An Instructional Approach to E-Learning

In March, Byram Hills shared its last day together as a District before orders required schools to close their doors for the remainder of the school year. Since then, the District has been working fervently to create, implement, and sustain a smart e-learning environment to suit the needs of students at every level. 

Here is a snapshot of Byram Hills e-learning. 


Elementary School

What We Know: Younger students are dependent upon their teachers for learning; therefore, parent and caregiver participation is crucial. Young students work towards independence but need guidance as they complete their work.  Independent work allows students in grades K-5 to begin taking ownership of their learning, which is key to development.  

What We Did: Teachers in every grade utilized Google Classroom, an e-learning management system that allows teachers to communicate directly with students, as well as post video recordings of themselves teaching the entire class or small groups.  In grades K-5, live sessions were flexible and tailored to the students’ learning plan, purpose, and need.

How It Worked: E-learning allowed students to complete assignments in unique ways.  Mathew Torre, a fourth-grader said, “I will always remember wearing my pajamas while I work and doing classwork while sitting in a tree one day.”

“My favorite part about e-learning has been working on my Seashore research project,” said Jack Vataj, a second-grader.  “I like using the e-resources to find cool books and videos about my favorite sea animal, the great white shark.”  


Middle School

What We Know: In grades six through eight, students are becoming more independent learners.  This holds true whether in the classroom environment or learning virtually.

What We Did: H.C. Crittenden implemented a schedule that allowed time for the different content areas, as well as individual student-teacher meetings. The schedule was differentiated by grade level and by team and incorporated the methods of blended learning. Parents and students accessed a portal to check on the status of students’ schoolwork, monitor quality, and view teachers’ feedback. In addition to keeping everyone updated, the portal assisted the students with organization and executive functioning. 

How It Worked:  At H.C. Crittenden students in Mrs. Smith’s science class conducted experiments and recorded their results on Flipgrid, a program allowing students to post videos that facilitate discussions about their work.  For example, Frank Cangelosi, a sixth-grader, recorded an experiment with an egg in salt water and another in tap water and demonstrated the reason why one floated and the other sank.  Frank said, “I liked doing the experiment at home because I could do it on my own time and the other kids could just watch my Flipgrid.”


High School 

What We Know: High school students work better with structure. With many traditional measures such as standardized tests canceled, they also needed grading procedures that accurately reflected their performance and showed them in their best light.

What We Did: At the high school level, expectations were still high. Teachers followed a structured schedule for launching their weekly assignments, and throughout the week they provided live classes, office hours, help sessions, and other ways for students to interact with them directly. Teachers and staff helped juniors and seniors complete college applications in new, creative ways that highlight their achievements and successes. 

How It Worked:  Without the pressure of standardized tests, there has been more time for project-based learning opportunities. Students in Mr. Lockwood’s Studio Music Production & Composition class were given an e-learning assignment to compose a song, analyze it, and then explain why it worked through a video presentation. The task was based on the popular YouTube series “What Makes This Song Great.”  “I enjoyed this assignment because it was different from anything we normally do,’’ said senior, Emery Cohen.  “We got to integrate technology in a fun and positive way.”


In Conclusion 

During this historical educational shift, students of different ages have adjusted to e-learning with different timelines and with different hurdles.  Students thrive in the live classroom setting and have experienced a separation from their school environment in significant ways. 

As second grade teacher, Mrs. Rowell concludes, “I think the greatest strength my students have shown during this strange time is flexibility and positivity.”  We look to a brighter future where we can go back to our traditional way of classroom learning, stronger and together.