Edmodo webinar!

OMG!  I just participated in a wonderful webinar with edmodo!  What is really cool is that you are able to ask questions throughout and afterwards to get help as needed!  Lucia was wonderful presenting and explaining!  I am so jazzed about edmodo--where have I been all those years teaching...in all fairness it started in 2008 so I didn't have that much time--I quit shortly after started.  Anyway, things I think are important...

subgroups--under "manage" you can form these.  When you are done with a group archive it so not in the way.  I love the idea of forming science lab groups, literature circle subgroups, etc....  This is a great option for groups to collaborate amongst each other rather than the whole group!  I think this can also provide some great one-on-one discussions between teachers and small groups as well!

parent accounts--great way for parents to get involved but without complete access.  They can see their student's calendar, assignments, grades, and direct messages from teacher to them or their student.  They can only reply to teacher or student.  You have to go under the manage stuff and get the parent code and send it to them then from the sign in page they create their own account...they can also include their children from multiple grades or teachers.  Pretty neat.

things to come--they are working on moderated and thread comments for the future.  Moderated just means that the comments have to be approved before posting and the thread has to do with replying to a specific post rather than the entire group...so it will hopefully look more like several discussions are taking place rather than having to sift through all the posts!  Love it!

Grade Book--you can export these scores into an excel sheet and then into school grading systems apparently.  (would have to try it to see if it is that easy)  I also love that you could add other scores into the Edmodo grade book that weren't directly assigned within Edmodo!  Essentially, you could have your grade book right here...why will schools even need their own system when this is available for free?  Crazy! 

Well, I can't wait to take another webinar tomorrow!  I am learning so much...boy I need my own classroom!  Can we say excited?!?!?!?  Off to eat lunch!