STAR'S REFLECTION - EDMODO

Hi everyone!! It's Paula and, as you may have noticed, for task 5 all members of the group are stars 🌟. 

Task 5 is called Ethics and Technologies in Education. The online tool I've chosen to evaluate is Edmodo. It is a very useful app that works like a virtual classroom. In this platform, teachers can upload content, quizzes, activities and games for the students. 

Let's dive into the two scales used to evaluate Edmodo: 

• The first scale is the rubric for eLearning Tool Evaluation.

Category	Criteria
Functionality	Scale	Works well, the tool can be scaled to accommodate any size class with the flexibility to create smaller sub-groups or communities of practice.
	Ease of Use	Works well, the tool has a user-friendly interface and it is easy for instructors and students to become skillful within a personalized and intuitive manner.
	Tech Support / Help Availability	Works well, campus-based technical support and /or help documentation is readily available and aids users in troubleshooting tasks or solving problems experienced; or, the tool provider offers a robust support platform
	Hypermediality	Works well, the tool allows users to communicate through different channels (audio, visual, textual) and allows for non-sequential, flexible/adaptive engagement with material
Accessibility	Accessibility standards	Works well, the tool meets accessibility guidelines.
	User-focused participation	Works well, the tool is designed to address the needs of diverse users, their various literacies, and capabilities, thereby widening opportunities for participation in learning
	Required Equipment	Works well, proper use of the tool does not require equipment beyond what is typically available to instructors and students (computer with built-in speakers and microphone, internet connection, etc.)
	Cost of Use	Works well, all aspects of the tool can be used free of charge.
Technical	Integration/ Embedding within a Learning Management System (LMS)	Not applicable, as the tool is the LMS itself.
	Desktop / Laptop Operating Systems	Works well, users can effectively utilize the tool with any standard, up-to-date operating system.
	Browser	Works well, users can effectively utilize the tool with any standard, up-to date browser
	Additional Downloads	Works well, users do not need to download additional software or browser extensions.
Mobile Design	Access	Works well, the tool can be accessed, either through the download of an app or via a mobile browser, regardless of the mobile operating system and device. Design of the mobile tool fully takes into consideration the constraints of a smaller-sized screen.
	Functionality	Minor concerns, even as there is no functional difference between the mobile and the desktop version (regardless of the device used to access it), there is a function (sending a message or an assignment to a classroom) which is only available on Android.
	Offline Access	Serious concerns, the mobile platform cannot be used in any capacity offline.
Privacy, Data Protection, and Rights	Sign Up/  Sign In	Minor concerns, the tool has been vetted through appropriate channels to ensure strict adherence to local, institutional, or personal policies/standards for protecting the collection and use of student personal data by a third-party group.
	Data Privacy and Ownership	Works well, users maintain ownership and copyright of their intellectual property/data; the user can keep data private and decide if / how data is to be shared.
	Archiving, Saving, and Exporting Data	Minor concerns, there are limitations to archiving, saving, or importing/exporting content or activity data
Social Presence	Collaboration	Works well, the tool has the capacity to support a community of learning through both asynchronous and synchronous opportunities for communication, interactivity, and transfer of meaning between users.
	User Accountability	Works well, instructors can control learner anonymity; the tool provides technical solutions for holding learners accountable for their actions.
	Diffusion	Works well, the tool is widely known and popular, it’s likely that most learners are familiar with the tool and have basic technical competence with it.
Teaching Presence	Facilitation	Works well, the tool has easy-to-use features that would significantly improve an instructor’s ability to be present with learners via active management, monitoring, engagement, and feedback.
	Customization	Works well, the tool is adaptable to its environment: easily customized to suit the classroom context and targeted learning outcomes.
	Learning Analytics	Works well, the instructor can monitor learners’ performance on a variety of responsive measures. These measures can be accessed through a user-friendly dashboard.
Cognitive Presence	Enhancement of Cognitive Task(s)	Minor concerns, the tool enables functional improvement to engagement in the targeted cognitive task(s), but those improvements are not inconceivable through other means.
	Higher Order Thinking	Works well, use of the tool easily facilitates learners to exercise higher-order thinking skills (considered design, facilitation, and direction from instructor).
	Metacognitive Engagement	Works well, through the tool, learners can regularly receive formative feedback on learning (i.e. they can track their performance, monitor their improvement, test their knowledge).

• The second analysis is provided by Privacy Common Sense: 

The scores of Edmodo in the different privacy categories are:

Data collection →65%

Data sharing →85%

Data security→ 55%

Data rights→ 65%

Data sold →40%

Data safety→ 55%

Ads and tracking →55%

Parental consent →65%

School purpose →50%

However, if you want to see the full analysis of Privacy Common Sence, you can click here to see the details. 

After doing this task, I've realized how important is to review thoroughly an application before putting it into use with the students. For example, I thought that Edmodo would be a more secure tool in terms of privacy as it is designated to use in a school context with underage students, so I was a bit shocked when I read carefully the privacy terms of the website. I'm sure I'll definitely use Privacy Common Sense and the rubric to review the online tools I will use when I get to work as a teacher because I've learned that even the most apparent trustworthy websites can have a privacy policy that does not adapt to the school context. 

Hope you liked this post!!

See you next week 👋😄.