Edmodo - Where learning happens. » Students http://blog.edmodo.com The free and safe social learning platform for education Wed, 22 May 2013 18:22:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 High School Students Showcase How Edmodo Promotes Blended Learning [Video] http://blog.edmodo.com/2013/04/05/high-school-students-showcase-how-edmodo-promotes-blended-learning-video/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2013/04/05/high-school-students-showcase-how-edmodo-promotes-blended-learning-video/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:01:03 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=10771 When students at Meadowbrook High School were asked to show administrators how their teachers incorporate the digital world into their classes, the students chose to highlight how their teachers use Edmodo both as an instructional support tool and a tool for professional development. Rather than writing an article for the school newspaper, the students produced a video as part of their MBK411 news series. 

Under the direction of teacher Randy West, the students presented their video to the Chesterfield County School Board to show evidence of how teachers are incorporating blended learning into their classrooms. We’re thrilled that they also shared the video with us and we’d like to share it with the entire Edmodo Community.

Big shout out to Brittany, Brenton, Jeremiah, Joseph, Maricela, Kane, Linda and Joshua for doing an amazing job producing the video!

 

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2013/04/05/high-school-students-showcase-how-edmodo-promotes-blended-learning-video/feed/ 3 Students Cast Their Vote for President http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/11/05/students-cast-their-vote-for-president/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/11/05/students-cast-their-vote-for-president/#comments Mon, 05 Nov 2012 23:00:40 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=8327 Last week, we launched Edmodo Votes as a way for your students to participate in this year’s election. We asked Edmodo educators to poll their students, in advance of election day, on who they think should be our next president.

Today, the results are in! Votes have been tallied and the following shows the breakdown of how students would vote in this year’s election*:

Will students’ opinions match the results of the election? We’ll have to wait and see tomorrow.

If you’re curious about how swing states voted on Edmodo, here are the results by state:

In addition to the Edmodo Votes initiative we also took a look at how students were talking about key election issues.  The following is a breakdown of what issues were being talked about most on Edmodo by both teachers and students.

Big thanks to everyone who participated in Edmodo Votes! We were overwhelmed by the number of responses and excited to see so many educators engaging their students around the democratic process, civic responsibility, and what it means to be a well-informed citizen.

View our previous post The Election and the Student Perspective, for a look a breakdown of how students were talking about each candidate on Edmodo.

*Polls were administered on Edmodo by teachers. The outcome represents a portion of students and is not reflective of the entire Edmodo student population.

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/11/05/students-cast-their-vote-for-president/feed/ 40 Election 2012: 12 Questions to Engage Students in the Debate http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/19/election-2012-12-questions-to-engage-students-in-the-debate/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/19/election-2012-12-questions-to-engage-students-in-the-debate/#comments Fri, 19 Oct 2012 23:17:41 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=8198 The final presidential debate takes place on Monday and today we’ve got 12 sample questions you can ask your students before the debate! Choose one or more of the following questions and post them in your Edmodo group for students to respond to. If you have additional ideas to share, or you want to access more election resources, join the Election Insights Community.

Sample Discussion Questions

  1. What was your favorite moment in the presidential debate?
  2. Which candidate seemed the most prepared to answer questions?
  3. Do you think that two minutes is long enough to answer a debate question?
  4. Why would a candidate choose to present his opening statement first, if he won the coin toss?
  5. What would be the advantage in having the last word in a presidential debate?
  6. When one candidate is talking, what types of facial expressions and body language did each candidate use and why?
  7. Which candidate seemed to deliver his answers with more emotion?
  8. Did any candidate tell a story about a person impacted by a particular campaign issue? Was that story meaningful to you?
  9. Did the incumbent (candidate currently in office) seem more or less confident during the debate and why?
  10. Did anything said by either candidate change your mind on a particular issue?
  11. Do you think each candidate was respectful of his opponent, the moderator and the audience? Why or why not?
  12. What would be challenging about airing a presidential debate on live television?
]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/19/election-2012-12-questions-to-engage-students-in-the-debate/feed/ 12 Election 2012: Polling Students via Edmodo http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/10/election-2012-polling-students-via-edmodo/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/10/election-2012-polling-students-via-edmodo/#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:49:54 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=8105 The next presidential debate is tomorrow evening! This second round of debates will feature Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan. To help you get your students involved and spark discussion in the classroom, we’ve put together directions on how to poll your students (a great way to engage them before, during and after the debates), as well as sample poll questions to provide students.

For more election related ideas and resources, join our Election Insights Community.

To create an Edmodo Poll:

1. Select “Poll”

2. Type in your poll question, or copy and paste one of the sample poll questions listed at the end of this post.

3. Type in the poll answer options.

4. In the “send to” field, type in the name of the group you want to send it to, then hit send to publish your poll.

Remember that all poll responses are anonymous. Students can select the “reply” option below the poll to add their thoughts and participate in discussion.

Sample poll questions:

Prompt discussion in your classroom by posting one or more of the following poll questions:
Tip: Tag your polls with the hashtag listed. We’ll aggregate responses to see how Edmodo students responded!

  • Overall, who do you feel did a better job in this debate? #debate [Biden/Ryan]
  • Which candidate did you feel used facts and expert opinion best to support his points? #facts [Biden/Ryan]
  • Which candidate spoke best? i.e. clear, organized, pleasant manner #speaker [Biden/Ryan]
  • Which candidate did you feel focused on the most pressing issues? #issues [Biden/Ryan]
  • Did you think the debate moderator was fair to both candidates? #fair [yes/no]

Do you have ideas for poll questions that you want to share? Add them in the comments or share them in the Election Insights Community.

 

 

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/10/election-2012-polling-students-via-edmodo/feed/ 5 Election 2012: Debate Activities for all Subject Areas http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/02/election-2012-debate-activities-for-all-subject-areas/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/02/election-2012-debate-activities-for-all-subject-areas/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:53:55 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=7905 The presidential debates start this Wednesday, October 3, and we’ve pulled together activities for each subject area to help you engage students. All activities and resources are listed in our Election Insights Community, with a few samples highlighted below.

Join the community and view the “Collection” area for additional resources. Please share your favorites as well.

Social Studies - Host a backchannel discussion on Edmodo during the debates. Have students login to Edmodo from their home computer, laptop or mobile device. Within your group, post discussion questions and thought starters in real-time and allow students to respond.

Language Arts – Have students use this debate viewing guide to rate each candidate during the debate. Post the reflection questions (listed within the guide) in your Edmodo group for students to discuss.

Have access to Edmodo Apps? Download the free Votes Blasts app from StudySync and use it with the Votes Blasts lesson plan.

Science – Help students understand our Earth’s energy sources and alternative energy sources with The Great Energy Debate lesson plan. Use the small groups feature to host your own in-class debate on Edmodo and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy.

Math – Use this Analyzing Election Data activity to get students thinking about quantitative data and statistics. After Wednesday’s debate, ask students to share a statistic stated by a candidate and have them share their findings in your Edmodo group.

A fun activity for all subject areas – Debate Bingo! Look for the bingo cards in the Collections folder of the Election Insights Community.

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/10/02/election-2012-debate-activities-for-all-subject-areas/feed/ 9 Election 2012: 3 Ways to Engage Students through Edmodo http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/24/2012-elections-3-ways-to-engage-students-through-edmodo/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/24/2012-elections-3-ways-to-engage-students-through-edmodo/#comments Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:48:36 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=7897 Edmodo is a great platform to engage your students in this year’s electoral process. Take advantage of the following features to help you integrate election-related activities:

1. Polls
Use the Edmodo polling feature to gauge your students on select topics. Sample polling questions include:

  • Which issue do you think is the most important for this year’s election? (choices: Jobs, National debt, Taxes, Health care, Education, Immigration, Foreign Policy, Social Security/Medicare, Gun Control,  Government reform, Energy & Environment, Local & National Security, Equality) – Reply in the comments with why you think that issue is most important.
  • What do you think is the most important characteristic in a President? (choices: honesty, leadership, competent in governing, integrity, listens to the people, charisma) – Reply in the comments explaining why you chose that characteristic.

For more ideas, join our Election Insights Community.

2. Small Groups
Using the small groups feature, host an in-class or cross-classroom debate.

  • To start, choose a particular issue for students to debate. CNN has a great list of key issues and each presidential candidate’s stance.
  • Create a new group called “Debate”, then create two small groups within that group and divide students accordingly. Assign each small group a specific stance on the chosen issue.
  • Have students research the issue. Within their small group, student can discuss and post their finding, without the opposing group being able to view.
  • Within the main debate group, post discussion prompts that the students can respond to and debate.

Learn how to create Small Groups

3. Edmodo Apps
The Edmodo Apps Store has a selection of election-related apps. Try one of the apps that are currently available:

  • GoAnimate Election 2012 - This free app is a starter kit, featuring GoAnimate’s Election 2012 Quick Video Maker. Available for free in the Edmodo Apps Store.
  • Win the White House - Running for the presidency isn’t easy! In Win the White House, players manage their very own presidential campaign. Available in the Edmodo Apps Store – $3.00 for an unlimited license
  • Voters Ed - An interactive teaching tool about the Electoral College, Voters Ed allows users to predict our next president and more. Available in the Edmodo Apps Store – $9.99 per group
  • TEQ Election Map - Turn your classroom into Election Center 2012! This interactive U.S. map can display customized Electoral College results. Available in the Edmodo Apps Store – $3 per group
  • Study Sync VOTES Blasts - Participate in an election-based discussion on relevant campaign topics and encourage regular, short answer writing with VOTES Blasts. Available for free in the Edmodo Apps Store.

Do you have any election-related activities to share? Post to our Election Insights Community!

 

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/24/2012-elections-3-ways-to-engage-students-through-edmodo/feed/ 1 Join the Election Insights Community http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/14/join-the-election-insights-community/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/14/join-the-election-insights-community/#comments Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:15:54 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=7821 Edmodo is pleased to announce the launch of the Election Insights Community!

This is an exciting new resource for you to help your students understand the election process and follow the presidential debates. The Election Insights Community will provide you access to new insights and the tools you need to engage your students, including:

  • Access to lesson ideas and teaching aids designed to engage students around the electoral process
  • Data and insights generated from student conversations happening across the country
  • Discussion starters to encourage meaningful dialogue

Join the Community now and help us spread the word!

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/14/join-the-election-insights-community/feed/ 2 Edmodo Reaches 10 Million Users http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/11/edmodo-reaches-10-million-users/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/11/edmodo-reaches-10-million-users/#comments Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:56:36 +0000 Lucia Giacomantonio http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=7805 Today we are pleased to announce that Edmodo has reached a new milestone – we now have over 10 million users! To celebrate this exciting milestone, we pulled together the following infographic with some cool facts about Edmodo.

A big thanks to all the educators around the globe that have helped make Edmodo the largest, fastest growing social platform for education!

[click image to enlarge]

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/09/11/edmodo-reaches-10-million-users/feed/ 11 Student 2.0: The Power of Peer Feedback- Bringing out the Best in Every Student http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/10/14/student-2-0-the-power-of-peer-feedback-bringing-out-the-best-in-every-student/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/10/14/student-2-0-the-power-of-peer-feedback-bringing-out-the-best-in-every-student/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:01:09 +0000 Edmodo http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=4822 In our continued series from Kristen Sigler’s class at TEAM Academy charter school, this week 5th grader Daniel Velez shares his first experience presenting in front of a group, and how feedback from his classmates helped him recognize his strengths and learn from his mistakes.  I love this post.  I love that Daniel was nervous, but did it anyways.  I love that his classmates supported him in such a positive way.  It’s moments like these  - the small classroom victories that help students see the best in themselves –that teachers live for. Thanks Daniel for a great end to the week!

****

Hello my name is Daniel Velez Jr. I am in 5th grade.  The school I go to is TEAM Academy. Yesterday I gave a presentation for my restaurant business plan. My restaurant’s name is “Jackson 5 Café” named after the Jackson 5. They are my favorite music group.

  

At my restaurant we serve special types of food like organic food for kids who are allergic to regular food and low fat food for grown up and kids who are watching what they eat. At my restaurant we have 62 inch TV’s that show any type of Jackson 5 cartoon or music. When I presented my restaurant business plan to my class, I used to the program called “Prezi”. When I presented my TEAM mates were giving me feedback on Edmodo to what should I do better in my presentation.

  

After I presented I read the feedback and what happened when I was presenting my Prezi is that I was giving great eye contact, I was confident in what I was saying. I messed up on some of my words, so my TEAM mates let me know through an Edmodo message, so I could fix it. This was helpful with all that information that I did wrong, storing that in my brain, so that way next time I will be  able  to  do  better  on  my  prezi  and  it  will be  a  little more interested. I also used Edmodo by uploading my Prezi so that I had a backup in case my computer didn’t work. For my prezi I had to come to school  with business dress clothes, so that made me, even feel more confident in what I was going to say, and it made me feel more professional. When I had to go up in front of the class I felt nervous and I had butterflies in my stomach, but as I started speaking I became less nervous, and more confident. What I liked best about this project is that it was very creative, and when my teacher told me about it I went on it and I made a restaurant and some things that I am going to keep with me forever is that no matter how old or how young are you,  you always can be creative, and you can always discover new things.

]]> http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/10/14/student-2-0-the-power-of-peer-feedback-bringing-out-the-best-in-every-student/feed/ 4 Student 2.0: Positive Digital Footprints and College Planning http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/10/09/student-2-0-positive-digital-footprints-and-college-planning/ http://blog.edmodo.com/2011/10/09/student-2-0-positive-digital-footprints-and-college-planning/#comments Sun, 09 Oct 2011 06:46:17 +0000 Edmodo http://blog.edmodo.com/?p=4762 More insight from Kristen Sigler‘s class at TEAM Academy Charter School in Newark New Jersey on how they use technology to prepare students for the connected world in which we live. Today’s post is by 8th grade student Saheed Seabury.

***

My name is Saheed and my tech class has been doing a unit about how to try to get into really good colleges. So far in this unit we have been fixing our Facebook page and making it more proper for any interviews that we go into because many college admissions people will be looking for us through our Facebook page. We want to make sure we are keeping a positive digital footprint. Any inappropriate things can hurt our chances of getting into a good school. We have researched ways that people have gotten in trouble or fired from inappropriate messages and pictures on Facebook. We also have learned how Facebook can HELP us through networking. We are allowed to go on Facebook at school because it gives us a chance to give our profiles a makeover :) We are learning how to take control and make our online footprint a positive one!

Today in class we were working on looking up any types of questions that we might be asked during any interviews that we might be in (but mainly college). We had used microsoft word to help us organize the findings of the questions and made our answers to the questions that might be asked, we did this by making a chart to all of the questions that might be asked and answered the questions.

After researching the questions that might be asked we would use Edmodo to post the questions and answers that we had answered. Using Edmodo helps us to post any types of questions to the lesson that went on that day and to post different projects that we need to get done.

I was able to look at my TEAMmate’s work and give them feedback.

I’m not done with my research about what types of questions people will ask me when I’m trying to get into college YET, so I will download my word document at home so I can continue to work on it.

Well, I gotta go!

Peace.

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