Discussion: Blended Learning

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2014-03-11T13:40:48-06:00

Class, this module was developed with help from former IP&T instructors as well as from DeLaina Tonks, a former "brick and mortar" teacher who is now the director of Mountain Heights Academy. This academy is a completely online school here in Utah that produces some of the top student test scores in the state. DeLaina has a lot of great wisdom to share about possible careers in online or blended teaching.

Getting Started

Internet Communications technologies have enabled new ways of teaching and learning, including blended learning approaches—like how we are doing our class together. This week we’ll be discussing various learning methods that leverage technology, from 100% online learning to using some online content in a traditional classroom to a traditional classroom setting and just incorporating technology where it makes the most sense.

The purpose of this presentation and discussion is to help you understand what your role as a teacher may be. You may end up teaching in a regular classroom like you had growing up. But many of you might get the opportunity to teach in a school that does part of the instruction online--or maybe ALL of it! Knowing how to adapt your teaching, for most subject area, to the online setting could open up other teaching opportunities for you.

OK, now review the table below, and think about the skill set you are developing as a teacher and consider the pros and cons of each teaching model. Online provides a lot of flexibility, not just for students, but for teachers who want to have the best of both worlds balancing family life with a career. Blended and flipped models leverage technology where it makes the most sense, yet provides a structured face to face environment with a teacher present. The traditional model has been in place for over a century, but introducing technology definitely brings education into the 21st century. Regardless of where or how you end up teaching, knowing the benefits of each model will be useful.

| Online | Blended | Flipped | Traditional Bricks and Mortar
Definition | 100% of instruction is done online | Some instruction is provided online in a bricks and mortar school with a teacher present. | Instruction is recorded, students watch and study online at home. In class time is spent discussing, answering questions, problem-solving. | 100% of instruction is done in a face to face bricks and mortar setting.

Critical Teacher Skill Set

-Self-starter
-Moderately tech-savvy
-Persistent

-High tolerance of ambiguity

-Moderately tech-savvy

-Knowledgeable about implementing online pedagogy

-Tech-savvy (record lessons in advance)

-Knowledgeable about implementing online pedagogy

-Willing to try new things

-Desire to try technology

Teacher Role

Guide

Monitor

Cheerleader

Traditional

Guide

Traditional

Utah Schools

1. Mountain Heights Academy
2. Utah Virtual Academy
3. Utah Connections Academy
4. Electronic High School

Several new charter schools, a couple of district schools.

A handful of Utah teachers.

The great majority of Utah schools, both district and charter.

Some Interesting Teacher Resources for you, provided by DeLaina Tonks:

1. Free online Resources by subject

Comprehensive list of some freely available educational resources organized by subject area and grade level.

2. Tech Tools

Exhaustive list of free or really cheap tech tools, categorized by how a teacher would use them.

3. Tech Tools Demo Highlight Reel

Prezi presentation that showcases 15-20 of the tech tools on the previous list and demos them so you can see how easy they are to use.

Watch Some Examples

OK, now watch the following videos about blended and flipped teaching (we'll talk more about online teaching later this semester). If you have a question that does not get answered in the videos, make sure you include it in your video post as directed in the discussion section of this page.

Once you’ve watched the videos and participated in the discussion at the bottom of this page, continue working on your Internet Communications Project which is due the end of this week.

Blended Learning

An introduction to Blended Learning

Follow this link to view the video (embedding is disabled for this video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xMqJmMcME0&

One teacher’s experience with Blended Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=duAw-2mCbWo

Flipped Classroom

One method of Blended Learning has become very popular in the last few years. It’s called “Flipping the Classroom.” At the most basic level, this means students learn content at home and engage in projects, assignments and other learning activities in the classroom instead of doing these things for homework. The following videos will explain this concept in greater detail.

An introduction to flipping the classroom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=26pxh_qMppE

Why flip the classroom?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nEfojG9ckYA

Example of a flipped classroom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2H4RkudFzlc

What happens if students don’t try and learn the content at home?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g1MKpyVPilI

Khan Academy (optional)

If you want to learn more about flipped classrooms, this section is for you. If you do not have the time now, you can skip this section.

A leading figure in the flipped classroom movement is Salman Khan. Khan began making screencast videos to help tutor friends and family. He noticed that others were watching his videos and he began making them full time and his videos evolved into the Khan Academy.

Some claim that using videos from Khan Academy is not flipping the classroom because the videos aren't made by the students' classroom teacher and so the videos don't build a connection between students' and their teacher. I would argue that not taking advantage of such a resource as Khan Academy and trying to do it all yourself is a colossal waste of time and prevents students from spending time with excellent teaching materials. Teachers can still establish a connection with students by making a few videos and integrating them with videos such as those from Khan Academy or by using some other method to tie everything together as I've done on this page.

Introduction to Khan Academy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T4dk6woz4Do

Now that you know the background of Khan Academy, you should sometime watch a little of his screencast videos, although you don't have to do that right now if you don't have time. When you do, visit Khan Academy and view part of one of his videos so that you can get a feel for his style. If you are interested, this video shows you how they make their videos. They use very inexpensive technology. Here what you need:

Webcam with a microphone (which you already have)

A screen recording program. Khan uses Camtasia Studio which costs about $300. I also use Camtasia for this class but there are several programs that are much cheaper or free, such as Screencast-o-matic or Jing.

A drawing program. They use a free download called Smooth Draw but you can also use Paint or PowerPoint.

Something to write with. You can use you mouse but it can be awkward. Khan uses a writing pad called the Bamboo Tablet They have different types but you can get a really good one for under $100.

Links for Further Study

The Rise of K-12 Blended Learning

K-12 Blended Learning Models

Arizona High School Implements Blended Learning

Online and Blended Learning FAQs

Seven Measures of Quality in Online Learning

A Day in the Life of an Online Teacher

Discussion

Now that you've watched the videos, it's time to hear what you all think! Collaboration is a great way to come up with new ideas, share ideas and build off of others' ideas. You have all been students and many of you already have some experience teaching in a classroom. Your combined experience is more vast than I could ever have as an individual, so your input is invaluable!

Instructions

1. Create a post in which you do one of the following:

ask any questions you might have about the topics presented above

provide an example of how you could use one of these styles of teaching (blended, flipped, etc.) in your own class

express your views on these various models of education, why they're good or bad, etc. Explain your reasoning and whether we could adjust the models to work more effectively if needed.

2. Read the posts by other students to see what they had to say.

3. Respond to at least one other person's post by either answering a question they asked or commenting on the idea(s) they had.