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Teachers use avatars to create digital classrooms

Educators hope the virtual classrooms keep remote students engaged.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Bitmoji Classrooms are the latest craze in the world of digital learning for educators across the country. Using Bitmoji technology and other platforms like Canva, teachers are creating avatars of themselves and others to engage remote students online. 

One teacher in Dekalb County, Tiffany Lester launched her virtual classroom Monday and introduced her therapy animal in cartoon form.

"He usually comes to school with me everyday so I thought it was only natural to add him to all of the rooms in my classroom," added Lester.

The 5th grade teacher at Dekalb Path Academy said she's enjoyed the financial freedom of being able to create multiple rooms and adding whatever she wants to each classroom. 

“Teachers are use to a budget that’s like this big all the time and now you have zero budget so you can get anything you want," explained Lester.

Lester said that she heard about the Avatar classrooms through an online Facebook group called Bitmoji Craze for Educators. Users in the group share templates and ideas to accommodate a variety of students and classes. The virtual classrooms also contain links to educational videos, class rules, and assignments.  

“There’s lots of slides going around that say if you’ve got kids with autism, dyslexia, or ADHD - then don’t use bright colors. It’ll be too busy for them," said Lester.

While the avatar classrooms are optional, it seems that more and more teachers are flocking to the trend with close to a half million members now apart of the Bitmoji Craze for Educators Facebook group.

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