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FEATURE: CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY


Creating your avatar I started this creative process with my avatar using the well-known app, Bitmoji. This app can be downloaded on any device through the app store. Simply create a login and begin. There is a toolbar at the bottom of the screen with a multitude of options for creating your cartoon- self. This process can either take you 30 seconds or 30 minutes, depending on how intricate you want to get. You can choose your hair colour, eyebrow shape, ear positioning, clothes and endless other details. Once you have made it, you can start to search for animations and cartoons either with surrounding images or just the avatar on its own. After finding your desired animation, simply click and save it to your device. The possibilities are endless! Since using it, I have not once been in a position where I cannot find something I am looking for. I have used these for a range of curriculum subjects, for diverse topics and I have found at least one suitable for each. They are such a great addition to add to your virtual lessons to show your personality and portray your emotions, which can be difficult to show in an online environment. I have also found that by including them in my lessons, I am able to create a sense of collaboration and team spirit just as I would try to promote in the classroom in school.


Creating the ‘Virtual Classroom’ So, the next step would be to create your virtual classroom. Here is a whistle stop tour of how I created mine. Step one would be to decide on the program


you wish to use, the two most popular being PowerPoint and Google Slides. I created mine using Microsoft PowerPoint using a blank slide template. I then began to collate the images that I wanted for my scene. I collected these from Google Images, ensuring that they were available for reuse. You can do this by filtering your Google search. Simply click Tools -> Usage Rights -> Labelled for reuse. It can sometimes be frustrating when you can’t find that perfect image, but you don’t want a copyright violation added to your workload! I found my images through simple searches such as ‘white brick wall’, ‘wooden floor’ and ‘cartoon chair’. Step two requires building your virtual scene,


once you have collated the images you would like to include. I would recommend starting the background and then layering the objects on top. To change the order of images on your page simply right-click and select Bring Forward or Send Backward. Some images will require the background to be transparent to ensure that they can be layered seamlessly, you can do this by refining your Google Image search – Tools -> Colour -> Transparent or remove the background in the ‘Format’ section of PowerPoint or use removebg.co.uk – whichever works for you. Step three is to add in your final


details. Insert your Bitmoji and make sure your classroom space represents YOU. I personally have lots of plants on show as that is one of my secret obsessions! You can


March 2021


add text boxes, wall art or why not include links to activities or quizzes? And there you have it! Your very own virtual


space to use and adapt as necessary. Keep reading to see how I have adapted this space to use across the curriculum! Here is my classroom ready for a Topic lesson all about the Amazon rainforest!


Willingness to adapt In this ever-changing profession known as teaching, adaptability is a vital skill for all trainee teachers to build. Creating something unique to you which you can use within your teaching practice will not only show off your IT skills but will demonstrate a willingness to adapt to your surroundings. This is a favourable skill that employers seek in their teaching staff – as this year alone has demonstrated, is key to the role of being a teacher.


A collaborative environment Since using my virtual classroom, the participation in my online lessons has rocketed! The avatars and the small details, which you think might go un-noticed, have provided a topic for discussion and encouraged even the most reluctant of characters to join in with the conversation. I made avatars for other members of teaching and support staff within my phase and I always include them on my presentations. Again, this promotes a collaborative atmosphere and provides a sense of normality for the children.


Benefits of the virtual space So, what is the point to all of this creativity? Why is a virtual classroom such a valuable tool to add to your skillset as a student teacher/New teacher?


The ‘holding’ space Remember the days when all 30 children would come flooding into the classroom after break time and there would be a million and one things to sort out before you could begin teaching? Perhaps someone needed a plaster, or you needed time to give out resources? Well, in these usual circumstances, there would quite often be a task on the interactive whiteboard for the children to have a go at independently whilst I made sure everything was organised. I use my virtual classroom in a similar way, it acts as a ‘holding’ space. For example, in my live Maths lessons, I always put an independent activity on the whiteboard for the children to have a go at. This allows me a bit of breathing space to admit latecomers to the room, double check everyone is muted and everything else that technology requires! This then provides a discussion point to start the lesson… If you take anything from reading this it would


be to just create one slide that you can use over and over again in your live lessons, to avoid that awkward 3 minutes of a Zoom session. It has been tried and tested and it works! Here is an example of how I have used my


classroom to provide an activity to keep the children engaged at the beginning of a maths lesson.


A psychologically safe space As much as we try, no-one will ever understand how children are truly feeling about learning online. All we can do is try our best to support them! Sharing your virtual scene whilst teaching on Zoom can bring a sense of warmth to the online environment, instead of the children staring into the empty black squares. I have found that it makes the children feel relaxed when they join the lesson but still promotes good learning behaviour by keeping them on task.


The 3 C’s Colour, creativity and content. These are the three things I strive to achieve when creating a presentation for my live lessons. Some children in today’s society love to work and play games using a screen (iPad/phone); it is quite often a topic of conversation in the classroom! So, doesn’t it make sense to make our learning resources just as interesting and inviting?


Colour – Who wants to look at a blank screen for 30 minutes? Or even a presentation that is purely black and white? Of course, there is sometimes a place for this but to engage children and motivate them to learn, colour is key.


Creativity – Now that you’ve made your virtual classroom and your avatar, get creative! How can you incorporate these into your daily lessons? How can they be used to increase participation in your lessons?


Content - Your virtual classroom is of course editable so keep that creativity flowing. I like to change my main virtual space every week, either adding in an additional detail, moving furniture or even bringing in a pet! I even like to adapt it to suit the curriculum subject I am teaching…see here how I made some simple changes to transport the children to the world of Science!


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