Blog Archives

Web 2.0 and Blended Learning

5/27/2014

I wanted to pass along some resources in regards to Blended Learning and online resources to implement into the classrooms. Most of these resources I have used within the blended learning classroom. The majority the resources are free and online. Therefore if you are using the rotational blended learning model these tools can be easily implemented into the content area.

Blended Learning and Online Resources by Subject Area

Math

Are you looking for creative ways to teach the common core in math? Or are you trying to find new lesson plan ideas? Check out Share My Lesson for Math. Free online lesson plans and activities for the math classroom that tie right into the math curriculum.
StarBucks Mug Project- Students work through a scenario where they have to decided if it is worth buying a mug from StarBucks for $350 and receiving free unlimited coffee or is it cheaper to buy coffee by the cup. Read more and see examples at this website.

Science

Face Talker... if you or the have an iPad, iPod, or iPhone take a look at this app call Face Talker. It is a great way to generate messages for the students or for the student to share out a summary of the learning objectives for the day. Here is a video that explains how to use the free app.
Leave voice comments instead of writing out comments. The next time your students write a science report, have them write the report in Google Docs. Then use Voice Comments for the students. Here is a video on how to use Voice Comments

Social Studies

Instead of having your students create a power point presentation, have them create a ThingLink. This website shows an example of an interactive photo and a video to show you how to create a ThingLink for your next project.
Instagram, use instagram for a social studies scavenger hunt. For your next topic that you plan to cover in class, think about how you can use instagram as tool in the classroom. Here is an example from an English teacher in California that used Instagram with her students.
Create animated videos to depict key events in history. Use this free online resource with the students to generate the animated videos with Go Animate

Langage Arts

Do you have students that are ready to go move on with a topic? Do you have students that need a challenge? Have them take a MOOC Class. These are free online classes that anyone can take. Here is a list of all of the MOOC classes that are starting in January.
Newsela, if you have not implemented Newsela yet into your classroom, please make it part of your 2014 lesson plans. This is a great resource and we have seen dramatic growth in nonfiction reading with the students that are using the program in Ohio.
Flubaroo, are you tired of grading papers? Check out this Google App that can be installed onto your next Google Form. Flubaroo will grade your papers for you. (You will still have to grade the short answers but Flubaroo will do the rest.)
Have the students create a SMORE that explains an upcoming novel or book club.

Music

Vovaroo, allow the students to record their own song, poem, or rap with this free online resource. No log in required.
UJAM, create songs free online
Incredibox, this is one of my favorite online resources to share out with students. Students can create music by changing out the outfits of the different characters. Great way to teach students about beats per measure.

Technology

Infographics- Have the students create an infographic on data collected in the science or math classroom.
Spend Time Coding- The big push in technology is to get the students to code. Here is a free class that the students can take to learn how to code during the technology class. (Hint, have Code Academy as an option for the students to do once they have completed a project in class)
Scratch- Another online coding program. (My eight year old nieces were learning to use this program over break. It is self explanatory and easy for the students to learn on their own.)

2 Comments

The Blended Learning Trends

5/9/2014

4 Comments

I ran across this Infographic from DreamBox that talks about the 10 Blended LearningTrends. Here are just a few of my comments about the 10 tends.

Student Centered- Students need to take control of their learning. But this is a hard concept for both the teachers and students to grasp at first. Students are used to being told what to learn and teachers don't always enjoy letting going of the control. Once both parties come to realize the power, then Blended Learning becomes a powerful way of learning.
More Wifi- While working with schools across the country, this seems to become one of the biggest problems with Blended Learning. The teachers are ready to implement BYOD and more technology into the curriculum but the connectivity is just not enough to support the learning.
Personal Devices- I am amazed at how many students own their own personal devices. Especially, in the K-2 classrooms. Training needs to be provided to the teachers to help them manage the devices and how to use the mobile learning for more than just pictures. Here is an idea for using the BOYD in your classroom, take the 1 Second Everyday Challenge with your students between now and the end of the school year.

Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics

4 Comments

What does Blended Learning Look Like in a Classroom?

5/7/2014

7 Comments

As a Blended Learning Coach, I get asked the question, What does Blended Learning look like in the classroom? My response is a Reese Peanut Butter Cup. (Mainly because I love peanut butter and chocolate)

No but really, the Blended Learning Classroom is like a Reese Peanut Butter Cup, let me explain.

Direct instruction from the teacher is like the Chocolate.

Students still need to have some type of direct instruction to gain information from the teacher.
I teach teachers to pull small groups of students throughout the day to provided the direct instruction at the students current level of learning. Using the data collected from the online assessments/activities, group projects, and hands on learning centers, the teacher will be able to deliver direct instruction to students to enhance or revisit the skills needed to move onto the next chapter, unit, or project.
Giving whole group direct instruction is only for the first five minutes of class or at the end of the class to recap the daily assignments. Mainly, because the students should be working at their own pace and the students will be at different places in the curriculum.

The technology, group projects, and hands on learning stations are core or the Peanut Butter of the Reese Peanut Butter Cup.

Technology- Using the mobile and web based application, students can learn at their own pace. There are so many great resources out there to help generate individualized learning plans for students. I always teach the teachers how to use BlendSpace and PowerMyLearning as the first resources to use to generate the technology aspect of the blended learning environment.
Technology Assessments- In order the Blended Learning process to work, teachers need to build in assessments that can provide data on current learning level of each student. Using Google Forms teachers can quickly assess the students and find out what the students know or need to know in order to move onto the next section of the curricula. Check out this video on Differentiating Assessment using Google Forms.
Group Projects and Hands on Learning- I like to call these section "Show off What you Know." As part of the Blended Learning environment, students need a chance to display what they are learning through real world problem solving. Students can work on their own or with a group in order to solve the problems. If all of the learning took place on the computer with some interaction with teacher, then this would become online learning. But once we add in the projects, collaboration, hands on learning, and team building then we develop more of the Blended Learning concept. Yes, technology can still be used for the projects but the students can drive the type of outcomes during the "Show off What You Know"

A Blended Learning Classroom can not have work with out the Chocolate-AKA the teacher and the Peanut Butter- AKA Technology/Projects. Therefore, when someone asks me "What does a Blended Learning Classroom look like? I always say, a Reese Peanut Butter Cup

Here is an example of a Blended Learning School from Florida

WMBFNews.com, Myrtle Beach/Florence SC, Weather

The above video came from this website. This is just an example of Blended Learning in a school setting. I am not working with this school. I just wanted to share out this video.

7 Comments

Web 2.0 and Blended Learning

The Blended Learning Trends

What does Blended Learning Look Like in a Classroom?

Here is an example of a Blended Learning School from Florida

Marcia Kish

Archives

Categories

Created By:
DSD Professional Development
All rights reserved

E: marcia@blendedlearningpd.com
w: dsdprofessionaldevelopment.com
w: blendedlearningpd.com
T: @dsdPD
H: #BLPLChat

Web 2.0 and Blended Learning

The Blended Learning Trends

What does Blended Learning Look Like in a Classroom?

Here is an example of a Blended Learning School from Florida

Marcia Kish

Archives

Categories

Created By:DSD Professional Development All rights reserved

E: marcia@blendedlearningpd.comw: dsdprofessionaldevelopment.comw: blendedlearningpd.comT: @dsdPD​H: #BLPLChat

Created By:
DSD Professional Development
All rights reserved

E: marcia@blendedlearningpd.com
w: dsdprofessionaldevelopment.com
w: blendedlearningpd.com
T: @dsdPD
H: #BLPLChat