Blended Learning: Making it Work in Your Classroom

Four Essential Principles of Blended Learning As schools become more savvy about blended-learning tactics– the practice of mixing online and in-person instruction — guidelines and best practices are emerging from lessons learned. Here are four crucial factors to keep in mind as schools plunge in. The single biggest piece of advice offered by most blended learning pioneers is to have a cohesive vision for how the technology will enhance specific learning goals, how it will ease the burden on teachers, and how it can make both teachers and students more creative learners. A big part of creating that vision is having strong leadership at all levels. A district superintendent who sees the value in a model will help remove old policies that inhibit the work. A strong leader will remove barriers, support professional development for teachers, celebrate successes and help move past challenges. Equally important is to have that same kind of visionary leadership from principals and teachers willing to lead by example in the classroom.

Technology in the Classroom: Helpful or Harmful? Kids gravitate towards technology—if your child heads straight for the video games or Facebook after school, you know what we’re talking about. With a world of information at their fingertips nowadays, it seems like kids should be finding it easier than ever to succeed in school. However, as more classrooms invest in the latest technology, test scores remain the same, bringing its effectiveness into question. Technology and Teaching “Incorporating technology into the classroom requires a double innovation,” says Shelley Pasnik, director of the Center for Education and Technology, Educators who receive new technology must first learn how to use the equipment and then decide whether or not it supports the class objectives and curriculum. For example, an instructor may restructure a lecture into a group activity, having students conduct online research to boost their understanding. Technology also makes it easier to spend more overall time on learning. Maximizing Your Child’s Tech Time

15 Tips For Facilitating Online Discussion Facilitating discussions between students is one of those things that is infinitely easier when you’re teaching in a physical classroom rather than online. When the students are all in one room, discussions happen more naturally. Facilitating the same type of productive, useful discussion when teaching online is more of a challenge. The handy infographic below from Mia MacMeekin takes a look at some tips and best practices for facilitating discussions when you’re teaching online. If you teach online and have any favorite tips and tricks, leave us a message in the comments! 15 Tips For Facilitating Online Discussion 10 Prompts to Stimulate Conversation Can you clarify?

An Introduction to Technology Integration Sal Khan: People have been integrating technology in the classroom forever. What I think is really exciting about what we're seeing now is that technology is being used to fundamentally transform what the classroom is. Fundamentally transform what you can do with a classroom. Adam Bellow: I think to define technology integration, it's really using whatever resources you have to the best of your abilities. Technology, it's a tool. Divya (student): This is a list of different applications that you can use to like make music or do art. Divya: My eyes were drooping. Mary Beth Hertz: Students today are creating using digital tools. Mary Beth: Kids can create podcasts, movies, songs to express their ideas, express their thoughts. but also to express their learning. Adam: When you create, you take ownership of your learning. Mary Beth: And sometimes they learn things we didn't expect them to learn. Mary Beth: This internet thing that has become a big part of our lives.

How to Grow a Classroom Culture That Supports Blended Learning The excerpt below is from the book “Moonshots in Education: Launching Blended Learning in the Classroom,” by Esther Wojcicki, Lance Izumi and Alicia Chang. This excerpt is from the chapter entitled “Trick in the Blended Classroom,” written by Wojcicki. It all started in 1987, when I got a grant from the State of California. The students were absolutely thrilled to help me (can you imagine being asked to help a teacher?!) I was soon sold on the idea of collaboration, respect, and trust in the classroom. Computers, tablets, and other electronic devices alone are not going to change the classroom. To help everyone remember what it takes to set up a culture that works, I have come up with an acronym, TRICK. T = trust R = respect I = independence C = collaboration K = kindness Trust The first thing to establish in the classroom is a culture of trust. Since the teacher is the one in control, it is he or she who must take the initiative. The students also put out a newspaper or magazine.

The Use and Abuse of Technology in the Classroom This article was also posted on the kinderchat blog. More and more primary teachers now have access to technology in their classroom. Whether it is an iPad or an iPod touch, a desktop or a laptop, a growing number of teachers are either being given access to this technology by their school boards or bringing their own devices to class to help students to learn. Because of the multitude of choices and opportunities that technology enables, this is a positive development. I have been concerned, though, by some of the ways that I see technology being used. Technology should not just allow us to do things in a more engaging way; it should allow us to do new things that we thought were not possible. Having access to books does not mean that the students in my classroom will learn to read. In the same way, having technology in my classroom does not mean that my students will discover how to use it as a learning tool. Technology Abuses Technology Uses Technology should be for connecting.

A five stage model for using the VLE VLEs have a huge range of functionality, a lot of criticism often laid against the VLE is that some users are not aware of those functions. There is often too much information about the VLE for new users who may not understand many of the concepts or have the skills to fully utilise the functionality of the VLE. Stage One Upload to the VLE the course resources, handouts, assignments, scheme of work and links. Now this is something that is often laid against VLEs as why they don’t work as they are merely used as respositories of materials. However practitioners who are unfamiliar with the VLE often need a starting point. Stage Two Add more content try and put up new content at least weekly. So then you’ll get asked what content should you put up. Stage Three Add interactivity to the course through the use of quizzes and feedback. Stage Four Add engagement by learners through the use of discussion forums. Stage Five Embedding.

Perspectives on Thinking, Learning, and Cognitive Styles I migliori siti italiani che parlano d'innovazione didattica Penso sia finalmente giunto il momento di mettere insieme in una lista, che spero mi aiuterete ad ampliare ed a tenere aggiornata con le vostre preziose segnalazioni, i migliori siti italiani che parlano d’innovazione didattica, di scuola 2.0, di rivoluzione digitale all’interno delle classi. L’articolo su quelli internazionali ha avuto un discreto successo, ma è ora di cominciare a guardare dentro i nostri confini, perché ci sono risorse meravigliose che aspettano solamente di essere scoperte e condivise. Nell’elenco troverete anche siti che non parlano esclusivamente di scuola, ma anche d’innovazione tout court, perché personalmente ritengo che aprirsi all’esterno, e non essere troppo autoreferenziali, sia un’ottimo modo per andare avanti nel nostro percorso professionale. Rinnovo il mio consiglio: salvate questi siti tra i preferiti o, meglio, sul vostro RSS reader, in modo da consultarli più o meno regolarmente, perché riescono a pubblicare anche diversi articoli al giorno.

Reaching Rural Schools: Technology Makes Learning Possible No Matter the Zip Code The one-room schoolhouse has become a quaint symbol of our country’s pioneer past. But while most American school districts have undergone dramatic growth as they enter the 21st Century, there are still many districts in small rural communities that are—in true pioneer spirit—doing what they can with what they have. More than half of the nation’s school districts are located in rural areas with one-fifth of all public school children enrolled in rural schools served by nearly 740,000 rural schoolteachers (23 percent of the nation’s public school workforce). These communities often serve relatively isolated groups (such as Appalachian Whites in the Southeast and American Indians in the Northwest, for instance). According to a November 2011 report by the U.S. Small Districts. Small districts and communities tend to have small budgets, making modern and reliable district-wide technology initiatives a challenge for many of these regions. Going the Distance The State of Rural Learning: Alaska

Top ten tips for Moodle course design | eLearning for Arts and Social Sciences Top ten tips I attended a session on Moodle course design at the MoodleMoot 11 conference. One of the speakers, Michelle Moore, Chief Evangelist for Remote-Learner, gave some excellent dos and don’ts for effective and user-friendly Moodle course design which I have summarised below. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.