Blended Learning

Definition: Blended learning is when part of their content is online with the student being able to control some aspects of time, place, path or pace of learning AND part of their content is learned in a traditional classroom. (Staker, et al 2014)

Blended Learning

CONTENTS 1 Blended Learning Models 1.1 Flex Model: 1.2 Station Rotation: 1.3 Lab Rotation: 1.4 Flipped Classroom 1.5 Individual Rotation 2 Citations: Blended Learning Models Flex Model: Students work on computer at a learning lab Teachers are in the room to provide onsite support Learning is self- guided. Students move on an individual customized schedule. Content and instructions are delivered primarily via Internet. This approach is use in districts which students have social economical challenges, behavioral and academic challenges. Facts: -AdvancePath Academy, online school, 90% student entering Academies graduates high school or transfer to another school to continue his/her education. -AdvacenPath Academy blended learning school works with school districts partners to address individual students needs. - Attendance improves 3 times more often than former setting. http://www.advancepath.com/results San Francisco Flex Academy, the online-learning provider K12, Inc. delivers the curriculum and instruction, while face-to-face teachers use a data dashboard to offer targeted interventions and supplementation throughout the day for core courses. The teachers-of-record for the core courses are the face-to-face teachers. (Many of the elective courses have online K12, Inc. teachers who serve as the teachers-of-record instead of the face-to-face teachers. These elective courses are part of the Self-Blend model, which the next section of this paper discusses.) In the suburbs of Detroit, Utica Community Schools uses a rotating centers model with eSpark personalized learning in K-2 general education classrooms. Each classroom is equipped with 6 iPads which students share throughout the day while also receiving targeted teacher instruction, computer instruction, and other instruction in teacher-created centers. Picture citation https://swotsschool.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/fig-10-flex-academy.jpg?w=500&h=436 Station Rotation: -Allow teachers to work with small group of students -Schools are using this model to remediate the problem of class sizes.  -A good learning management system is needed to fit students learning and generate good report for teachers. -Students rotate based on a fix schedule. Rotate to different learning stations.  Facts: -The KIPP LA Empower Academy equips each kindergarten classroom with 15 computers. Throughout the day the teacher rotates students among online learning, small-group instruction, and individual assignments. See picture -Base on a study case, from 2012-214, UCS (Utica Community Schools) has more than double the number of k-2 students on track to attend college from 20% to 50% because the use of blended learning models using rotation station model. -Elementary school in Jacksonville, FL. Within KIPP charter school network. In the fall of 2013, K-1 students were performing in the 46th percentile in math—11 points behind their reading scores. By the following spring, students had closed the gap by growing 15 percentile points in math—ending the year in the 61st percentile for both subjects Picture citation: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t3Ph0ngTDXM/maxresdefault.jpg Lab Rotation: -Students rotate on a fixed schedule among locations on the brick-mortar school Facts:  -At Rocketship Education, students rotate out of their classrooms to a learning lab for two hours each day to further their instruction in math and reading through online learning. Picture citation: https://sites.google.com/site/blendedlearningbu/_/rsrc/1412885127086/1st-grade/lab%20rotation.png Flipped Classroom Students rotate on a fixed schedule between face-to-face teacher guided practice during a regular day of school and online delivery of content and instruction from a remote location, usually home.  Facts: -At Stillwater Area Public Schools along the St. Croix River in Minnesota, students in grades 4–6 math classes use Internet-connected devices after school at the location of their choice to watch 10- to 15-minute asynchronous instruction videos and complete comprehension questions on Moodle. At school they practice and apply their learning with a face-to-face teacher. -Clintondale High School, Detroit. Greg Green, Principal- “ We have been able to quadruple the amount of time students spend with their own teachers” “In English, the failure rate went from 52% to 19%; in math, 44% to 13%; in science, 41% to 19%; and in social studies, 28% to 9%. In September of 2011, the entire school began using the flipped instruction model, and already the impact is significant. Picture citation: https://learningsciences.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/flippedflowmodel.png Individual Rotation -Students rotate on an individual customized fix schedule. At least one is online learning.  Facts:  -Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School assigns each student a specific schedule that rotates them between online learning in the learning center and offline learning. Each rotation lasts 35 minutes. Picture location: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FfRJ20xadlg/maxresdefault.jpg What are the challenges to Blended Learning? Studies have shown dropout rates associated with online courses and programs ranging from 50 to 70 percent (Carr, 2000; Roblyer, 2006; Rovai & Wighting, 2005; Simpson, 2004) Some of the most consistent problems associated with online learning include: Lack of student motivation (Murphy & Rodriguez-Manzanares, 2009) Low levels of student support services (Luwig- hardman & Dunlap, 2003; Moore & Kearsley, 1996) Sense of isolation (Fulton, 2002, Rovai, 2003) Feelings of disconnectedness (Hawkins, Barbour, & Author, 2012; Vonderwell, 2003) Impersonal interaction (Frank, Reich, & Humphreys, 2003). Researchers have frequently referred to some, or all, of these problems as evidence of a low sense of community (Conrad, 2005; Luwig-hardman & Dunlap, 2003; Rovai, 2002a; Rovai, 2002b; Rovai & Jordan, 2004; Song, Singleton, Hill, & Koh, 2004). McMillan and Chavis (1986) defined sense of community as “a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together” Teachers can also experience problems with online learning (Hawkins, et al 2012) Feeling of being disconnected from students Disconnection with Traditional forms of teaching. Disconnection with fellow virtual teachers These problems can be alleviated or minimized by some of the following practices: Shepherding (Borup, et al 2014) The goal of the shepherding program was to provide each student with an anchor adult who checked in with their students on a regular basis to see how they are doing. (Borup, et al 2014) The three most prevalent roles of the shepherding program identified by MHA teachers were: building caring relationships, facilitating content interaction providing communication links. Teachers benefitted by: increased job satisfaction feelings of responsibility motivation peace of mind Students benefitted by: getting more personal attention getting more personal encouragement and motivation having a mentor getting help with technology issues Mentors Mentors can be online or offline (Zachary 2014) Mentors and Shepherds play similar roles. Forms of online communication text discussion forums blogs audio video telephone podcasting These communication types can be given by: Teachers Shepherds/Mentors fellow students Citations: By Heather Staker and Michael B. Horn (2012) http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED535180.pdf @DreamBox_Learn (2013) (blog) eSparks https://esparklearning.com/blended-learning-models/ Study Case UCS: https://esparklearning.com/results/increasing-college-readiness-with-personalized-learning-ucs-case-study.html Study Case Elementary school Jacksonville Florida. http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/321138/file-2124070165-pdf/pdf/KIPP-VOICE-Case-Study-Final-Draft.pdf?t=1416601550332 Greg Green (2012) http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/18/my-view-flipped-classrooms-give-every-student-a-chance-to-succeed/ Greg Green (2012) http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/18/my-view-flipped-classrooms-give-every-student-a-chance-to-succeed/