Well I've started experimenting with using facebook with students. I have set them up groups within a facebook account that I use for teaching purposes Elearning English. From these facebook groups I am giving instructions on how to create a blog and then posting new post blogs whenever I have further instructions on what to do and also encouraging any kind of interaction I can on the group.
I had decided to use facebook groups with my more advanced students and continue with edmodo with my intermediate students but I am already regretting it. This is because it didn't occur to me the age range of my students. The students I have in my lower groups are younger and therefore more likely to be (almost) digital natives I've realised that in fact the level of English wouldn't have made it more complex for the students to use facebook but there abilities using computers and social networks would.
So it's been a great learning curve for me already I think my more maturer students maybe would have enjoyed the simplicity and neatness of edmodo whereas the younger ones would have had great fun interacting on facebook. Ah well we live and learn I will leave it as it is now to maintain continuity but next semester or perhaps next year I will for sure reconsider my strategy.
Now what I need to start considering is how I will ensure the groups continue smoothly if I continue with the same group, as often we lose and gain new students every semester so how will I integrate the new students into the group without too much disturbance...?
Anyway watch this space for my posts that will come directly from my posterous blog that I use with my students and please all comments and suggestions appreciated.
I had decided to use facebook groups with my more advanced students and continue with edmodo with my intermediate students but I am already regretting it. This is because it didn't occur to me the age range of my students. The students I have in my lower groups are younger and therefore more likely to be (almost) digital natives I've realised that in fact the level of English wouldn't have made it more complex for the students to use facebook but there abilities using computers and social networks would.
So it's been a great learning curve for me already I think my more maturer students maybe would have enjoyed the simplicity and neatness of edmodo whereas the younger ones would have had great fun interacting on facebook. Ah well we live and learn I will leave it as it is now to maintain continuity but next semester or perhaps next year I will for sure reconsider my strategy.
Now what I need to start considering is how I will ensure the groups continue smoothly if I continue with the same group, as often we lose and gain new students every semester so how will I integrate the new students into the group without too much disturbance...?
Anyway watch this space for my posts that will come directly from my posterous blog that I use with my students and please all comments and suggestions appreciated.
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