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Creating an Online Classroom Community

Jesslan White

Department of Instructional Technology, Kennesaw State University

ITEC 7500: Capstone Experience & Portfolio

Dr. Tricia Frazier

August 21, 2021

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Creating an Online Classroom Community

The goal of the Capstone Project was to help digital teachers at Loganville Elementary

School to create a strong community that will engage online learners. Digital Teachers at

Loganville Elementary School consisted of one teacher from each grade level Kindergarten

through Fifth Grade. When meeting as a digital learning team, we noticed students were missing

the in-person interactions and relationships that they would make with their peers in school. In

this meeting, we decided that a plan needed to be created that would help to increase student

engagement and collaboration among peers.

In the planning process of the Capstone Project digital learning teachers met with their

students for majority of the day. Teachers were seeing students join and leave lessons, not

completing assignments, and not interested in daily digital learning. Student engagement was not

there, and students weren’t able to collaborate or communicate with one another. Digital learning

teachers were asked how often they let student unmute and just talk with one another, most of

them responded maybe once or twice a week. Based upon this statement we knew that a had to

make a change in our everyday digital teaching. During the brainstorming process, of this

Capstone Project I chose two different Web 2.0 tools that students could easily learn, collaborate,

and be engaged while using in all subjects. The two tools I chose for this Capstone project were

Google Jamboard and Flipgrid.

Walton County has provided all teachers with Google Suites for Education. Therefore,

integrating Google Jamboard benefited teachers and students because of the easy accessibility

and similar features to other Google tools. Teachers and students were using Google slides and

documents, so students were familiar with features of all Google tools. This made implementing

Google Jamboard easy for students to learn. Flipgrid was chosen for students to be able to record
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and explain their thinking to one another. Flipgrid also gives the option for students to view

videos later if they’re not able to view them immediately. Students in grades 2nd through 5th were

familiar with Flipgrid from in person learning in the previous years. This would make the

implementation process of Flipgrid easier. An increase in student engagement would be evident

because of the amount of engagement we see inside the classroom while using Flipgrid. By using

these Web 2.0 tools the result of this Capstone Project is to show significant increase in student

engagement while learning online.

Description of Capstone Experience

The first step in completing this Capstone Project was a Google form was sent out to

digital learning teachers. In the Google form teachers were asked to identify their initial level of

technology tools that were being used in the online classroom. When reviewing the Google

forms, I was surprised to learn that most of the teachers were not using a very diverse range of

Web 2.0 tools. Many teachers were only using their overhead cameras to share paper documents

with students, and we’re not using interactive technology tools in there online teaching. One

question and I was in a Google form ask teachers how engage their students wear during their

whole group and independent work. Teachers were to break their classes one being no

engagement to five being fully engaged. Out of the five Digital learning teachers four gave their

class a two and the rest rated their class a 3. Based upon this data I chose to hold the first

professional development on the use of Jamboard as a collaboration tool.

During the first professional development of this Capstone Project digital teachers were

introduced to Google Jamboard. Teachers were instructed to bring their computers to create and

practice using their own Jamboards. First teachers watched a Screencastify on how to create a

Google Jamboard and what all the different features were. Teachers were given ten minutes after
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the video to play and get use to all the different features. After completing the practice session,

we created an anchor chart of ways to integrate Jamboard that would give students opportunities

to interact and communicate with others during lessons, groups and during morning meeting. In

the professional development teachers responded very well to using Jamboard and saw how easy

they’re to create. After the PL teachers were given Google Jamboard templates that could be

used in all subject areas and building classroom community opportunities in morning meetings.

The next step in the Capstone Project was to send out an online learning module to digital

teachers on how to use Flipgrid as a collaboration tool with their students. This tool was chosen

to be delivered online because teachers were already familiar with Flipgrid in the classroom. In

the presentation Flipgrid features were reviewed an instructional handout was given for teachers

to reference when lesson planning, besides reviewing the features the presentation also shared

with teachers’ ways they can use it to promote student collaborate and engagement. An example

that teachers were given were to give students opportunities to share their answers expressing

how to get an answer to a math problem. Another example was teachers could give their students

a Morning meeting question that they could respond to and then comment on their friends

Flipgrid. Students and teachers can use Flipgrid in so many ways to collaborate and

communicate not only about academics, but also building the classroom community.

When all professional development trainings were complete teachers took back what they

had learned and integrated them into everyday digital learning. After a couple of weeks, a

second Google Form was sent out. The result of the Google form showed digital teacher had

increased student engagement by eighty percent. Students had begun participating in the

interactive Jamboard activities and Flipgrid assignments. Teachers were using them daily in their
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online classroom and students were engaged. Overall, the survey showed that all teachers were

having an increase in student engagement by using Jamboard and Flipgrid.

After reviewing the Google survey teachers began participating in a coaching cycle. For

this coaching cycle we followed Jim Knight’s “The Impact Cycle” as our format for coaching.

Teachers recorded a short ten-minute segment of their day showing how they were using either

Jamboard or Flipgrid to engage students. When teachers have finished recording, I met with each

teacher individually to review their video. As we reviewed them, we brainstormed on ways they

could continue using Web 2.0 tools to keep student engaged. Once we had reviewed and

brainstormed once with teachers, they were given the opportunity to continue the coaching cycle.

Two teachers decided to continue the coaching cycle to ensure that they were doing all that they

can to engage their students.

To conclude the Capstone Project teachers completed one last Google Survey to

document student’s engagement in the online classroom and community. The goal of this

Capstone Project is that Digital learning teachers would see an eighty percent increase in their

student’s engagement. I’m glad to say that based upon the ending survey all classes but one met

this goal.

Implementation

Implementation of the Capstone Project went mostly as planned. When creating my

project timeline, I had intended on not spending as much time on observations and coaching than

I did. Teachers responded so well to wanting to collaborate and work together to get all students

in our online classes engaged. Several teachers wanted to continue to meet after the Capstone

Project was completed. The professional developments and instructional handouts were seen by

administrators as great tools that would be beneficial to all teachers, therefor they were sent out
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the entire school. Many classrooms in-person are using Google Jamboard and Flipgrid. Overall,

the implementation of this Capstone Project was a success for our entire staff and students.

Project Outcomes

All outcomes of the Capstone Project were positive. At times in the beginning, it seemed

like kindergarten and first grade teachers were going to have a difficult time explaining and

teaching their students how to use the tools. As time went on the students began to pick up on it

and make awesome Flipgrid videos. Students are using specific vocabulary terms and academic

language in their videos.

Teachers often choose to sign into my online classroom during their planning times to

observe me and how I implemented the two technology tools. Even though this wasn’t a part of

the original plan teachers found it very beneficial seeing them used effectively. Digital teachers

that completed the Capstone Project found it changed their online classroom tremendously. They

also stated that when school returned in person that they would continue to use them daily in

their in-person classes. The Capstone Project was positive and successful in changing the

student’s online engagement in all areas.

Barriers Encountered

I didn’t encounter many different barriers during the Capstone Project; however, I did

have a problem with finding time. All teachers including myself that were a part of this Capstone

were teaching digitally full time or teaching students in-person and online. Finding the time for

all of us to meet or meeting one on one during the coaching cycle. We ended up having to split

the in person professional development into two different planning periods so that everyone

could attend. One on one coaching cycles had to take place first thing in the morning before

school started. It took about three weeks before I could meet with every digital teacher to review
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their recording. Besides finding the time to meet there were no other barriers. The Capstone

Project ran smoothly and had a positive outcome every step of the way.

Follow Up

The results of the Capstone Project have been shared with our school’s leadership team

and administration. As we moved back into all in-person learning this fall I’m continuing to meet

with teachers in all grade levels who choose to learn more about Web 2.0 tools to help improve

engagement. I’ve also shared Jamboard with our kindergarten and first grade teachers. They’re

using it to help student complete letter and spelling pattern sorts. Flipgrid is being used all over

the school for communication between grade levels since we’re continuing to have students

separated due to COVID. I’m very pleased to see the positive impact from this Capstone Project

has continued to make an impact.

Discussion and Reflection

From completing this Capstone Project, I’ve been able to put the things I’ve learned from

majority of my courses into practice. I was able to use the information that I learned from ITEC

7430 into this project. During 7430 we learned about many different Internet tools specifically

Flipgrid, that was used in this Capstone. ITEC 7482, Facilitating Online Learning gave tools like

Screencastify which I used to complete the professional learning for teachers. During the

Capstone Project I used what was learned from Jim Knights “The Impact Cycle” to help me

coach and lead the teachers whom I was working with. As we followed the steps of the Impact

Cycle, I was able to become more comfortable in working with teachers. The more experience I

got with coaching teachers I felt more prepared and saw greater success in the Capstone Project.

This experience allowed digital teachers to participate in authentic learning. In the

Capstone experience teachers watched how digital tools could be used to engage students in
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authentic learning. They were then able to take it and facilitate the digital tools into their own

classrooms to engage students daily (PSC 2.3/ISTE 2C). When mapping out the Capstone

Project and finding the best research-based practices on leading coaching cycles I turned to Jim

Knight’s “The Impact Cycle”. To create an informational and informative coaching cycle

research had to be conducted on different engagement Web 2.0 tools that can be used in the

classroom (PSC 2.6/ISTE 2f). This Capstone effectively uses digital tools to create meaningful

student learning experiences. Digital teachers learned how to effectively use Google Jamboard

and Flipgrid to create engaging and meaningful learning opportunities for students (PSC 3.2/

ISTE 3b).

Digital teachers are constantly working and completing online professional development.

Through this Capstone digital learning teachers completed professional learning online via a

Screencastify presentation (PSC 2.2/ ISTE 3c, PSC 5.2/ ISTE4b). The Capstone experience

required digital teachers to evaluate their student’s engagement three times during the process.

The data was used to drive the professional development and what teachers need to change in

their online learning environment (PSC 5.3/ ISTE 4c). Teachers that were engaged in the

Capstone Project showed enormous growth not only in their growth but in student engagement

and achievement. The emerging technologies used help to increase the productivity of the

teachers and students who were involved. (PSC 6.1/ ISTE 6a, 6b).

When completing this Capstone Project, I was unsure of how it would help younger

grades be successful in engaging their students. Kindergarten and First grade students take a very

long time to learn how to do new things online. At the beginning of the year, it takes students

about a month and a half to learn how to login to their Chromebook. I was very skeptical on how

students would do with Jamboard and Flipgrid. To my surprise they did a phenomenal job, First
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Grade teachers used Jamboard for every subject within two months of introducing it to them.

Digital teachers in Second through Fifth Grade saw students engaged with no struggle when

completing assignment. The overall impact of this Capstone Project has greatly increased all

student’s engagement levels and online classroom community.

Recommendations

When completing a Capstone Project don’t be afraid to shoot for the fence and to push

your students as well as teachers. I was completely surprised by my colleague’s acceptance of

new online tools. They took the time to learn, complete a coaching cycle, and teach students how

to effectively use them. As teachers are trying to implement new digital tools provide them with

instructional handouts and how to videos that they can easily access. Also stay in constant

communication with teachers they are participating in coaching cycles.

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References

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Computers &Education, 57,1865-1875.

Dyer, T., Aroz, J., & Larson, E. (2018). Proximity in the online classroom: Engagement,

relationships, and personalization. Journal of Instructional Research, 7, 108-118.

Erdem Aydin, I., & Gumus, S. (2016). Sense of Classroom Community and Team Development

Process in Online Learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 17(1), 60-77.

Knight, J. (2018). The Impact Cycle: What instructional coaches should do to foster powerful

improvements in teaching. Corwin Press.

Nam, C. W., & Zellner, R. D. (2011). The relative effects of positive interdependence and group

processing on student achievement and attitude in online cooperative learning.

Computers & Education, 56, 680–688.

Sheffield, R., Blackley, S., & Moro, P. (2018). A professional learning model supporting

teachers to integrate digital technologies. Issues in Educational Research, 28(2), 487.