The 2024-2025 school year brought many changes to the students of Norwin High School. The return of post-COVID online-centered schooling is no surprise for the Norwin students and staff, but many were taken back when informed about the changing teaching platforms. The drastic change brought mixed opinions for many throughout the school. In simple terms, there is a split between three platforms for learning and education: Schoology, Google Classroom, and newly introduced Microsoft Teams.
Norwin High School predominately used Google Classroom throughout past years; however, years ago Norwin introduced Schoology another option for an online learning platform. Schoology is utilized through the WIU’s online teaching platform. The new school year brought many changes as Norwin introduced Microsoft Teams and Schoology as the dominant learning platforms, in attempts to faze out Google Classroom for the 2025-2026 school year. Ultimately leading to a division in familiarity and favoritism regarding the learning platforms for Norwin High School teachers and students.
Many teachers and students still appear to be utilizing Google Classroom because of its ease of use and durability.
“We’ve been using it [Google Classroom] for years and students and staff are very familiar with it,” said Mr. Knipple, a physics teacher at the high school.
The administration is trying its best to introduce Microsoft Teams into the school environment so that teachers can begin using these platforms exclusively by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. Microsoft offers many benefits including the newest operating systems with lower costs.
“We [the high school administration] can deliver the most recent Windows operating systems, teachers and students without the increased hardware costs,” said Chad Lucas, Norwin’s Director of Information Technology. “The Microsoft cloud provides a seamless user experience between collaboration, education tools, classes, and file sharing.”
The high school administration ultimately introduced Schoology and Microsoft Teams to the high school in order to provide more security for all users – both students and teachers. With cheating becoming easier and easier to accomplish on tests or assignments, teachers are looking for a way to maintain the integrity of students’ academics.
“Ability to secure more applications within the district,” said Lucas regarding the reasons for the technology switch. “This includes Skyward and other single sign on applications they we will use in the future. Use of geofencing only permits access to data from only within the continental US, for example.”
The Norwin Technology Department has been diligently trying its best to assist students with any technological difficulties. Mrs. Swick, an instructional technology support teacher at Norwin,
“Microsoft is the dominant cloud application suite,” said Lucas. “Microsoft continues to challenge all software and cloud providers in the areas of education, security, and application collaboration. No hardware costs, and students and teachers always use the latest technology from Microsoft — all being secured in the cloud, and not on Norwin’s network.”
From submitting assignments digitally to presenting PowerPoints, every student and teacher uses technology daily to improve their curriculum. In a recent Norwin poll, 87 percent of over 60 polled students said they prefer to use a technological device, such as an iPad, laptop, or desktop computer, rather than paper to complete their work. The poll results demonstrate the dependence that students have on technology to assist them in their academic endeavors.
During the last few weeks of school in the 2023-2024 school year, students were called down to the auditorium and given a list of instructions in order to update their iPads over the summer their iPads to be ready for next year. Some of these steps included saving information from apps like Notability, a note-taking application, and converting Google Drive files to Microsoft Word. However, many students did not take these steps over the summer and freshmen did not receive iPads until Freshmen Orientation, leading to technological difficulties and frequent Tech Turret visits in the 2024-2025 school year.
With the sudden switch between platforms, many teachers appear to be using a variety of resources for their classes. From submitting assignments digitally to presenting PowerPoints, every student and teacher uses technology daily to improve their curriculum. With the introduction of Microsoft Teams and Schoology, many students feel lost about the switch and the lack of unity between platforms.
“I think it was very sudden for both the students and teachers,” said senior Bella Ulery. “I am having trouble adapting, especially when three different platforms vary across classes. I barely even know how to use Microsoft and Schoology, and I feel like [Google] Classroom is just so much more user-friendly.”
The 2024-2025 school year started like any other year at Norwin High School, however, some students felt as if the administration did not roll out the technology switch to Microsoft well and thoroughly. Some students wish that the administration rolled out the use of Microsoft and Teams slowly, with smaller shifts to avoid any confusion from the teachers or students.
“I do not like the switch of platforms because it was so unexpected,” said junior Sophia Tokay. “Because of this, most of the students including myself weren’t prepared for the switch, and it left them confused. There are vast differences between Google Classroom and the new platforms. Some of which are how you link and complete documents. Overall, the school should have allowed teachers this year to start to shift over to Microsoft instead of the cold turkey method that was executed.”
Instead of slowly integrating Microsoft into the high school curriculum, the high school, administration chose to shift over to the new platform right away, to quickly benefit the students and teachers by having them adjust to Microsoft from the start.
Despite the district’s confidence in the switch of platforms, controversy on the matter spread throughout the school when teachers and students began experiencing various problems. With the switch being sudden, many students and teachers felt unprepared when trying to adjust to the new system.
“I think the switch was sudden and made things way more complicated and confusing,” said Norwin senior, Lindsey Reese. “My classes are all on different platforms, so it’s really hard to look at what work I need to do. I also don’t know how to work 2/3s of the platforms. The switch with the mail was also a huge complication for me during the summer while I was trying to set up my college course and half days during the school. I don’t think switching platforms was necessary.”
The Administration announced that on Wednesday, August 28, the sync between Google Classroom and Skyward will be reestablished. Previously, this exchange was deleted because of the prompt switch to Microsoft. However, the administration noted that the sync between Google Classroom and Skyward will permanently end at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Dr. Telli, the director of secondary education and assessment at Norwin High School, announced in a memo to educators in the district that all teachers must be ready to provide instruction without access to Google by July 1, 2025.
“This approach will provide all teachers the opportunity to convert content as they teach,” said Lucas. “Teach a lesson using familiar tools, then convert that lesson to Microsoft and Schoology. This allows time for teachers to familiarize themselves with the Microsoft/Schoology platform while learning and being able to use Google Classroom to ensure delivery to students over the course of the year.”
On the contrary, on average, 97 percent of Norwin High students surveyed preferred Google Classroom over both Microsoft Teams and Schoology.
This year, many teachers are using a variety of different platforms to teach students. Mr. Brian Brozeski, a math teacher at Norwin High School, has been using Schoology for all of his classes in the 2024-2025 year. By observing students work through the difficulties of technology daily, Mr. Brozeski has an experienced view.
“From what I gather, students want clear communication about what they are using and where to find things, but they are willing to do anything,” said Mr. Brozeski. “Schoology is more education-focused, so it would be an easier transition for the students. Schoology is [also] more easily intertwined with teams.”
The return of Google Classroom proves to show the difficulties experienced with the platform switch this year. Many might wonder why the switch back to Google Classroom at the start of this school year ever happened, whether it was a result of technology difficulties or too quick of a change to the new platform with a lack of a well-done introduction to Microsoft. However, the district’s plan to permanently switch platforms by the end of the 2024-2025 school year shows the confidence that the administration has in Schoology and Microsoft Teams.
