Making The Most of Virtual and Bitmoji Classrooms

Here we are in Spring 2022, with many students back to in-person learning and a hefty dose of optimism that they stay that way. Remember those cute Bitmoji and Virtual Classrooms that were floating around the EDU web while learning was restricted to online only…? Well, they can still pack a punch and offer a heaping load of value in face-to-face environments. You can also see how my friend Sallie Powers, Kindergarten Teacher, uses them. PS: She totally rocked this tutorial! https://shorts.flipgrid.com/watch/22118842953892356

And here’s even better news. You can have one up and running in under 10-30 minutes. I made a 2 min tutorial on how to make the #BuffMagic happen with a little help from Canva and FlipGrid.

Specific examples of how virtual classrooms can benefit in-person classrooms:

• Visually appealing organization of class resources, assignments, and directions.
• One Link To Rule Them All – simplicity is key. Once students have the link to their virtual classroom…they have everything.
• Teacher Directions – if you know me, you know I’m a fanatic about student-centered classrooms, where teachers are taking more of a facilitator role. BUT, that requires training students to do more individually and with peers. That’s where those teacher created tutorials, examples, and other tools are helpful. This also means less repeating yourself during the day. Made easily with FlipGrid Camera, Screencastify, etc.
• Move On When Ready – a bored student can easily turn into a problem. These virtual classrooms can have dedicated sections of videos and other content where students can try out some new skills, while learning about other interesting topics. Example: How to Draw Videos
• Fun – yes, this is a benefit. I’ve played in many Learning Management Systems, and while efficient, they sometimes lack options for creative customization.