# data[].attributes.body
Collaborate Ultra (Workshop link)
https://ca.bbcollab.com/guest/839568085630C41987934E86D5B70909

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ICP-1153 Blended Learning PD Workshop October 12, 2016 4-6pm Jonathan Legg & Dafne Carrasco

# data[].attributes.body
SMART Kapp (Workshop link) https://kapp.io/fe3de9zt

# data[].attributes.body
https://teachingwithtech.lss.wisc.edu/m3w1.htm

# data[].attributes.body
http://taurangamoanacluster.ultranet.school.nz/ClassSpace/205/

# data[].attributes.body
https://robdarrow.wordpress.com/category/online-learning/page/5/

# data[].attributes.body
Using the SAMR Model to reflect on technology integration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Apply the SAMR Model with Ruben Puentedura

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In partnership with: Blended Learning Implementation Guide 3.0
Originally published September 2013, updated & re-released Summer 2015
Authored by John Bailey, Lisa Duty, Scott Ellis, Nathan Martin, Saro Mohammed, Daniel Owens, Beth Rabbitt, Luis Rodriguez, Carri Schneider, Alex Terman, Tom Vander Ark, Jennifer Wolfe
Download the full paper
Digital Learning Now, The Learning Accelerator

This paper is one of nine in the DLN Smart Series - a collection of interactive papers that provides specific guidance regarding the adoption of higher standards and quality assessments focusing on the shift to personal digital learning.

This guide offers recommendations for developing and implementing an effective plan to adopt a blended learning model that focuses on accelerating student learning for college and career readiness. Version 3.0 reflects feedback from schools and districts, developments in the field and educational technology trends.

"Blended Learning Implementation Guide 3.0" walks school leaders through a four-part process for blended learning implementation that begins with creating conditions for success and planning before moving into implementation and continuous improvement. The authors use exhibits, case studies and additional resources to help schools in charting their own course.

Download " Blended Learning Implementation Guide 3.0 "

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Blended Learning Implementation Guide 3.0

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In partnership with: Blended Learning Implementation Guide 3.0 Originally published September 2013, updated & re-released Summer 2015 Authored by John Bailey, Lisa Duty, Scott Ellis, Nathan Martin, Saro Mohammed, Daniel Owens, Beth Rabbitt, Luis Rodriguez, Carri Schneider, Alex Terman, Tom Vander Ark, Jennifer Wolfe Download the full paper Digital Learning Now, The Learning Accelerator This paper is one of nine in the DLN Smart Series - a collection of interactive papers that provides specific guidance regarding the adoption of higher standards and quality assessments focusing on the shift to personal digital learning.

# data[].attributes.body
The Teaching and Learning Toolkit provides active learning strategies, resources, assessment ideas, suggestions for online tools that instructors can easily incorporate into any class.  The toolkit also provides information on how each strategy connects to Lethbridge College's 21st Century Skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Teaching and Learning Toolkit provides active learning strategies, resources, assessment ideas, suggestions for online tools that instructors can easily incorporate into any class. The toolkit...

# data[].attributes.body
Tools and Strategies to Support Blended Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
©* © (2013). 20472204. (DrAfter123 ). Used under licence with iStockphoto®. All rights reserved. (istock)

In my previous articles Beyond Brick and Mortar Education and Blended Learning: Breaking the Mold, I focused mostly on the theories, principles and models that provide the framework behind more flexible delivery options in education. This article provides strategies and tools to promote engagement, collaboration and reflection in a blended learning environment.

Most academic institutions use some type of learning management system (LMS) such as Moodle, Blackboard or Canvas for administrative purposes. However, they are also used for hosting online content, conducting synchronous and asynchronous interactions between members of learning communities, and giving the instructor or facilitator the opportunity to have more presence in the online environment. Most LMS have built in applications such as discussion boards, chat rooms, wikis and email, which can be staple ingredients for a successful online learning experience. However, there are many more tools and applications outside an LMS that can be used to promote collaboration, interactivity, critical thinking skills and peer to peer learning, which together foster engagement and deeper, more significant learning experiences (Fink, 2003).
Chickering and Gamson (1987) noted in their Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education, "Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers" (p.5). Luckily, the Internet has not only encouraged us to re-examine the context in which we teach and learn, but it has also afforded us the opportunity to re-consider how learning occurs in the classroom.

Strategies and Tools

© (2013). Image number. (Rightsholder name if indicated on the image download). Used under licence with iStockphoto®. All rights reserved.

If you are considering using some type of blended model in your teaching, the following strategies and tools can be easily adapted to fit a wide range of educational contexts:

1. Each Student is assigned a "home' group.

2. Each student within the home group is assigned one aspect of a topic.

3. Students from home group break off and meet with students from other groups who have been assigned the same aspect. This new group masters the topic they have been assigned.

4. Once material has been mastered, student returns to home group and teaches the material to their group members.

If you are still questioning whether or not blended learning is all it's hyped up to be, check out the latest Students and Technology (ECAR) survey results from Educause (2012). The annual ECAR survey is given to more than 100,000 undergraduate students to collect responses about their experiences with technology in education.

If you are already using a blended model or have experience learning in a blended environment, what kinds of tools and strategies are you using to promote a deeper more engaging learning experience?
References:
Fink, D. L. (2003). A Self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning.
Available online from
http://trc.virginia.edu/Workshops/2004/Fink_Designing_Courses_2004.pdf

Chickering, A W., & Gamson, Z.E. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in
undergraduate education. Available online from http://www.elmhurst.edu/~richs/EC/SPS/UsefulDocuments/7%20Principles%20of%20Good%20Practice%20in%20Undergrad%20Ed-ChickeringGamson.pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tools and Strategies to Support Blended Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
©* © (2013). 20472204. (DrAfter123 ). Used under licence with iStockphoto®. All rights reserved. (istock) In my previous articles Beyond Brick and Mortar Education and Blended Learning: Breaking the Mold , I focused mostly on the theories, principles and models that provide the framework behind more flexible delivery options in education.

# data[].attributes.body
Beyond a brick and mortar education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As the internet continues to become more prevalent in our daily functions, we need to make choices that extend beyond the boundaries of a classroom and decide which instructional strategies and teaching methods will most appropriately help our students master the skills and knowledge required to be successful 21st century learners. A blend of face-to-face instruction and online learning is a trend that is increasingly gaining recognition and merit among those who work in the field of education, but finding the right balance remains a challenge when we consider the diversity within our student demographics, instructors who are early adopters and those who are resistant.

21st Century Pedagogy?

As those of us working in the field of education, whether it be teachers, instructional designers, researchers or curriculum developers, pursue a solid framework for teaching and learning in the 21st century, we tend to apply all kinds of labels in our attempts to define today's students. Digital citizens, web 2. 0 generation, digital learners and net generation are a few that come to mind. Notice how all of these descriptors incorporate technology or the Internet in some form or another, but at which point did that become the main focus of teaching and learning? What ever happened to pedagogy?

It is true that our students have grown up with computers and smartphones and access to the Internet but are they really being taught 21st century proficiencies?

A 21st century student needs to have the opportunity to inquire, evaluate and apply the information through the right mix of independent learning and guided practice or facilitation from their instructor and peers. Though this concept is really not unique to this era of learning, our approach to helping our students learn these skills is changing. The Internet allows for increased flexibility in how we deliver and receive course content, assess knowledge and teach skills. Students can now choose an educational platform that best suits their learning style and life situation. They can learn synchronously (same time) with their peers and under the guidance of an instructor on campus or can choose to learn independently in an online course and interact with their peers and instructor asynchronously at their own pace and at a time that best suits their needs.

A third option, blended or hybrid delivery, offers an amalgamation of the two by taking the best of both environments. Though the concept sounds simple, we need to consider the best approach that will fully prepare our students to succeed in this type of environment. Though the technology might be familiar to them, they often do not have the skills to effectively use it in a learning context. One way to leverage the potential of online learning in our teaching practices is by scaffolding the students experience with online integration from a program level rather than addressing it on a course-by course basis (Bates, Cohere, October 2012). For example, students might be introduced to a minimal amount of online learning in their first year and progressively increase their experience with it as they work their way through the program. A gradual integration will allow them to build on skills necessary to not only succeed in their subject matter area but also as contributors and beneficiaries of the overall 21st century society.

The Perfect Blend

There are no set guidelines or criteria for a blended course. However, simply adding a blog component to a course or posting a video online for students to view is not enough, especially when that video is more often than not just another talking head. However, if implemented properly, these can be great tools. They can promote interactivity, allow classroom time to be used more effectively and can foster independent problem solving skills. Best of all, learning can be more self-directed allowing students to take ownership in their education.

Blending a course addresses the need for those who still want to anchor their learning in a traditional face-to-face setting while benefiting from the flexibility of learning online, but the ratio of online and face-to-face instruction varies from one educational context to another. The following video from Education Elements (2011) outlines different models of blended learning that can be used depending on the nature of the subject, student needs and available resources:

The quality of a blend depends on making the appropriate choices and finding purpose in the instructional decisions we make.
We need to leverage the advantages of both synchronous and asynchronous instructional strategies by combining both virtual and traditional forms of teaching and learning in a way that best benefits the students and addresses their needs while considering program and institutional goals.

In our next article on Blended Learning, we will address different Blended models and instructional strategies and tools that can be used to engage learners both in the classroom and online.

In the meantime, please feel free to share your own Blended Learning strategies and experiences.

References:
Educational Elements. (2011, Sept 24). The basics of blended learning. (video file). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xMqJmMcME0
Additional Resources: http://educationelements.com http://www.tonybates.ca http://www.powerfulingredients.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As the internet continues to become more prevalent in our daily functions, we need to make choices that extend beyond the boundaries of a classroom and decide which instructional strategies and teaching methods will most appropriately help our students master the skills and knowledge required to be successful 21st century learners.

# data[].attributes.body
In a nutshell: what is blended learning?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Blended learning is a term that is thrown around quite liberally. That's because there isn't a finite definition of what a blended learning course actually is. In general, blended learning means some classroom components are face-to-face (f-2-f) while some components are online. However, it can be difficult to decide where, or when, to make the divide. To help break it down, let's consider different definitions of the word blend:

Verb: "1: to combine or associate so that separate constituents ... cannot be distinguished; 2: to prepare by thoroughly intermingling different varieties or grades " (Merriam-Webster)

Noun: a combination of different things or people; "a product prepared by blending" (Merriam-Webster)

My definition: a harmonization of parts to make a unified whole

Considering blend as a harmony among parts, rather than as an inseparable union helps to understand how the blended classroom functions.

Begin by asking yourself:

What outcomes are best suited for the online environment

What outcomes are best suited for the face-to-face classroom?

How may these work together?

In other words, the choice to blend should not be a random one. You want to design your course so it effectively combines the two methods of instruction so that they work together instead of disparately, all while optimizing student learning

Let's consider an example.

1. Use tools and equipment necessary in oxy-acetylene, electric arc, and gas metal arc welding

2. Investigate possible career pathways including post-secondary education and training, in the welding industry

The instructor might choose to put videos online that provide examples of the techniques used in welding and students would be expected to watch these videos for homework in preparation for the f-2-f class before they practice the technique with a facilitator. While practice and instruction will take place f-2-f, the second outcome may be achieved in an online environment through independent student research using the Internet and contacting schools and companies related to the welding industry. Time usually spent in a f-2-f class time may instead be canceled, or unstructured class time may be used for independent study in this area.

It is important to remain conscious (and cautious), while encouraging a blended classroom, to not create a class and a half that lacks in one area where it gains in another. Do not assign for homework what you formerly instructed in class and then use the now open class time to cover more material. If an online component is replacing what used to take class time and is heavier than regular homework learners should be given class time in lieu in order to receive assistance from the instructor if necessary. On the other hand, if the online component is similar to homework (e.g. watching a short video to prepare for the next class discussion) time in lieu is not needed.

Finally, it is worth discussing with your department head to see if your institution or program has a specified definition of blended learning. It may be that you are expected to meet specific items or outcomes as blended components of your class.

Check out these resources for more detailed information:

The Blended Learning Toolkit: http://blended.online.ucf.edu/ :

Educause - a regularly updated resource dealing with research and initiatives in blended learning: http://www.educause.edu Type "blended learning" into their search engine and you will come up with a slew of resources. Choose the articles most suited to your needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
In a Nutshell: What is Blended Learning?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Blended learning is a term that is thrown around quite liberally. That's because there isn't a finite definition of what a blended learning course actually is. In general, blended learning means some classroom components are face-to-face (f-2-f) while some components are online. However, it can be difficult to decide where, or when, to make the divide.

# data[].attributes.body
is a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through delivery of content and instruction via digital and online media with some element of student control over time, place, path, or pace.
- Wikipedia