Blended Learning
Blended learning is a teaching style that uses both in-class activities with online activities that support what was learned in class. Blended learning isn’t simply integrating technology into the classroom. Blended learning is using technology in the classroom for an activity and then having students answer questions and to reflect on the activity online. Blended learning consists of both a physical classroom, as well as an online classroom for students to further practice, question, and reflect about activities conducted in the classroom.
Benefits for Learners:
- The work online is seamlessly connected to the work that was conducted in class. Therefore, students are completing work that is meaningful to them by making connections to classroom activities and experiences outside of the classroom. This is more than just going online after school to play a math game for homework.
- Students are more informed on what is going on with the activities done in class. If students didn’t quite understand the activity done in class or how to relates to today’s society, blended learning gives the students a second chance to reflect on the activity and come to an understanding at his/her own pace.
- Blended learning increases student-student collaboration as students work together to overcome problems and challenges in class. They then reflect and discuss with each other online about their challenge. Students are given more opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas with each other.
- Blended learning provides more control over students’ learning at their own pace, time, place and path. Because of the online classroom, students can find a comfortable area to go online and work at their own pace. Students feel and are in control of their learning.
Benefits for Educators:
- Not only is their an increase in student-student collaboration, there is also an increase in teacher-student collaboration. By having reflections and consolidations online, this gives the educator more time in class to discuss with students in small groups or one-on-one about their learning and any support or challenges the students might need.
- Because blended learning gives students more control of their learning, the educator might feel less overwhelmed in differentiating work for the wide range of learners in the classroom.
- With on online classroom, educators can add multimedia, such as pictures, videos, music, etc. and collaborative platforms for all learning needs. Students have a variety of online learning tools to help them come to an understanding and make connections.
- Educators can restructure activities done in class to deliver effective online lessons that is meeting the learning pace of the students and clarifying any confusion.
Flipped Classrooms
I personally like flipped classrooms more than blended classrooms BUT it isn’t about what we want as educators, it’s about what works best with our students. Flipped classroom are similar to blended classrooms in the sense that there is online instruction, however, students go online before class, instead of after like they do with blended learning. Before coming to class, students go online to watch videos and explore content that the educator has set up and prepared ahead of time.
Benefits of Flipped Classrooms:
- Students are learning in their own environment at their own pace. They can replay videos and re-read information as many times as they need to before coming to class.
- In class, they apply their knowledge and what they learned online.
- Educators are spending more time on the application of knowledge by doing activities with students instead of spending the majority of the time in class to deliver content and instructions. This also gives the educator more time in class to check in with students to see how they are progressing, if students need to be challenged more, or if students need more support in understanding the material.
- Flipped classroom also supports many other learning pedagogies (i.e. inquiry learning, project-based learning, etc.)
Challenges for Flipped Blended Classrooms
Although I see the benefits in both blended and flipped classrooms, there are some concerns I have in regards to student learning.
- If students are learning information online in their own environment, sometimes that environment isn’t always healthy for student development. I have often seen students living in poor conditions or who are in foster care and do not have a steady home environment. Many times children come to school to escape their home environment as it is a safe place to learn.
- It is important to keep in mind that not all student have access to internet at home.
- Students also might not have access to a device at home to use the internet, therefore it is important to get to know your students and to connect with parents to establish a plan that allows the student to access online information the educator has provided.
- Today, many educators do not assign homework because often the homework does not get completed or it does get completed but it is done by the parent instead of the student. If students do not take the initiative to go online to complete the homework either before or after class, that student will be even more lost and behind than his/her peers. This can be very challenging for the educator if students are not completing homework tasks.
Teaching & Assessing 