A study into the effectiveness of blended learning in an upper KS2 classroom.

Abstract

I am ICT leader in a school that is responsible for trialling professional learning approaches in relation to the Donaldson curriculum. I was given the opportunity to address my own professional development target through piloting a ‘blended teaching’ approach.

Prior to the study the learning environment consisted of ‘traditional’ rectangular classroom tables arranged in either a group or row formation. There was a small reading / resource area at the back of the classroom with 2 soft chairs, and the room had several colourful displays of children’s work and supportive resources. Through undertaking the study, major changes were made to the physical layout and resources of the classroom; modular tables were introduced to provide a flexible working environment that can be adapted to both individual and small or large group working, wall-mounted whiteboards were installed in the entire back area of the room to support collaborative learning and to provide opportunities for learning and recording using different media, beanbags and a sofa were introduced to provide comfortable, varied seating to be used during learning experiences. These physical changes to the learning space have gone hand in hand with adapting teaching style and strategies to incorporate a ‘rotation model’ approach. Similar to a carousel approach children can address the learning objective through a range of teaching and learning styles, including self-directed, online learning.

Pre and post research questionnaires were administered to the participants in order to gather data regarding their reactions to, and engagement with the changes. Pupils expressed a clear preference for using the new areas of learning, away from the traditional seating arrangements, and for being able to express choice and flexibility in the immediate physical environment in which they work. The use of ICT to support learning is preferred. Pupils now show a more positive attitude towards learning when this can take place in a more comfortable seating area, using different media such as the whiteboards, or at a standing bench according to their own preference.

As a result, most pupils have shown

● greater engagement in, and positive attitudes towards learning;

● improved independence, specifically with ICT based learning;

● an increase in learning outside of the physical classroom through online ‘classrooms’ and as a result of online instruction.

The next step in our journey to develop a fully blended learning environment is to increase the profile and use of an online platform for learning (google classroom), to enable flipped learning to take place. This will enable children to access learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom, completing tasks in their own time, at their own pace with teacher feedback and support occurring online.

Introduction

Context

Herbert Thompson is a large, successful primary school in a socially and economically deprived area of Cardiff. There are 505 on roll with 2-3 form entry from Nursery to year 6. 40% of children have Free School Meals (FSM). The Year 5 cohort at the time of this project had 44.6% on the SEN register, including 13 boys with complex additional needs relating to social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

I have worked in my current setting for 10 years. I have always adopted an open, growth mindset to my

teaching, regularly seeking advice, support and ideas from fellow teachers and an enthusiasm to trying out

new strategies. I will always look within our own setting or beyond for inspiration and advice.

I became ICT leader in September 2017 and through this I have provided training and support to teachers

in order to effectively use ICT to enhance, support and challenge learning across the curriculum both in

school and through home-based learning. I have attended numerous CPD events, meetings and training

courses relating to ICT in order to equip myself with a wealth of ideas and tools to enable children to

develop a more independent and blended approach to their learning.

Defining the focus

My classroom has always been a very vibrant, colourful and information rich environment, however I felt

that the main purpose for the classroom – to support children with their learning and for them to interact

with their environment was no longer effective. The colourful displays were often ignored by children for

whom they had become ‘background’.

The back ‘area’ of the classroom is an additional space that can be used for a range of purposes. This area

has always included a ‘reading area’, ‘writing area’ and storage for classroom resources. There was a lot of

furniture that took up the majority of the space and other than going to choose books from the bookshelf,

children would rarely use this area of the classroom.

I felt that the wall displays would be more beneficial if they were able to be used to support, enhance and

be involved with learning rather than serving as ‘informational wallpaper’.

The main area of the classroom has always had traditional

desks and chairs. Due to the small size of the room, and the

cohort of children, it was beneficial to have the tables in

rows, with one large group table and one smaller group

table. Children would sit in their designated spaces for every

lesson. This served to minimise potential negative situations.

Generally, literacy lessons would involve strategies such as

group work, drama activities or working with different

partners, which would involve them moving around and

working with a range of peers through different learning

styles and using a range of media. However they would

always start and end the lesson in their specified seats. Maths and topic lessons would more often lend

themselves to the traditional model of teacher input followed by whole class activities. I felt (and still feel)

that with a challenging cohort, this helps create a calm atmosphere in the classroom, is necessary to keep

potential negative situations at bay and helps pupils to focus on the task. However, this does not lend itself

well to blended approach to learning, where children can develop independence in choosing their methods

of working, choose the media with which to learn or even choose the activity to complete in order to

achieve the learning objective.

Whilst holding this belief that a traditional classroom layout and lesson structure does result in a calm

learning environment and more focus from pupils, particularly those with attention deficit or relationship

difficulties with other pupils. At the same time I am very open to trying new strategies, particularly those

that have the potential to increase engagement and motivation in learning, in turn increasing focus and

minimise disruptive, negative behaviour incidents.

Literature review

As a staff we have had many informal conversations regarding the definition of ‘blended learning’ and an

important first step was to establish what blended learning means to us, in our setting. A common

understanding, and often a barrier for many teachers, is that it primarily involves extensive use of ICT in

teaching and learning and to deliver learning opportunities, to the extent of moving away from traditional

teacher-led learning. This is a significant element of blended learning but by no means the only, or the

most important. In an article written for a Central South Learning and Teaching update by our head teacher

- ‘Action research into blended teaching approaches’ (May and Marsh, 2017), she expressed this vision by

stating that “we wanted to move away from the perception that this (blended) approach was exclusively

about using ICT in lessons towards the notion that it is about the blend of approaches that includes a

balance of teacher led and pupil led learning that really impacts on all learners inside and outside school.

Using digital technology creates excellent opportunities and we agreed that it should be used, where

possible to enhance learning.” It is this vision of blended learning that inspired me throughout this project

and that I have based subsequent innovations and actions on. Another key inspiration for my own

interpretation of a blended learning environment came from a visit made to Cadoxton Primary School in

March 2018, a school which has embedded a blended learning approach both physically and pedagogically.

The findings from this visit are detailed further in the literature review.

In exploring alternative definitions of blended learning, it became apparent that it has strong links with

those of ‘flipped learning’. The Flipped Learning Network (www.flippedlearning.org, 2014) define this as:

“a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the

individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive

learning environment”.

Their ‘Four pillars of F-L-I-P’ are described as being:

F - Flexible environment (physically rearranging classroom space)

L - Learning culture (a learner centered approach)

I - Intentional content (maximise classroom time in order to adopt...student centered, active

learning strategies)

P - Professional educator (continually observe students, providing them with feedback relevant in

the moment, and assessing their work)

These four pillars cover strategies that are prevalent in any outstanding teaching, but particularly a

blended classroom.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines blended learning as being

“A way of learning that combines traditional classroom lessons with lessons that use computer

technology and may be given over the internet” (Dictionary.cambridge.org, 2018)

As a result of further online research into ‘blended learning definition’, it was apparent that the most

common definition involves the use of technology, primarily to deliver individualised learning

opportunities with the student having control over time and pace of their learning. Significantly, students

do not use technology as a tool, but it is used as a method of instruction and delivery. This correlates

closely with the definition of ‘flipped learning’ or a ‘flipped classroom’.

With such a wide range of definitions of, and studies into, blended learning available for view, it proved

difficult to pinpoint an exact definition that would serve as a model to apply within my own learning

environment. However the publication ‘Blended Learning & Learning Platforms: How you can start blended

learning tomorrow’ (Info.itslearning.net) provided the most comprehensible and attainable definition. It

simply defines blended learning as “the mixing of face-to-face teaching and online learning.”

They describe how “teachers and students have access to a shared

online learning environment that only they can access.” Which was

immediately identifiable as Google Classroom, a tool that we had already

begun to implement within our setting. Most fundamentally the article

outlined several case studies in which practitioners had “adapted

blended learning theories to suit their own needs” as was needed to be

done in my own setting.

The case study that was particularly relevant to my own study was the

‘station rotation model’. Described as a ‘simple’ model to use, it

documented how

“during the lesson, the groups will work at all the work stations for 20

minutes. At each station, they complete different activities related to the

…(activity)...sometimes as a group and sometimes individually.

There are always two stations that remain the same: the PC

station and the teacher station.

The PC work station has five internet- connected PCs where students

work with online educational games, reading and listening activities or

online activities designed specifically for students and teachers.

At the teacher station, the teacher works with one small group of

students at a time. This enables her to give individual attention to each

student”

The other models reported in the article include a flipped learning model

as defined previously, and a ‘learning by design’ model in which students

choose what to study and how to show what they have learned. This

model has its merits, particularly when beginning a new topic as pupils

can select their own starting point and then proceed to express their

learning through methods chosen by themselves. However for core subjects, which have prescribed

schemes of work and objectives to be met, this model would potentially be more difficult to apply while

ensuring that all children are developing the necessary skills. I felt that it was a model that could be applied

however in certain circumstances and was interested to incorporate it into my practise where possible.

The rotation model as described by itslearning.net in this publication was a model that I could easily apply

within my own setting and that could serve to transform my traditional teaching methods in order to meet

the objectives and visions of a blended teaching approach. It would also be a model easily transferable to

other classrooms within our setting and that would be achievable by all teachers, regardless of their

confidence with, and opinions of more direct online learning.

Lee Watanabe-Crockett (2017) proposes a very similar model which, as previously, stood out as being a

definition and model that I could relate to and easily apply to my setting. He states that

“Blended learning is defined by these characteristics: A portion of the learning is delivered with digital or online media.

Some of the learning is student-directed in terms of time, pace, path, and place. It provides a learning experience that is appealing and that delivers successful learning outcomes.”

He goes on to explain how “Blended learning practices are a great way to mix it up the classroom. It lets teachers teach learners in their own technological turf. With a careful mix of instruction and technology, it can be a great way to boost learning outcomes…... With blended learning, teachers still work with students and groups very closely. They lead lively class discussions to supplement the digital interaction that’s happening. Students know the teacher plays a role just as valued and appreciated as the technology. It’s a more rewarding form of interaction.” (Watanabe-Crockett, 2017) It is clear how this definition is one that would appeal to a majority of teachers who are more accustomed to a traditional form of teacher-led learning. To still work ‘closely’, to ‘lead lively discussion’ and to have a ‘role just as valued and appreciated as the technology’ is a safe ‘middle ground’ between teacher-led and an entirely flipped learning environment. To employ a ‘flipped learning’ style of blended teaching, with direction and instruction being delivered by

an online ‘teacher’ would involve buying into such a platform. This was not something that was financially

viable. However as mentioned previously, the use of google classroom could provide a means of delivering

learning through a safe, shared online space, with opportunities for teacher feedback, home-based

learning and enabling children to work at their own pace, in their own time whilst fulfilling the objectives

and standards required from the class teacher, without their physical presence being necessary. Thus

embodying the essence of flipped learning.

I felt that at this stage I needed to understand in more depth how to effectively deliver a rotation model

within my setting, thus visiting Cadoxton Primary school in March 2018, who I knew already successfully

employed such an approach. Similarly, In ‘Future Schools’ (Mirchandani and Wright, 2015) they include a

case study of Cwmclydach Primary School, Rhondda Valley as an example of how paying attention to the

physical space can “support a rich curriculum that embraces new technologies and 21st century learning”.

The headteacher - Gareth Dacey is quoted in the case study as explaining that “Modern learning spaces

must be flexible and adaptable and must actively promote and facilitate the use of digital technology to

support and enhance pupils’ learning.” Images of the learning area show a range of seating to ‘help them

feel comfortable during learning activities’ - sofas, beanbags and modular tables with working walls free

from images and traditional displays. The arrangement of learning environments is similar to that observed

during the visit to Cadoxton Primary and strongly influenced the vision and expectations for my own

classroom. This model involved minimal desk seating in Key Stage 2 classrooms, with modular tables and

stools for flexibility. The classrooms also included comfortable seating areas and minimal displays. Instead,

highly prevalent around the whole school were whiteboard walls to create interactive learning

environments. Learning was primarily undertaken in learning ‘groups’ and presented in group ‘learning

journals’ in a mixture of written, pictorial and photographic form, rather than traditional subject-specific

books. This visit provided me with further inspiration and strategies for implementing a blended approach

into my own classroom setting.

Methodology

Data collection

At the start of the project I undertook initial baseline measurements of pupils attitudes towards learning

and their learning environment. This qualitative questionnaire can be found, with full record of results, in

Appendix i. The results of this research are analysed in detail in the following ‘Analysis and findings’

section. A qualitative approach was chosen as it was important to gather pupils attitudes towards learning,

their preferences and motivations within the classroom. Changes would then be implemented with a focus

on proven and tested blended research strategies, being mindful of the responses of pupils also.

There was then to be a similar post-research questionnaire to assess the impact of changes to the

classroom environment and teaching styles applied. This questionnaire would also re-assess children’s

preferences and motivations, as the pre-research data collection would have addressed blended learning

strategies before the children would have had experience of these approaches, therefore influencing or

limiting their responses. The post-research questionnaire, with results, can be found in Appendix ii. It is

broadly similar, but not identical to the pre-research questionnaire. This, although having the limitations of

not providing directly comparable results, was intentional. Prior to the research it was unknown exactly

what innovations and changes would be made within the learning environment and to the teaching and

learning strategies. Once completed, it was important and relevant to the study to gather pupils opinions

of, and reactions to the changes implemented. Therefore questions had to be asked that were directly

related to the new learning environment and to the teaching and learning styles developed throughout the

study. These would have been unable to be included in the pre-research questionnaire.

Context

The research was undertaken in one Year 5 class only. Being a 2-form intake the other Year 5 class teacher

took on some of the strategies and approaches but adapted these to suit her own classroom environment

and class dynamics. Applying a blended teaching approach has to be dependent on the pupils - their

dynamics and the physical classroom environment. To be successful and result in increased engagement

and achievement of learners, a ‘one size fits all’ approach cannot be applied.

As a school the motivation for the study was based on the new Curriculum for Wales. This curriculum is

described by the Welsh Government as having:

‘more emphasis on equipping young people for life. It will build their ability to learn new skills and apply

their subject knowledge more positively and creatively...Meanwhile teachers will have more freedom to

teach in ways they feel will have the best outcomes for their learners...They will also get a deep

understanding of how to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

‘Now more than ever, young people need to be adaptable to change, capable of learning new skills

throughout life and equipped to cope with new life scenarios.

Advances in technology and globalisation have transformed the way we live and work. These changes have

profound implications for what, and how, children and young people need to learn...Schools and teachers

need more flexibility to respond to this environment’ (beta.gov.wales, 2017)

The curriculum is changing and our classroom environments and teaching styles need to change with it.

Implementing a blended approach to teaching can begin to address this application of skills in a way that is

best for learners, and to allow the flexibility that is needed. In a fast developing and changing world of

work and technology, children need to be equipped with the skills required for the future workplace -

collaboration, flexibility, initiative and creativity.

Research question

The research question - ‘A study into the effectiveness of blended learning in an upper KS2 classroom’ is

intentionally broad, so as to address the impact of blended learning approaches on several elements of the

classroom - namely motivation, engagement, attitudes and standards in learning. The intention is to

disseminate the findings, initially within our own school, providing colleagues with the organisational and

teaching strategies needed to employ a blended approach within their own classroom. Resourcing brings

with it financial implications which may limit the extent to which others can implement the approach,

however the strategies and approaches are flexible and can be adapted and modified to meet any physical,

financial or social limitations.

The ‘blended learning’ approaches that were to be implemented include: changes to the physical

environment of the classroom, namely areas of learning and use of tables, chairs and soft seating areas;

the organisation of learning opportunities and of pupil groups; the use of collaborative learning; the use of

online learning tools; the purpose and interactivity of wall displays.

Ethical considerations

The ethical considerations for this project were minimal, as all children in the class were equal participants

and received the same intervention over the course of the study. Therefore the main considerations to

make were within the report itself. All data collection was completed anonymously, and any photographs

included in the report will obscure identities of the participants.

Limitations

Conducting this research within my own classroom setting, with minimal impact on other classes within

the school meant that limitations in terms of ambition and creativity were minimal. I also had the full

support of senior management within the school, who were eager for me to fully explore the

opportunities available in order to assess impact and success. A qualitative approach was applied to the

research due to the timing of the project. The majority of the changes were implemented in the summer

term 2018, as documented in the timescales below. A full academic year consisting of data collection prior

to and post action implementation would have been required to gather significant qualitative data. The

research continued into the Autumn term 2018, however this was with a new cohort of children who were

entering the class near to completion of a fully blended approach, therefore comparisons could not be

made in terms of pupil progress or attitudes.

As mentioned previously, a blended approach can take many different forms dependent on setting, this is

also highly dependent on resources available. Delivering learning opportunities via ICT requires devices and

infrastructure appropriate to class size. My class shares a bank of 7 ipads with the partner class, and has 4

laptops permanently within the classroom. This provision obviously steered the learning opportunities and

pupil organisation significantly, lending more to a carousel approach. However I found that this limitation

actually helped to guide the pupils to engage in a wider range of learning styles and avoided the inevitable

‘lean’ towards using technology for the sake of it.

Work plan / key dates

The following timeline details the significant events and key points in the research project. The impact and

implications of various changes implemented is noted in further detail in the ‘results and findings’ section

of the report.

September / October 2017

- School Improvement Plan and teacher professional development targets combined to inform a

classroom-based target of applying a more blended approach to teaching and learning.

- Decisions made on innovations to be made within the classroom and steps to be taken to implement a

blended learning approach.

- Data gathered through pre-research questionnaire with participants

Autumn Term 2017

- Reading undertaken into blended approaches and discussions held regarding physical organisation of

classroom and methods of implementing a blended approach.

- Interactive ‘white walls’ installed on approximately 30% of the classroom walls.

- Blended approach to planning, teaching and learning adopted. Carousel style learning implemented.

Increased use of ICT to support and lead learning both teacher and pupil-led.

March 2018

- visit undertaken to Cadoxton Primary School, Barry. Observations and discussions with staff in order to

gather ideas and advice on applying a blended approach - teaching and learning as well as physical

organisational implications.

June 2018

- modular tables purchased and introduced to replace traditional rectangular ‘row’ formation.

July 2018

- Acquisition of new, varied seating areas in the classroom - a sofa and beanbags.

- Redesign of a workbench to become a ‘standing bench’ for written and online tasks.

- Post research data collection through qualitative questionnaires. These were undertaken at this stage due

to the ending of the school year and the current cohort moving on.

September 2018

- New seating in the form of ‘wobble stools’ purchased to allow for a more flexible working environment.

Additional purpose to minimise the prevalence of ‘swinging on chairs’ and to focus ‘fidgets’ and those with

attention difficulties.

- Report created detailing the impact of implementing a blended teaching environment and approaches.

Autumn Term 2018 and forwards

- Findings to be shared with colleagues within educational setting. Further actions or research that would

be pertinent and useful to our own setting will be considered and discussed with Senior Management.

- Blended teaching approaches introduced will continue to be embedded, sustained and assessed for

impact on standards and feasibility with current cohort and those in the future.

- Findings to be shared beyond my own educational setting.

Throughout project - ongoing observations and informal, anecdotal data was gathered from participants,

providing feedback on the impact, success and feasibility of certain innovations.

Analysis and findings

The initial, baseline research undertaken with the participants showed that teacher talk, written tasks and

individual learning was prevalent in the classroom. A highly significant (92%) of responses identified that at

a table is the usual place of work, and 56% reported lessons as being interesting and fun with 0%

responding with ‘no’. This result is not entirely reliable however as the children knew they were

completing the questionnaire for the purpose of myself (the class teacher) which may have skewed

responses slightly.

An interesting contrast to these results reporting on methods of working occurs when asking children their

preferences and opinions. A minority (12%) reported to prefer writing, and only 16% prefer listening to the

teacher. Another noteworthy contrast is that 28% prefer to work at a table, despite this being the main

place of work identified by 92% of children. Over half of the children preferred to learn with ICT and

although 40% reported to prefer working alone, an equal 44% would prefer partner work.

Continuing with the clear positive attitude towards use of ICT in the classroom, the most popular learning

tool was identified as iPads, with computers being the second.

Referring back to the reflection on colourful ‘background’ displays in the introduction, almost half (48%) of

participants reported that this style of display is most useful. However, at this time they did not have any

experience of blank displays to use as part of their learning so may not have chosen this option simply due

to experience.

One of the most significant findings from this initial research is that 92% of children believe they learn best

in a quiet classroom, and when asked what area is their favourite, 12 out of 25 responses referred to the

quietness of an area. Similarly 8 out of 21 responses to the least favourite area gave noise as a reason.

Significant to the research question - almost ⅔ of children reported to rather find things out for themselves

than be told by the teacher.

As an initial method of data gathering, these qualitative findings clearly gave a mixed picture of what

children would prefer in a learning environment. However a clear outcome was that ICT is a preferable

method of learning and that working at a table is not preferable. The majority of the children would prefer

to work at the back of the room or on a comfy chair, however the reason for this is mainly due to its

quietness.

This suggested to me that extending the learning environment into this area was important, as well as

using ICT as a more prevalent learning tool. Independent or partner work would not lend itself to such a

change in classroom organisation, however it was important to realise that children do prefer to work

independently, including less teacher talk and more self-directed learning.

At this stage we had begun to introduce google apps for learning into the school and I had begun to use

google classroom as a tool for setting and supporting tasks. Google classroom is a tool that can address the

ICT and independent learning preferences of the children. Tasks can be set along with relevant resources

enabling pupils to direct their own learning with teacher input and feedback where necessary.

Another significant finding from the qualitative element of the pre and post research questionnaires was

the preferred ’areas’ in the classroom. Prior to the intervention, findings showed that 61% preferred the

back of the room compared to 39% preferring the front, with a number of pupils referring to the noise and

ease of hearing the teacher as contributing to this choice. As a result of the post intervention research,

once changes had been implemented primarily to the ‘back’ area of the room – 93% stated the back of the

room as their preferred area, specifically stating the whiteboards, sofa or beanbags as the reason for this.

As reflected by this change of opinions and preferences of the pupils, a significant element of this project

was the innovation in the physical organisation and hardware within the classroom. This was essential in

order to fully embed the blended teaching approaches and for the pupils to experience a range of learning

styles, a blend of teacher led, independent, group and online activities. It was also a key element to enable

pupils to have the opportunity to access any of these learning opportunities using different media and

physical positions (seated and standing) more productive for themselves. The most significant changes that

were noted in the ‘key dates’ previously are listed here with a reflection on their impact and success.

Qualitative data gathered from both the pre and post research questionnaires is displayed in Appendices ii

and iii, and gives interesting insight into the opinions of the participants and their reactions to the changes

made. Most notably, prior to the research, without experience of such a blended environment, the

participants, on the whole, seemed happy with their learning environment, aside from a few comments

relating to the noise level and difficulties with concentration in the classroom. However, once the changes

had been implemented, and the environment allowed for more blended learning to take place, their

positivity and enjoyment of the new environment was clear, and they were able to comment on its positive

impact on their learning.

Displays being replaced with whiteboards for pupils to use

through directed tasks or independently to support other

learning. These were immediately utilised to support carousel

activities - as a ‘working wall’ to demonstrate thought processes

or plans, to act as a medium for presenting work if so chosen by

pupils, and used by pupils to support their written or online

work (as a form of ‘note taking’ or presentation). Pupils were

immediately and significantly motivated by these. It was

considered that the initial novelty of ‘writing on the wall’ would

wear off, but conversely pupils sustained interest and

motivation in using the walls as a tool for learning. Significantly, pupils who were disengaged by presenting

work ‘on paper’, were more likely to engage in the learning and present work / demonstrate thinking and

ideas using the whiteboards. Children used them to present in a range of written, diagrammatic or pictorial

methods as preferred by the individual. Use of the boards was always respectful and collaborative, skills

that pupils would not have the opportunity to develop through independent writing tasks. Images of the

white walls being utilised for a variety of learning experiences can be seen in Appendix iii.

Modular tables introduced to replace traditional rectangular ‘row’

formation.

These tables allowed for flexible grouping, partner work as well as

independent written tasks. The tables are much more easily

moveable to allow for flexibility according to the task. They also

create a great deal more space in the room, therefore allowing for

other areas to be utilised more frequently and productively for

larger groups. The tables enable a teacher focused group to be

active whilst other children work either independently or in a group. An initial limitation with these tables

was the use of traditional chairs with them. The chairs allow for less flexibility in terms of size and storage

when not in use. To keep the tables in the same formation for every lesson would not fulfil their potential

of allowing for a range of group dynamics and learning styles. More images of the previous, traditional

‘row’ organisation and the new modular setting can be seen in Appendix iv.

A sofa and 2 beanbags introduced as varied seated learning areas. These provided a variety of learning

environments accessible to the pupils and the use of lap trays enabled them to be used for written, oral or

ICT based activities. Pupils could now work in an environment and seating position that was comfortable

and productive to their individual needs. Pupils initially saw these as ‘chill out’ or ‘reading’ areas, as they

would have been used previously. However once they understood their use as different learning areas they

quickly became independent with choosing where they would prefer to sit and complete work. Some

pupils expressed a desire to only write at a table, while others were comfortable and focused on the task

when sat at one of the new areas with a lap tray for leaning - for both ICT based and written work.

A carousel approach was implemented, initially in approximately

90% of topic lessons and less than 50% of maths and literacy

lessons. These lessons incorporated a range of activities and tasks

available for the pupils. Initially, this limited shift was mainly due

to the layout of the classroom and format of tables that made it

more difficult to adapt (and at the same time more easy to retain

the traditional, whole class teaching methods). However the

success of applying such an approach in topic lessons led me to

have the confidence to extend this to other core subjects,

particularly towards the end of the summer term when all new furniture was implemented.

By the Autumn term of 2018 a carousel, ‘rotation’ model was successfully applied in 90% of all lessons.

Applying this rotation model allows every lesson to address a range of learning styles as well as applying

independence to learning through self-guided activities (both on and offline). It also allows for a teacher

focus group to receive appropriate levels of support and personalised learning relevant to individual needs

much more effectively than in a whole class teaching setting. Appendix v provides feedback from pupils

and other teachers on the first rotation model lesson. This was delivered through a topic lesson and did not

involve an ICT station, but did involve a teacher focus group as well as independent, self-led tasks.

Google classroom. Google apps for education have been used within the setting for the previous academic

year at least. Google classroom is one element that has had a slower implementation due to teacher

knowledge and training needs. Through training from external agencies and in-house, Key Stage 2 classes

had begun to utilise google classroom as a tool for online instruction and task setting. It had also been

used, to a lesser extent, as a flipped learning tool, providing resources and tasks for completion away from

the classroom. Due to limited ICT hardware, a rotation model is essential for children to have the

opportunity to work through this medium and is an engaging, successful strategy to enable pupils to access

learning online. The pupils are able to show significantly heightened levels of independence, and for most,

engagement in learning when working through this medium as opposed to traditional teacher-led, whole

class tasks.

Kore Wobble Stools (available through sensorydirect.com and other

online retailers) were purchased as a more practical seating

arrangement to accompany the modular tables. The flexibility of the

tables was significantly hindered by the inflexibility of traditional

classroom chairs. ‘Wobble stools’ are proven to allow ‘movement

during sitting without compromising stability.’ And to be ‘great for

those who fidget, have hyperactivity, impaired body position

awareness and low muscle tone.’ Sensorydirect.com also claim that

‘active sitting can help children to concentrate and focus on the task in hand’. For these reasons, as well as

the practical considerations, 10 stools were purchased to be alongside traditional classroom chairs to allow

for the modular tables to be used more effectively and flexibly. These have been extremely successful and

positive in terms of flexible seating arrangements and positive use by pupils. Pupils sat on traditional chairs

continue swinging, leaning and displaying inattentive behaviours. The majority of those on stools are more

attentive and focused, whilst using the ‘active sitting’ to channel their fidgets and distractions.

Having reviewed each element of the project individually, I feel it is important to draw attention to the

responses given by participants to the final qualitative question on the post-research questionnaire, as

detailed in Appendix ii ‘How have the changes helped you with your learning?’ This qualitative data sums

up the impact of introducing such blended learning approaches and teaching strategies on this Key Stage 2

classroom.

There are more areas to learn more things. I can stand and sit anywhere.

I can try more different techniques. Instead of doing the same type of work every day you can experience something new. It gives us an opportunity to experience different ways of how to learn in a classroom.

So we can learn in different ways. We would spread the tables out and do a carousel of activities instead of doing the same thing.

It has helped me to concentrate. They helped me to use more speaking.

Conclusions

A combination of this study and literature reviews undertaken have helped me to clarify what ‘blended

teaching’ looks and feels like within my setting. The fundamental principles of blended learning - to

combine online and face-to-face teaching; to allow pupils to manage their own learning in terms of pace

and sometimes method or media; to employ a range of teaching strategies with a mix of teacher-led and

independent learning, have all served to increase the enjoyment in, and motivation for learning within my

classroom.

In response to the research title, the effectiveness of blended learning within my classroom has been

significant. Pupils have shown visible enjoyment in going to their learning activities. Their motivation to

learn and produce a finished product has increased when the methods of conducting this learning and

reaching these end goals are varied and sometimes pupil-led. Continuing learning at home has shown an

increase - pupils are more likely to complete work online at home, in response to a verbal discussion in the

classroom than they are on paper.

In terms of teacher-led activities, conducting a rotational approach to learning enables me to work much

more closely with every child in the class throughout the rotation. I am more aware of every child’s needs

and abilities. As a result pupils are able to receive more individual, targeted support and/or challenge. I feel

my role as a teacher is more focused, effective and valued when it is primarily delivered through small

group activities.

The flexible arrangement of the classroom takes time to adjust to. There are still, and always will be the

pupils who see the flexibility as a welcomed distraction: the sofa as a lounging area rather than learning;

the flexible tables as an opportunity to sit with their friend. However most of the pupils have embraced the

changes productively and show a more focused, positive attitude towards their learning (even when this

may be a ‘traditional’ written activity) when they are able to work in an environment that is comfortable

for them. A few children will regularly choose to sit on the floor or stand at a bench to write rather than sit

at a table. The standard of the work produced has, for the majority of the time, been high and not given

any cause for concern at the less formal arrangements.

Using ICT as a regular method of learning within the classroom has served to raise standards and

independence in this area. Not only in the discrete use of ICT but also in its applications across the

curriculum.

To address the limitations of this project and its findings, I am aware that such a project would be more

comprehensive and reliable in its findings had it been undertaken across the period of an entire school

year. This does however raise ethical considerations such as whether the control group are the previous

class pre-intervention, or the partner class in the year group. Either method relies on a cohort or class of

children being potentially disadvantaged in their educational progress.

In terms of the limitations and cautions to be aware of when considering the findings of the project, it is

important to refer back to my own statement that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to applying

blended learning in the classroom. The needs and dynamics of the pupils are essential when considering

the best approach. Similarly the physical environment, resources and financial implications need to be

considered. Within my own setting I made the decision early on in the project to apply the rotational

model ‘with boundaries’. I was not going to give pupils the choice of which activity to partake in, or which

medium to use. This can (and did on a few occasions) be detrimental to the standards of work produced

and skills developed as pupils will occasionally choose the ‘easy’ option, or what they perceive to be most

‘fun’ or that which allows them to be with a friend who is not the best role model for learning. This is

another reason why the rotation model suited my needs best, as it addressed blended learning while

leaving the teacher an element of ‘control’ and management over the dynamics of the class. The rotation

model delivered in class involves pupils being in pre-defined groups. These are also organised to ensure

opportunities for peer support are plentiful. The pupils complete set tasks, mostly through a pre-instructed

method ensuring the learning objectives of the lesson are achieved so that pupils are developing the

appropriate range of skills and will not develop learning gaps due to their own personal or friendship

choices influencing their learning. The teacher focus stage of the rotation allows all pupils to receive

appropriately differentiated, individualised teacher input while the other stages are allowing strong

development of online, independent skills.

I have, on occasion set a learning objective for pupils and allowed them to meet this objective in a method,

and using a medium that they would prefer. This does, of course serve to increase motivation and

enjoyment significantly and resulted in a very positive, productive learning environment. It is important for

the teacher in this situation to understand that a lot of individual one-to-one intervention is required in

order to ensure all pupils are on task and suitably challenged at the same time as staying focused on the

learning objective.

Using the physical classroom to develop the ICT skills required to work independently through online

learning platforms such as google classroom has resulted in a significant rise in home based learning.

Simply being able to log on to the same learning environment at home as in school has caused the

boundaries to be removed and a move towards ‘flipped learning’ become more of a possibility. A next step

for my own teaching is to expand on the use of google classroom, to set homework tasks, but also to

enable learning opportunities to be completed within the physical school walls, but at a time and pace

chosen by the pupil themselves. The online classroom will be used as an instructional tool and resource

base, with pupils able to use a range of learning styles and medium to complete the learning and achieve

the objective.

The current position as a whole school involves 2 other classes currently using the modular, flexible table

arrangements, and several classes have removed existing fixed furniture to create a more open, useful

work area at the back of the room with a view of implementing a carousel approach. A significant number

of Key Stage 2 classes have implemented a carousel approach to all lessons, incorporating a variety of

learning styles, most significantly using ICT and google classroom to enable pupils to undertake self-led

online learning. All staff have received training in the use of Google classroom and this is being used across

the key stage to deliver learning within the physical classroom but also to set homework learning tasks and

to provide resources as well as collaborative learning opportunities.

Next steps as a school will be to disseminate the findings of this project and to equip staff with the

confidence, resources and knowledge needed to apply blended learning approaches in their own

classrooms, supporting and advising where necessary to adapt the approach to their own physical space

and social dynamics.

In final conclusion, to return to ‘5 simple blended learning strategies for the connected classroom’, it is

simply stated that:

(Blended learning) ‘provides a learning experience that is appealing and that delivers successful

learning outcomes’. (Watanabe-Crockett, 2017)

This research has enabled me to secure my understanding of ‘blended learning’ and to apply the

methodologies and ethos within my own classroom, thus enabling a significant movement towards

creating a successful, effective, fully blended learning environment. The key message to take away

however is that blended learning cannot be picked up and delivered as a ‘one size fits all’ approach. It is

important to consider physical, personal and social dynamics of the setting, as well as the needs and

experience of the learners and teacher, before deciding on the best approach which will result in an

effective, successful blended learning environment.

Appendix i – Pre-research questionnaire responses

Summarised qualitative responses What is your favourite area / place in the classroom and why? 17 out of 27 responses cited the back of the room as being the preferred area. Mostly for the reason of it being ‘quiet’ with less people and less noise. 10 gave the front / at tables as the preferred area, with reasons given being hearing the teacher and being easier to work at a table. What is your least favourite area/place in the classroom? Why? Out of 25 responses, almost 50% (12) of the responses stated that at the tables was the least preferred, mainly due to noise and disruptions. Only 20% (5) gave the back of the room as their least preferred area, and 3 of those 5 responses stated not being able to see the teacher or the whiteboard as the reason for this. What is your favourite thing to do while you are in school? Why? This question provided a wide range of responses covering most subjects - writing, maths, PE, drawing, being with friends… there was not a dominant answer to this question. How could your classroom be made even better? How would this make it better? Out of 27 responses - 7 referred to the behaviour of others and the noise level / calmness of the room, stating that it would be easier to learn and less distracting. 4 referred to more ICT (ipads) with one explanation being “Because the teacher just has to explain what to do and we get on with it”. 4 stated that more displays would improve the room.

Appendix ii - Post intervention questionnaire responses

What is your favourite area in the classroom? Summary of responses.

Out of 28 responses a significant 93% stated that one of the ‘new’ areas was their favourite – this included

the sofa, beanbags, whiteboard walls or referring to ‘the back’ of the room. 29% (8 pupils) explicitly stated

‘the sofa’; 21% (6) explicitly stated the beanbags, and only 7% (2 respondents) stated the front as their

preferred area citing being able to see or hear properly as the reason.

Most of the responses preferring displays of work referred to the benefits of seeing what it should look like

(WAGOLL – What a good one looks like) and to aid learning. Colourful displays were described as ‘standing

out’ and being eye catching and helpful.

The reasons given for preferring ICT notably involved the words ‘fun’ and ‘love’ as well as “you can be

creative with text and images and colour” and “you get to use it to find information”.

Summary of additional qualitative responses.

How could your classroom be even better?

The results of this question were not conclusive, as a wide range of responses were given. However the

most significant response was that of “nothing / it is perfect / it is amazing just as it is” given by 25% of the

respondents.

What is your opinion on the changes we have had this year in our classroom?

In answer to this question 93% of responses were positive, with comments ranging from “good” to

“amazing”, “I LOVE it” and “spectacular”, as well as more constructive comments such as “I think it will

help us learn and it’s better for our education” and “I really like the classroom it’s very open”. The 7% of

other comments (2 respondents) were “nothing”, rather than a negative opinion.

How have the changes helped you with your learning?

There are more areas to learn more things. I can stand and sit anywhere. I can try more different techniques. Instead of doing the same type of work every day you can experience something new. It gives us an opportunity to experience different ways of how to learn in a classroom. So we can learn in different ways. We would spread the tables out and do a carousel of activities instead of doing the same thing. It has helped me to concentrate. They helped me to use more speaking. It helped a lot we have ICT, bench, floor, tables.

Appendix iii - The use of white walls as interactive, dynamic displays, learning support and a medium for presenting work.

Appendix iv - traditional classroom organisation and newly implemented modular desks.

Appendix v - Feedback from first blended teaching carousel.

WWW and EBI from pupils.

WWW EBI We all shared the examples We had more time

We all read the instructions and understood the activity There was no silliness in videos

We could work as a group and not argue We were not being silly

Read the instructions There was less noise

I did more than I thought I would We finished it

We all worked together We started better

We all got along We had more ipads

I got help from the copies There was no talking

We were working together as a team Our work was more neat

We all used different colours for different people Instructions were more easy

WE found out lots of facts We used computers more

We all had a turn People didn’t boss people around

We all wrote a fact WE didn’t argue

We got to record each other We discussed more

Everyone got to do it We read the instructions

We were all on the board together We read the task

Everything went well, we didn’t have a problem! We added more photos and facts

We all got on with it WE had more time

The mindmaps are colourful A little more info

We all understand the task Including ipads

We got along well and we did more of our work We started early

We all got on and learnt new facts as well More time

I read the instructions People were quiet

I enjoyed it a little bit

It’s better

Was the best

First blended teaching carousel. WWW and EBI from teachers.

WWW EBI 1 Many pupils used the scaffolds and table top resources

well A few pupils heavily reliant on adult support, need to develop pupil tutoring / peer support strategies

Prompt sheets were very useful Have a range of activities but resources to be accessible to all abilities

2 Most pupils showed independence in their learning – approaching task and using resources for support when needed

Pupil tutoring / support was more embedded and used effectively rather than ‘ad hoc’

Engagement was high Tasks were differentiated with appropriate scaffolds for LAL

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