I often tell the story of my humble beginnings as a teacher as a reminder of my growth as an educator. I began my teaching career as a grades 6-8 multilevel, multigrade inclusive teacher in Long Beach, California. It was the first class of its kind at Long Beach USD, and like many bright-eyed, naïve novice teachers, I was determined to succeed. My new experience was a culture shock, unlike anything I had experienced before, having grown up and attended school in Mississippi.
As a new teacher in a new state with little experience, I was unprepared for the diverse classroom I encountered. Students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as students with learning disabilities and behavioral issues, challenged me in ways I had never imagined.
At first I was so overwhelmed that I cried daily. Frustrated, exhausted, and struggling to adapt, I thought about quitting. But I did not. Instead, I decided to embrace teaching and work hard to become good at it.
One day, I had a lightbulb moment. My purpose for teaching became clear. It was learning to teach every student, regardless of her background or learning needs. I was on a mission to find creative and innovative ways to engage everyone.
As a former classroom teacher and now an education specialist, I remain passionate about ensuring that all students learn. I have learned that building relationships and creating a safe and supportive learning environment are critical elements in achieving this goal. I also believe in blended instruction, an educational approach that gives students the freedom to learn at their own pace and in their own way, while still providing them with the support they need to succeed.
Shortly after receiving a grant from the Charles Butt Foundation, our Digital Learning team began working with Raise Your Hand Texas to launch the Raising blended students initiative. This initiative demonstrates strategies and provides open source resources for using blended learning to personalize instruction and improve achievement for K-12 students across Texas. To date, the Raising Blended Learners initiative has impacted more than 40 districts, 1,200 teachers, and 75,000 students across Texas.
Thanks to the continued support of Raise Your Hand Texas, we have gained valuable insights into the essential components of successful blended learning programs. We currently provide timely support, advice, and training to districts and charter schools in our region.
Building on the success of the Raising Blended Learners initiative, we have identified five pillars, or core components, that are essential to creating effective, engaging and rigorous blended learning experiences:
- Data-Driven Assessment and Instruction
- Personalized instruction
- Relations
- student agency
- Rigor
Designing a blended learning experience
The first step to creating a successful blended learning program is Design the blended student experience. This means thinking about how students will learn both online and in-person, and how the two parts of the program will work together. It is important to create a learning environment that is fun and effective, and that meets the needs of all students.
One way to do this is to use a digital planner to help students keep track of their online and in-person learning activities. This will help them stay organized and on track. You can also use a learning management system (LMS) to create a one-stop shop for all your blended learning resources. This will make it easier for students to access the online components of your course, such as lecture videos, readings, and assignments.
Here are some tips for designing a blended learning experience that students would love:
- Give students options. Let them choose how they want to learn, both online and in person. This will help them stay engaged and motivated.
- make it fun. Use interactive activities, games and other engaging content.
- Make it personal. Tailor the learning experience to each student's individual needs and interests. This will help them learn more effectively.
By designing a blended learning experience that students love, you can set them up for success.
Data-Driven Assessment and Instruction
Assessment and data-driven instruction are essential to any blended learning program. You must assess student progress regularly and use this data to drive your instruction, provide instruction based on your students' specific learning needs, monitor their learning, and provide timely feedback. This will help ensure that all students reach their academic potential and that no one is left behind.
For example, you could use a platform like questionnaire Give a formative assessment on a mathematical concept. Assessment results can show which students are struggling with the concept and which have mastered it. Close to the capsule is another online assessment tool that can be used in blended learning environments. Nearpod offers interactive lessons that include quizzes, surveys, and other activities. You can use data from Quizizz and Nearpod to track student progress and identify areas where they may need additional support.
Discovery-based planning is a collaborative approach to designing personalized learning experiences. In this approach, you can work with your students to identify their needs and goals and then develop learning activities to help them achieve those goals. For example, goal planning forms and interest surveys can be used to collect information about your learning goals, interests, and preferences. Other examples would be implementing online portfolios to display student work and track progress over time or using mind mapping tools like Mastermind either canvaThe free mind map maker to help your students develop their own learning plans.
Personalized instruction
Personalized instruction is one of the key benefits of blended learning. You can use digital tools and resources to provide your students with learning experiences that meet their individual needs. This can be done by providing them with different learning paths, different types of content, and different opportunities to demonstrate their learning.
The benefits of personalizing instruction become apparent almost immediately when lessons and activities:
- are student-centered
- allow students to incorporate their interests
- encourage students to interact, collaborate and create
- They are good for all types of classrooms, including 1:1
For example, simulations and interactive games can provide engaging and personalized learning experiences. Using adaptive learning platforms can automatically adjust the difficulty level of content and the pace of instruction based on the individual needs of each student. Also consider option boards, learning menus, and playlists.
Strong relationships They are essential in any learning environment, but especially in blended learning environments. Building relationships with students, both online and in person, creates a sense of community and belonging that motivates and engages students. Encourage your students to interact with each other and with you outside of class time through online discussions. Hold virtual office hours or meet individually or in small groups using video conferencing platforms like Google Meet or Zoom.
student agency
Student agency is important because it helps motivate and engage students more in their learning. Students who have a say in their own learning are more likely to be interested and motivated.
Ways you can exercise student agency in your classroom:
- Create choice boards or playlists that allow you to choose from a variety of learning activities, such as reading articles, watching videos, completing interactive exercises, or working on projects.
- Allow students to work individually, in pairs, or in small groups.
- Implement self-paced learning modules that allow your students to control the pace of their learning and on their own schedule.
- Use a survey tool to get student feedback on topics, activities, and assessments.
Blended learning can be as rigorous as in-person classes, and sometimes even more so. You can use online tools and resources to create challenging learning experiences that encourage critical thinking and problem solving.
Rigor
When designing with rigor, it is important to ensure that learning activities are challenging and that your students meet high standards. You should also consider the learning needs of the students, how they engage with the content, how they will reflect on their learning, and how they demonstrate their learning.
When design reading instruction, focus on using tools and strategies to help assess students' reading comprehension and identify those who may need additional support. Blended learning can be an effective way to provide your students with reading instruction. For example, districts use Lexia, a blended reading program designed to complement classroom literacy instruction and provide differentiation through a series of learning activities and games. With data-driven instruction and personalized support, students in our region have made significant gains in literacy.
Blended Learning Best Practices
I appreciate the challenges I faced in my first teaching job. They made me a better teacher and helped me develop a deep appreciation for the diversity of my students. If I had been trained in blended learning and how to implement it in my instruction, I may not have had as many problems reaching, teaching, and engaging all of my students.
Here are some tips for implementing blended learning in your instruction:
- Involve all students. Make learning inclusive and accessible to all by using a variety of teaching methods and technologies.
- Personalize and differentiate instruction.. Focus on meeting the individual needs of all your students. Give them options and opportunities to learn at their own pace.
- Make meaningful connections creating opportunities for them to interact and collaborate.
- Be creative using technology and other resources. develop innovative and engaging learning experiences. The possibilities are endless!
- Be a forever learner staying up to date on the latest trends and technologies to ensure you are providing the best possible learning experiences for your students. Blended learning is constantly evolving.
