This Year in Blended Learning

As the school year gears up once again, refresh yourself with the constantly evolving state and opinion of blended learning.

How to Best Communicate Blended Learning Goals

As blended learning has become more frequently integrated into a district-wide approach to instruction, many teachers have expressed frustration in the communication or even definition of goals.

This year, Learning Accelerator defined a set of steps for districts to use when defining and communicating learning goals when implementing blended learning.

The steps instruct districts on how to best engage teachers in the implementation process, as well as how to best use multimedia to "deliver key messages in a more memorable and reactionary way."

Read more about the steps here.

K-2 Students are Hopping on the Blended Learning Wagon

Not just for middle or high school grade levels, research and studies this year have shown that early learners in K-2 classrooms are also being exposed to blended learning.

According to education reporter Susan Frey for Edutopia, K-2 students are being exposed to software programs that are helping them better grasp reading and math standards at an increasing rate.

Read more here. 

Most Teachers Support Blended Learning

Since blended learning is being integrated into lessons more than ever, it's a good thing that surveys this year indicated that teachers are generally in favor of blended instruction.

A poll given to the educators in the Association of American Educators revealed that two-thirds of teachers support blended learning.

"Two-third said they support the idea of a blended classroom, where students spend part of the school day working with a teacher and part working on a computer. A similar number of teachers said they like the idea of requiring students to take at least one online course before they graduate," said THE Journal.

Read more here. 

Students Favor Blended Learning, but Teachers Need Proper Training

A survey this year that analyzed how students feel about blended learning revealed many students had positive feelings. But it also showed that teachers who were better trained and more confident in their blended learning instruction resulted in better responses from students, indicating a need for teachers to be properly trained in integrating the instruction.

"Assuming that a teacher will automatically know what to do can create problems. It may add unnecessary stress to the life of the teacher, and it may hamper learning outcomes of students. On a larger scale, it may produce the perception amongst students, parents and teachers that blended learning 'doesn’t work;' blended learning 'works'—we just need to ensure that we adequately prepare for its implementation," said eSchoolNews.

Read more here. 

The Evolution and Future of Blended Learning

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning released a survey this year that looked at blended learning from 2008-2015 and discussed its evolution as well as its future, describing the process as a continuum of personalized learning.

The report "urges schools to focus on correct technology implementation — as all of the schools in its case studies experienced some barrier at some point or another- and professional development to help facilitate blended learning in its classrooms."

The report said that blended learning requires teachers to approach their roles differently and transcends simply adding devices to the classroom — but in its better implementation, can provide students with more structured learning, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Read more here. 

Comprised by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor