The Opportunity In 2015, SINADEP-SNTE – the largest teachers’ union in Mexico – started an outreach program offering professional development and new educational tools to their members. However, they lacked an effective way to connect the 1.4 million teachers in their organization and allow them to pool resources in order to improve their credentials and build knowledge collectively.

They also wanted to extend tools to help students and parents. Based on the positive experiences of SINADEP members who were already using Edmodo, as well as the desire to be part of the largest educational network worldwide, the union launched a pilot program, implementing Edmodo at 146 schools in the state of Puebla.

The SINADEP members identified the following needs with school directors that they sought to achieve through Edmodo:

• Improve teacher credentials

• Improve academic results

• Incorporate technology in class as a way to engage students

The SolutionFor ease of use, Edmodo built a Single Sign-On system where SINADEP members could get to the learning platform through the union’s website, allowing them access to instruction and learning tools. Edmodo also set up a page for SINADEP members to communicate within professional development groups for personalized and targeted instruction—including a repository where members can upload content to share with other teachers.

For the implementation at schools throughout Puebla, Edmodo relied on a “train the trainers” method where teachers were selected as ambassadors of each school to learn the program, then went back to train their colleagues and to help them understand and use Edmodo in their daily activities and according to their specific needs.

Case Study

edmodo.com/admins

Teachers collaborate for professional development, and student success.

146 schools

1,300 teachers

16,500 students

AT A GLANCE

Puebla, Mexico

SINADEP-Edmodo - The Experience in Puebla

The ResultsWithin six months, more than 10,000 teachers have signed up for the SINADEP- Edmodo portal so far, and about 20,000 students have joined Edmodo through teacher invitation, taking the platform from the organization level to the classroom.

Puebla teacher Carlos Martinez has seen a dramatic change in student engagement as a result of the software. “Before using Edmodo, only about 50% of my students handed in their homework on time. Now, through the Assignments feature, almost 90% of them hand in the activities on time,” he said.

The platform has enabled teachers like Martinez to gear the classroom environment more focused on student needs—something the students can attest to.

“If I miss school for some reason I don’t fall behind, because I can go to Edmodo and still hand in my homework,” said Lorena García, a student at Secundaria Técnica 104.

Yoselin Nieto, a teacher at Secundaria Técnica 104, was surprised by how quickly students adapted themselves to using Edmodo every day, and how it draws more participation and feedback from her students. “I posted three questions on the platform for them to familiarize with it and immediately they sent their answers, comments and feedback,” she said.

Teachers in Puebla have also actively joined the professional development groups, and have been able to interact with fellow teachers from all over Mexico.

“This is a huge opportunity to collaborate and share experiences, resources and promote what we do in our schools in order to have socially-built knowledge,” said Alejandro Flores Pacheco, a member of the union.

What’s NextIn addition to professional development, SINADEP seeks to extend the use of Edmodo to more students, and eventually parents, too. The group is currently working with Edmodo to replicate its successful examples throughout Mexico.

In the next six months, SINADEP-SNTE plans to deploy Edmodo at all secondary schools across the state, and to start implementing Edmodo in one or two more states of Mexico, facilitated by teachers who are already part of the SINADEP- Edmodo network—including 30 Edmodo Certified Trainers who recently completed their training.

Before using Edmodo, only about 50% of my students handed in

their homework on time. Now, through the Assignments feature,

almost 90% of them hand in the activities on time.

Carlos MartinezTeacher at Secundaria Técnica

edmodo.com/admins