The follow article will be submitted to Edutopia for publication.

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Setting the Stage:

So, you’re considering making the switch, you think you can be convinced. You have been told for years, at every level, that no two students learn the same way. You have been exposed to countless different ways to teach math, and, heck, were even forced to use some of them during the COVID-19 pandemic which flipped education upside down, so it may be worth considering something new and even beneficial while education is vulnerable.

 

Before we remind ourselves again why we are considering blended learning, let’s go over what blended learning is. In broad terms, blended learning loosely takes the components of online (self-paced) learning, of a flipped classroom, and of a typical, direct instruction class, and combines them into one. Changing how you run your classroom is not easy, but let’s think of it more as an adaptation rather than a change to begin. 

 

As educators, we find comfort is closing our doors and teaching what we are passionate about, something many were robbed of over the past few years, but we also find comfort in molding our students via the relationships we form. Throughout this article, I am going to tackle how blended learning influences both students and teachers alike. There is no right or wrong way to implement blended learning in the classroom and not only will it look different from class-to-class, but it should! Differentiation is a buzz word at every level; however, it is also one of the most challenging parts of teaching. With many classes having 1:20 teacher to student ratios, meeting students at their level via a lecture/direct instruction format is essentially impossible.

 

Transitioning to blended learning effects two parties more than any other, that is, (a) the teachers and (b) the students. Let’s take a deeper dive into each…

 

(A) Impact on Teachers:

Blended learning may seem uncomfortable and suggest to some that you are even giving up some of your control of the classroom, however, it is not as different as one may think. I will be the first to admit that my math classes get monotonous at times, and at the surface, the blended learning model avoids that. 

 

Collaboration/Communication:

Full transparency, implementing blended learning requires time up front. Creating lessons, finding resources, and setting up collaborative activities are some of the many thing that must be created prior, however, all things take time. Changing the learning model does not require a change in curriculum. Many of the resources that you have been using for years can still be utilized, they just may look different. Collaboration with fellow teachers can lessen the load and allow for activities/resources to be shared while also providing a sounding board to share feedback from students.

 

Did I mention building relationships with students!?! You know, one of the most important parts of our jobs. Rather than being upfront in the classroom solving equation for an hour, blended learning allows you to circulate throughout, meeting with smaller groups of students and individuals students to connect.

 

Organization:

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are a savior for blended learning, providing teachers with a place for their course to live while staying consistent with the platform students are familiar with. In a blended learning model, new content can be introduced in a variety of ways. For mathematics specifically, I often rely on screen recording videos and voicing over PPs while writing on my iPad with my Apple Pencil. EdPuzzle works very well with PPs of this sort as it allows you to embed questions throughout to gauge comprehension. As I mentioned, there are countless videos on YouTube that have already been recorded. Additionally, Desmos has many discovery-based activities where students must investigate to develop their own hypothesis. Remember, you do not have to reinvent the wheel!

 

(B) Impact on Students:

Let’s face it, the real reason we are looking in to blended learning models is because we see there is a need for it. At the high school level, particularly since we were shut down from in person learning, I have seen a major drop off in students accepting responsibility, self-motivation, and interpersonal skills. As the leader (facilitator) in the classroom, we are in a rare position where we can mold students year after year, however, it is important that we are keeping up with the times.

 

Collaboration/Communication:

You may notice this was an area of focus in the teacher section above, that is not a coincidence. Regardless of where students are going, they will always be tasked with working with peers towards a common goal. In a direct instruction setting, the opportunity to compare/contrast strategies is often limited. However, in a blended learning setting students are often grouped (whether homogenously, heterogeneously, or neither). This time with groups allows for students to voice their opinions, provide each other with feedback and constructive criticism, and compare/contrast strategies. Again, these discussions do not have to take place in person but can be done virtually or via LMS discussion boards (or any other of the countless apps available).

 

Problem Solving/Critical Thinking

In a direct teaching model, productive struggle is often eliminated or forgotten. When students feel “stumped” it is common teachers to quickly answer the question and move on to the next thing for efficiency, even when they know this isn’t best for learning. The blended learning is student driven. Students can be working on completely different activities at the same time, allowing for more discovery-based activities where the teacher is simply the facilitator rather than the instructor, a guide to the learning. When students take ownership of their learning, they gain a deeper understanding of the content and see its value and application.

 

Let’s Get To It:

Blended learning does not require a fresh start, but rather for us to adapt to where the world is moving. Taking advantage of the resources we have been provided with and the vulnerability education now offers following the COVID-19 pandemic may start small but will lead big results. Differentiating instruction to cater learning to each individual student will allow students to buy in to the new format and feel that they are being put into the best position to be successful.

 

 

References:

Arney, L. (2015). Go blended!: A handbook for blending technology in schools. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass.

 

Mitra, S. (2013, February 27). Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud. YouTube. Retrieved June 5, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3jYVe1RGaU

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NOTE: This publication is intended for Edutopia, which takes on a bit more of an informal conversation-based language.