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A great way to learn vocabulary. Each student will write a vocabulary word or words in a stylish or colorful way.

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This is the second post of our 4-part blog series on Blended Learning Models. View the first post and accompanying infographic to find out which blended learning model is best for your classroom.
Many people think you need to have a 1:1 laptop ratio to do blended learning, but with the station rotation and lab rotation models, teachers are able to maximize a classroom with limited technology.

In this post, which comes from our Blended Learning 102 guide, we'll give you an overview of the similarities and differences between two of the most common blended learning models: station rotation and lab rotation. We'll also share some tips to set up each model, and include a few ways Kiddom helps with implementation along the way.

Station and lab rotation are two blended learning models which belong under the larger umbrella of "Rotation Models". A rotation model is when students move between learning stations, either 1. on a ﬁxed schedule, or 2. at the teacher's discretion, where at least one station incorporates online learning.

While one group of students is engaged in independent online learning, the teacher facilitates activities for another group; activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, or independent practice.

In a station rotation model, the teacher organizes students into groups within the classroom, where at least one station is a computer-based learning experience. These groups can be fixed (remain the same each day; grouped by learning styles) or dynamic (change depending on student skills/needs).

This model allows you to differentiate your teacher-led instruction by creating small-groups in class and personalized learning experiences on the computers. As mentioned, station rotation is a great option when you have limited classroom technology or limited access to a school laptop cart. It addresses many issues caused by large class sizes and can be used in classrooms of all ages, even kindergarten. You can also introduce students to the 21st century technology skills they need in small chunks of time. The possibilities are endless, which can be a bit overwhelming, so let's get specific.

The station rotation model changes the role of a teacher by allowing for greater flexibility through small group instruction. This impacts how you plan your instruction for each day, although, it doesn't mean you plan completely different lessons for each group.

Your lesson plan format may change to include the student groups and how you plan to address their unique needs with varied question types or examples. The beauty of grouping is that the groups can be dynamic, as student achievement levels or needs change. This will inspire more daily data-driven planning as well, rather than waiting until the end of the term to look at student data. Using a platform like Kiddom makes it easy to track student performance in real time and make decisions about student groupings or send individual assignments based on mastery levels.

Individualized assignments (i.e. remediation or extension)

Adaptable software

Research

Digital presentations

Interactive activities (i.e. discussion boards)

Simulations

How you plan to differentiate is also flexible. You can hear a teacher's' first-hand explanation of these changes by accessing the Khan Academy Case Study of Kipp Los Angeles School. In this case study, you can hear how using stations allows the teacher to support her english language learner students by giving them more opportunities to speak in a small group.

Group work with roles

Hands-on activities

Makerspace station

Projects

Games

Computer Station

Direct instruction

Facilitate discussion

Oral assessment

Collaborative Learning

Teacher Station

The computer station can be used for many learning goals. Some teachers or schools sign up for an adaptive learning platform, but paying for that type of resource isn't necessary - you can get creative with your stations by accessing free content.

One option would be to use Kiddom to send personalized assignments to individual or groups of students. On Kiddom, students can access those assignments, check their scores, ask questions or make comments, and monitor their own progress towards mastery.

An easy way to explore how a station rotation model might impact your class would be to establish a "stations" day once a week. Depending on how many devices and students you have, you can start with 2-3 small(er) groups.

One small group could work independently or in pairs on activities appropriate for their current achievement level, such as practice from the previous days lessons, independent reading, journaling, etc. Another group could be working with the teacher on either a mini-lesson or a teacher-facilitated group discussion. In a third group, students use a computer to develop their social emotional skill of self-management by doing a progress check and setting a goal for the week. Using the computer station to allow students to check their progress is a way to ease into the benefits of this blended learning model. It wouldn't require much additional software and can help you establish and refine the classroom routines needed to make transitions from station to station.

Working in stations one day a week would allow you to experiment with the classroom management supports you'll need for your classroom to help things run smoothly. For example, you'll learn how long it takes your students to transition from one station to the next and you can adjust accordingly. Anyone trying out stations knows that routines are very important and it's okay not to get it right the first time.
One common way the lab rotation model is used:

1. Teacher delivers a mini lesson and does a formal check for understanding.

2. Students who demonstrate proficiency are ready to rotate to the computer lab to complete independent practice or personalized practice.

3. Students who need additional assistance get to work with the teacher in a small group in the moment.

A visual schedule like this one can help students know where they should be at the appropriate time and help them take ownership of their schedule.

The lab rotation model is another option that works when you don't have a full set of computers in your classroom. In this model, students rotate to a separate computer lab for the online-learning station. Many schools that use lab rotation have a co-teaching staffing model or have paraprofessionals in the classroom to facilitate transitions, but that is not a requirement. Students can either rotate to the lab as part of a class or as an online learning class of its own. This model can be used for all grade levels.

This blended learning model allows you to intervene right away when students need additional support. The teacher's role in a lab rotation model can be very similar to a traditional teaching model, in that you may still deliver whole class instruction.

The main difference is that you can intervene with a small group without having to manage the entire class of students at the same time. If you do not have a co-teacher or paraprofessional, you would rotate with your entire class to the lab and sit with the small group in the lab.

Kiddom can help maintain consistency of expectations while in the lab. Establishing a routine and leadership roles for students when they rotate to the lab can alleviate classroom management concerns. Using Kiddom in the lab will enhance the lab rotation model by allowing you to direct student learning in advance, so you can focus on teaching instead of giving instructions.

It also opens the line of communication. While you may be working with the small group of students, students can comment/respond to comments on assignments. You can support student interests and learning needs by sharing personalized assessments. Finally, just like in the station rotation model, students can access their progress reports on Kiddom and know how they are performing at a skill based level.

One of the biggest considerations for implementing a lab rotation model is scheduling. Whether you are piloting the model yourself, or your entire school is transitioning to a lab rotation model, you will need to be on the same page with your colleagues about how and when the lab can be used by your class. Just like in station rotation, it may be easiest to start with a lab rotation day. In this case, you can reserve the lab for your class on a given day and experiment with rotation options on that given day.

This blog post is based on our Blended Learning 102 Guide. For more information, we encourage you to download it here.

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Station Rotation & Lab Rotation: Blended Learning Models

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This is the second post of our 4-part blog series on Blended Learning Models. View the first post and accompanying infographic to find out which blended learning model is best for your classroom .

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You've probably heard of-and maybe used-learning stations in your classroom. With stations, teachers set up activities around their rooms, then have students rotate from station to station, performing each task. They are a wonderful way to provide variety and engagement in your classroom.

There's only one real downside to stations-they take a LOT of time to set up. And because we're all short on time, we may not use stations as often as we could.

So today I'm proposing a watered-down version of stations that keeps the movement, interactivity and variety while minimizing the prep work. I'm calling these "Chat Stations," discussion prompts that students visit just like stations, but instead of performing a complex task, they just have a quick discussion. Chat Stations are incredibly flexible: They can be used for test reviews, ethical debates, exploring new material, even analyzing literature.

On top of their flexibility as a cooperative learning tool, Chat Stations can also dramatically improve whole-class discussions. Because students have fully explored each issue in the less-threatening Chat Station setting, they will be better prepared to participate in a larger class discussion next. And as we explored in a previous post, we need to do more to engage our less talkative students. Chat Stations offer another way to get them more involved.

Here's a video demonstrating how Chat Stations work:

The more traditional kinds of stations-where students perform more complex or hands-on work-are still the gold standard for student engagement, but Chat Stations can be a great strategy for those times when you haven't been able to prepare a "real" station. They still get students up and moving and breathe new life into your content. And there's really no limit to how challenging your questions can be.

I'm pretty sure I haven't invented anything new here, so if you're doing something like this and have a tip or suggestion to add, please comment below. If you try this for the first time, please share your experiences with us. ♦

Stay in touch.
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Students Sitting Around Too Much? Try Chat Stations.

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Your new favorite teaching strategy: This pared-down version of learning stations keeps the movement, interactivity and variety while minimizing the prep work.

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Teacherstack helps manage and organize classroom tasks such as station rotations (centers), seating charts, and displaying to-do tasks for students.

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Ed Tech

When we think of stations or centers we often think of young children moving around the room to various activities. While stations can, and do, work well in lower elementary classrooms they also have a very important role in upper elementary, middle and high school.

Stations can provide time for practice, preview, review, collaboration, choice work time, and small group or individual teacher time.

What does station rotation look like in the classroom?

The number and type of stations might look different in every classroom but the basic idea usually stays the same. Students are in small groups and rotate around from station to station to complete a series of tasks while the teacher works with groups or individual students. Students may rotate to a teacher station as a group or the teacher may pull small groups or individual students out of the rotation to meet with them as needed.

Station rotation in high school

High school might be the last place you would think of when you picture stations in the classroom but they can provide valuable opportunities to meet with small groups of students. In the video below, How and Why to Integrate Station Rotation into Your Classroom, Catlin Tucker shows us what station rotation looks like in her high school classroom.

Station rotation in middle school

Kristin Daley Conti uses stations in her 7th grade science classroom all the time. She contributed the ideas below to give us an example of what stations might look like in a middle school science classroom. Click on the colored buttons to see the specific task cards for each station.

Station rotation in the elementary classroom

The elementary classroom is a fun and exciting place to bring in stations. You can keep all of the stations planned around one subject or use your station rotation time to incorporate practice in every subject area. Below is an example of what an ELA station rotation might look like in an elementary school classroom. Click on the colored buttons to see the specific task cards for each station.

Getting started with station rotation in your classroom

Effective station rotation doesn't just happen overnight. It does take some planning and teaching of procedures and expectations. Luckily there are lots of resources out there to help you . Here are a few of our favorites.

FREE station rotation task cards!

If you have never done stations before then planning them out might seem like a daunting and time consuming task. But helping you teach better and save time is what EfficienTEACH is all about! That's why we, along with the amazing Ditchbook community, have created these station rotation task cards that you can copy and adapt to your classroom. Just go to "file" then "make a copy" to add it to your Google drive. Or go to "file" then "download " and choose "Microsoft PowerPoint" if you are a Microsoft user.

You can make a copy of these cards anytime and edit them to fit your class. Be sure to check the original file as more cards will be added as other community members share their ideas. Just go to "file" then "make a copy" to add it to your Google drive. Or go to "file" then "download " and choose "Microsoft PowerPoint" if you are a Microsoft user.

Want to contribute a station rotation task card idea? It's easy! Just make a copy of this template and follow the directions on the slide.

10 tips for efficient station rotation in any class

We reached out the the incredible Ditchbook community to share their tips and resources for implementing station rotation in the classroom and we got some fantastic responses! Below you will find 10 tips, including more resources, from other teachers who are using stations in their classroom.

1. Utilize pre-created resources to save time.

I found this instructional strategies playlist very helpful especially to new teachers. When you scroll to page 2, all the strategies are listed under the different topics. When you click on a strategy, for example 'Brainiac' (rehearsal and practice playlist) it takes you to the page where the activity is explained in detail. Some of the activities, like this one, also have links provided on the left side for templates. This resource is like a one-stop-shop.
Source: lead4ward instructional strategies playlists

2. Use Teacherstack.com to set up your groups and rotations.

I wanted to share a few tips I've learned in the past few years of using stations in my seventh grade language arts classes. I use the free website called teacherstack.com. It is a game changer for me. It allows me to create classes and set up rotation series. If I'm using timed rotations, I can project which group everyone is in, what the stations are, and the time remaining in an easy to follow grid.

Teacherstack.com has taken away the problem of kids not remembering which station/task they rotate to. It also allows me to focus on working with my small groups instead of watching the time or starting a timer. There are even choices for transition music you can play in between stations. This helps my students with cleaning up and preparing for the next station in a more orderly and quicker manner. I know not all station rotation models are this structured and time dependent, but for when you want stations to be just that, this website is so helpful! (There are other great features on this site as well.)

3. Have a variety of stations to increase engagement.

Have a variety of centers - some that will be easy for students to manage on their own and some that require more supervision from the teacher.
Music room rotation ideas shared by Amber Houk

Reading Center - Students are listening and reading along with the book "The Jazz Fly" by Matthew Gollub

Instrument Center - Students are using the boomwhacker instruments to figure out the mystery songs.

Listening Center - Students are listening to Celtic music and free drawing if they would like.

Activity Center - Students discover clues about an instrument inside a paper bag. They organize their clues on a worksheet that's inside a dry erase pocket.

Movement Center - Students play two movement games that we've played in class - statue cards and movement word wall.

Music Game Center - Students create music using one of the games on the Chrome Music Lab.

Student rotation ideas shared by Rebecca Crim

A QR code (to a website, video, interactive learning game, etc.)

Manipulatives (board game, flashcards, pictures...really anything they can hold, touch, and move)

With the teacher (it's great to have a moment to check in with the students)

Create something as a group (an ad, a meme, a new invention related to the topic...the ideas are endless)

Create something as an individual (similar to above, only done on their own, usually back in their seats)

Favorite station or center activities shared by Jaime Rowland
Poetry Museum - allow your students to appreciate poetry before you begin to analyze poetry by putting up lots of different poems around your room. Students view the poems like they might view paintings in a museum. You can tie an assignment or just allow them to select a favorite.

Meet the teacher stations (I learned about this on Tik Tok ).

Station 1: Investigate the teacher - students look around the room and make inferences about their findings.
Station 2: Close Read the syllabus
Station 3: Student survey
Station 4: Collaborate with others to develop 5 teacher expectations
Station 5: Email Etiquette - email the teacher
Choice station rotation ideas shared by Stacy Benton
I am a second grade teacher who has tried every way to set up station rotations and centers since I started teaching 11 years ago. I have found a fluid approach most effective and engaging for my students. This approach gives my students choice as to the order in which they want to visit each rotation. It is their responsibility to visit and complete each rotation activity by the end of rotation time on the fourth day. The rotations remain the same each week. I just change the content being addressed. I also differentiate activities for certain students.

We use rotations four days a week for thirty minutes each day. The rotations are:

Vocabulary

Write and Video (using Flipgrid)

Seesaw Scavenger Hunt (using the week's decodable reader to search for a phonics skill)

Teacher Talk (I pull small groups or individual students to conference or practice with me)

Exemplar station rotation idea shared by Jane Schuster
As a science teacher station rotation is easily incorporated into many of our labs. For example, in my anatomy classes if we are doing dissections I will have each group of students locate a different structure and 'pin' it. Then the groups will rotate through to see each example before finding it on their own specimen.

4. Start small and go slow.

Teach the station / center expectations and process with a low/no-stakes task. Once students understand expectations and procedures, then add in content.

Start small--Begin with station/center activities that are short (5 minutes) to teach and reinforce expectations and build from there.

Try a few station / center activities prior to working in a teacher-led station so that students are used to the process.

5. Have some sort of product, outcome or exit ticket for each station.

When doing station rotation activities with older students (middle and high school), it's essential to have a "deliverable" for each station -- something they complete and turn in, or have you check off, before moving to the next station.

Sometimes this might look like:

After reading an article at Station 1, create an Adobe Spark Post (now CC Express) with a PDA about the topic.

After analyzing primary source documents at Station 2, submit a thesis statement that answers the question at the station.

Or, it might mean that they're adding information to a table or chart (hard copy or digital) as they visit each station, in which case I check their work after they're done with each station before they move on, to make sure they have all the info/content/skills they need.

6. Be flexible and add in some fun!

An argument FOR stations ... Planning for stations ... Incorporating fun ...
The reason that more teachers don't use stations is that teachers all feel there is too much curriculum to cover and we know that letting students out of their seats increases transition time. Therefore one might reason less teaching time is available with stations.

That said, I teach grade 9 and 10 science along with grade 11 University level chemistry. I use station labs all the time. Yes, we do lose transition time. BUT working with their friends and allowing students to move at their own pace reignites the joy in learning. So students are more willing to concentrate during longer lessons - so we actually cover more! Ironic, isn't it?

And I am also finding the pandemic has caused a hard reset in student behaviour. Students are grateful for everything again. They say thank you for lessons; they help clean up after labs; they are so happy and grateful for labs. And they are listening better and thinking about little ways to honour their friends. Hey - we're turning back into Canadians again!! As a person who is Canadian first, and any genetic heritage as a strong second, I love this.

Station labs require much more thinking and advanced planning on the teacher's part as well. I have to backmap my planning so that students receive enough formative assessment in the type and quantity of observations to make, the type of vocabulary I need to assess, the type of calculations I need them to understand and work through and a balance of fun reactions (generally involving Bunsen burners or something they can eat 🙂 along with slower reactions that are more like "a dry toast"- necessary but a bit boring because they take longer - like waiting for silver to precipitate.

I also love and use escape rooms, gallery walks, sidewalk chalk outside in warmer weather. Right before a holiday kids are wired, so right before March break we did a tie dye lab as a stations lab that was completely optional. There was no quiz, and nothing to hand in. Some students tie dyed their socks because they forgot to bring anything. Some students had a nap because they had written a Chem test for me, a physics quiz, a French immersion essay and they were 'burnt out. And some students had a math test on the the last day before the break, so they studied. And some meditated or chatted with their friends. It was perfect.

So, really, I guess what I am saying is that a teacher has to start building a positive and trusting relationship with students starting on the very first day of class.

Students have to understand why we need a safety agreement, how to build positive relationships with their peers and the teacher, how to pay it forward for their families. And mental health for students has to be number 1. I have to trust the students; they have to trust me. And if you've got that rapport with your students, there is absolutely no reason that any discipline should not be using station work!

7. Incorporate stations virtually.

I have found that creating Zoom Rooms (named by starting center name) and creating a google sheet with a tab for each "rotation" has been super helpful. This way students can see the task, pertinent links/resources, and outcomes they need for each rotation. If they are staying together as a group, they can "rotate" to the next center by clicking on the next tab (no need to actually change rooms-more efficient!) and I can send an announcement "time to go to next tab" as the next rotation at the designated time interval.

It takes a bit of time to set up, but once they get the hang of it, it is really fun. And (added bonus) you can quickly modify groups by exchanging students in different rooms as you feel is needed. Just remember to allow screen share from multiple participants and you are ready to go! Fun collaborative learning!

8. Use stations for timely feedback

One of my favorite teacher-led stations is feedback on writing. While students are working at the station on a portion of the writing, I meet with students one-on-one about a previously completed part of the task. If they are working on body paragraphs, I will meet with them about their introductions for instance.

9. If you're short on time pass the station

I teach U.S. History. I've found the quickest way to complete stations is to have all materials in a big envelope or folder. I arrange desks in groups and pass the folders from one group to the next. My classes are only 50 minutes, so time moving from one station to another often takes away from work time.

I don't always use this method. Sometimes I still have students travel around the room, but if we have a lot to work through, having them stay in their seats works much better.

10. Don't give up!

Don't give up if it's not perfect the first hundred times you try it. These are kids, not robots. They need training on stations.

Example: Using Padlet to Organize Station Rotations
Contributed by Donna Schies
You may have heard that station rotations are one of the best ways to meet all of your students' learning needs, and as true as that may be, it can be a nightmare to organize.

To streamline this process, I decided to use the EfficienTEACH station rotation task cards. They have a great layout with a consistent format that students can easily understand.

1. Provide task cards to students. I decided to embed these station rotation task cards into a Padlet ( padlet.com) so everything could be easily accessible from one simple link. Padlet allows you to organize resources under specific categories in their shelf format, which is what I used for my station rotations. See the image below.

2. Create a station rotation classroom map. I also used the task cards to create a station rotation classroom map so students would know exactly where they are going when they rotate, and exactly what they are supposed to be doing when they get there. Below is a picture of my classroom station rotation map which I also easily embedded on the Station Rotation Padlet.

3. Quickly student groups. Creating groups that work well together can be a tricky formula for teachers, but I have found a pretty easy way to generate some quick groups by using the toolkit in ClassDojo ( classdojo.com). I prefer groups of 3, because sometimes 4 can be too many. Plus, if you have partner groups, it never fails, someone is always absent. Below is an image of the groups created on ClassDojo. I hid their names, but you get the idea. Student groups were also easily included on the Padlet.

4. Use timers to manage time. I added two YouTube timer video links to my Padlet, one for 20 minutes and the other one for 15. This is mostly because some of my classes need more time to complete their work at each station. The timers that I used were both Among Us themed and my students really enjoyed that, but you could use any type of timer that you like. On the picture below you can see the teacher support that I have embedded in my padlet.

5. Wrap it up with reflection. For reflection and accountability to the station rotation model, I included a Google Form survey on my Padlet that students complete at the end of the period. The survey that I use has reflection sentence stems to make the reflecting process more thoughtful. You can check it out below.

My students LOVED the station rotation activities and the organization of it all was made incredibly easy by using Padlet. Check out the big picture of it all below. I strongly suggest you try it out. It will make your life as a teacher so much easier and the quality and efficiency of your stations will create better learning outcomes for your students.

Here is a picture of my students working on their station rotation activities. They really did a great job collaborating and working together because they knew exactly what to do. After trying my stations this way, I honestly would not want to run stations any other way.

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Station rotation: Save time, engage students in any K-12 classroom

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Station rotation keeps students engaged in multiple activities. Plus, it isn't hard to set up! Here are some ideas.When we think of stations or centers we

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Optimizing Station Rotation (AVID Open Access)

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Optimizing Station Rotation (AVID Open Access)

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Blended Learning: Station Rotation- AVID Open Access

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Learn how to implement the blended-learning model of station rotation in a face-to-face, remote, or hybrid classroom.

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Virtual Station Rotation - Stephanie DeMichele

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Station Rotation Slide Deck, Teachers need a Zoom Break out Station rotation activity. Do you miss station rotation in the classroom? Then try this digital station rotation. Instructions included by Brigid Duncan.

Would you like to share your creations? Get in touch.

What kind of file you can share? Anything related to education: a simple theme, a whole template, a manipulative, a lesson, you name it! As long as it is made using Google Slides or PowerPoint.

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Station Rotation Slide Deck by Brigid Duncan

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Station Rotation Slide Deck, Teachers need a Zoom Break out Station rotation activity. Do you miss station rotation in the classroom? Then try this digital station rotation. Instructions included by Brigid Duncan. What kind of file you can share? Anything related to education: a simple theme, a whole template, a manipulative, a lesson, you name it!

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https://www.legendsoflearning.com/blog/27-tips-blended-learning/

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Blended learning offers amazing benefits to the classroom, with ISTE reporting it meets many of the organization's Standards for Students and Teachers and leads to a "more rigorous, challenging, engaging, and thought-provoking classroom." While true, blending learning has to be implemented correctly to provide engagement and teach classroom lessons.

In its simplest definition, blended learning integrates digital content, like Legends of Learning educational games (edgames), with face-to-face learning. The more technical definition says blended learning integrates digital content with traditional teaching methods; typically requires the physical presence of the teacher and students in a classroom; and gives the student some control over their time, space, and learning path and pace.

27 Blended Learning Tips When Setting Up Your Classroom

To create a blended learning classroom, use some or all of the following 27 tips. The tips can be categorized into three areas: planning, implementation, and improvement. As such, you should find a relevant suggestion for wherever you are in the blended learning journey.

1. Redefine Your Role In The Classroom

You, the teacher, perform a critical part in encouraging deeper learning. However, the role is evolving, particularly in blended learning environments. TNTP, a nonprofit organization dedicated to positive change in public schools, says teachers who employ blended learning should learn to see themselves as people with three distinct responsibilities. These include research and development, integration, and guidance. The three responsibilities may be owned by an individual teacher or shared amongst a team.

2. Start With A Description Of The Curriculum

Writing down what the next two weeks or semester will cover often identifies learning goals, objectives, and outcomes. The description also ensures your familiarity with the curriculum content and helps pinpoint potential digital resources, such as edgames, online quizzes, and videos.

3. Outline Your Goals

Goals strip a curriculum description of the fluff, leaving you with a clear focus and targets to hit.

4. Determine Learning Objectives

Learning objectives quantify goals. Set these so that you can measure classroom and student performance in real time and at the end of a learning block.

5. Define Learning Outcomes

Outcomes define how students will achieve objectives and demonstrate competency in the subject matter. Specific outcomes could include classroom participation, online assignments, oral presentations, et cetera.

6. Choose A Blended Learning Model

Once you have a clear picture of what you want to teach and desire students to achieve, you can choose a blended learning model. The common models number six: face-to-face driver, rotation, flex, online-only, self-blend, and online-driver. Most of the models contain nuances. For example, the rotation model spans rotation stations, lab rotations, and individual rotations. Another common model includes the flipped classroom, in which online content and instruction is delivered online and at home. Students then come to a brick-and-mortar school for in-classroom projects and practice. Some teachers use one or more models to make their classroom content more engaging and rigorous.

7. Explore Different Teaching Methods To Complement The Model

Different models and teaching roles sometimes mean changing up your teaching methods. Some blended learning classrooms, for instance, use team teaching.

8. Use The Right Technology Tools

Software changes often, so it's important to set down the fixed matters first. Goals, learning objectives and outcomes, blended learning models, and instructional methods should dictate the technology choice, not the other way around. In addition, remember that you may need more than one tool. Students learn differently and have unique needs. It's unlikely that one edgame or digital resource will work well for all.

9. Aim For Relevance & Fun, Not One Or The Other

This tip relates to technology in that the tool should be relevant AND fun. That is, the digital content should complement learning objectives and achieve outcomes. If it doesn't, the tool is irrelevant and ineffectual. The tool, though, also needs to be fun. Students won't use a tool they don't like.

10. Design The Classroom As A Blended Learning Environment

Layout and aesthetics affect student morale and the ability to learn. Plus, if you use a specific learning model, you may need to move desks and chairs around. You don't necessarily have to do the work on your own; Mark Philips, a teacher and educational journalist, notes in an Edutopia article that student involvement in classroom design and layout can "empower them, develop community, and increase motivation."

11. Know The Traditional & Online Content

To build trust with students, you need to know the content inside and out. This means revisiting the curriculum content, as well as testing digital content and edgames. You want tools that cement knowledge, lead to application and critical thinking, and motivate learning, not ones that sabotage your efforts or frustrate students.

12. Create Individual & Collective Learning Goals

You established overarching learning goals earlier. Now, combine them with individual learning goals. Students work at different paces and may be on another learning path than another student. Learn to incorporate that information into your blended learning planning to see success with students and the classroom as a whole.

13. Develop A Classroom Culture That Embraces Blended Learning

Esther Wojcicki shares her process for creating a blended learning culture in the book " Moonshots in Education: Launching Blended Learning in the Classroom." She uses the acronym "TRICK," which stands for trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness. With those values embedded in the classroom, students want to learn, grow, and help out their teacher and classmates.

14. Set Expectations

Students achieve when given goals, so set expectations. Let them know how to succeed in the classroom and at home, and they will.

15. Share An Overview Of Classroom Activities, Projects, Playlists & Outside Resources

With overall expectations set, share daily and weekly assignments. The process might not look all that different from standard homework tasks except that they involve online content and opportunities for in-classroom game play. Sharing additional resources for study can be a good idea, too, especially if you claim a couple of high performers or students who need to skip around assignments to stay engaged with the classroom content.

16. Provide Clear Instructions & Routines For Game Play

Students need to know to log out of an application and turn off computers or tablets before moving to a different classroom activity. The specificity is important; students probably don't have to log out at home, so they won't think to do it in the classroom.

17. Give Students Control Over Time, Path, Place & Pace

It can be hard to relinquish control, but students excel when given the chance to direct their learning. They become more engaged with the content because they have a personal stake in their success.

18. Encourage Collaboration In The Classroom & Online

Collaboration gives students the chance to work through complex concepts and to help each other learn. It also offers opportunities for dialogue, which teaches students to position their points with facts and hard evidence. Collaboration should occur in the classroom and online; quieter students, for example, could become extremely vocal online. If you need more reasons to employ collaborative learning, the Global Development Research Center lists 44 of them.

19. Incite Curiosity, Imagination & Critical Thinking

Students start wondering and thinking when you ask, "What if?" You can raise that question through traditional teaching methods and online content. And, the more you ask open-ended and thought-provoking questions, the more students will seek out answers.

20. Challenge Students To Learn & Grow With Authentic, Relevant Tasks

Nothing's worse than busy work, and even a fifth grader has an antenna finely attuned to it. Give students real, curriculum-based, challenging assignments, and they'll complete and compete to finish them.

21. Review Classroom & Online Content Regularly

Online content supplements other teaching tools. As such, you should go over both pieces of content to ensure students' basic comprehension and deeper understanding.

22. Measure Individual & Classroom Progress

Blended learning leads to real impact when it's measured. The work should be fairly easy to do since you already decided on goals, objectives, and outcomes. The Legends of Learning edgame platform simplifies the work further, providing real-time performance reports via an easy-to-use dashboard. Combine its information with your grade book to track and assess progress.

23. Analyze Classroom Impact To Balance Traditional Teaching Time & Student Game Play

Every classroom is different, so take some time to find the right balance of traditional teaching methods and digital media. Many Legends of Learning teachers start with a 50/50 blend and work from there.

24. Identify New Goals & Objectives And Repeat

Once you measure progress and impact, you may discover that learning goals need to change. That's a good thing. Goals should change over time. However, that change means you'll need to continually adjust teaching methods and digital content to see continued success with blended learning.

25. Communicate With Everyone

A blended learning classroom requires communication with everyone-students, professional peers, administrators, and parents. Blending learning works best when everybody shares a belief in the vision for it.

26. Remember The Parents

On a related note, not all of your parents will get technology or edgames. They may work multiple jobs to make ends meet, so they don't have time to learn how the internet works. Help them out with an evening class or individual meetings. By interacting with them on a personal level, you'll see interest, buy-in, and participation grow at home and in the classroom.

27. Be Patient

Finally, remember that it takes time to succeed with blended learning. Don't give up if you don't see the results you want within the next two weeks. Blended learning works if you'll just be patient with it a little while longer.

Try Blended Learning With Our Online Educational Games!

Ready to start your heroic journey into blended learning? Try these 27 tips, then check out what you can do in the classroom with the Legends of Learning platform! Have any tips to add? Please add them in the comments section.
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27 Tips To Set Up A Blended Learning Classroom | Legends of Learning

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Blended learning offers amazing benefits to the classroom, with ISTE reporting it meets many of the organization's Standards for Students and Teachers and leads to a "more rigorous, challenging, engaging, and thought-provoking classroom." While true, blending learning has to be implemented correctly to provide engagement and teach classroom lessons.

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Check out this website for this idea and the more! https://catlintucker.com/2021/01/inspiration-station-rotation-lessons/

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Planning a Station Rotation for Your English Classroom

https://catlintucker.com/2019/10/english-station-rotation/

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Students divided into groups and working on a variety of tasks, online and offline at their own pace or on a fixed schedule. 

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Divide students into small groups and have them work on varied tasks (Online/Offline, Teacher Supported/Self-Directed).

Students rotate through different stations on a fixed schedule or at their own pace. The teacher leads a station, conferences with students, or monitors for procedures - most often used when class is new to the model.

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Usually includes at least 3 stations but could include 2 or more. 

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A teacher-led station: Lets teachers work with small groups of students and address any student misunderstandings.

A offline station: Lets students work on problem-solving with hands-on activities.

An online station: Gives teachers a more dynamic ways to deliver content. At the same time, technology can give students more control over the time, place, pace, and path of their learning.

Collaborative station: Use peers as partners - students build relationships, confidence, and trust by learning to rely on each other in group work. Can be online or offline.

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Ask teachers what things would make their teaching experience better and reduced class sizes are sure to be on the list.

Not all teachers are lucky enough to have a co-teacher or teacher aide in the classroom, so it can be challenging to give personalized instruction and differentiate content for students.

What if we told you there was a way to structure your classroom so that you could work with small groups, without needing to have a co-teacher? You've guessed it, that's what the station rotation model can do!

We'll take you through the key components of the model, tips for implementing it, and examples from teachers using station rotation in their classrooms. By the end of this article, you'll have everything you need to implement your own Edpuzzle station!

What is the Station Rotation Model?

If you've ever used learning centers or stations in your class, you already understand how practical it is to divide students into small groups and have them work on varied tasks. That way, students can learn through a variety of ways (with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic tasks for example).

The station rotation model takes this idea but has students rotate through different stations on a fixed schedule.

It's recommended that students spend anywhere between 10-15 minutes at each station. But because kindergarteners and highschoolers have different attention spans (although it doesn't always seem that way!), this amount of time can vary depending on age.

In recent years, station rotation has adapted to modern times and nowadays you probably won't see a version in action that doesn't include an "online" station. Station rotation and blended learning (the balance of offline and online learning) are a match made in heaven.

In a blended station rotation model, students pass through at least one of the following stations:

A teacher-led station: Lets teachers work with small groups of students and address any student misunderstandings.

A offline station: Lets students work on collaborative problem-solving with hands-on activities.

An online station: Gives teachers a more dynamic ways to deliver content. At the same time, technology can give students more control over the time, place, pace, and path of their learning.

A good online station is key to this model. But with so many edtech options out there, what's the best choice for your class? That's where Edpuzzle comes in.

Station Rotation and Edpuzzle

Using video is not only practical, but it's also educational and therefore a great choice for your online station. It activates both visual and auditory learning at the same, something that today's YouTube and TikTok generation will appreciate.

With Edpuzzle, you don't have to worry about students zoning out during the video. You can turn any video into a video lesson and ensure that students are actively watching.

To get a good idea of what a station rotation looks like with an Edpuzzle station, take a look at this explanatory graphic (or watch this video for a visual):

In the example above, students watch a video that reviews key concepts they've been covering in class. The video could be one that you find on YouTube or one that you make yourself. Either way, Edpuzzle lets you embed questions to keep students engaged and hold them accountable.

At the offline station, students apply what they learn using math manipulatives and play a game with a partner.

Then, at the teacher-led station, the teacher can give students immediate feedback on the most recent homework assignment.

At the end of the day, the learning that is happening at each station is equally important. Students get the chance to learn at their own pace and teachers get the chance to help them every step of the way.

Station Rotation in Elementary School

Elementary teachers are often worried about making their already tech-savvy little ones even more technology-dependent. That's why the station rotation model is a perfect way to incorporate video in the elementary classroom without having students stare at a screen all day.

Susie, a math instructional coach for 4th and 5th graders, makes Edpuzzle videos for other teachers. In a typical station rotation model at her school, the Edpuzzle video station is used to deliver a mini-lesson.

At the teacher-led station, students work directly on the learning target and build off what was shown in the video. The teacher adjusts how they teach a group depending on the skills students have demonstrated so far.

After meeting with the teacher, students usually move on to a station for independent practice with a math worksheet.

The fourth and final station is usually reserved for collaboration, where students pair up to complete a math game together.

In Susie's case, she sometimes creates Edpuzzle tutorial videos with directions on how to play a math game for her offline station. This is a great way to give students a chance to see the game in action before attempting it themselves!

Station Rotation in Middle and High School

Although high school teachers might more commonly assign a video as homework ( such as in the flipped classroom model), the way they use Edpuzzle in a station rotation model can be quite similar.

Mr. Vlahakis, a high school social studies teacher, shares his experience using the model:

"While I mostly use Edpuzzle outside the classroom, sometimes when we do stations I set up an Edpuzzle station. One station may be direct instruction from a teacher, another station might have Chromebooks set up so that students can complete a 5-minute Edpuzzle video, and a couple other stations with independent book work."

Today in our taught pre-ap social studies class, @ktomiak413 and we did 3 map stations, 1 lecture/notes station, and 1 @edpuzzle station (8 min/station). #richinStations #movement pic.twitter.com/xptpDUnd9G
- Mr. Vlahakis (@MrV_history) September 10, 2019

With older students, you could even take out the teacher-led station and instead, walk around the room monitoring you students. As students work and move from one station to another, you can check in with groups or individual students, to see how they're progressing.

Worried that the station rotation model would make classroom management more difficult? An Edpuzzle station can actually help to keep the classroom focused. As Mr. Vlahakis puts it:
"The Edpuzzle station not only accomplishes some direct instruction via video, it serves as a silencer in the room. When one station is plugged in, they are naturally not talking or interacting with other students, making all of the other interactions in the room easier to manage."
By using Edpuzzle to embed questions, notes, and audio in your video, you can ensure that students will be fully engaged with the lesson instead of just passively watching.

That makes the learning your students do with technology at an online station just as valuable as the learning that happens offline with a teacher or peers.

How to Create Your First Station Rotation Lesson

Don't feel pressured to have multiple stations and try and tackle every aspect of your lesson. Start small (3-4 stations) and focus on making the learning objectives and tasks as clear as possible.

Think about how much time students will need at each station. For example, if you want to give your students time to self-pace while watching a 5-minute Edpuzzle video, make sure you give them at least 10 minutes to answer questions and rewatch portions if they need to.

Speaking of technology, make sure you plan for all the materials you'll need at a station. How many devices will you need for your online learning stations?

Even if you work in a school where every student has access to a device, don't try to include technology in every station. Remember the principles of blended learning and give your kids a break from screens. Offline stations can give your students the opportunity to engage in small group discussions and collaborate on shared projects.

Finally, think about how you'll give students directions. If you teach older students, you might decide to provide instructions in written form at each station. Younger students, on the other hand, might benefit from receiving their instructions through a mini-video tutorial (Edpuzzle for the win!).

At the end of the day, just remember to make the model your own and don't worry about it being perfect. You know what structures work best for your students and what combination of stations will help them learn about a topic.

Hybrid and Remote Learning Adaptations

If you're excited to try the station rotation model but are currently doing hybrid or remote learning, not to worry! It's easy to adapt the model so that it works for your classroom.

Students won't all complete the video lesson at same time when they're learning from home. So give yourself some flexibility and don't worry about keeping static groups or maintaining the same fixed schedule.

Remember how blended learning is at the core of the modern-day station rotation model? The same principles should still apply with remote or hybrid learning, with variations on what tools students use to interact with the content.

Although your students wouldn't physically move between stations like in the normal model, they could still progress through a series of activities that are teacher-led, independent, or collaborative.

Edpuzzle can continue to be the tool you use for students' independent practice and provide you with the data you need to inform your next lesson. Meanwhile, video-conferencing platforms like Zoom can help you and your remote and in-person students connect and work together from your respective locations.

If you haven't realized it already, the station rotation model is awesome because of how flexible it is. No matter how many students you teach, what access to technology you have, or what your classroom circumstances are, this model can work for you.

So why not give it a go? Edpuzzle will be there to help you wherever and whenever you need it!

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A Complete Guide to the Station Rotation Model

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Interested in incorporating a station rotation model but don't know where to start? Check out our guide and learn how to create your first video station!

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How and Why to Integrate Station Rotation into Your Classroom

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How and Why to Integrate Station Rotation into Your Classroom

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How and Why to Integrate Station Rotation into Your Classroom

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How can I do this and manage social distancing?

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How can I do this and manage social distancing?

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https://catlintucker.com/2020/06/station-rotation-in-an-era-of-social-distancing/