The use of tools like Facebook and Edmodo (a closed social network) have helped me to improve the way that I interact and communicate with students and their parents. I have been using Facebook since 2013 and Edmodo from the start of this year in my classroom. Both have been valuable inclusions to the way I work and while Facebook and Edmodo have some striking similarities both play very different roles in my classes.
I use Edmodo to:
- provide a central location for uploading and downloading assessment tasks.
- provide a central location for resources (sorted into folders) including documents, weblinks and videos (there is no storage limit in Edmodo).
- provide a place for students to submit completed assessment tasks and for me to provide feedback.
Edmodo – Create folders to store unlimited resources for students and teacher to access
Edmodo – Store, assess and feedback comments and grades to students
Edmodo – Create posts, assignments, quizzes and polls
I use Facebook to :
- create closed groups for my students and parents – Yr 12 PE (student group), Yr 11 PE (student group) and Year 7-10 HPE (parent and student group).
- provide parents with programs, assignments & content term by term (7-10 HPE group).
- provide parents with text, images or video of what is happening in lessons (7-10 HPE group).
- to remind students of upcoming class events and due dates (i.e. We are doing the beep test today don’t forget to bring a change of clothes).
Facebook – Sharing information with parents about what is happening in the classroom
Facebook – Communication with Year 12 students