Innovation Plan
Blended Learning
My innovation plan will be based on adopting the blended learning model. Although I will be approaching this through my secondary mathematics lens, this model is application to education as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the students, teachers, administrators, and parents how different learning can look and what we are capable of. Now, it is time to take advantage of it.
Innovation Proposal
As a secondary education mathematics teacher, I have been exposed to all types of learners, no two the same. The traditional learning model that is currently being used is, frankly, obsolete. As one-to-one learning community, we have access to countless technology resources that can truly enhance the learning of our students. In this proposal I will discuss the need to transition from the traditional learning model to the blended learning model.
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Literature Review
Blended learning is not new. It is not shiny. It does not require all the bells and whistles. Instead, it is simply efficient. The research I reviewed discusses the impact blended learning can have on student motivation, comprehension, achievement, and collaboration. Learning is king, and technology should never get in the way of this. The mix of qualitative and quantitative data that I reviewed within this paper shows the true flexibility that blended learning can provide to a learning environment. Though there is no one size fits all model, meeting students where they are at has never been closer.
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Implementation Outline
My implementation plan lays out the next two years of the switch to the blended learning model. Being that this is a substantial organizational shift, I am aware this will not happen overnight and it will take various committees of students, teachers, and staff developers to find the best fit for our district. But, with this said, the potential that comes along with it cannot be overlooked.​
Blended Learning Sources
There is no one size fits all method for blended learning. Just like the teaching model itself, the activities must be tailored to each class. With that said, there is no need to reinvent the wheel as there are countless resources at your fingertips. Here are some blended learning resources, some of which I have worked with and others that I hope to use along the way. JOIN ME!
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Annotated Bibliography
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Berry, M., Kitchen, J., & Russell, T. (2019). The Power of Collaboration. Studying teacher education, 15(2), 93-97.
This was a resource shown to me by my wife who is also an educator on the power of teachers collaborating with one another (so that’s why she married me?!?). Changing a learning model is intimidating and really takes teachers out of their comfort zone. Additionally, students are transitioning to a new way of learning where they are the driving catalyst. Understanding the importance of collaboration between teacher and teacher, teacher and student, and student and student can largely impact how successful a rollout of something such as blended learning may be.
Edutopia. (2012, December 18). Salman Khan describes future classrooms with blended learning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwyOv7PiC40
In the STEM field, Salmon Khan is highly regarded for his “bite-sized” video explanations from plotting points in Pre-Algebra all the way to taking triple integrals in Calculus 3. However, in this video he explains his vision of education via blended learning. And, although this video is from 2012, it has stood the test of time and will continue to do so with its practicality and authenticity. I do acknowledge that typically sources from this long ago tend to be dated, but the way Khan Academy has impacted education and the parallels it has with blended learning cannot go unnoticed.
Edutopia. (2017, October 3). Station rotation: Differentiating instruction to reach all students [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg38A1ggYiE&t=2s
The station rotation model is one of the more commonly referred to methods within blended learning and was the first I was exposed to as well. While this is just one of the many, it is not a one size fits all idea. This video shows some benefits of the station rotation model and can begin to plant the seat on how it can be applied to any classroom or learning environment. Although focused in an elementary setting, the general ideas shown can easily be adapted to any level of education.
Horn, M. B., Staker, H., & Christensen, C. (2015). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. Jossey-Bass.
This book has been a driving force behind my personal push to transition to blended learning. Horn and Staker take a deep diver into concrete examples of the successful the model can bring to the classroom and the efficiency it provides. This is a great resource for educators who feel that blended learning requires you to re-create the wheel. Additionally, it coincides with the overlying message of keeping the emphasis on learning and using a variety of tools to get there.
Kieschnick, W., & Casap, J. (2017). Bold school: Old school wisdom + new school technologies = blended learning that works. International Center for Leadership in Education.
I have been exposed to this book on multiple occasions varying from undergraduate classes to professional development experiences to graduate level courses, as well as having the opportunity to hear Weston Kieschnick speak live. In this book, Kieschnick discusses the many different strategies that can be used to implement the blended learning model into the classroom and challenges the audience to act. Most importantly, he emphasizes that learning takes priority and should not be sacrificed for implementation of technology tools.
TED. (2014, May 6). Blended learning and the future of education | Monique Markoff [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb2d8E1dZjY
TED Talks are engaging. There are no two ways around that. We discuss so often in EDLD 5305 how the message must connect with the heart and have seen the power of videos. It is one thing to read an interesting article, but future generations crave interactivity. In this TED Talk Monique Markoff, of Ithaca College, speaks about blended learning, and where she believes education is going. This is a great resource for someone who is not familiar with the blended learning model or an educator who is perhaps caught up in their ways.
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