Digital Learning Day with itslearning at Tagore Gymnasium, Berlin

What is a “digital learning day”?

The digital learning day is a firmly established format at Tagore Gymnasium in Berlin. On this day, in-person classes are suspended, but learning continues. Students work independently from home on tasks that their teachers provide via the digital learning platform itslearning. At the same time, the teaching staff uses this day to work in subject and working groups on school development processes and shared goals, supported by the digital infrastructure.

The idea behind the digital learning day

At Berlin’s Tagore Gymnasium, this special day takes place four times in a school year, twice each semester. Originally conceived as a way to relieve the teaching staff, the digital learning day quickly developed into an innovative format pursuing two goals:

• Time for internal school development and teamwork
• Promotion of independent learning among students

“The digital learning day is a valuable space — for us teachers to accomplish things that often get lost in everyday life, and for the students to learn independence.”

Felix Koschmieder, teacher and system administrator for itslearning at Tagore Gymnasium Berlin

How a digital learning day works

The day begins with a brief check-in via itslearning. The students confirm: “I am here.” After that, all the day’s tasks are available to them digitally, clearly structured, clearly explained, and often supplemented with interactive elements such as learning paths, audio, or video assignments.

Meanwhile, the teaching staff meets at the school. In working groups or subject departments, goals are set, projects advanced, or school development processes planned. “This day provides a valuable space that we otherwise wouldn’t have. Many things that get lost in everyday life can really be discussed calmly here,” explains Felix Koschmieder.

How the schedule looks

The following table shows the timeline of a “digital learning day” at Tagore Gymnasium.

Flexible working – a benefit for everyone

The digital learning day is not meant to be overwhelming; on the contrary. Many students appreciate being able to organise their working time freely. Those who want or need support use the digital consultation hours with the teachers, while others prefer to work completely independently. A few students who do not have the opportunity to work independently at home find a workspace for the digital learning day in the school’s digiLAB.

“Many students are now managing very well with it. They learn to organise themselves, which is a core skill we want to equip them with for their studies and professional lives”, emphasises Felix Koschmieder, 

The teaching staff also sees advantages: A large majority of teachers voted to continue this format after a trial year.

Why itslearning is indispensable in this

Implementing a day like this would hardly be conceivable without a digital learning platform. itslearning offers the teaching staff the opportunity to prepare tasks and materials in advance, provide targeted feedback, document learning outcomes, and at the same time be efficient in collaboration among colleagues.

Rethinking school

The digital learning day impressively demonstrates how modern schools can use digital infrastructure to create new spaces for educational development while empowering students.  What began as a pragmatic solution has become an innovative component of modern school development: self-directed learning, more room for collaboration among staff, and a digital infrastructure that is didactically integrated in a meaningful way. A model that already makes the school of tomorrow possible today and serves as a strong example of the potential of digital learning platforms like itslearning.

A few facts about Tagore Gymnasium:

• Around 900 students currently study at Tagore-Gymnasium in Berlin

• The teaching staff comprises over 80 teachers
• The school is spread across two buildings - with 28 classrooms, 12 specialized rooms and three sports halls