# data[].attributes.body
Finding a quiet space can be difficult when your entire household is also working from home. Please post photos and tips for setting up your spaces.

For example, setting up a privacy screen to provide a sense of separation in a shared home office.

# data[].attributes.body
What are some creative ways you can use your iPad to support your work?

Using iPad as a second screen:
One way is to use it as a second screen. With a macbook or iMac you can easily add it as an extended monitor by logging in to the same apple id on both devices.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380

If you have a PC laptop you can use your iPad to login to view or display documents.

# data[].attributes.headline
Using an iPad or smart device as a document camera

# data[].attributes.subject
Using an iPad or smart device as a document camera

# data[].attributes.body
Login to your virtual meeting (e.g. Zoom, GoogleMeet, etc.) as a second person using your smart device. Use that second device to display your document. On Zoom, you can "spotlight" your second device so that it is displayed on large screen. You can be creative on how to prop your smart device. There are many examples online.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Since remote learning started this past spring, Bitmojis have taken the education community by storm.

Available through the Bitmoji app, these customizable, mini-me avatars have become stand-in teachers running virtual classrooms, enforcing rules and expectations, collecting assignments-and making students smile, we've heard. Simply put, they're fun.

Amber Weaver, a second-grade teacher in Louisville, Kentucky, says she likes that her Bitmoji classroom-a virtual replica of her real one-makes resources like the school calendar easily accessible to her young students and provides them with a sense of virtual familiarity and stability during a tough time.

But not everyone is a fan of the Bitmoji craze. Some educators believe that they're a distracting fad and that teachers should be focusing more on creating effective lessons and supporting students' well-being instead of creating cutesy virtual classrooms, according to an article in Education Week. They also claim that Bitmoji resources raise issues of digital equity, as not all students have easy access to the internet or to digital devices to use them. Proponents counter that effective instruction and Bitmojis aren't mutually exclusive, and say they're broadly helpful in engaging students in virtual learning.

As teachers prepare for the fall, many are considering ways to bridge virtual and hands-on learning to keep kids engaged-and Bitmoji may provide the leg up to do so. We talked to more than 50 K-12 educators about how they're using Bitmoji and gathered links to their resources that you can download and customize for your own use.

Getting Started

To get started creating your Bitmoji universe, you need to download the app (available for iPhone and Android) and create your Bitmoji by selecting physical features like hair and eye color and an outfit. After creating your character, you can cast it in a huge array of activities, such as reading, dancing gleefully, or even eating a sandwich.

Next, download the Google Chrome extension, which allows you to choose a favorite image of your Bitmoji-perhaps your doppelganger washing its hands or saying "hello"-to copy and paste it into whatever format you'd like, such as Google Slides where you host your virtual classroom.

For inspiration, Facebook groups like Bitmoji Craze for Educators offer a range of templates and tutorials that show newbies the ropes, like this step-by-step video tutorial on setting up a Bitmoji classroom, and hacks that inspire veterans with new ideas. And of course, the examples below are a great starting point.
Note: Most of the examples mentioned in this article are linked to templates that can be downloaded. One type of link goes directly to a copy that can be customized to your heart's desire. The other goes to an open Google Slide. If taken there, click "File," pause your cursor over "Make a copy," and select "Entire presentation." From there, it's yours.
Bitmoji Classrooms

The most popular use of Bitmojis in education is for creating virtual classrooms, or virtual learning hubs (typically hosted on Google Slides, which can be integrated into a learning management system (LMS) like Seesaw, Google Classroom, or Schoology) where teachers post classroom materials and resources for students. Every teacher's Bitmoji classroom is unique. Some teachers have made them resemble their real-life classrooms or homes, while others have leaned toward fantasy.

Kindergarten teacher Sara Hannah's Bitmoji classroom looks a lot like her real classroom, she says, but with some elements of fun. In the virtual room, clickable icons link to assignments, games, read-alouds, and short video lessons-even the virtual cats are clickable. Incorporating Bitmojis has created more excitement around classes, which she says helps motivate students in virtual learning.

Brittney Harvey, an elementary school-certified occupational therapist assistant, created an occupational therapy room for her students in Oklahoma. The virtual room links to resources like Zoom for one-on-one sessions, pre-writing video lessons, and GoNoodle-a video library filled with exercises that help Harvey's students develop gross motor skills.

The Bitmoji classroom isn't limited to core subjects. Educators have created Bitmoji classrooms for at-home recess (grades pre-K-3), art classes (first grade), and maker spaces (grades K-6).

Setting Expectations and Norms

Teachers say they've found that Bitmojis can be a helpful (and fun) way to get students to remember the rules and expectations in their virtual classrooms.

Jillian Graham, a high school math teacher from Fort Mill, South Carolina, created norms around how to act during Google Meet classes and used her Bitmoji character to remind students about them, for example. While her students waited to join a Google Meet session, they saw her Bitmoji explaining how they should act on video calls with instructions like "dress appropriately" and "be an active participant."

Aimee Wilson, a 10th-grade U.S. government and English teacher, on the other hand, created a Bitmoji cell phone policy poster that outlined when it is and isn't OK to use a cell phone, while Brandi Dudley, a first- and second-grade teacher in California, created Bitmoji Covid-19 posters to remind her students of protective measures like handwashing.

Bitmoji Libraries

Many educators say they are using Bitmoji to create "libraries," or virtual bookshelves, linked to video read-alouds, PDFs, and digital books.

Cammie Duval, an elementary school teacher in Milwaukie, Oregon, created a K-2 growth mindset library for her district, for example, and has 29 libraries in total on different themes like " Mad Scientist," which have been downloaded as templates more than 90,000 times by teachers. To stimulate excitement, Duval hides a digital worm ("a bookworm") in every library that kids can search for as they peruse the books.

"Most of my students cannot read and don't have family members who have a lot of time to read with them," says Duval of the benefits of the digital read-alouds. "Bitmoji libraries give those kids the ability to fall in love with reading at home by themselves."

In light of recent events, some educators have been inspired to create libraries with a host of diverse books. Overcome with emotion after the murder of George Floyd, Tracey Burton, a pre-K-5 technology teacher in Ishpeming, Michigan, created a Bitmoji library that houses VideoLink links-YouTube links without the ads-that connect to read-alouds of books about different races and cultures like Mixed Me and Too Many Tamales.

"I didn't think I could change the world, but I do feel like I [can] make a change," says Burton. "Reading about other cultures makes the world smaller and more connected."

Relationship-Building Activities

Other educators have found that Bitmojis can play a role in building relationships and making deeper connections with their students from afar.

Last spring, Angie Baton Ritenour, a fourth-grade teacher in Farmington, Michigan, collaborated with two grade-level colleagues to create an iSpy Bitmoji room, which they used during a video call to get students more engaged in remote learning. They filled the virtual room to the brim with objects, like photos of students and items from their classrooms. During the video call, students took turns saying "I spy with my little eye...," and their peers had to guess what object they had picked-helping students build connections with one another.

And Amanda Wells says she plans on having her eighth-grade students complete an All About Me Bitmoji assignment so she can get to know them better this fall. On a templated Google Slide, students will share their interests coupled with a drawing or photo, such as a drawing of them playing with their dog, and write two complete sentences explaining why they enjoy each activity.

While some educators argue that teachers should be spending their time on developing engaging lessons rather than creating superfluous Bitmoji resources, educators have proved that they can do both.

Laura Hoomes, a kindergarten teacher in Huntsville, Alabama, says she's spent more time planning this summer than in previous ones, having already created over 40 Bitmoji libraries to use next year. She's also created home learning kits, weekly at-home crafts, and 22 center games for each of her students-none of which are Bitmoji-to give students a range of activities to choose from.

"I have two young kids, so it's mostly what I can accomplish at night after they go to bed!" says Holmes. "I'm just trying to be ready for virtual kindergarten."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Educators Turn to Bitmoji to Build Community and Engagement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Both fun and practical, Bitmoji classrooms are adding some levity to fall planning this year.

# data[].attributes.body
Step 1:
Find classmates who want to create a group. It is easier if you are a cohort or have a class in common to unify your goals.
Step 2:
Identify goals of the group.
Step 3:
Figure out logistics - the when, where, and how
Step 4:
Stay on the same page!

Check out additional resources and notes from University of British Columbia Website.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When you practice and teach others course material, it is easier to remember the information and recall it later on.

Point them to the learning pyramid to help them understand how it might be helpful. An effective study group consists of 3 or 4 members (no more than 5).

Ask your instructor if it would be possible for them to send out an email to connect interested students. Alternatively, set up a group on social media for your classmates to join. Many courses also offer discussion boards, whether on Canvas or Piazza. You can message any classmate you think might be interested as well!

If you're meeting in person, schedule a time that works for all of you. If you're considering sticking to online meet-ups, decide on an app or platform that will work best for everyone, whether that's Discord, Facebook, or Microsoft Teams (which UBC students can access for free!). Set up your first call and make sure to turn your video on-you'll want to see everyone's face!

Create an agenda for your first meeting to keep things on track. As a group, consider:

Your goals and motivations for being in a study group

Your learning preferences

Get everyone to write down:

Preferred frequencies of meet-ups during the term (e.g. once per week, twice per week)

Meet-up times that would work schedule-wise (e.g. Tuesdays 12-1 pm, Wednesay 7-8 pm)-consider using Doodle to identify possible times

Preferred modes of communication outside of meet-up times (e.g. Messenger, Microsoft Teams, or text)

Review your responses together and finalize what works best for the group.

Though possibly awkward, make sure to discuss:

How meet-ups will be arranged (e.g. is someone in charge of scheduling them?)

Expectations such as attendance and preparations

Possible actions to take should someone be unable to meet the expectations (e.g. a reminder is given to a member who does not come prepared, then, should it happen again, they are no longer a member)

Systems for evenly dividing the weekly lectures among group members so everyone gets to contribute-each subgroup (aka lecture summarizers) summarizes key concepts and creates a one-page summary in advance of the subsequent meet-up

Learning at university might feel challenging. Check in with your group to see if anyone needs additional support and, if so, help share resources we have at and beyond UBC.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips for Starting a Successful Study Group

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When you practice and teach others course material, it is easier to remember the information and recall it later on. You've likely heard that study groups are a good idea, but do you know why they are? There are a few keys to making study groups productive and efficient (and not just another outlet of your precious minutes).

# data[].attributes.body
Videos curated by Lara Ervin-Kassab.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bytes! S02E06 || 5 Ice-breaker Games To Play On Zoom

# data[].attributes.body
A 1hr 25min overview of Cycle 1 by the CTC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing