Challenge: Introducing students to digital learning
Kantonsschule Büelrain Winterthur (KBW) is a forward-thinking school in Switzerland that educates academically gifted students between the ages of 14 and 19, preparing them for university and beyond.
To bridge the gap between traditional classroom-based education and the digital learning environments students will encounter in academia and the workforce, KBW sought an innovative and flexible digital learning platform. Ultimately, they aimed to introduce students to self-organized learning while ensuring seamless integration with Microsoft Teams.
“An LMS like Learn 365 is never something that will replace teachers in the classroom. But it’s a very powerful and useful tool in order to prepare young adults for the outside world, because that’s what they are going to encounter. It supports their skills within the digital world..”
Simon Schnider, Headmaster, KBW Faculty of Geography
Solution: A flexible digital platform built for Microsoft Teams
Traditionally, most school-based learning takes place in the classroom. Though, as students transition to higher education and the workforce, they will increasingly engage in digital education and independent study.
Since the pandemic, many schools have incorporated digital learning tools, often utilizing Microsoft Teams. However, KBW recognized that many students lacked practical experience with a dedicated digital learning platform designed to facilitate self-guided learning.
To address this, the KBW team explored how they could better prepare their 900 students for the future. Simon Schnider, a headmaster at KBW’s Faculty of Geography, explains their motivation:
“Our students are 14 to 19 years of age. KBW is a gymnasium, so we teach the smartest kids who perform the best across the area. We introduced Learn365 to try to modernize our teaching to live up to the digital world, helping prepare our students for the kind of learning they will experience in the academic world and in their working lives.”
Beyond digital preparedness, KBW also aimed to cultivate independence and self-discipline among students. As Schnider elaborates:
“It’s also about self-confidence, self-awareness, discipline, and the proper use of freedom and choice. A lot of students fail because they don’t have the discipline to really put their all into learning, and this is another major goal of using Learn365.”
Because learning management systems (LMS) are traditionally used in workplaces and universities rather than schools, KBW took time to find a solution that fit their specific needs. As Schnider explains:
“We researched options for how we could make a digital tool like an LMS more accessible for our students and our teachers. A major reason we picked Learn365 is that it is the only LMS that is completely compatible with Microsoft Teams, which we use at our school. Our digital environment allows very easy access to Learn365.”
Since implementing an LMS in a school setting was a novel approach, the solution was carefully tested and evaluated by multiple stakeholders. Schnider describes the decision-making process:
“We trialed it within our faculty and then had a wider test phase. The school management is public, and a lot of people need to be included in any decision. We have a lot of faculties, so it’s important to know if an LMS will be used well. But ultimately, the decision was taken to carry on with the LMS.”
Following this thorough evaluation, KBW successfully launched Learn365 in late 2023.
Results: Supporting students with self-organized learning
Learn365 is a highly flexible digital learning platform that is predominantly used in workplaces. Therefore, its use at KBW represents an innovative approach, allowing teachers to tailor their teaching methods according to their preferences. As Schnider notes:
“The use varies across different faculties and from teacher to teacher, and from semester to semester. Our teachers use their own educational methods in order to achieve the best results. Not everyone will want to use Learn365, and of course, that’s OK. But many teachers have been delighted and say it’s a very good idea, taking away some of their work, especially to support self-organized learning (SOL).”
Regularly, KBW integrates SOL into the course structure, enabling students to apply self-organized learning techniques. Schnider explains how Learn365 supports this:
“Each semester, we have some SOL throughout the curriculum. This means the student has a different subject or module where they have to apply this SOL technique. The teachers provide some tasks for them to do, and one way to support this is through Learn365.”
Key results:
Increased self-organized learning adoption across faculties
Improved student discipline and independence in learning
Enhanced teacher flexibility in digital education methods
More efficient student progress tracking through reporting features
Reduced teacher workload by enabling reusable learning modules
Further, critical factor in the platform’s success is ensuring students receive the right level of support. Schnider acknowledges the challenges:
“Students have a lot of freedom to use the tool. We want to help them to be more self-disciplined and self-organized, but that’s not always easy. Some classes and groups handle it very well, but others struggle. Success is dependent on how closely you support students through the process, especially at that age.”
To facilitate a smooth transition, KBW introduces Learn365 gradually:
“Usually, we introduce Learn365, and then for the first two or three lessons, they work within the classroom. Then they get the freedom to work wherever they want within the compound. And if we see progress, we even open it up for them so they can work on it at the weekends or in the evening. It’s their choice. There is a lot of educational spirit and sense using this tool.”
Additionally, Learn365’s reporting capabilities allow teachers to provide tailored support:
“Our students are not really digital natives—maybe except for TikTok and Snapchat! It’s very useful that Learn365 helps us monitor the system and track the progress of each student.”
Also, the platform streamlines digital education workflows across subjects, enhancing usability. As Schnider highlights:
“Having the same digital environment is very useful for the students. If they already know how the tools are used in one subject, they don’t need an extra introduction in using Learn365 for another subject.”
Furthermore, Learn365’s ability to reuse learning modules has proven beneficial for teachers:
“Previously, everyone was doing their own thing. One crucial aspect is to be able to reuse the learning within each faculty where we have the same curriculum. When we have a new junior teacher, we can just hand a module over without any extra effort.”
KBW has also benefited from a strong partnership with the Zensai team. As Schnider notes:
“We are definitely not the usual kind of client for Zensai! We needed to make our case clear about what we actually need because it’s certainly different, perhaps a bit more complicated and pedagogical, but the relationship has worked very well. So far, we haven’t encountered any problems, which can happen when trying something new.”
Future: Expanding the use of Learn35 and leveraging AI
Looking ahead, KBW aims to expand Learn365 usage across faculties, increasing student and teacher adoption. This initiative will raise the number of users from around 500 to 700.
Additionally, the school is working to improve the format of quiz questions, making them more engaging and effective for students. As Schnider explains:
“Having a question with options to reply and then clicking on the right thing does not really improve the skills that we want to foster in the students. Ultimately, we need a variety of quiz options that we can use. Our students also need to better sense the progress they’re making throughout the LMS.”
Additionally, KBW is exploring how Learn365’s AI capabilities can streamline learning module creation:
“Using AI, it’s possible to produce a learning module just by uploading some theories, text, or scripts. It’s all produced automatically, and the initial results look appealing. It’s something we’re going to explore further.”
Reflecting on the implementation of Learn365, Schnider is pleased with the interest it has generated:
“We are just two people doing the pioneer work on Learn365. Other schools have also asked how we are using an LMS. Everyone wants to know details about this tool from us, which makes it very interesting, but also quite intense!”
Through the adoption of Learn365, KBW is setting a new standard for digital education, ensuring students develop the skills they need for university and the modern workplace.
About KBW
Kantonsschule Büelrain Winterthur (KBW) is a forward-thinking school based in Switzerland. It teaches academically gifted students between 14 and 19, to help prepare them for university and beyond. The school has around 900 pupils and 100 staff.