I read an article entitled Blended Learning: Making it Work in Your Classroom. It was a transcript of educators from the PK Yonge Developmental Research School and can be accessed at http://www.edutopia.org/school/pk-yonge-developmental-research-school.
The educators in the transcript were full of praise for Blended Learning. They defined Blending Learning as "the combination of digital content and activity with face-to-face content and activity" and stressed that it looked different in every classroom. One teacher turned to Blended Learning because she wanted a way to differentiate instruction and another chose this method because she wanted to use it as a tool for students...more like a supplement to her face-to-face classroom delivery.
One great idea a teacher had was to make podcasts of her lessons for her students to access anytime and anywhere they wanted. She also had her students make podcasts for her completing certain assignments so that she could be sure the student had mastered the concept.
This January, I started teaching computer programming to my two weekly 5th grade classes using the twenty-lesson elementary coding course on code.org. Each week, we come together in either the library (for unplugged lessons) or the computer lab. The lessons in the computer lab are self-paced, multi-step programs where the students create code to accomplish a given challenge. The students are engaged and excited so far, and seem to be learning the basic concepts of coding. The code.org website and lessons are well organized and correlated with learning standards including common core, and include assesments along the way. So far, so good.
I found the article, “Different faces of blended learning” fascinating, because it compared different models of blended learning using real life examples in different school systems around the country. I would love to read more stories about the transition from traditional classroom teaching to these blended models. How was the decision made to go forward? Was it top-down, from the administration? Or was it started by a few adventurous experimenters who proved it to be a successful model? In either case, are people less likely to experiment these days with so much pressure on testing and being observed for teacher evaluations. Just wondering...
At the last meeting I learned about NewsELA, from other teachers in the group. This website provides hundreds of current events articles, each at five different reading levels. This sounds like a great resource for non-fiction reading lessons that can be easily differentiated based on students reading levels. I’m really excited to use this with my 4th and 5th grade nonfiction library lessons. Thanks for sharing!
My article is titled, “’Fliperentiated’ Instruction: How to Create the Customizable Classroom.” In this article, the author discusses the use of a flipped classroom as a vehicle for differentiation. He argues that differentiation can be better achieved in an environment where students are working on their own level, while the teacher is facilitating the process. In this particular model, the author suggests using self-paced, scored video instruction that is prepared by the teacher. He then goes through the steps to achieving this kind of environment. First, he says that you should consider the outcomes that you want and plan instruction using Understanding by Design (UBD). Then, plan videos that students can watch, with questions that they must answer so that you will have instant data to track progress. The teacher spends a lot of time planning, and then spends the time in the classroom working with small groups and allowing the rest of the class to work with each other as well as work independently with their videos.
The author makes this whole process sound incredibly easy, although he does mention the amount of planning that needs to take place in order for students to work independently. He does not mention how long it will take for students to get used to this model, or what any of the other challenges would be. While I think that this would be a great model for students who have the ability to work independently, I know that I have been in classrooms where there are students who don’t really have the ability to work on their own, and I don’t think that the teacher could justify working exclusively with these children while all others are working independently. I also don’t know many teachers who would go through the process of creating all of these videos. I think that it would work better if the teacher used a pre-made program like Khan Academy to allow students to work independently and differentiate instruction.
Ms.R This article, A Working Model for Blended Learning in an Urban School by Dr. Lourenco Garcia, is a big surprise. It says that “in two years a low performing school went to winning High School Gold Award at national Center for Urban School Transformation.” Sounds like a fairy-tale… I worked at a low performing school for three years, and do not believe that Blended Learning can become a panacea for all our problems. “Its dropout rate fell to 2.1 percent and attendance climbed to 95 percent?” Really? Dr. Garcia is very lucky to observe such a quick and painless change. It certainly does not happen often. I would like to know the opinion of classroom teachers. Do they also see it as another miraculous cure?
The article that I read “Virtual Schooling: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Headed?” points out that although online and blended learning is a definite future for education, it is also critical to focus on quality and innovation of this model. Statistics show that enrollment in distance education is rapidly growing. The reason for this is that blended learning includes course credit recovery and gives students access to otherwise unavailable online learning opportunities. The author clarifies that blended learning is not simple technology integration. Teachers need to be provided with professional development helping them effectively deliver online courses that draw on effective pedagogical model.
I read the article “Virtual Schooling: Where Are We Now? Where are We Headed?” by Andrew Miller. Andrew Miller is a committed virtual learning advocate, but he warns that virtual learning must be very different from traditional learning. Firstly, educators need effective professional development which will teach them how to be effective online teachers. Miller makes an important distinction between blended learning and integrating technology into the classroom. Blended learning should rely heavily on competency based education and mastery of the material. It should not be evaluated by the traditional, Carnegie Unit, which requires “seat time” as an indicator of learning mastery. He references Competency Works (www.competencyworks.org) which dedicates itself to this reframe. Blended learning should be embraced with a demand for quality and innovation. I agree with the main ideas of the article. Blended learning is becoming more and more popular as schools are using it for credit recovery, colleges are using it for off campus learning and parents who are home schooling their children are finding it very effective for keeping up with the state mandated curriculum. Blended learning can meet the needs of the diverse learner and a well written program can work to help students master material. However, all blended programs are not the same. Before instituting a specific program, it should be widely evaluated and tested. Staff who are working with the program should be trained and supervised and given time to implement the program with a trial period. This should not be something that should be rushed into. As with all education models, it should be tested, tried and brought in slowly, giving both the students and the teachers time to master the learning curve.
Small Jr, Victor. "4 Tips for Getting to Know the Blended Instructional Model." Edutopia 10 June 2004. Print.
The author of the article who is a 9th/10th grade English teacher starts by saying that the day of teaching through lectures, where the students take notes, is over. He gave the example of when he went for his masters degree. He said that he experienced a new environment of learning which is called: blended classes. In there all the students were posting their assignments in wikis and participating in discussions through board post. Based in his experience using blended instruction the author recommends to use technology in the classroom especially based around the Common Core. He also mentions that the average American using technology is above that in the way we educators use it in the classroom. Even though, some Districts are exploring blended instructional models. He explains four tips when we are planning to use online instruction. Tip #1: Kids aren’t as tech savvy as you think: He and his colleagues were surprised to find the lack of knowledge that the students have about the use of the internet. For example, their use of search engines was lacking. The students’ interest were focused on social networking, only a few where exploring other sites.
Tip #2: Be wary of online textbooks and online classes: He found out that most of the online textbook companies don’t have materials with blended instruction. Their products are created without a teacher guide. From the students experience they categorized the online textbooks as “boring and confusing”. He recommends using them according to the needs of each classroom.
Tip #3: PowerPoint is for planning, no delivering lectures: He suggests that PowerPoint is a guide for the students to better understand the lesson. But he advises to link the PowerPoint as a resource.
Tip #4: Get your students to communicate with each other: He explains that the goal of the online instructions is to get students to use the vocabulary and the concepts that you are teaching. If the students are able to do this, we are building their confidence in what they are learning.
Mr. Small Jr. recommend to create memes, teach students that board post look like twitter, use Facebook, wikis, Google Apps for education, Blackboard, create websites, and PowerPoint.
He ends the article emphasizing that the lecture in education is almost over, and that the research shows to be unsuccessful method of instruction. On the contrary blended learning gives students “investigation-real-world application, and immediate relevance with each lesson”
I think Mr. Small tips are useful when we are planning to use blended instruction. I agree with his observation related to the online textbooks. In my experience I think that the companies promoting and selling these products should always have an experienced teacher that will help in design all these online materials. There is lack of proper representation of our profession in that industry.
Thanks to everyone for a great meeting!
ReplyDeleteI read an article entitled Blended Learning: Making it Work in Your Classroom. It was a transcript of educators from the PK Yonge Developmental Research School and can be accessed at http://www.edutopia.org/school/pk-yonge-developmental-research-school.
The educators in the transcript were full of praise for Blended Learning. They defined Blending Learning as "the combination of digital content and activity with face-to-face content and activity" and stressed that it looked different in every classroom. One teacher turned to Blended Learning because she wanted a way to differentiate instruction and another chose this method because she wanted to use it as a tool for students...more like a supplement to her face-to-face classroom delivery.
One great idea a teacher had was to make podcasts of her lessons for her students to access anytime and anywhere they wanted. She also had her students make podcasts for her completing certain assignments so that she could be sure the student had mastered the concept.
Kelly Jeffcoat
This January, I started teaching computer programming to my two weekly 5th grade classes using the twenty-lesson elementary coding course on code.org. Each week, we come together in either the library (for unplugged lessons) or the computer lab. The lessons in the computer lab are self-paced, multi-step programs where the students create code to accomplish a given challenge. The students are engaged and excited so far, and seem to be learning the basic concepts of coding. The code.org website and lessons are well organized and correlated with learning standards including common core, and include assesments along the way. So far, so good.
ReplyDeleteI found the article, “Different faces of blended learning” fascinating, because it compared different models of blended learning using real life examples in different school systems around the country. I would love to read more stories about the transition from traditional classroom teaching to these blended models. How was the decision made to go forward? Was it top-down, from the administration? Or was it started by a few adventurous experimenters who proved it to be a successful model? In either case, are people less likely to experiment these days with so much pressure on testing and being observed for teacher evaluations. Just wondering...
At the last meeting I learned about NewsELA, from other teachers in the group. This website provides hundreds of current events articles, each at five different reading levels. This sounds like a great resource for non-fiction reading lessons that can be easily differentiated based on students reading levels. I’m really excited to use this with my 4th and 5th grade nonfiction library lessons. Thanks for sharing!
Kathleen Gocksch
SLMS@PS8x
My article is titled, “’Fliperentiated’ Instruction: How to Create the Customizable Classroom.” In this article, the author discusses the use of a flipped classroom as a vehicle for differentiation. He argues that differentiation can be better achieved in an environment where students are working on their own level, while the teacher is facilitating the process. In this particular model, the author suggests using self-paced, scored video instruction that is prepared by the teacher. He then goes through the steps to achieving this kind of environment. First, he says that you should consider the outcomes that you want and plan instruction using Understanding by Design (UBD). Then, plan videos that students can watch, with questions that they must answer so that you will have instant data to track progress. The teacher spends a lot of time planning, and then spends the time in the classroom working with small groups and allowing the rest of the class to work with each other as well as work independently with their videos.
ReplyDeleteThe author makes this whole process sound incredibly easy, although he does mention the amount of planning that needs to take place in order for students to work independently. He does not mention how long it will take for students to get used to this model, or what any of the other challenges would be. While I think that this would be a great model for students who have the ability to work independently, I know that I have been in classrooms where there are students who don’t really have the ability to work on their own, and I don’t think that the teacher could justify working exclusively with these children while all others are working independently. I also don’t know many teachers who would go through the process of creating all of these videos. I think that it would work better if the teacher used a pre-made program like Khan Academy to allow students to work independently and differentiate instruction.
Ms.R
ReplyDeleteThis article, A Working Model for Blended Learning in an Urban School by Dr. Lourenco Garcia, is a big surprise. It says that “in two years a low performing school went to winning High School Gold Award at national Center for Urban School Transformation.” Sounds like a fairy-tale… I worked at a low performing school for three years, and do not believe that Blended Learning can become a panacea for all our problems.
“Its dropout rate fell to 2.1 percent and attendance climbed to 95 percent?” Really? Dr. Garcia is very lucky to observe such a quick and painless change. It certainly does not happen often. I would like to know the opinion of classroom teachers. Do they also see it as another miraculous cure?
The article that I read “Virtual Schooling: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Headed?” points out that although online and blended learning is a definite future for education, it is also critical to focus on quality and innovation of this model. Statistics show that enrollment in distance education is rapidly growing. The reason for this is that blended learning includes course credit recovery and gives students access to otherwise unavailable online learning opportunities.
ReplyDeleteThe author clarifies that blended learning is not simple technology integration. Teachers need to be provided with professional development helping them effectively deliver online courses that draw on effective pedagogical model.
I read the article “Virtual Schooling: Where Are We Now? Where are We Headed?” by Andrew Miller. Andrew Miller is a committed virtual learning advocate, but he warns that virtual learning must be very different from traditional learning. Firstly, educators need effective professional development which will teach them how to be effective online teachers. Miller makes an important distinction between blended learning and integrating technology into the classroom. Blended learning should rely heavily on competency based education and mastery of the material. It should not be evaluated by the traditional, Carnegie Unit, which requires “seat time” as an indicator of learning mastery. He references Competency Works (www.competencyworks.org) which dedicates itself to this reframe.
ReplyDeleteBlended learning should be embraced with a demand for quality and innovation.
I agree with the main ideas of the article. Blended learning is becoming more and more popular as schools are using it for credit recovery, colleges are using it for off campus learning and parents who are home schooling their children are finding it very effective for keeping up with the state mandated curriculum. Blended learning can meet the needs of the diverse learner and a well written program can work to help students master material. However, all blended programs are not the same. Before instituting a specific program, it should be widely evaluated and tested. Staff who are working with the program should be trained and supervised and given time to implement the program with a trial period.
This should not be something that should be rushed into. As with all education models, it should be tested, tried and brought in slowly, giving both the students and the teachers time to master the learning curve.
Small Jr, Victor. "4 Tips for Getting to Know the Blended Instructional Model." Edutopia 10 June 2004. Print.
ReplyDeleteThe author of the article who is a 9th/10th grade English teacher starts by saying that the day of teaching through lectures, where the students take notes, is over. He gave the example of when he went for his masters degree. He said that he experienced a new environment of learning which is called: blended classes. In there all the students were posting their assignments in wikis and participating in discussions through board post. Based in his experience using blended instruction the author recommends to use technology in the classroom especially based around the Common Core. He also mentions that the average American using technology is above that in the way we educators use it in the classroom. Even though, some Districts are exploring blended instructional models. He explains four tips when we are planning to use online instruction.
Tip #1: Kids aren’t as tech savvy as you think: He and his colleagues were surprised to find the lack of knowledge that the students have about the use of the internet. For example, their use of search engines was lacking. The students’ interest were focused on social networking, only a few where exploring other sites.
Tip #2: Be wary of online textbooks and online classes: He found out that most of the online textbook companies don’t have materials with blended instruction. Their products are created without a teacher guide. From the students experience they categorized the online textbooks as “boring and confusing”. He recommends using them according to the needs of each classroom.
Tip #3: PowerPoint is for planning, no delivering lectures: He suggests that PowerPoint is a guide for the students to better understand the lesson. But he advises to link the PowerPoint as a resource.
Tip #4: Get your students to communicate with each other: He explains that the goal of the online instructions is to get students to use the vocabulary and the concepts that you are teaching. If the students are able to do this, we are building their confidence in what they are learning.
Mr. Small Jr. recommend to create memes, teach students that board post look like twitter, use Facebook, wikis, Google Apps for education, Blackboard, create websites, and PowerPoint.
He ends the article emphasizing that the lecture in education is almost over, and that the research shows to be unsuccessful method of instruction. On the contrary blended learning gives students “investigation-real-world application, and immediate relevance with each lesson”
I think Mr. Small tips are useful when we are planning to use blended instruction. I agree with his observation related to the online textbooks. In my experience I think that the companies promoting and selling these products should always have an experienced teacher that will help in design all these online materials. There is lack of proper representation of our profession in that industry.