Example of bitmojis used in Montclair ES virtual classroomOnline classrooms created by teachers that mimic physical classrooms made distance learning more exciting for students. Eunice Lee, a fourth-grade teacher at Montclair Elementary School, used bitmojis in a virtual, interactive classroom to better connect with her students.

Bitmojis are cartoon avatars that can be designed with the same characteristics as the people that they are intended to represent. Lee had been looking for a fun way to interact with her class. After seeing other teachers successfully using bitmojis, she decided to design an interactive classroom to serve as a resource of links to educational materials for her students. It was also a place to create an end of year classroom memory.

Lee's virtual classroom resembled her own physical classroom. Her students had been previously introduced to an online world with bitmojis while learning classroom rules. This familiarization made the transition to distance learning in a virtual classroom fairly simple for her students.

"I thought this would be a great way to engage my students and allow them to feel more comfortable. II missed my students so much that I wanted to do something special for them. In preparation for the "class picture," I created a bitmoji for each student that when clicked had a special message waiting for them," Lee said.

Bitmoji virtual classroom at Montclair Elementary