Edmodo is a social network which is almost similar to Facebook. The only difference is that, it created for learning purposes that aimed for teachers and students. It allows teachers and students to have a secure online place to connect and collaborate, share content and educational applications, and access homework, grades, class discussion and notifications. The goal for this tool is to help educators especially teachers capture the advantages of social networking to make the classroom more accessible and flexible for learners. The most important thing is that, it is free!
How it works?
So, how to set up and operate Edmodo? It is very easy! If you can create an account for your Facebook, than you should have no problem setting up your Edmodo account. You only need to use your email or any preferred username and password and sign up as a teacher! You also will be asked to create a group to enable you to connect with your students.
Once you succeeded, you will be provided a code. This code need to be given to your students for them to sign up and join the group you have created as a teacher.
Signing up as a students will undergo the same process and your students have to insert the code given to enable them to join your group.
And finally you are ready to connect with your students online!
Edmodo in ELT:
Advantanges:
1) Through Edmodo, you are able to have an online classroom with your students. The things that you have no time to do in the actual classroom can be carried out via Edmodo. For example discussions and giving feedback.
2) Edmodo enable you as a teacher to post grades or report about each of your students' performances in the classroom and they can keep track of their own results. Besides, this tool also provide a code for parents' access and parents can also view their children's progress in the school.
3) This tool will also help to make your classroom more accessible for the students. You can post all the notes and worksheets that you used in your lessons. This definitely will be helpful for your students especially for those who are absence during the lessons because they are not well.
Disadvantages:
1) Students with no access to the internet might feel discouraged because they are unable to keep their own progress online like their friends.
2) Students might be too lazy to check their Edmodo account everyday.
In conclusion, Edmodo may have a few downside but its benefits in teaching language could not be dismissed. Edmodo may be able to create a new dimension that make a classroom more flexible and accessible for the students. Both of the teachers and students may interact and communicate with each other at any place anytime they feel the need to. This in turn, may help in students development and progress as well as helping both parties create a better teacher-student relationship.
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