Attica students are skipping the classroom and learning from home

ATTICA, Ind. (WLFI) - The school may be empty, but class was still in session at Attica Jr.-Sr. High School Thursday.

Instead of sitting in a classroom, students had class at home.
    
"I like it because I can get my homework done really easily and it's so much quicker than it is in the class period so it doesn't take 55 minutes for each class and so after I'm done I can just do whatever I want to," sophomore Mayzie Spragg said.

Attica Jr.-Sr. High School is just one of four schools in the state taking part in this unique e-Learning Flex Day program where students stay at home four days out of the school year instead of learning in the classrooms.

Technology Director David Huckleberry said it differs from other programs around.

"It's a little different than what some schools do with online learning because when you take an online learning class you may be in the school with a teacher there to help you, here they're at home by themselves and don't have anybody to depend on," Huckleberry said.

Teachers upload lessons to the school's My Big Campus web page for students to access at home.

Math teacher Ryan Good uses his iPad to create step-by-step video lectures for students. It's called flipping the classroom, so instead of teaching a lesson and then assigning homework students use the e-learning Flex Day lessons to prepare for the following day's class.

"What would traditionally be the lecture time in class is spent with them in here working on the actual homework problems," Good said about the "flipped classroom" lessons. "That way if you get a kid that struggles with homework, instead of being at home and just giving up on it then you can group kids together and you can work with small groups."    

Huckleberry said the program gives college-bound students and those planning on going straight into the workforce a head start.

"So much of it now is not based around college students," Huckleberry said. "Students that are going into the workforce now will be asked to take online courses for their jobs and a lot of employers are using instructional designers to make courses. This lets them what that's going to be like when they get out into the work place."

Teachers still take attendance on e-Learning days, something Huckleberry said they will be able to use to their advantage. He said if weather prevents students from coming to school class can still go on.

The final flex day this school year will be April 11. The school will be participating in the program next year as well.