Edmodo launches official app for Windows, offering a hybrid web experience for tablets

By Rich Edmonds
published

Edmodo is a popular online resource for teachers and students to connect and collaborate. The service didn't have official offerings on Windows or Windows Phone, leaving those with Microsoft-based hardware in the dark, but now the company has released an app for tablets and PCs. It's worth noting before we begin that this is a Windows 8 release (no Windows Phone just yet) and is a wrapped web experience matched with Windows 8.1 features - also known as hybrid apps.

Speaking about Windows 8.1 functionality, the developers have managed to include split screen support (snapping away), as well as integration with charms. While it may appear as a website on a screen, wrapped inside a Windows 8 app, it's a pretty neat experience unhindered by design choices. Check out some features listed on the store, if you're unfamiliar with Edmodo:

  • Create secure groups that take learning beyond the classroom
  • Connect and collaborate with students and fellow teachers
  • Foster and continue discussions outside of school hours
  • Post and turn in assignments, quizzes, polls, and more
  • Gauge student progress on grades 3-12 Math and ELA Common Core with Snapshot, a micro-assessment tool
  • Track progress and performance with a built-in gradebook
  • Upload and share files, photos, and videos
  • Create, award, and earn badges
  • Discover new resources

Edmodo

As noted above, it's a wrapper but it's an official brand. We're halfway there with solutions like these, folks.

Thanks, Jason, for the heads up!

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

17 Comments
  • I'm not sure the author knows what he is on about. He told us to abandon third party apps the other day simply because a first party developer released an app.
    & now a web wrapper is being praised? We shouldn't be praising developers for being lazy!! This is Windows - the biggest operating system in the world. To be happy with a third rate offering is just wrong IMO
  • This is why people shouldn't listen to "bloggers" and instead make up your own minds, unfortunately most people don't like to engage their brains......
  • It looks like facebook
  • Exactly! That's what I thought
  • It's basically marketed as "Facebook for Schools."   So, uh, they take that as a compliment.
  • That was the point, when the developers designed it. They wanted something that kids and parents could be familiar with, without a huge learning curve.
  • Web wrapping sucks - it is the laziest way to claim you have an app. It's like sending someone a browser link and calling it an app. The United and American airlines recently released "apps" for Win8 are what tuned me in to this scam. I tried using the United app - the only advantage it has over their web site is that it always remembers my login info. But it's not only the standard web site in a wrapper, but it's a bad one at that. The top of the screen is wasted as a banner telling you what page you are on and in effect makes the screen smaller (I guess they had to do this or you wouldn't even know you were using an "app" vs IE). But it is worse than the same web site through true IE, as the touch targets don't work and you can't touch drop down menus in the app - all stuff that works in IE on the same exact web site... So, ridiculously you have a modern app that forces use of the mouse!
  • I tend to instantly delete any apps that are web wrappers. IE on phone and tablet works far better than any crap web wrapper ever could.
    The only app I make an exception for is the BBC iPlayer - mainly because there is no other way to watch BBC catchup TV on Windows Phone. Still annoys me though!
    Are web developers just lazy, or is it actually quite difficult to develop for Windows Phone?
  • Eh. I have to use this for school, and it never seems to remember that I'm logged in, so I may as well try this.   It's a web wrapper, sure, but it seems to utilize things websites can't.
  • why are they refusing to go native? Do they make this choice on iOS and Android?
  • The Android app is really good, it lets you give/recieve notifications, get updates on assignments, etc.
  • Lol I thought this was about endomondo and you had to run around with your tablet/PC.
  • My initial thoughts exactly.
  • Same here, I thought it was typo initially.
  • We just started using edmodo in my school, and I felt left out that there was no edmodo app for windows. I hope it comes to phones soon
  • Maybe two years ago it would have helped me.. also If it was on my phone
  • Yay. Posted via Windows Phone Central App