blended instruction: exploring student-centered pedagogical

Blended Instruction:Exploring Student-Centered Pedagogical Strategies to Promote a Technology-Enhanced Learning Environment

copyright © 2013, Center for 21st Century Skills at EDUCATION CONNECTION

Permission is granted under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license to replicate and distribute this report freely for non-commercial purposes, provided that is distributed only in its entirety. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Published byCenter for 21st Century Skills at EDUCATION CONNECTION355 Goshen RoadP.O. Box 909Litchfield, CT 06759-0909 860.567.0863 860.567.3381 blendedinstruction.net | skills21.org | educationconnection.org

Citation:LaBanca, F., Worwood, M., Schauss, S., LaSala, J., & Donn, J. (2013). Blended instruction: Exploring student-centered pedagogical strategies to promote a technology-enhanced learning environment. Litchfield, CT: EDUCATION CONNECTION.

Table of Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1

Defining Blended Instruction ................................................................................................................. 3

Important Outcomes of Blended Instruction ......................................................................................... 4

Critical Components of Quality Blended Instruction ............................................................................. 5

Examples from the Field: Blended Instruction in Practice .................................................................. 22

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 28

Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 30

21st century skill acquisition in education is the key to developing a competent and prepared workforce. The concept of 21st century skills has long suffered from the misconception that all that is needed is the ability to use a computer. 21st century skills—college and career readiness skills that transcend specific content domains—include: information literacy, creativity and innovation, collaboration, problem solving, communication, and responsible citizenship (see Figure 1). Technology becomes a critical tool in the process. However, when considering the role of technology, does it only serve the purpose of consumption where students become recipients of information? If so, then opportunities for developing 21st century skills diminish significantly. When students are challenged to use technology to become producers, their capacity for learning increases. Simply stated, technology should be leveraged to provide options for learning that would not and could not exist without it.

Therefore, an instructional model that details the role of teachers and students, paired with technology, is critical for meaningful learning. “Blended learning” is a term often used to describe the role of technology in the classroom; unfortunately, it is burdened with a myriad of definitions. From defining the location of instruction (e.g., traditional brick-and-mortar to additional time offsite) to the roles of technology (e.g., using a learning management system), these definitions are usually incomplete and lack the practical aspects of the actual implementation strategies. A more comprehensive definition that includes pedagogical strategies needs to be articulated. We advocate for the use of blended learning but term our model Blended Instruction.

Blended Instruction Pedagogy | 1EDUCATION CONNECTION

Introduction

2 | Blended Instruction Pedagogy

Figure 1: Six Critical Skills That Form the Foundation for 21st Century Success

21st Century Learning

Information Literacy

Appropriate applied research to any given challenge. The ability to find useful

and reliable information.

Standard. Students will use real-world digital and other research tools to

access, evaluate, and effectively apply information appropriate for authentic

tasks.

Creativity and Innovation

Exploration of imagination. Refining and improving original ideas.

Standard. Students will demonstrate innovation, flexibility, and adaptability in thinking patterns, work habits, and

working/learning conditions.

Collaboration

Working together to share, advocate, and compromise on issues critical to team’s

success.

Standard. Students will work independently and collaboratively to solve problems and accomplish goals.

Problem Solving

Experimentation of new and familiar concepts while processing information

until a viable solution is reached.

Standard. Students will effectively apply the analysis, synthesis, and evaluative

processes that enable productive problem solving.

Communication

The ability to properly read, write, present, and comprehend ideas between

a variety of media and audiences.

Standard. Students will communicate information clearly and effectively using a variety of tools/media in varied contexts

for a variety of purposes.

Responsible Citizenship

Demonstration of proper technology use, global awareness, and moral capacity in

and outside of the classroom.

Standard. Students will value and demonstrate personal responsibility,

character, cultural understanding, and ethical behavior.

EDUCATION CONNECTION

Ach

ieve

men

t Engagement

Introduction

Blended Instruction Pedagogy | 3

Defining Blended InstructionWe define blended instruction as a computer-mediated instructional strategy that leverages technology and focuses on the student-teacher relationship to enhance independence, engagement, and achievement. This student-centered, teacher-facilitated strategy includes online and experiential components to strengthen classroom learning. In blended instruction, blending not only includes technology but authentic experiences as well. Well-designed blended instruction’s foundation is curriculum. The curriculum drives the instruction—and high-quality instruction drives learning. Blended instruction offers higher levels of engagement, more adaptability, and the opportunity to build relationships, which increases student achievement. Students utilize technology when needed, they collaborate with one another, they communicate in multiple ways, but perhaps most importantly, they are given opportunities to problem solve and be creative producers.

Blended instruction is an innovative and transformative instructional model which embodies the four key attributes of a student-centered approach: (a) curriculum, instruction, and assessment embrace the skills and knowledge needed for success in college and careers; (b) community assets are harnessed to support and deepen learning experiences; (c) time is used flexibly and includes learning opportunities outside the traditional school day and year; and (d) mastery-based strategies are employed to allow for pacing based on proficiency in skills and knowledge.

Therefore, blended instruction is not: • a way to reduce the number of teachers in a school• didactic teaching with the use of a computer instead of a lecturer• a way to justify getting computers• distance learning• an isolation of students or learning experiences• knowledge-consumption based

A key feature to blended learning is the presence of the teacher in the design and facilitation of cognitive and social learning for the purpose of validating educationally worthwhile learning outcomes. Students share their responsibilities with the instructor. Face-to-face learning has significant advantages in the development of group processes and complementary relationships for students, and therefore requires a compassionate, caring adult to facilitate the process.

“Blended instruction offers higher levels of engagement, more adaptability, and the opportunity to build relationships, which increases student achievement.”



Important Outcomes of Blended InstructionEngagement

In order to achieve successful cognitive and social development, students require opportunities to develop both relationships and autonomy. School climate experts have focused primarily on three components: teacher-student support, student-student support, and opportunities for autonomy. Consequently, engaging students is a multifaceted challenge. Evidence suggests that effective integration of technology can increase engagement when it includes opportunities for students to collaborate and construct their knowledge socially.

According to The Opportunity Equation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for the Global Economy report:

School design for higher...achievement must first recognize that research on engagement has identified the counterintuitive finding that students who are academically struggling and those who are disconnected from school make more progress and are motivated to make more effort and to persist when they are engaged by caring teachers in more academically challenging course work.

Students with higher levels of engagement extend more effort and are persistent in completing tasks, leading to greater gains in academic achievement.



Achievement

Studies consistently indicate that blended learning strategies increase or equalize student achievement when compared to other delivery forms. More importantly, blended learning leverages and provides equitable opportunities for students of varied intellect, cultures, and ethnicities to personalize learning. In an educational world that demands accountability, learning paradigms that reliably increase achievement are necessary.

Incorporating the positive benefits of blending learning, blended instruction goes a step further and supports the paradigm shift from teacher-directed to student-centered learning. National research has shown that student-centered learning effectively develops both traditional and higher-order thinking skills, and this model advances the full implementation of student-centered learning in a classroom setting. In a blended instruction classroom, the teacher is an expert guide, supporting each student’s individual discovery and learning progression. Success in school, higher education, and careers requires content knowledge and information processing skills that are developed through interactions and collaborations with others as well as technological skills that are used to gather information, solve problems, and communicate ideas.

Effective blended instruction is unquestionably a constructivist strategy: a combination of content, skills, attitudes, and dispositions. In terms of design (curriculum) and delivery (instruction) a constructivist philosophy provides an opportunity for educators to facilitate learning, unlike a transactional paradigm where knowledge is “given” or “delivered”.

Blended instruction works well when teachers change their roles from knowledge deliverers to learning facilitators. The old colloquialism that the teacher is no longer the “sage on the stage” but “guide on the side” is an absolute necessity in a blended model. Our model includes four major instructional components: blended learning, experiential learning, digital portfolios, and proficiency assessments. However, building relationships that allow students to become independent, self-directed learners is the first step in the process.

“Incorporating the positive benefits of blending learning, blended instruction goes a step further and supports the paradigm shift from teacher-directed to student-centered learning.”


Critical Components of Quality Blended Instruction

Critical Components of Quality Blended Instruction


Roles and ResponsibilitiesMany descriptions of blended learning describe student learning that occurs mostly through the use of a computer, with a smaller teacher role in the learning process, and reduced face-to-face contact in a classroom. This is often done with the hope of leveraging technology to make up for spots where school districts and teachers have previously failed. Blended learning models have also been employed to make up for budget shortfalls and teacher shortages. In our current climate of financial turmoil, the use of computers to deliver instruction becomes ever more enticing if it can minimize the need for certified teachers.

However, this approach to learning is a misguided use of technology as students miss out on crucial social interactions with peers and instructional guidance from teachers. These social interactions are vital to the learning process and the development of true understanding. A shift in education away

from teacher-focused instruction to computer-focused instruction still misses the target, as it does not address the need for student-focused instruction. As instruction moves from “The Teacher

Show” to “The Computer Show,” we continue to miss the boat on “The Student Show.”

It is our belief that the primary benefit in modifying classroom instruction to include both face-to-face instruction and online components is the creation of a richer, more robust learning environment for students that will increase student engagement and achievement. The blended instruction model allows for the expansion of the classroom beyond the space, time, and resources traditionally available within the school. Teacher accessibility extends beyond the confines of the school day and the school building. In this model, technology enhances, rather than supplants, classroom instruction.

It is a false assumption that merely having students work with technology will engage students more than a traditional classroom. It is evident that students crave interactions with teachers and peers and prefer to participate in learning that incorporates authentic, hands-on, group activities to any other type of instructional approach. The key then is to effectively blend hands-on collaboration with thoughtful technology use that develops student knowledge and skills. The best technological tools for blended instruction are those that allow students to collaborate and use creativity to tackle authentic tasks.

“...social interactions are vital to the learning process and the development of true understanding.”




Instructional Model Components

From an instructional design point of view, blended instruction consists of four major components coupled with ongoing professional development for the educator. These components are: blended learning, experiential learning, digital portfolios, and proficiency assessments (see Figure 2).

Blended Learning

Blended learning combines face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities. In order to successfully implement blended learning, a learning management system (LMS) is a necessary delivery system. While the LMS houses curriculum, it also provides opportunities for interaction among students and between students and teacher.

Learning Management Systems. A key component of blended instruction is the provision of content in a learning management system. A learning management system (LMS) houses and administers the online component of the course. Proprietary LMS systems exist but are expensive to implement and maintain. Open-source options offer almost all the versatility of a proprietary system with more streamlined costs. Currently, Moodle is the most commonly used open-source platform, representing approximately 19% of the total market share (Green, 2011).

Figure 2. Components of effective blended instruction


OngoingProfessional

Development

Blended Learning

Proficiency Assessments Digital Portfolio

Experiential Learning


In this structured medium, students are able to access learning objectives and teacher-identified resources, participate in discussion threads with classmates, post assignments, communicate with the teacher, and complete assessments. When instructional materials are housed in an LMS, they are taken out of the sole hands of the teacher and shared with the students. A learning management system also allows for increased interaction between students and teacher and among students. Students are then able to access classroom resources at any time, participate in asynchronous discussions, and tap into a support network that reduces isolation.

In the blended instruction approach, the teacher continues to be essential to the development of student learning; however, the use of online learning components eases the shift from teacher-focused instruction to student-centered learning. In a student-centered classroom, the teacher acts as an instructional guide and knowledgeable expert who facilitates student learning. In “The Student Show,” what students are doing (the development of knowledge and skills) becomes the objective. Success in school, higher education, and work beyond school requires content knowledge and information processing skills that are developed through interactions and collaborations with others as well as technological skills that are used to gather information, solve problems, and communicate ideas. Just as technology has changed our daily lives by expanding access to information and encouraging communication, blended instruction enables technology to transform the classroom.

When using the blended instruction approach, technology offers teachers the opportunity to bring resources into the classroom, including human resources. Modern communication tools—including Skype, webinars, email, video conferences, virtual worlds, and discussion boards—allow the gathering of information and the sharing of ideas to occur like never before, and expand the learning community to include professionals in business, industry, and academia. Through the use of these tools, the teacher opens students to the greater world and the classroom is no longer isolated within its four walls. Students can participate in interactions with project mentors (experts in a field related to a classroom project) and students in a different school or even another country. The teacher can bring these experiences to the students, aiding the development of student-driven experiences.

The blended instruction approach provides greater flexibility and supports differentiated instruction since teachers have greater contact with students through messaging, online posts, and discussion threads. The learning management system gives students access to resources of varying levels and modes of communication. Integrated assessments allow teachers to easily monitor student progress. Instant feedback and targeted support are available to students who need it. Using the

“...technology offers teachers the opportunity to bring resources into the classroom, including human resources.”



online interactions as a basis for developing future instruction, the learning relationship changes to a more collaborative model. Enrichment opportunities can be provided for students who move at a faster pace than the rest of the class as teachers can also post extension activities for students who want to expand and deepen their understanding of the content. In addition, differentiated activities based on ability can also be posted. Flexibility in instruction is vital to the success of the blended instruction approach.

Asynchronous Discussions. Technology should be leveraged to offer learning options that cannot exist without the technology. The key game changer is the opportunity for novel forms of communication and collaboration, many of which need not take place in real time. Several different online options exist for student interactions asynchronously, including a forum or message board, a blog, or a wiki. Each has unique benefits, but instructionally, all should be used to promote high levels of meaningful interaction with students that do not take place in real time.

A forum is an online discussion platform where topic conversations are conducted in the form of posted messages. A forum is hierarchical and archivable in structure. It often contains a number of subforums, each of which may have several topics. Within each topic, each discussion started is

called a thread. Forums leverage the option of asynchronous discussion, because students can interact with each other at any time and any place. In other words, conversations can continue beyond face-to-face

time. A well-conceived, thoughtful topic or question can generate a great deal of discussion and take advantage of student learning preferences (see Figure 3). First and foremost, students have the opportunity to process and incubate their ideas. An immediate response, as necessary in a face-to-face environment, is not required. The student who is excited can quickly post and share thoughts. However, the student who prefers to consider other ideas and points of views can wait to contribute.

The pedagogical challenge for teachers is to promote interaction. Students can easily contribute to a forum without interacting with one another. This would make the forum contribution no different from a paragraph description written on notebook paper and turned in to the teacher. Therefore, design of questions is of paramount importance. Clearly, questions must be open-ended and incorporate ill-defined problems (those that cannot be described concisely and which welcome several solutions), but when students are encouraged to consider the ideas of others and respectfully agree or disagree, there is more potential for high-quality interaction.

“The key game changer is the opportunity for novel forms of communication and collaboration, many of which need not take place in real time.”



Asynchronous discussions offer a wider range of options for student participation and engagement, because they inherently provide more opportunities for individualized choice for communication.

In a whole-class, face-to-face setting, discussion can be a powerful learning tool. Yet, there are often students who do not participate. There are a variety of reasons for this, including: a student’s individual personality inhibiting participation; different cultural values and norms; insufficient general background knowledge to participate; the educator not clearly defining the structure, articulating the goals of the discussion, or effectively managing the process; or perhaps the student’s learning style simply requires more processing time to articulate a thoughtful response.

Figure 3. Blog question and student responses



Asynchronicity allows choice. The excited student can quickly post a high-quality written response, while the student who wants to see another’s ideas or writing style can do that before formulating a response that incorporates peers’ ideas. Sharing takes place on students’ timeframes—they are not confined to a schedule. Learning and demonstration of proficiency take place anywhere, anytime.

Virtual 3D Worlds/Synchronous Interactions. A virtual world is a 3D, computer-based environment that provides an online experience for students to lead interaction, contribute to group collaboration, and develop projects, all using graphical representations called avatars.

Students from diverse backgrounds and/or different schools or communities can synchronously engage in student-centered learning experiences without leaving the comfort of their classrooms. The online environment can extend experiential learning and allow students to hear from invited speakers, share project ideas with teachers, and receive valuable feedback from mentors. Students then take ownership and lead the development of the space, seek alternative methods of expression, develop creative ways to engage others in their work, and belong to an environment that lends itself to peer-to-peer learning during traditional and nontraditional activities.

Well-designed 3D virtual world activities, specifically those that challenge students to create new virtual objects, can be inquiry- and discovery-based. Combining the best aspects of creativity and geometric content, they balance a unique learning platform that provides a natural environment that is aligned to standards. Virtual 3D worlds force students and teachers to step outside their comfort zones. Inherently, problems arise that demand creative thinking in order to develop a solution. A 3D virtual world platform gives students the chance to apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of a self-directed learner. Following best practices of scaffolding, teachers can provide explicit structured inquiry activities to build requisite skills as well as guided inquiry projects that require students to assemble innovative structures (see Figure 4). Teachers then gradually release responsibility as they

The student created a cat, thinking in two dimensions. From a head-on perspective, the rendering appears correct. However, when working in a 3D environment, the coordinate system goes beyond XY to XYZ for the third dimension. The figure demonstrates that the task was completed incorrectly when viewed in the 3D perspective. This intersection maps the importance of creativity skill with math knowledge.


Figure 4. Student work developed in a 3D virtual world cube challenge: “the cat”


transfer ownership of the virtual world to their students for the creative development of the real estate. This is a world filled with ill-defined problems, which is essential to the development of creative thinking.

Browser-based One-to-one. Technology does an excellent job of changing the instructional paradigm when students have access to devices. The best strategy is a one-to-one device-to-student ratio. Learning becomes more personal when a student has autonomy for knowledge acquisition and creation. The student can work at his or her own pace while simultaneously being connected to classmates, teachers, and external experts. Ideally, one-to-one creates a community and is not isolating. For effective deployment, learning resources should be browser-based. This becomes a leveler because the type of device is then irrelevant as long as there is Internet access. Internet-based production tools, including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software (e.g., Google Docs, Prezi, Wordle), are readily available, so proprietary software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite), while an option, is not necessarily needed. Design of learning with a device-agnostic strategy utilizing a robust LMS enables both consumption and production. To make a one-to-one environment successful, schools and communities need to have a reliable wireless network. Utilizing a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) strategy has the potential to mitigate the expense of extensive hardware acquisition and maintenance.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning refers to a collection of meaningful learning experiences that engages a student in the curriculum and offers insight into opportunities that exist beyond the classroom walls. These experiences often take students from the comforts of a traditional school setting into business environments and college campuses where they interact with college faculty, industry professionals, and fellow students from neighboring schools. Conversely, it might involve bringing these professionals into the classroom for interviews, guest lectures, or other interactive learning opportunities.

Experiential learning can take place in a variety of forms and can include partnership organizations for hands-on learning. For example, environmental groups that bring students into the field to conduct data collection or participate in real-world projects, or arts organizations engaging youth in creating a structure for a public space, or a computer company that helps students develop a business website are all practical manifestations of successful experiential learning.


“Carefully planning a sequence of experiential learning events offers relevance to course content and timely, direct support to projects.”

“Carefully planning a sequence of experiential learning events offers relevance to course content and timely, direct support to projects.”


Carefully planning a sequence of experiential learning events offers relevance to course content and timely, direct support to projects. An event can be designed to heighten anticipation for the course objectives and create a desire to know, to find out, and to understand. A sense of purpose, expectations, and culture can be firmly established and maintained as students begin to appreciate that their work has value beyond the classroom.

Interactive meetings and company tours are essential components to an experiential learning experience, providing an opportunity for group collaboration, presentation of work, and an environment where valuable feedback can be offered face-to-face from guest mentors. Students can hear from invited speakers who are business professionals or industry experts in the field of interest to the student project. Different from a field trip, an experiential learning event is specifically tailored for active learning, team building, and interactions with students with diverse backgrounds.

In the classroom setting, interacting with mentors can be conducted face-to-face or online via Internet video telephone services (e.g., Skype, Google Hangout) and Internet forums. This experience can provide students with information that they are unable to receive from the teacher and can help support the development of the student project in a way that challenges students to leap from their comfort zone and land in an experience similar to that of the professional world.

Perhaps the greatest advantage to experiential learning is the chance to adapt to change, offering an insight into the industry’s latest technology or innovations, or developing events to accommodate particular needs that arise based on a direction of study selected by a student or team.

Digital Portfolios

The digital portfolio is the optimal method for documenting and presenting student work. Open-source options can play a pivotal role in ease of use, providing documentation, and promoting

interaction. For example, WordPress is an open-source content management system (often used as a blogging tool) that utilizes plug-in architecture and a simple templating system. Students can customize their work

and personal interests using a web platform built with the same online tools used by professionals. Students can and should be encouraged to share their site with peers, parents, prospective employers, and college admissions officers.

“Portfolios do many things: recognize interests; focus on expertise; define the person; communicate thinking, ideas, and personal values; and demonstrate that learning and growth have occurred.”


Blended Instruction Pedagogy | 15EDUCATION CONNECTION

Figure 5: Digital Portfolio Classification Scheme

Digital Portfolio Criteria

Information Literacy

Work that demonstrates the use of real-world digital and other research tools to

access, evaluate, and effectively apply information appropiate for authentic

tasks

Responsible Citizenship

Work that values and demonstrates personal responsibility, character, cultural

understanding, and ethical behavior

Problem Solving

Work that demonstrates effective application of analysis, synthesis,

and evaluative processes that enable productive problem solving

Creativity and Innovation

Work that demonstrates innovation, flexibility, and adaptability in thinking

patterns, work habits, and working/learning conditions

Collaboration

Work that demonstrates the student’s ability to work independently and

collaboratively to solve problems and accomplish goals

Communication

Work that demonstrates the ability to communicate information clearly and

effectively using a variety of tools/media in varied contexts for a variety of

purposes

Essay with citations Personal interview

Position paper Hyperlinked webpage

Essay with citations Personal interview

Group project

Oral presentation Webpage

Podcast Blog

Essay Digital Media

Public service campaign Project

Environmental lab report Business plan

Science project Math project

Geometer sketchpad Digital media project

Art project Digital photography

Engineering design plan

Poem

Science project design Business plan

Each piece of work that is selected for inclusion in the Digital Portfolio should be accompanied by a reflection. Too often reflections become only a detailed list of what was done to create the work. Reflections should go beyond what you did and demonstrate what you learned. Use some of the questions below to help guide your reflection:

• What process did you use to complete the product?• What did you learn by doing this assignment?• How does it illustrate your strengths and/or weaknesses?• How do you know that the work is high quality?• What were some of the challenges creating this product?• Looking back, what would you have done differently (if anything) with this product?• What would be your next step if you were to continue exploring this topic?


To give guidance to students as they select work for their portfolios, it is worthwhile to develop a structure to help classify products. Using a 21st century skills model for a digital portfolio (see Figure 5) offers a logical way to demonstrate proficiency in skill development.

Portfolios do many things: recognize interests; focus on expertise; define the person; communicate thinking, ideas, and personal values; and demonstrate that learning and growth have occurred. Therefore, self-reflection is an important aspect of high-quality portfolio construction. A scaffold for reflective writing can help students identify how their learning has occurred. Several suggestions for questions can be found in Figure 6.

One of the potential problems with digital portfolios is that they become repositories of documents instead of showcases. Showcases are meant to be shared with others, and for a portfolio to have intrinsic value to its owner, it is important to consider practical techniques for sharing. One of the advantages of a content management system like WordPress is the built-in commenting feature. The ultimate aim is for students, parents, and teachers to contribute feedback on student work through the commenting feature. If this objective is not reached, assigning students to other student portfolios will ensure that each student receives meaningful feedback. Again, a scaffold can help set the stage for high-quality, constructive critiques. For example, the following three statements could be used as guidance for the peer feedback comment: (a) One thing I thought was great about the portfolio was... (b) An area for improvement on the portfolio might be... and (c) One thing I learned from viewing the work in the portfolio was...

Figure 6. Scaffolds for digital portfolio reflective writing



Microbiology and Immunology

How are microbes similar and different from other organisms and how do they impact our lives? How do we defend ourselves from disease caused by invading microbes? Unit Teacher Guide CONCEPTS ACTIVITIES AND LABS

Parking Lot Forum MICROBIOLOGY

Preview Page

Pulse Check Quiz Resources Page What Are Microbes? Forum Microbial Applications Forum

Structure of Bacteria Assignment Types of Bacteria Forum

Identifying Bacteria Assignment Importance of Bacteria Assignment Viruses Assignment Infectious Disease Assignment Disease Spread Assignment Disease Spread Simulation/Lab Page

Teacher Notes (Disease Spread Simulation) Page Epidemiology Basics Assignment Epidemiology Project Assignment

Missions in Microbiology Assignment Disease Prevention and Treatment Assignment

Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease Assignment Teacher Notes (Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease) Page

Mid-Unit Check In: Microbiology Review Assignment IMMUNOLOGY

An Overview of the Human Immune System Assignment An Introduction to Your Immune System Assignment Active vs. Passive Immunity Assignment Immune Adventures Page Vaccines Page ELISA Page

ELISA Tutorials Assignment ELISA Lab Page

Teacher Notes (ELISA lab) Page ELISA PowerPoint File

Presentations Page UNIT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

Unit Assessment: Infectious Disease News Report

Essential Questions define the scope of learning for the unit

Text in gray is visible and accessible only to the teacher

A pretest “pulse check” examines students prior knowledge

Forums promote asynchronous collaborative learning

Disease Spread Simulation is a hands-on lateral thinking classroom-based lab activity.

Epidemiology Project includes an NPR podcast and case study. It is differentiated to include different levels of information literacy.

ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay) Lab is an inquiry-based biotechnology activity that can be completed as a wet lab or virtually.

The Unit Performance Assessment measures the understanding of the essential questions.

Mid-unit common formative assessment

Figure 7. Annotated Model Biology21 Unit from Learning Management System


Essential Questions define the scope of learning for the unit

Text in gray is visible and accessible only to the teacher

A pretest “pulse check” examines student prior knowledge

Forums promote asynchronous collaborative learning

Disease Spread Simulation is hands-on lateral thinking classroom-based lab activity

Epidemiology Project includes an NPR podcst and case study. It is defferentiated to include different levels of information literacy

Mid-unit common formative assessment

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Lab is an inquiry-based biotechnology activity that can be completed as a wet lab or virtually

The Unit Performance Assessment measures the understanding of the essential questions


Proficiency Assessments

As students develop the necessary knowledge and skills associated with specific learning objectives and standards, they master the prerequisite skills needed to complete higher-order conceptual projects and assessments. A well-designed learning unit focused on outcomes scaffolds the necessary knowledge and skills via activities, discussions, debates, readings, lab activities, and other smaller projects to lead students to independent, self-directed, and collaborative work that captures the essence of the unit’s essential questions. High-quality comprehensive proficiency assessments are that vehicle. We advocate for essential learning that is measured through an authentic, open-ended, inquiry-based “unit performance assessment” (UPA). These types of proficiency assessments must closely link content knowledge acquisition with relevant 21st century skill development.

For example, in our Biology21 blended instruction course, we have a Microbiology and Immunology unit. The essential questions of the unit are:• How are microbes similar and different from other organisms and how do they impact our lives?• How do we defend ourselves from disease caused by invading microbes?

The unit (see Figure 7) offers a variety of projects and activities for students to scaffold learning and demonstrate proficiency. Once the requisite knowledge and skills are developed, students can move to the unit performance assessment. In the case of this unit, the student is challenged to create a news story about an infectious disease.

The UPA is described as follows: Infectious diseases are important in all of our lives. In this project, you will focus attention on a specific infectious disease with the goal of determining the underlying microbial cause of the disease, what the microbe does to our bodies, and how we treat the disease. Then you will prepare a fact sheet and news report (can be in the format of either a video or webpage) to teach the public about the disease.

The assessment includes more concrete guidelines for the student but offers choice and can easily be embedded, regardless of product type, into the student’s digital portfolio. In this particular science course, the UPA is aligned to National Science Education Standards for both Inquiry and Life Sciences, as well as Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts in History/Social Science, Science, and Technical Subjects.

“We advocate for essential learning that is measured through an authentic, open-ended, inquiry-based ‘unit performance assessment’ (UPA).”



Not all students achieve proficiency at the same rate. Some students need additional learning activities, remediation, time, or attention. In a distance-learning model, assessment does not inform future instruction. Blended instruction’s assessments have the opposite result. Because of the key student-teacher relationship, it uses assessments to adapt learning goals and pathways; there is an important fluidity to the model. Ultimately, the goal of learning should not be measured by achievement relative to seat time, but achievement relative to proficiency regarding learning outcomes. As students demonstrate proficiency at different time points, they can progress toward more deeply engaged collaborative challenge projects (see Figure 8).

Challenge Projects that Lead to Self-direction. Authentic learning, including project-based, problem-based learning and its many variants, tasks students to solve real-world problems as part of a self-directed, student-centered learning environment. Of particular power to promote student engagement and achievement? Challenge Projects.

Figure 8. Blended Instruction’s flexible use of time


Onl

ine

Lear

ning

Face

-to-fa

ce c

lass

room

wor

kEx

perie

ntia

l Lea

rnin

g

Content in core acedemic disciplines: e.g., Science: Earth and Energy Essentials, Biology21, Chemistry21, Physics21

Pre-post formative assessment, surveys, writing

Asynchronous and synchronous tools for collaboration: foruns, wikis, blogs, 3D virtual works, digital media products

Curriculum units in Learning Management System support completion of 3 unit performance assessments (UPA) to proficiency. Periodic standardized assessments. Documentation and reflection of learning in digital portfolio

Team-based curriculum: units differentiated area of responsibility, expertise, and department.

Team showcase of challenge projects

Pre-post formative assessment, surveys, writing; reflection of learningUPA 1 UPA 2 UPA 3

Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

Student 4

Student 5

Student 6

Orientation: challenge project, blended learning, LMS, digital portfolio, experiential learning, career pathways, student success plans

Students demonstrate proficiency to standards for UPAs and develop 21st century skills:

Information LiteracyCollaborationCommunicationCreativity & InnovationProblem SolvingResponsible Citizenship

Students 1, 2, 3, who have demonstrated proficiency on UPAs form the class team and begin to develop solutions to the program challenge

Students 4, 5, join team upon demonstation of proficiency

Student 6 continues individual proficiencies and participates in team activities in consultation with teacher

Workplace tours, meetings, guest speakers, classroom visits

Onsite Meeting 1

Onsite Meeting 2

Onsite Meeting 3

Vitual communictionInternet video,

3D vitual worlds

Vitual communictionInternet video,

3D vitual worlds

Showcase and public display of student work evaluated by industry and academic professionals

Further mentoring and internship opportunities explored

Online and onsite mentoring by industry and academic professionals. Biweekly progress reports and responses

Fall Semester: Individual Spring Semester: Team

September October November December January February March April May June

Scheduling meetings and contacts with industry and academic professionals

Students debrief and reflect on learning leverage technology and 21st century skills

Authentic assessment of student work by a panel of industry and academic professionals using standardized documents


Figure 9. A model for the challenge project process in STEM


STEM Challenge Project Outcomes Flowchart

Domain-specific Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate applicability of a content-related math concept

Understand scientific and engineering concepts and inquiry processes in a

deep, specialized way

Share, communicate, express or educate using digital media

Interdisciplinary Products

Learning Objective: Students will create (an) innovative product(s) that demonstrates mastery of knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Interactive Design Document

Product examples: Documentary Exhibition Space Mobile App Online package

News Story Campaign Other Innovative Products

Other Innovative Products

Common 21stcentury skills (processes)

Information Literacy Collaboration Communication Problem Solving Innovation/Creativity Responsible Citizenship

Literature Review: Using information literacy and problem finding (creativity) skills to identify, determine and define a problem for study. Recognizing limitations of resources, expertise, materials, and access to each individual’s time.

Experiment-based research: Development of research plans that provide quantitative data through experimentation followed by analysis and application of that data. Conclusions are drawn based on empirical data. Design of controlled experiments where variables are isolated and controls are used to determine impact.

Application-based project: Develop or establish a design goal and criteria. Prepare preliminary designs. Build and test prototypes. Evaluate reliability and service. Redesign and refine as necessary.

Math Technology Science & Engineering

NGSS Eight Practices of Science & Engineering

1. Asking questions and defining problems 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics, information and computer

technology, and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations and designing

solutions 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating and communicating

information

via

Data Analysis: Create an appropriate mathematical model of the data through a regression process. Identify the roles of the variables and the parameters in the model. Use the model to make interpolative and extrapolative predictions.

Adaptation of Model: Revise model based on changes suggested by experimentation. Apply the revised model to make new predictions and compare with the original. Extension: consider the differences as part of a cost-to-benefit analysis.

Data Collection: Using Internet search engines to locate databases containing relevant, reliable data that applies to the problem of study. Generating qualitative data through experimentation or observation. Representing data in tabular and graphical form.

Eight Practices of Digital Media Production:

1. Define a product 2. Ideate content for that product 3. Research the content 4. Analyze the content 5. Storyboard or structure the content 6. Develop the product 7. Review and critique 8. Promote and distribute

Production: Creation of digital media product that addresses a scientific, technological or mathematical concept

CCSS Math Practice Standards: 1. Make sense of problems and persevere in

solving them 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the

reasoning of others 4. Model with mathematics 5. Use appropriate tools strategically 6. Attend to precision 7. Look for and make use of structure 8. Look for and express regularity in repeated

reasoning

Domain-specific Processes:


Challenge Projects. These extended projects start with big ideas and develop from an essential question, a challenge, and guiding questions. They then move into activities, resources, determining a solution, implementation of the solution, reflection, assessment, and sharing. Critical to challenge-based learning are problems tied to an idea of global importance. Specific products can be identified as outcomes using evaluation rubrics that establish a framework for expectations. Leveraging technology as a part of blended instruction, challenge projects serve as the culmination for students to demonstrate proficiency to standards. We advocate for a showcase open to the public and judged by a panel of industry professionals and college faculty that provides a capstone for students, serving as validation of their acquired knowledge and skills.

These research and development projects immerse students in an experience that replicates a professional environment where participants must develop relevant skills through technical writing, research, computer-assisted design, computer animation, design work, field experiments, storytelling and web presence. Ideally, challenge projects lack predetermined outcomes or a defined problem. Instead, challenge projects require that students collaborate in teams to clarify an ill-defined problem (Jonassen, 1997) and ideate around a selection of potential solutions that form the foundation of their work. Specific criteria and guidance can be shaped based on the class or classes where the project is implemented. For example, students engaged in a Digital Media and Movie Making class might be required to produce a documentary film as part of their project in order to demonstrate knowledge of domain-specific processes, though the nature of the film and story explored would vary depending on the decisions made by each team. Interdisciplinary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) projects can integrate discipline-specific processes to produce varied products (see Figure 9).


Another important component to a challenge-based environment is an opportunity for differentiated instruction that allows individual students to dictate how their interests and talents can best serve a project. In this environment, as a true demonstration of student-centered learning, the teacher is merely a mentor who assists a student skilled in a particular area, designs and proposes roles that nurture interest, and allows for deeper exploration of a potential career path that delivers an experience that can better match the future needs of each student.

The following cases illustrate how blended instruction might manifest in the classroom. “Video Conferencing” describes a truly student-centered environment where a student harnesses the expertise of an engineer. “Chemistry Animations” invites us to view a classroom with more limited access to technology, but with efforts to give students more independence. “Forums” demonstrates how time and asynchronous integration can promote student success. Finally, the “E-Commerce Proficiency” case illustrates how a teacher can create a classroom environment that allows each student to learn at an individual pace.

Video Conferencing Promotes Collaboration, Communication, and Problem Solving

Michael was teaching a high school Applied Science Research class. The class was designed for students interested in pursuing research in biological, physical, medical, and/or engineering sciences. Students conduct a year-long or multiyear independent science experimental research project under the mentorship of the instructor and field scientists and are expected to present the results of their research at local, state, and/or national fairs, symposia, or competitions. To help his students find success, Michael set up the following course goals:

1. Interact with practicing scientists. 2. Participate in a significant research experience. 3. Select, develop, and conduct an independent research project. 4. Develop the skills of reporting and presenting research results.

A highly motivated student, Anna, had a strong interest in the physical sciences and engineering and began to examine the properties of particle accelerators. She decided to try to build one. Even though Michael was a biologist and lacked knowledge about particle accelerators, he encouraged Anna to pursue her ideas.

22 | Blended Instruction Pedagogy EDUCATION CONNECTION

Examples from the Field: Blended Instruction in Practice


Anna discovered that old television and computer monitors contain potentially useful parts, cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and brought a junked monitor from home to school for examination. She stopped to discuss her ideas with an IT school staff member, who warned her that the monitor could potentially have a capacitor still charged with 40,000 volts of electricity and she should have it discharged. Although begrudgingly, she wisely listened and found a local electrician who did the work for her. Returning to school, she started to dissect the device, removing the cover and then different circuit boards and parts. She reached an impasse and wasn’t sure how to proceed.

Michael had a friend, Bob. He was a retired multipatent-holding electrical engineer living on the other end of the state, and he encouraged Anna to make contact. The two connected and decided to have a conversation in class via Skype, an Internet service that offers free video calls between computers. One morning, while he sat on his couch at home and Anna sat in class, Bob coached Anna through the process of removing the CRT and gave suggestions on how to proceed with the particle accelerator. During the process, Anna often took the laptop and steered the camera toward the deconstructed monitor as they discussed parts and procedures. Occasionally Bob would scratch some figures on paper and focus his camera on the document to share his feedback. The two had an invigorating conversation that lasted the majority of the class period. Nearing the conclusion of class, Anna realized that she still had many more questions. She politely asked if she could follow up via email. Bob agreed and they continued the mentor/mentee relationship throughout the year, never actually meeting face-to-face.

In the chemistry classroom of an urban high school, Sue is effectively implementing blended instruction despite minimal student access to technology. Sue mostly relies on a laptop and a projector for the delivery of blended instruction. The school does have several classroom-set laptop carts; however, they are in high demand and are often unavailable. There is also a computer lab that teachers sign up to use, and this chemistry class uses it about once a week. A large number of students do not have home access to computers and Sue takes this into consideration when planning instruction. Despite these challenges, she has adopted a technology-based instructional style. Sue uses Moodle—an open-source, online learning management system—to house student activities and assignments with links to learning resources and course documents.

On this particular day, the lesson objective is to introduce students to Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT) and have them analyze, identify, and explain the properties and behavior of gases. The lesson relies on the use of free, web-based interactive simulations. Simulations are important digital tools that enable students to explore abstract and challenging concepts. Sue begins the lesson by facilitating a discussion with the class in order to gather what students already know about states of matter and kinetic energy. Based on their contributions to the conversation, necessary adjustments are made in instruction.


Examples from the Field: Blended Instruction in Practice

Chemistry Animations


Next, Sue logs on to the LMS, clicks on the day’s assignment, and reviews the objectives for the lesson. Also listed under the day’s assignment are links to a relevant video, the simulations, a teacher-developed worksheet to guide students through the simulations, a wiki, and a prompt for a discussion thread. Sue hands out copies of the worksheet, uses the laptop to project the first simulation, and proceeds to demonstrate how it is used and manipulated. “The box is a chamber into which we can pump gas molecules. Keep in mind that each ‘ball’ represents a molecule...” She points out the temperature gauge and pressure gauge, and pulls up a chart that shows the average speed of the gas particles and an energy histogram. After this, individual students are encouraged to try the simulation for a short time, and the teacher makes sure that each student first develops a question to explore as well as identifies what she/he will do to answer that question. Sue encourages the class to make predictions and then analyze those predictions based on the outcomes.

As a class, they next concentrate on the worksheet using a series of guided questions that point them toward an understanding of the behavior of gases based on the results of targeted experiments. While they go through each question and use the simulations to answer them, Sue asks probing questions and expects students to do the same. Teacher and students work together to complete the activity, discuss observations, and record information. At the conclusion of the worksheet, student partners create a set of “rules” about the behavior of all gases based on what they have learned while manipulating the simulations.

After a few minutes, students share their rules with the class. As each pair speaks, the teacher adds them to the KMT wiki; everyone discusses the rules and all agree on a definitive list. Sue ensures that all core ideas of Kinetic Molecular Theory are included in the list and this wiki is then made available to all students as a reference. At the closing of the class, Sue passes a small slip to each student that should be completed before the next class. The question on the slip is the same discussion prompt, found in the online course, that asks students to apply their understanding of KMT. Students know that they can answer the prompt either online (students who do not have home computers can access the school library computers and computer labs during free periods) or on the paper slip. What she has found, however, is that most students do figure out a way to complete the assessment online if given enough time (in this case, the next class meeting is the day after next). The use of the online discussion thread creates a feeling of collective learning to which most students want to contribute as it less isolating than traditional homework. Overall, the use of the simulations, combined with the course management system and traditional classroom discussion, highlight multiple instructional modalities that not only allow for varied experiences, but increase engagement and improve learning as well.



During each class, Billy sits quietly in the corner. He is a timid young man who rarely speaks in public, and feels uncomfortable making suggestions during group discussions. Anya, the digital media teacher, is desperate to elicit a response from Billy in order to identify his understanding of a recent unit on filmmaking techniques. Unfortunately, with a class nearing thirty students, Anya finds this challenging, and questions targeted toward Billy are quickly answered by some of the stronger personalities in the room. It isn’t only Billy whom Anya is trying to evaluate. Group observations have proven inconclusive and not every student participated equally in the activities. The week’s end is fast approaching, and she needs to determine if her students are ready to work independently on the class’s final project. She decides to open a group discussion in an online forum.

Anya needs students to demonstrate an understanding of different camera shots and the function each serves in delivering selected information to an audience. With this understanding, Anya feels her students will be ready to work independently to produce a one-minute silent film that will be used to conduct the assessment for that unit. The assignment challenges students to tell the story of a fictional character who is faced with a situation the students choose, but provokes the emotional response that is selected by a deck of cards prior to the assignment. Students are expected to use their knowledge of camera shots to creatively communicate that emotion to the audience.Anya provides a link to a short scene from Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo and Juliet accompanied by the question:

What alternative camera shots could Baz Lurhmann have used when communicating the fear held by the Capulet boys toward Tybalt?Your answer must be between 150 and 250 words.Remember to use the correct vocabulary, include a detailed explanation of your selections, and provide a written description of the action in each alternative shot.

Anya shows the brief clip on the projector screen. After it has finished, she begins a discussion about the camera shots used to portray the fear Tybalt inspires by posing open questions, such as “Who is the best sword fighter in this scene?”, and “How do we know Tybalt is the best sword fighter?”, and finally, “What camera shots does Baz Lurmann use to communicate this information to the audience?” Once again, Billy does not answer, but Anya is not concerned. With 30 minutes remaining, she hands out headphones and asks students to review the clip again on their own and post a response to her questions in the forum.

Anya spends the rest of class looking over the shoulders of her students and providing support if needed. She glances at Billy and is delighted to see him engaged and typing on his keyboard. With ten minutes left, Anya asks everyone to finish final sentences and post whatever they have


Using Forums to Communicate Asynchronously


to the forum. She shares the responses on the big screen and challenges some students, asking questions that make them think about the effectiveness of their selections and making sure they are comfortable with their responses. As an extension and homework assignment, Anya asks students to respond to at least two posts from their peers.

The next day, Anya reviews the responses, including Billy’s, whose response demonstrated a solid understanding of camera shots with effective use of the vocabulary. However, this was not all Anya achieved with Billy from this activity. She witnessed the usually timid Billy engaged in a deep discussion with one of the more dominating voices in the class. He lead the conversation while his peers listened intently. When Anya asked what they were talking about, Billy’s peer said, “I told him I liked what he wrote on my post.” He then went on to talk with Billy about ideas for a film project he had been considering. This unexpected event quickly made Anya realize a new function of her extension activity, and she gave them ten minutes to discuss their responses to each other’s posts.

As a formative assessment tool, Billy’s responses identified a need for Anya to challenge him further and she insightfully modified her assignment to include a tilt and pan of the camera during one of Billy’s shots. Anya documented Billy’s response and shared it with a colleague who had recently voiced some concerns about Billy’s literacy skills.

John had an excellent concept for his individual business plan for his E-Commerce Entrepreneurship class. He presented a strong product with realistic goals, objectives, and business description at midterm review. However, John did not have the financial research to support his “Fansox” concept, a washable ceiling fan blade cover that eliminates the need for dusting. His teacher, Brooke, as well as the other students in the class, recognized the potential for the idea. Therefore, after considering the sparse financial resources and various other project concepts, the students determined that his idea had the most promising chance for success at the statewide high school E-Commerce competition.

Still, it was evident from John’s midterm that his financial skills were the weakest part of his business plan. His start-up costs and break-even analysis demonstrated basic understanding of the concept and applied knowledge, but paled in comparison to the more thorough financial analyses of his peers. In order to continue with John’s idea, the class team needed a strong financial department to successfully produce John’s vision.

Dan had completed his business plan with high hopes that his research and business concept would be a team favorite to bring to the statewide competition. However, after completing an in-depth and thorough financial analysis, it became clear that Dan had failed to develop a successful business


E-Commerce: Allowing Students to Demonstrate Proficiency and Expertise


model. Because Dan produced such a high-quality financial analysis for an unfeasible concept, the team hired Dan as the leader of the financial department for John’s business.

John assumed the role of leader in product development. It was John’s responsibility to design, develop, and research possible materials for the Fansox product. He was charged with maintaining communication with the financial department in order to keep the budget in line with the costs of materials. Learning from his individual business plan shortfalls, Dan was conscious of the importance of keeping product costs at a realistic figure.

Meredith submitted her business plan on time and prepared a stellar 3-minute video to present her product. Unfortunately, Meredith spent the majority of her time focused on media related to her project and neglected to complete a financial or market analysis. Because financial and market analyses are essential learning elements for the course, Brooke requested that Meredith complete the missing sections of her business plan prior to joining John’s team. Brooke and Meredith developed a plan to work together during class until Meredith could demonstrate her proficiency of core concepts.

Weekly boardroom-style meetings kept John, Dan, and all other departments—including web development, marketing, and research—working together as a cohesive team. Major deadlines were determined and enforced by the project manager, and individuals set their own weekly goals to reflect team deadlines. Meredith contributed to team decisions while continuing her individual focus. Students often collaborated with one another to assist in the completion of a particularly difficult task. Using a reflective writing rubric, Brooke scored student self-evaluations posted in individual digital portfolios. Students reflected on their weekly progress, how they contributed to the team, and how they could improve their own skills as well as recognize a team member for his/her weekly accomplishment.

Several weeks later, after successfully completing a financial and market analysis, Meredith was hired to work in the marketing department. Collaborating with Dan, she worked within a budget to create the media campaign needed to sell John’s product. After investing such a substantial amount of time, thought, and planning, John, Dan, and the team were so confident in their product and research that they guaranteed satisfaction or a customer’s money back as part of Meredith’s marketing strategy.

Blended learning suffers from numerous definitions. At its most simplistic, blended learning is defined as a combination of face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities. However, this definition is limiting because it only addresses the “what” without thoughtfully considering the “how”. Blended learning can unknowingly incorporate ineffective pedagogical


Conclusion


strategies that do not promote creative and critical higher-order thinking skills. Rote learning tested by poorly designed recall assessment of factual information in isolation can be molded much too easily into blended learning modules that lack the strength and structure to promote engagement and achievement.

We advocate for curriculum design that changes instruction to improve teaching and learning. At its essence, the blended instruction model calls for learning as an experience, whether that experience is with a device or face-to-face. To support this type of student-centered environment, the design of proficiency assessments must be project- and skill-based. These assessments must be fluid in nature, allowing students to pursue interests. Where there is an open-endedness to learning, collaboration with peers and experts becomes the norm.

Extended, team-based challenge projects can provide the opportunity to synthesize essential knowledge and skills by creating authentic products. A showcase of these products creates what Meyer and Land (2003) term a threshold experience/concept. Threshold concepts should be (a) transformational: they develop a previously inaccessible way of thinking about something; (b) integrative: they bring together different aspects of the domain that previously did not appear to be related; and (c) liminal: they create an unstable cognitive and affective space where the learner oscillates between old and emergent understandings. Using challenge projects as capstone experiences to demonstrate proficiency with regard to essential questions—those which frame courses and programs—establishes a crucial framework for learning.

Model Challenges

When considering such a paradigm shift to teaching and learning, there are potential challenges that can impact success. First and foremost is the ability to develop teacher capacity. There has been rich discussion around the concept of teacher as facilitator versus teacher as deliverer, i.e., “The Guide on the Side versus the Sage on the Stage”. Creating a truly student-centered classroom necessitates the former. Managing a classroom that empowers students to take responsibility for their own learning and creates a culture of respect and collaboration is difficult, requires extensive planning, and must take into account the individualized requirements for each student.

Since students learn at different rates, when considering a model based on proficiency, not time, it is critical that learning be well planned. For example, in our Blended Instruction model (Figure 8), student 6 takes considerably longer to demonstrate proficiency than the other students. Because of this, that student does not engage in the team-based challenge for a significant amount of time in comparison to the others. That student, therefore, might not have the same experience as other students. While there is a potential for inequity, it is still critical that scaffolded instruction taking place prior to the challenge contains the essential learning.


Conclusion

30 | Blended Instruction Pedagogy EDUCATION CONNECTION

Opportunities for meaningful, varied interactions are the hallmark of the blended instruction model. Vygotsky (1978) theorized the importance of the social construction of knowledge and challenging students to enter the zone of proximal development, defined as “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers” (p. 86). However, these interactions, besides necessitating developmental appropriateness, if not purposefully planned, can lead to isolation.

Blended instruction combines the best aspects of face-to-face instruction, computer-mediated learning, authentic experiences, proficiency assessments, and reflective practices to develop the critical 21st century skills of information literacy, creativity and innovation, collaboration, problem solving, communication, and responsible citizenship. These skills—enhanced with high-quality, relevant, domain-specific content—form the foundation for learning that promotes high levels of engagement, achievement, and discipline to develop independent, motivated, self-directed, lifelong learners.

Summary

Bibliography and Key References

Apple Inc. (2009). Challenge Based Learning: Take action and make a difference. Cupertino, CA: Apple, Inc.

Carnegie Corporation of New York. (2009). The Opportunity Equation. New York, NY: Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2007). Building a system for powerful teaching and learning. In B. Wheling & C. Schneider (Eds.), Building a 21st Century U.S. Education System. Washington, DC: National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future.

Gardner, H. (2006). Five Minds for the Future. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.

IBM Learning Solutions. (2005). On demand learning: Blended learning for today’s evolving workforce. USA: IBM Corporation.

Johnson, L. F., Smith, R. S., Smythe, J. T., & Varon, R. K. (2009). Challenge-Based Learning: An Approach for Our Time. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium.

Jonassen, D. H. (1997). Instructional design models for well-structured and ill-structured problem-solving learning outcomes. Educational Technolgy Research & Design, 45(1), 65–94.

Marzano, R. J. (2005). A Handbook for Classroom Management That Works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Washington, DC: US Department of Education.

Meyer, J. H. F., & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practicing. In C. Rust (Ed.), Improving Student Learning - Theory and Practice Ten Years On (pp. 412–424). Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.

New Media Consortium. (2008). CBL pilot [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/newmediaconsortium/5438899851/

Perkins, D. (2009). Making Learning Whole; how seven principles of teaching can transform education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Queens University. (2013). Blended Learning (Biology) [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/queensucanada/8572654278/>

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. A special thanks to our colleagues at the Center for 21st Century Skills at EDUCATION CONNECTION, including Kerry Macfarland, Karyn Skinner, Emily Wasley, and Tyler Williams, as well as Elizabeth Devaney at the Forum for Youth Investment.

Summary

355 Goshen Road | Litchfield, CT 06759860-567-0863educationconnection.org | skills21.org

blended instruction: exploring student-centered pedagogical

Documents