Intro+to+Blended+Learning

 Blended Learning 101 (teacher intro)
media type="custom" key="28561603" The world our children face is rapidly changing, requiring new skills and preparation to be college and career ready. There are exciting shifts occurring in schools across America, as educators respond to the challenges and opportunities our children face in the 21st Century. Blended learning provides teachers with tools to personalize student learning by blending the best of face-to-face instruction with technology and best practices, thereby increasing student engagement, growth, and achievement.

Clear Targets:

 * I can define blended learning.
 * I can summarize the differences between blended learning and technology integration.
 * I can differentiate between the four blended learning models using real world examples.
 * I can envision what blended learning might look like in my classroom using one of the four blended learning models.

Blended Learning Defined:
==== Blended learning is the process of learning within and outside of the traditional classroom environment using tech-enhanced resources, in which a student learns with some element of control over time, place, path, and/or pace designed and organized to meet the needs of each individual student. ====

** Learning Activity #1: **
===Blended Learning -vs- Technology Integration === media type="custom" key="28561605"
 * 1) Seamlessly connect online and offline work.
 * 2) Increased student-student and teacher-student collaboration, and give students control over time, pace, place, and path over their learning.
 * 3) Establish an online classroom presence using Google Classroom, Edmodo, or Schoology.
 * 4) Repurpose class time, by using the flipped classroom model.


 * Practice Activity #1: ** Using the video you just watched finish the definition of blended learning using two or three sentences. Using the definition you created, create a word cloud and post it here.


 * 1) Finish the definition: Blended learning isn’t about the technology, it's about…
 * 2) Using the definition you just created, design a word cloud using any one of these word cloud resources - The Best 10 FREE Word Cloud tools for Teachers
 * 3) Copy and paste your word cloud and definition into this powerpoint slide here!

Blended learning isn’t about the technology, it is about teaching smarter and blending the two seamlessly together. In a blended learning environment technology is leveraged intentionally to increase student involvement, engagement, and input. Blended learning is about blending the best of face-to-face instruction with the right technology in order to maximize instructional time, student achievement, and growth.
 * Example **

Four Blended Learning Models:
====**Rotation Model (most likely to be used in the classroom) -** students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the teacher’s discretion between learning modalities, at least one of which uses technology. Other modalities might include activities such as small group, full class instruction, individual tutoring, and pencil and paper assignments.====
 * //**Flipped Classroom**// - classroom instruction in which students participate in online learning in place of traditional classwork and then participate in face-to-face or teacher-guided practice.
 * //**Individual Rotation**// - classroom instruction in which each student has an individualized learning plan or path, and does not necessarily rotate to each available station or modality.
 * //**Lab Rotation**// - classroom instruction in which students rotate to a computer lab for the online learning station.
 * //**Station Rotation**// - classroom instruction in which students experience the Rotation model within a contained classroom or group of classrooms. The Station Rotation model differs from the Individual Rotation model because students rotate through all of the stations, regardless of their individualized pland or path.

====**Flex Model (least likely to be used) -** classroom instruction in which online learning is the backbone of student learning, even if it directs students to offline activities at times. Students move on an individually customized, fluid schedule among learning modalities. The teacher of record is on site, and students learn mostly at school, except for any homework assignments. The teacher of record provides face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as needed basis through activities such as small group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring.====

====**A La Carte Model (HS recovery) -** classroom instruction that a student takes entirely online to accompany other experiences that the student is having at a brick and mortar school. The teacher of record for the A La Carte course is the online teacher. Students may take the A La Carte course either at school or online, but are also enrolled in face-to-face classroom instruction. This differs from full-time online learning because it is not a whole school experience. Students take some courses A La Carte and others face-to-face.====

====**Enriched Virtual Model (adult education & teacher online PD) -** classroom instruction in which students have required face-to-face learning sessions with their teacher of record and then are free to complete their remaining coursework remote from the face-to-face teacher. Online learning is the backbone of student learning when the students are located remotely. The same person generally serves as both the online and face-to-face teacher. Many Enriched Virtual programs began as full-time online schools and then developed blended programs to provide students with brick and mortar school experiences. The Enriched Virtual model differs from the Flipped Classroom because in Enriched Virtual programs, because face-to-face learning sessions are required. ====


 * Practice Activity #2: ** Follow the link here to complete the online card sort. Then complete the discussion board task below. The goal is to match the learning models and approaches with a real world example.


 * Discussion Forum: ** Participate in the following discussion board by answering the question located here --> Card Sort Discussion

** Learning Activity #3: **
====** What does a Blended Learning Classroom look like? ** ====

(start video at 2:06) media type="custom" key="28561609"
 * Practice Activity #3: ** Think about a lesson activity or lesson routine that you could develop using one of the four examples of a blended learning models above. Identify one of the blended learning models and explain how it might be implemented in your classroom to meet an existing lesson standard or routine better than a traditional approach. What are the benefits to using this approach over a traditional one?


 * Learning Assessment: **

References:
 * Adapted from the Christensen Institute, []
 * Simple K12, []