0:00:06.138,0:00:08.110 Fundamentals of Blended Learning 0:00:08.110,0:00:09.432 My name is Michael Thompson, 0:00:09.432,0:00:11.185 and I'm the director of school partnerships 0:00:11.185,0:00:13.157 at Education Elements. 0:00:13.157,0:00:15.233 We work with schools across the country 0:00:15.233,0:00:17.582 to help them think about blended learning 0:00:17.582,0:00:19.791 and to design instructional models 0:00:19.791,0:00:22.415 which use technology effectively. 0:00:22.415,0:00:26.596 Our primary product is the HLMS, which I will discuss 0:00:26.596,0:00:29.945 in more detail in some of our other videos. 0:00:29.945,0:00:31.568 In this video, I want to share 0:00:31.568,0:00:33.812 the fundamentals of blended learning. 0:00:33.812,0:00:35.708 I'll explain what is meant when someone uses 0:00:35.708,0:00:38.811 the term 'blended learning,' describe some of 0:00:38.811,0:00:40.789 the blended learning models, 0:00:40.789,0:00:45.911 and discuss the results we are getting. 0:00:45.911,0:00:47.738 What is blended learning? 0:00:47.738,0:00:49.696 If you think about the traditional classroom 0:00:49.696,0:00:52.227 environment on one end of the spectrum, 0:00:52.227,0:00:54.619 and on the other end of the spectrum is a student 0:00:54.619,0:00:56.742 learning on a computer at home, 0:00:56.742,0:01:00.293 blended learning is somewhere in the middle. 0:01:00.293,0:01:02.226 Now let's ask ourselves, 0:01:02.226,0:01:04.466 "How do we differentiate and individualize 0:01:04.466,0:01:06.656 instruction in the classroom?" 0:01:06.656,0:01:08.578 Frankly, students are not engaged 0:01:08.578,0:01:10.703 in lecture-style instruction. 0:01:10.703,0:01:13.058 We know that small-group instruction, 0:01:13.058,0:01:16.177 personal learning plans, guided practice, 0:01:16.177,0:01:19.015 and inquiry-based teaching all lead toward 0:01:19.015,0:01:22.260 a better and deeper understanding of concepts. 0:01:22.260,0:01:25.502 Unfortunately, differentiation and feedback 0:01:25.502,0:01:29.339 doesn't scale without technology. 0:01:29.339,0:01:31.534 So blended learning is about leveraging 0:01:31.534,0:01:33.769 digital content to provide students 0:01:33.769,0:01:35.726 with skills and practice – 0:01:35.726,0:01:38.161 meanwhile, the teacher focuses on 0:01:38.161,0:01:40.274 depth and application of concepts 0:01:40.274,0:01:43.579 to teach higher-order thinking skills. 0:01:43.579,0:01:45.626 So what if we can create an environment 0:01:45.626,0:01:48.973 where, one,students can get individualized, 0:01:48.973,0:01:51.307 self-paced instruction, 0:01:51.307,0:01:53.919 two, teachers can provide 0:01:53.919,0:01:56.587 differentiated small-group instruction, 0:01:56.587,0:01:59.309 based upon weekly or daily data, 0:01:59.309,0:02:01.779 and, three, schools can operate 0:02:01.779,0:02:03.965 at a much lower cost per pupil – 0:02:03.965,0:02:07.359 which will allow them to reallocate resources. 0:02:07.359,0:02:12.457 This environment is blended learning. 0:02:12.457,0:02:15.820 What are some of the blended-learning models? 0:02:15.820,0:02:18.460 Let's go back to the spectrum learning environments. 0:02:18.460,0:02:22.029 As we see it now, there are four models emerging: 0:02:22.029,0:02:27.197 lab rotation, class rotation, flex, and pod. 0:02:27.197,0:02:30.868 I'm going to go over each of these now. 0:02:30.868,0:02:33.394 Lab rotation is where students move in and out 0:02:33.394,0:02:35.834 of a classroom to a computer lab. 0:02:35.834,0:02:38.080 Many people seeing this model will think it looks 0:02:38.080,0:02:41.080 very similar to a traditional computer lab. 0:02:41.080,0:02:43.228 However, if you look under the hood, 0:02:43.228,0:02:46.291 the difference is that in a lab rotation, 0:02:46.291,0:02:49.045 the data from the content in the learning lab 0:02:49.045,0:02:52.126 informs the instruction in the classroom. 0:02:52.126,0:02:54.098 In a class rotation model, 0:02:54.098,0:02:56.687 students are broken out into smaller groups. 0:02:56.687,0:02:58.944 So a class of 30 may be broken out 0:02:58.944,0:03:01.217 into four small groups. 0:03:01.217,0:03:02.404 Every 20 minutes, 0:03:02.404,0:03:05.496 the groups may rotate between stations. 0:03:05.496,0:03:08.626 One station is with the teacher – 0:03:08.626,0:03:10.843 two stations are with the computer – 0:03:10.843,0:03:14.294 and the fourth station may be guided practice. 0:03:14.294,0:03:16.538 In this environment, a teacher has the ability 0:03:16.538,0:03:19.510 to monitor the whole class, manage behavior, 0:03:19.510,0:03:22.440 and maintain the class culture. 0:03:22.440,0:03:25.078 In the flex model, the learning lab might look like 0:03:25.078,0:03:27.908 a large call center, with banks of computers. 0:03:27.908,0:03:30.038 Around the edges of the lab might be 0:03:30.038,0:03:32.570 smaller breakout rooms for classes. 0:03:32.570,0:03:34.058 In this model, the students work 0:03:34.058,0:03:35.707 mostly on the computers, 0:03:35.707,0:03:38.070 and a teacher might pull out a group of students 0:03:38.070,0:03:42.446 for seminar intervention or direct instruction. 0:03:45.770,0:03:48.473 One of the newer models is the pod concept. 0:03:48.473,0:03:51.129 Essentially, it's a school within a school, 0:03:51.129,0:03:53.839 and each pod might have multiple grade levels. 0:03:53.839,0:03:56.195 In this model the role of the teacher may be 0:03:56.195,0:03:59.395 redefined and broken out into discrete roles – 0:03:59.395,9:59:59.000 an adviser, a behavior specialist, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or an instructor – to support each pod. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 All of these models are rethinking the traditional school, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 giving students more control over their learning, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and providing students with targeted instruction. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What are some of the results? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 From a student perspective, students are 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 more engaged using online content 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 versus paper-and-pencil practice worksheets. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They like getting real time feedback 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and knowing where they stand at any time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Students can control how fast or slow 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they need to go through a lesson. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In these schools, we see students accelerating 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 past the skills for their grade level. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this is what we call unleashing their learning velocity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Also, even though the class sizes may be larger, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 students feel that their classes are actually pretty small, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because the experience they have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the teacher is in a small group. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now from a teacher's perspective, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the teachers we've spoken to find it easier 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to plan for small group instruction 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 versus trying to teach to the middle 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and differentiating top and bottom. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Teachers find teaching in small groups more rewarding, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because the students are more engaged. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And finally, teachers are surprised by how much easier 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 classroom management is with students fully engaged 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on the computers versus when students 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are doing things on pencil and paper. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you for watching our video on blended learning. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are excited by the potential opportunities 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 blended learning brings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I hope you found it useful as you think about your own school.