BLENDED LEARNING

BLENDED LEARNING

Blended learning is a disruptive innovation in education that can take many forms. The development of technology helps teacher to combine this amazing invention with ‘conventional’ way of teaching. One example of this combination is Blended Learning.

Being combined with traditional classroom methods and independent study to create a new, hybrid teaching methodology is the definition of blended learning as the way of e-learning. Many use terms like hybrid, mixed, or integrative to describe the same trend. In 2000 an estimated 45,000 K-12 students took an online course, and almost a decade later more than 3 million took the courses. 

There is a general consensus among education innovators that blended learning has three primary components :

a.       In-person classroom activities facilitated by a trained educator.

b.      Online learning materials, often including pre-recorded lectures given by that same instructor.

c.       Structured independent study time guided by the material in the lectures and skills developed during the classroom experience.

According to Knewton.com there are six models of Blended Learning :

1.      Face-to-Face Driver

Face-to-face teachers deliver most of the curriculum. A physical teacher employs online learning in a technology lab or the back of the classroom to supplement.

2.      Rotation

Within a given course, students rotate on a fixed schedule between self-paced online learning and sitting in a classroom with a face-to-face teacher.

3.      Flex

An online platform delivers most of the curriculum. Teachers provide on-site, as-needed support through in-person tutoring or small group sessions.

4.      Online Lab

An online platform delivers the entire course, but in a brick-and-mortar location often students who participate in an online lab program also take traditional courses.

5.      Self-Blend

Students choose to take remote online courses to supplement their school’s traditional curriculum. This model of blended learning is extremely popular among high school students.

6.      Online Driver

An online platform and teacher deliver all the curriculum. Students work remotely and face-to-face check-ins are either available or mandatory.

In addition, there are some development of blended learning :

1.      Integrated systems is supporting the seamless assimilation of online content from different sources.

2.      High-quality dynamic content aligned to national standards such that students can stay powerfully engaged through continuous adaptive learning technology

3.      Analytic that allow operators to provide more personalized learning experiences for networks of students.

4.      Automation to simplify educators’ lives by eliminating low-value manual tasks like attendance and students assessment data entry.

5.      Applications that enhance student motivation using features like social networks, games, personalized playlists, badges, and micro rewards to engage and incentivize students in their own learning.

In some situations, the move to blended learning has inspired educators to redefine traditional roles. The word “facilitator” has emerged as an alternative to “teacher,” bringing with it a slightly different focus. The facilitator places an emphasis on empowering students with the skills and knowledge required to make the most of the online material and independent study time, guiding students toward the most meaningful experience possible. Facilitators focus on four key areas :

1.      Development of online and offline course content.

2.      Facilitation of communication with and among students, including the pedagogy of communicating content online without the contextual clues students would get in person.

3.      Guiding the learning experience of individual students, and customizing material wherever possible to strengthen the learning experience.

4.      Assessment and grading, not unlike the expectations for teachers within the traditional framework.

Blended learning is one of approaches in this era. The optimal achievement of blended learning depends on many factors. We can participate to apply in our classroom or construct this approach so that it will be better.