My Thoughts on Blended Learning and Flipped Classrooms

I am a relative newcomer to blended learning and have not really engaged in a true flipped classroom. In my mind, blended learning is incorporating technology into a classroom as a means of providing content, posting assignments, sharing ideas and providing feedback (both peer and teacher).  It can take many forms from use of  social media, class blogs, YouTube channels, Twitter backchannels, Wikki spaces, google classroom, one-note, the list goes on and on.  Once you incorporate blended learning in the classroom on a regular basis, it becomes possible to explore the practice of "flipping" your classroom, so students can become familiar with course content through readings or video lessons posted online while at home, and then classroom time can be spent on practicing concepts/skills and consolidating knowledge.

This post will be an evaluation of whether blended learning and the "flipped" classroom will:

• help teachers differentiate their instruction?
• allow students to use inquiry-based learning and guide their own learning?
• help create an environmentally responsible classroom?
• allow students to connect with their learning and draw on previous knowledge?

I have found that blended learning is a fantastic way to differentiate instruction to ensure all students have an entry point into the learning.  For example, the Career Studies Course on the OERB has audio files for students to play for all of the pages in the course material.  It also has interactive activities/quizzes/tutorials that allow students apply what they are learning in an engaging way.  Any online platform would allow for text to speech and speech to text apps to be incorporated to help the struggling reader or writer, translation apps can help the user if English is not their first language.  Course materials can be posted in video form, written form, music can be added, visuals are in colour and can be magnified, links to other websites can be added to engage a variety of learning styles.  I also have a student with low vision and he is able to magnify everything on screen until it is large enough for him to see it.  

Blended learning definitely allows students to use inquiry based learning as there is the opportunity access a whole world of information, collaboration, and expression when you work online.  The resources at the students’ fingertips are limited only by their imaginations.  Every student can be exploring their own topic and producing unique work taking a variety of forms.  

Of course the classroom becomes more environmentally responsible as learning materials are online instead of on paper, assignments are posted there so students do not need paper (or several copies of the same paper because they lose them), etc.  Assignments are submitted on-line, feedback is given digitally, and then students make revisions and resubmit the final draft all without printing a single copy off.

Students are much more able to connect with their learning and draw on previous knowledge.  Course materials, content, discussions, student work, etc. is always available to see and use at any time during the year.  Students and teachers have access to work completed earlier in the year so they can both reflect on what they have all learned and how that can help with future learning.  Students are notorious for not keeping their work once the unit test is over, then having nothing to use to study for final exams or culminating activities.  Blended learning ensures that there is a digital portforlio of work saved in the student’s account, no matter what platform you use.

As for the concept of the flipped classroom, my colleagues who have tried it, find that students do not spend the time required at home watching the videos or doing the posted readings.  It is really just a teched-up version of assigning reading to do for homework so that the class can discuss and work with the material the next day.  Students seem to be less inclined than ever to do anything for school while at home, so in this way, it is a struggle.  It is very time consuming to create videos for every lesson and if students aren’t watching them at home then the teacher might as well teach the lesson in class.  However, it is useful for students who are away from class to have the benefit of viewing lessons at home so they do not fall behind.  The videos can also be viewed multiple times for students who take a little longer to process information.

The biggest drawback to any use of tech in the classroom is that the internet connection is not always reliable in our schools and hardware is not always available.  With every teacher getting on the blended learning bandwagon we do not have the number of devices nor the bandwidth to keep up with the demand.  I could go on and on about this frustration but I am out of words!

Until next time!
Erin