Blended Learning 0 How does blended learning fit

Blended Learning 0

How does blended learning fit into our 12 Power Strategies? Blended learning is not a power strategy. Technology is a type of resource and thus an enabler of power strategies. Objective of this rotation: Teams consider how technology-based building blocks might complement other core building blocks in the design of a comprehensive approach to any given power strategy.

In what ways might technology enable power strategies? § Free more teacher time for collaboration § Provide more individualized learning pathways § Enable smaller student-teacher groupings § Focus teacher-student time on more higher-order content Data § More immediate feedback for students and teachers § Enable differentiated roles to better target teacher time and expertise § Can enable extension of learning beyond school day, providing additional time for students to complete content 2

By trading teacher time for tech time, blended learning can shift resource tradeoffs in fundamental ways § Enable lower group size for teacher-student groupings without purchase of additional staff § Increased teacher planning time without extended teacher day § Freed $ through position reductions that might be used to invest in other areas, such as increased teacher compensation or more instructional support While blended learning may enable these longer-term spending efficiencies, there also usually short-term start-up costs that must be accommodated. 3

Conditions for blended learning success § Careful sequencing of change: Blending learning approaches require significant departure from standard operating practice. Implementing change in an environment where teachers have time and capacity to be thoughtful about the change required is essential. Piloting can help. § Great digital content: Digital content must meet the same standard of quality and rigor as any other content. § Access to data: Teachers use data to ensure content is aligned to student needs. § Integration: It’s critical that digital instruction be integrated with the rest of the instructional cycle. § Planning time: Teachers responsible for integrating technology need the time to do so. § Careful attention to student-teacher relationships: Blended learning approaches often result in increased teacher loads, and a reduction of student-teacher face time. It’s critical to mitigate any impact to student-teacher relationships through other strategies.

Key blended learning takeaways § When done well, blended learning has the potential to be a GAME CHANGER in the personalization of instruction, the provision of instructional support, and the overall cost structure of a school. § Doing blended learning well is VERY HARD given its departure from traditional modes of instruction, and it requires the time and attention of expert educators collaborating together to make it work § Transitions to blended learning approaches are likely best made OVER TIME, with more limited initial implementation and then expansion incorporating lessons learned 5

Station rotation: digital content is integrated into one teacher’s classroom This option enables: § Smaller group sizes for teacherstudent work § Individualized pathways through digital instruction § Improved realtime data on student need Collaborative group work Teacher-led instruction Integrated content 6

Flex rotation: flexible grouping supported by technology From… 20 student s …To 80 student s Team of teachers owns the master schedule and the allocation of time across teachers and technology 7

There are two main ways to implement a Flex rotation; both will likely require deliberate staging Option This option enables: For i/e block only: § Smaller group sizes for teacher-student 1. Limited work implementation § Individualized pathways through digital within an i/e block instruction § Improved real-time data on student need 2. Implementation within an § All benefits above, but w/ more scale interdisciplinary § Note that implementation often involves team or family replacing 1 teacher FTE with tech para model (e. g. , FTE, which frees resources Humanities team) 8

Lab rotation: students rotate to a tech lab instead of their teacher for some proportion of time From… …To 22 22 Note: requires some specialization such that cohorts rotate among teachers and technology 9

Lab rotation implementation options Option 1. Add tech period to the day This option enables: § Smaller group sizes for tutor-student work § Improved real-time data on student need § Increased teacher planning time or swap of teacher FTE for lower-paid para/tutor § Note: Effectively integration of the use of this time with core content needs requires significant expertise and collaboration 2. Have students rotate to tech for a percent of the time they § Same as above spend in any given § Much more flexible than above in % of subject (e. g. 1 day a time tech is used in schedule week of math is spent in lab vs. with teacher) 10

Option 2 Example: scheduling changes might enable more flexible use of resources, including better integration of technology From: 75 -minute, 5 -period schedule HR # 1 ST BLOCK 2 ND BLOCK Teacher 1 – MATH GROUP 1 PLANNING Teacher 2 – ELA GROUP 2 PLANNING Teacher 3 – SCI/SS GROUP 3 PLANNING Teachers 4 -6 are teamed in a similar structure 3 RD BLOCK GROUP 3 GROUP 1 4 TH BLOCK GROUP 2 GROUP 3 5 TH BLOCK RTI GROUP 2 GROUP 1 RTI 4 th & 5 th BLOCK 6 th and 7 th BLOCK 8 th BLOCK GROUP 3 GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 RTI GROUP 2 GROUP 1 RTI To: 45 -minute, 8 -period schedule + 15 -minute advisory 1 ST & 2 nd BLOCK Advisory HR # 3 rd BLOCK Teacher 1 – MATH GROUP 1 PLANNING Teacher 2 – ELA GROUP 2 PLANNING Teacher 3 – SCI/SS GROUP 3 PLANNING Teachers 4 -6 are teamed in a similar structure. 11

Option 2 Example: student weekly schedule § Each student group goes to Electives and Tech Lab in place of each core content block 1 x/week § This provides 45 minutes of individual planning daily and 270 minutes per week of CPT in 90 -minute blocks § Schools could split the blocks for Tech and Electives, or alternate weeks Wednesda Monday Tuesday y Thursday Friday Advisory 1 st Tech- Math Math 2 nd Electives 3 rd Electives Electives 4 th Electives ELA ELA 5 th Tech-ELA 6 th Electives Sci Sci Tech 7 th SS SS Sci/SS 12

Option 2 Example: teacher weekly schedule To: 45 -minute, 8 -period schedule + 15 -minute advisory Math Wednesda Teachers Monday Tuesday y Thursday Friday Advisory 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th 6 th 7 th 8 th Group 1 or 4 CPT Group 1 or 4 Planning Group 3 or 6 CPT Group 3 or 6 Group 2 or 5 CPT Group 2 or 5 RTI Planning RTI Tech/Electives days can be dedicated by content area, which would allow for full-day (as illustrated above). This time could be used for: § Collaborative Planning Time among shared content teams § Individual planning (as a trade from the daily planning block to get shared student teams together for CPT) § Release for model teachers or co-teaching 13

Alternatively, the school could split their blocks to provide ½ day releases To: 45 -minute, 8 -period schedule + 15 -minute advisory Math Teachers Thursday Advisory 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th 6 th 7 th 8 th Group 1 or 4 Group 3 or 6 Planning Group 2 or 5 CPT CPT RTI In this option: § Students would engage with either technology or have an additional electives block 1 x per week per content area § Shared content teachers would have half-day releases § All core content areas would have uninterrupted planning at low cost 14

Flipped Classroom: Introduction of new content is accomplished through digital content Note that this could be a supporting idea to any other model OR implemented independently if students do online portion outside of school hours. Source: http: //www. christenseninstitute. org/ 15

Blended Learning Appendix A: All Presented Models Option This option enables: Station Rotation: Integrate digital content into existing classrooms, without changing group size § § § Flex Option 1: Limited implementation within an i/e block For i/e block only: § Smaller group sizes for teacher-student work § Individualized pathways through digital instruction § Improved real-time data on student need Flex Option 2: Full-scale implementation within a content or grade-level team § § All benefits above, but w/ more scale Note that implementation often involves replacing 1 teacher FTE with tech para FTE, which frees resources Lab Option 1: Add tech period to the day § § § Smaller group sizes for tutor-student work Individualized pathways through digital instruction Increased teacher planning time or swap of teacher FTE for lower-paid para/tutor Note: Effectively integration of the use of this time with core content needs requires significant expertise and collaboration § Smaller group sizes for teacher-student work Individualized pathways through digital instruction Improved real-time data on student need Lab Option 2: Students rotate to tech for a percent of the time they spend in any given subject § § Same as above Much more flexible than above in % of time tech is used in schedule Flipped Classroom § Flexible time for students to access new information 16