GREENVILLE, N.C. - Fifth graders in Elmhurst Elementary School’s Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) class are raving about a social networking site called Edmodo.
"These are all sorts of people from all over the county on the site, over 450 people I believe,” said Paul Simiyu, a student in the AIG class.
The site operates similar to Facebook, but provides a safe environment for kids to interact.
"It’s better than going to Facebook and just talking about anything. you have to talk about certain subjects, so nothing offensive comes up," said Tomoki Tashiro an AIG student.
Students use the site to have conversations about schoolwork.
"If you have a question about an assignment or you didn't get an assignment you can go on and ask did we have any homework or something,” said Aeryn Parker who is also in the AIG class.
The site is only open to students, parents, and teachers and is closely monitored.
Selena Chen is also an AIG 5th grader. She explained the rules.
"You can only talk about school related topics, like you can't talk about what you did this weekend or where you're going for vacation or something like that."
Social networking isn't the only way Pitt County is working to educate kids growing up in the digital generation. They also use the iPad and the iTouch to engage students in classroom studies.
“It's very motivating to put an iPod Touch in their hands and there are so many educational apps you can use with those and so many educational websites that are free so we're preparing them for the world,” said Suzanne Hachmeister the AIG teacher at Elmhurst Elementary School.
Tim DeCresie is the technology and media coordinator for Pitt County Schools. He says advancing with the times is the only way to keep students engaged.
“This is the world they grow up in,” said DeCresie. “So unless as teachers we get into their world we can't teach them what it is we know. We have to come on their terms, and their terms are technology.”
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