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Blenderizing your own Learning

Environment

OLTD 511
Assignment 3

Erin Borsoff
November 18, 2017
WHat is Blended Learning???
Students learn in combination of an online environment and face-to-face setting away from
home. Students have some control over learning elements: time, place, path and pace.
Modalities are connected for an integrated learning experience. (Staker and Horn, 2015).
Key components to keep in mind:
● Face to Face and online Learning

● Student has some control over time, place, path and/or pace (personalization)

● Modalities are connected to provide an integrated learning experience. (Ex. the online

components can inform the F2F instruction)


How do I redesign my
learning Environment?

PROBLEM/GUIDING QUESTION:
How do I adopt a blended approach
in my own learning environment
with limited supports or
infrastructure?
How do I redesign my learning Environment?
❏ What is your original/starting learning
environment?
❏ What problems you are trying to address
by making this change?
❏ What would you like students to control
(Time, place, path, pace)?
❏ What is the role of the teacher?
❏ What changes to the physical environment
will you make?
❏ What software or hardware might you use?
❏ How will you mix/balance online and F2F
modalities?
❏ How will the different modalities provide an
integrated learning experience?
What is your original/starting learning environment?
A blended environment:
● Sea to Sky Online School, located in a local bricks-and-mortar secondary school
● Combination of online students where I am the teacher of record, and face-to-face
students where I may or may not be the teacher of record
● Online support in 3 out of 4 blocks a day, = 20 students on average a block
● One block = 75 minutes, five days a week, semester system
● Students work individually on coursework in time given. Continual enrollment- students
at different spots in courses. (Same for online). Progress charts to keep track of
coursework.

An online environment:
● Partially made up of non-graduated adults working on either regular graduation diploma
or adult-grad diploma - sporadic initiative in courses.
● Students have varying needs and are varying levels of using technology
what problems are you trying to address by making this change?
● By improving my already blended environment I hope to better support students to stay
on task and be engaged.

● I want to enhance student learning by small group collaboration amongst students that
are working on the same classes.

● I want to equip students with organizational and time-management skills so they can be
accountable and independent. Not to fall through the cracks by lack of progression.

● Online content can be a little boring and/or challenging, I want to provide them
opportunities to work out of isolation and connect with others, especially with adult
grads

● Provide better access for out of reach courses/opportunities (Staker&Horn, 2015).


What would you like students to control (Time, place, path, pace)?
Our motto at Sea to Sky Online is: Learn when you want, how you want and what you
want.
● Students are able to control the TIME on which is spent on a particular course. Some
students opt to work on one course at a time, or multiple courses. School time or home
time or both.
● PACE: Courses are designed to be year-long but can be completed faster. Students
need to keep the year timeline in mind. Many procrastinate too long!
● Online courses have continual intake, students are encouraged to have course
complete within the semester- to reflect the traditional timeline although courses are
designed to be year-long. Pace monitored by teacher to ensure timely finish.
● PATH: Certain classes allow for work to be done in any order - A La Carte/Flex
● PLACE: Students can decide where to work in the room and with whom. Online
students can come in for help when needed and have a quiet place to work. Enriched
Virtual
What is the role of the teacher?
Producer - of course material, personalized course paths and grad plans

Overseer - of progress and organization of time management, sets up schedule, supervision


of exams. Encouragement given to set short and long term goals and not put course on back
burner. (Use SMART - specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, time-related (Staker &
Horn, 2015 p.102). Guide students to keep on track with independent work.

Advisor - for course selection, university requirements, best route for graduation, grad plans

Tech support - keep online course material working and up to date, troubleshoot issues

Tutor - ongoing formative assessment, 1:1 help, small group tutorials,


summative assessment
What changes to the physical environment will you make?
Right now, SSO online support blocks are located in the local bricks-and-mortar school
library- sustainable innovations required .

Students can work at large tables together and smaller tables alone. Laptops available.

There is also a couch section, which I would like to make off-limits due to socialization.
Perhaps I would use this area as a reward for working on-task for the majority of the block.
Students can access desktop stations to work independently.

The library is a large space, I would divide the room into sections: group collaboration;
independent study/tests; reward area. This way the volume can be controlled more
effectively.

I would promote smaller tables with accessibility to more electrical plug-ins and charging
stations.
What changes to the physical environment will you make? CONT...
To make the online only component blended for non-graduated adults, I would provide a
space where they could connect with each other and the teacher regularly; rather than just
by appointment. Students would know where this common place was and when it is
available for drop-in.

In order to increase connection and engagement, a face-to-face component should be


established to create community. Better success comes from greater connection.
What software or hardware might you use?
Continued use of school laptop and desktop computers for school-aged students. An “adult”
username for login to school computers needs to be created.

All SSO courses are housed in Moodle.

I would like to enhance courses by using Gsuite with all students- all students to be provided
a gmail account and have virtual office hours through Google hangouts. I would like to create
a Google + community (start with adult learners) to increase support and connection
amongst students so that students can learn with and from each other.

I would enhance Moodle lessons with use of Screen-cast-o-matic video maker so that
students could have an audio and visual component to the written text lessons.
How will you mix/balance online and F2F modalities?
Online Learning: Students will continue to access Moodle for coursework. This includes:
Lessons - readings, video clips, practice activities; assignments; tests; assessment and
feedback. Depending on the course, students might store work on Google Drive. Accessible
anytime and anyplace with the exception of tests.

Face-to-face: Time will be better structured to help students in their online learning. During
the school week, time will be balanced between individual coursework and collaborative
work time. To help students optimize their time, the teacher will have more control over the
setup of this path. Students are required to check-in with teacher once a week to inform of
progress. If applicable, students will connect with each other to support in course work.
Teacher will give 1:1 or small group support when needed. Sign-up for accountability.
Student initiative. Opportunity for group projects to enhance learning.

Adult learners: More F2F time to enhance online learning. 1:1 tutorials will help with course
progression, organizational, commitment and completion.
How will the different modalities provide an integrated learning experience?

Online learning: (Flex/A La Carte courses). The virtual learning is supported by F2F
interactions. Students stay on track with their coursework and can ask for clarification for
direction from fellow students and the teacher.

Face-to-face: F2F interactions helps the online content be more relevant when students can
discuss and apply knowledge. Students can decide if group projects or 1:1 learning will help
increase their connection with the course material. This “encourage[s] maturity and
independence by allowing students to participate in the management of their own learning”
(Staker & Horn, 2015 p.75).

Adult learners: (Enriched Virtual). Students to connect on a need by need basis.


Connection to support both online and F2F modalities to well-rounded expereince.
“Online learning helps students to know, schools should
be able to focus increasingly on helping students to do
and to be” (Staker & Horn, 2015 p.81)

An effective blended environment is more than just giving


a physical space for students to work on online courses- it
enhances learning by giving a well-rounded experience
that allows students flexibility and personalization to
experience course materials in a way that best suits them.
Conclusion: We need to “rethink how schools do everything from
academic monitoring to the development of self-direction
in students” (Staker & Horn, 2015 p.82).

Effective blended programs: boost student achievement;


provide access for out of reach courses/opportunities. We
can do more with less!
References:
Horn, Michael B., and Staker, Heather. (2015). Blended : using disruptive innovation to improve schools. San Francisco,
CA :Jossey-Bass. [Kindle ed.] Retreived from https://read.amazon.ca/

Photo credits: Google search through creative commons licensing


Computer (1): http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Keyboard-Workstation-Computer-Terminal-Desktop-153893

Books: https://pixabay.com/en/book-books-library-books-reading-2022464/

Blender: https://pixabay.com/en/blender-mixer-juicer-food-processor-10933/

Students (1): http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Head-Young-Trainee-Group-Personal-Human-Students-1556566

Smoothie: https://www.goodfreephotos.com/food/white-and-red-fruit-smoothie.jpg.php

Computer (2): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gnome-computer.svg

Students (2): https://pixabay.com/en/african-asian-black-brown-cartoon-2029984/

Question mark: https://pixabay.com/en/question-mark-concept-white-sign-213671/

Teacher: https://pixabay.com/en/teacher-blackboard-teach-2799822/

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