 3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning
            • 3.2 Managing Digital Tools and Resources
            • 3.3 Online & Blended Learning
            • 3.4 Adaptive and Assistive Technology
            • 3.5 Basic Troubleshooting
            • 3.6 Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools & Resources
            • 3.7 Communication & Collaboration
          • Standard 4 >
            • 4.1 Digital Equity
            • 4.2 Safe, Heathly, Legal & Ethical Use
            • 4.3 Diversity, Cultural Understanding & Global Awareness
          • Standard 5 >
            • 5.1 Needs Assessment
            • 5.2 Professional Learning
            • 5.3 Program Evaluation
          • Standard 6 >
            • 6.1 Continuous Learning
            • 6.2 Reflection
            • 6.3 Field Experiences
      • Blog
  • Presentations
    • Freedom to Explore NCSS 2014
    • Gateway to Diplomacy NCSS 2013
    • Let’s Get Personal: Be the Champion of Your Student’s Personalized Learning Path - GAETC2016 >
      • Formative Assessments Presentation
      • Pre Assessment
      • Symbaloo Lesson Plans
      • Blendspace
      • iTunes U
      • PlayPosit
      • Post Assessment
      • Formative Resources
    • Let’s Get Personal: Use of Office 365 and Creation of Digital Student Portfolios >
      • Choice Boards
      • Sensory Figures
      • Collaboration Space
      • Portfoilo Resources
    • Pushing the Boundaries- ISTE 2016
  • Technology Lessons
  • Resources