Green Screen Backdrop: New Virtual Education Tool

If the Pandemic of 2020 has proven anything, it’s how resourceful humans can be during major life changes or adversity. Not only have we made adjustments in the home, but also in workplaces everywhere. A group of people who are consistently creative and adaptive is our world’s teachers. Educators have recently had to use this resourcefulness in areas they have never experienced before; social distancing and remote teaching. Similar to other schools in the United States, teachers at Skokie School have been using green screen backdrops and technology to help with their virtual student engagement.

Green Screen Technology for Virtual Learning

Why Greenscreens?

An issue many teachers face these days is capturing their students’ attention from inside a tiny screen. To control their backgrounds and make them less stagnant, green screens have been coming into play. A green screen is a type of technology that allows multiple types of media to layer together for a totally new experience. This screen is exactly as it sounds, a bright green backdrop that the new media is projected onto when looking through the camera.

This technology has allowed teachers to not only make it seem like they are in a new location but also can include their students to do the same as well. An activity that some schools have been doing is having the students put their work on the green screen. An example from Edutopia was students who made book trailers to promote their writing. These students would stand in front of the green screen and read the script they wrote while their picture or video is shown behind them. In general, it’s a good strategy for teachers to keep their kids engaged and also excited about their work instead of just looking at the same screen all day.

Old Art Display Repurposed as a Green Screen

How did they make their greenscreen?

Teachers at Skokie School have been trying this approach since their school has reopened. By repurposing a Screenflex Room Divider, they were able to create their own green backdrop. This partition was originally used as a display unit for student artwork. Putting on an art show or even hosting kids in class isn’t always feasible during a pandemic. The teacher instead pinned a bright green fabric to the panels. Now they have a portable green screen that can be utilized wherever they want in the classroom. Since the fabric is tackable, the green screen can easily be removed for other uses in the future as well.

We at Screenflex are continually impressed by the creativity of teachers. All of us are happy that our dividers can help people sort through a hard time like a pandemic.