Empowering students through technology

The challenge

• Before using CYPHER, Senatobia Middle School faced challenges in identifying a platform that could effectively support a flipped classroom philosophy and engage students in active learning experiences
• Educators encountered difficulties in eliciting meaningful feedback from students and adapting instructional strategies to meet their diverse learning needs
• Without a centralized learning management system, teachers struggled to maintain consistency in classroom organization and provide students with clear guidance on assignments and expectations

In searching for the perfect online learning environment for my classroom, I went through several different programs searching for that something extra that I could not quite name, but I would know when I found it. I had been moving toward implementing a flipped classroom philosophy before I officially knew the components of this teaching philosophy, however my plan was to flip the flipped ideology and create that experience during school as I facilitated my students’ learning process.

The solution

I discovered CYPHER on the iLearn Technology blog about 9 years ago and I have not looked back. During the adoption process of CYPHER, I relied heavily upon feedback from students through direct and indirect means. I would include surveys about specific components as well as examining how my students responded to different assignments and other elements within CYPHER, then I would adjust accordingly.

Implementation

My first year using CYPHER exclusively was a learning curve for me as well as my students, but I was fortunate to have a group of students who were open and eager to interact within their new learning management system that reminded them of a “Facebook for learning”, as it affectionately became known as amongst my students. I look at my use of CYPHER as a way to convey my pedagogical content into a personalized version of myself for each student, as I facilitate the learning process. CYPHER has allowed me an opportunity to differentiate instruction for all my students as they become a part in creating their unique learning experience.

Features

I absolutely love the foundational interactive elements found within CYPHER's LMS. My students are digitally blogging and debating weekly, as they can be creative in sharing their experiences and opinions in an interactive environment. The native blog feature allows me to share my blogs and promote creative thinking and writing as they experiment with adding images and embedding videos to help enhance the narrative that they are portraying to the class. After completing their blogs, they are then able to read and interact with their peers.

The debate assignment feature has encouraged my students to use their voice in a digital medium, when they might otherwise be hesitant to speak in front of the class. However I have found that as they share their opinions digitally, this often leads to small group and whole class discussions in which they are eager to contribute.

As a teacher, I love the assignment and grade book capabilities offered by CYPHER. I can personalize assignments as well as add competencies from my curriculum associated with each assignment, while tracking their mastery of those components for individual students or the whole class, as well as receiving the analytics for each competency. This helps me adjust my pedagogical practices for future assignments and classes.

The results

• The adoption of CYPHER allowed teachers to create a personalized learning experience for each student while facilitating the flipped classroom approach
• CYPHER's interactive elements, such as blogging and debating features, provided students with creative outlets for sharing their experiences and opinions in an engaging digital environment
• Students take ownership of their learning experiences while teachers monitor their progress and provide timely support and feedback

One of the biggest improvements that I have seen since adopting CYPHER is that my classroom management has improved dramatically. My students know upon entering my class where to go and what to do in my classroom, thanks to the organizational structure of CYPHER. My students can also take ownership of their own learning experiences as CYPHER helps them to keep track of their assignments, progress, graded assignments, and assignments due.

CYPHER also helps me elevate my pedagogical practices by taking advantage of the new components that are added throughout each school year, which allows me to remain current and ahead of the technological trends in society and education. I love that you can monitor what changes are being implemented within the learning management system and you can offer feedback and suggestions for elements coming in the future.