Edmodo VS Schoology

    Okay, so I just figure out Twitter and Diigo (which was easier than I thought by the way) and now I have to move on to Edmodo and Schoology; whew! I guess if I was actually in the classroom, I would have more knowledge of resources and tools like these, but, since I am not, I had no clue! So I begin signing up for accounts and playing/navigating through the new sites.
I realized two things:
1. There really is Facebook for Teachers!
2. While both have basically the same features, they are set-up very differently!

Take a look at what I mean:

    I was not familiar with Edmodo or Schoology, however, after "playing" with them both over the past few days, I feel that Schoology is easier to navigate and is more tailored to my organizational thought process ( I am slightly OCD). While I do not currently have students to use this with, I think it will be a great tool to use in the future when I am in the classroom. I will be able to create quizzes, assignments, and discussions for the students to participate in. It will also be a great communication tool for the students; imagine their faces when they see that there is an "educational Facebook". The layout of Schoology is easy to follow. The tabs are labeled well and the resources section allows for organization within the section. I found it very hassle free to upload videos, insert pictures, and connect links in Schoology.

Why Schoology?

    Edmodo felt overwhelming to me not only the first time I logged in, but each time thereafter. One thing I did like about Edmodo was the Snapshot feature (generated Common Core based quizzes which the system grades for you). I feel that this would be beneficial in the classroom to see where students are in regards to certain standards and results would guide me with lesson planning in order to meet the needs of all students.

Why Edmodo?

 

    The choice is yours, what works best for you, your students, your classroom, your school, your community? You may choose to use certain pieces of both, however, that may become challenging.

    All that being said, I will definitely use one of these sites in the classroom and in labs to get students engaged and involved in their learning. However, I know that the reality is that some students/families/homes (yes, even in this technology driven world) do not have computers or internet access. I will not use either one of these as my only communication, grading, quiz, or assignment tool. I do not feel that it is fair to ask/expect students and families to have to go somewhere else nightly to complete assignments. I want to be sure that I know my students and families and that they all feel welcome and comfortable with the activities and communication in (and out of) the classroom.