Yesterday, we spent a good deal of time and thought on Blended Learning, it pros, cons, limitations, and possibilities to maximize learning.  Please share in the ideas below:

BL – WHY

How does BL improve (for students) organization of course?

  • website lets you go deep, zoom in and out
  • gives autonomy to student to understand structure and org of course –can explore what doing on own
  • entirely transparent
  • less overwhelming visually–can decided what level of detail to look into
  • syllabus different as flat, status doc –doesn’t provide as much organizationally


How BL enhance use of embedding resources?

  • link to sources
  • collect online and offline sources in same place
  • tidiness and simplicity, access from one place
  • kids need training to use the site…


How BL enhance network of learners

  • read others comments on blog posts– comment on comments– sets up a different kind of dialogue
  • create portfolio of learning
  • graduates return to site, take it with them into other learning community–resources available to other people
  • other teachers sharing lessons/activities, etc, as well as comments on what has worked and why, etc.
  • free open source material– no proprietary software–doesn’t have to be expensive to have high tech

How BL helps to offer examples of excellence?

  • embedded in site– in same format
  • more transparent

Transparency:

  • want everyone to be advocate
  • front-end parent with information… info is always right here
  • parents can always check on students work
  • curriculum design always open to see
  • administrators see what happening; students access it; teachers make it user-friendly

‘What if’ (contingencies to keep kids caught up):

  • communicate same info to kids, parents, admin
  • save time
  • bridge absences, homebound, snow days, etc


Teaching for multiple intelligence:

  • video, audio, movement, hands- experience—tech helps us address multiple intelligence
  • using tools we have at our discretion — more tools and sharper tools–wider array helps us be more effective
  • we each don’t have access to all tools–but we can build them…
  • we may not have Hans Rosling on staff, but do have him on TED…