Please post a reflection to the following inquiries as you complete the readings and view the videos for this unit. We will continue this discussion at the beginning of our face-to-face meeting on September 5th, 2014. I encourage you to also start a dialogue prior to the meeting by commenting on you colleague's posts as well!
- What do the terms blended learning and flipped learning or the flipped classroom mean to you? Are they one in the same or different, and why do you believe that?
- What is your experience thus far with blended learning? Have you taught using this format prior to this program? If so, how long and in what ways? Previously, how did you prepare for your blended learning courses or units? How did this preparation differ from the process used in your face-to-face courses? What are you looking to change in your preparation for blended learning in the future? If you have not used blended learning, what did you pick up from the readings that will assist you in preparing to teach using this format? How do you feel your preparation might need to be tweaked when designing blended learning than traditional face-to-face teaching and learning? What main elements should you include in a blended learning unit or course?
- In what ways can blended learning courses be considered the "best of both worlds"(i.e. face-to-face and online?) What could make blended learning the "worst of both worlds?" (Question adopted from BlendKit14: https://blended.online.ucf.edu/)
- In what ways will your teaching methods, course activities, assessment and engagement with your students change in the blended classroom? What do you feel will be the most advantageous and disadvantageous effects of blended learning for your students? For you as the instructor?
- Please post at least one "burning question" regarding the readings and outside of class activities that we can discuss in our September meeting.
- As a take away of this inquiry activity and our first in-meeting discussion, each of us will be developing our own philosophy of blended learning to post here on our individual blog pages. Meeting time will be provided to write your philosophy and share it at our September meeting. I am hopeful that these philosophies will be something you can share with your students who will be learning in what may be a new format for them to familiarize them with your approach to teaching and expectations of them as your students. We will return to this philosophy many times throughout the program for revision and expansion.
Blog - Question 1
ReplyDeleteAlthough I believe the terms "blended learning" and "flipped learning" may be used interchangeably, I see differences. It may be due to my rudimentary understanding at this point in time--part of my learning curve. With flipped learning, it seems concrete -- black and white. The content is delivered outside of the classroom, probably through video. The beauty of this method is that the student is in control of his/her processing -- pausing and rewinding. Time in the classroom is devoted to practice -- definitely guided practice and probably independent practice (I think). I want to believe that flipped learning would also elevate the types of assignments given by teachers. Wouldn't the assignments, in turn, be more engaging, intriguing, and challenging? For example, wouldn't the days of completing 30 math problems on a given page just because they are there be gone? If a student can show understanding after completing 5 or 10 of those problems, could they move on? (Now, I'm wondering if that supports the point I was trying to make!)
Blended learning seems fuzzier in my mind, possibly because the authors (Bergmann & Sams) refer to merging online instruction and face-to-face instruction. The confusion may lie in my examples. I think of flipped versus traditional. I think of blended as a combination of traditional with technology. I don't think this is correct but it is where my head is at this moment in time.
I wonder if this initial (and/or fuzzy) understanding is also impacting how I visualize flipped learning easily taking place in a traditional face-to-face course; yet, I'm struggling to visualize it in an online course. It doesn't seem as clear. But that's more blended, right? So would blended and online lead to improved instruction? What makes it improved? Clearer direction? More examples? Video delivery of instruction?
ReplyDeleteBlog #3
ReplyDeleteOMG! OMG! OMG! I woke up at 4am this morning with my mind ablaze with ideas. Although I would love to be a morning person, generally I am not. (I like watching The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert too much to go to bed early.) I'm beginning to see how it can all fit together. Connections. PLCs. Faculty Innovators. My mindset. (I'm sorry, Dawn, this blog may not directly answer one of your numbered questions but I'm feeling the need to share. AND to everyone else, these waves of enthusiasm come and go as I think about the work ahead of me. When I get overwhelmed, I crash. Big time. When I can't sleep, feel the need to share, the excitement builds -- I am on high. You all need to know this up front so you can deal with whichever Sara shows up on any given day.)
Background first. Our "Word of the Year" for our department is "Connections." I LOVE that word because it can be interpreted in so many ways (probably why Anne selected it). As a department, we need to build connections among ourselves and work together. As a way to improve our instruction, retain students, promote our program -- we need to build connections. As we look to the future of education, of teaching practices in general, we need to build connections to students through the use of technology. (I'm jumping ahead of myself now.)
One way we are building connections in our department is by forming PLCs (Professional Learning Communities). Our task is to read 3 books of our own choosing from a list of possibilities this school year in small groups. These groups are not made up of content area groups within our department (the norm for working together) instead as interest groups -- cutting across content areas, grade levels, and established friendships. The intent may be to create more current readers of professional material and to mirror what should be happening in K-12 school settings. However, bottom line: It is also building connections among colleagues that I would not normally interact with on a daily basis. I meet and greet them in the hallway and/or once a month at a faculty meeting. It's surface level only. "Hi. How are you?" "Great. Thanks." That's it. Yet, I can see the connection growing as I meet with them in a small group to discuss a particular book. Group membership will change for each of the 3 books, building more connections with others across the department.
(Why am I sharing all of this and how does it all fit together? Wait for it.) :)
Because I joined Faculty Innovators this year (not with a burning desire, but more with a sense of guilt. My thoughts at the time: I either need to become more current in my teaching methodology or retire. A or B.), I chose to read Teaching Naked by Jose Antonio Bowen in my PLC. (Seriously, how can you resist a title like Teaching Naked??!!) Teaching Naked's subtitle is "How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning." Now, you understand the CONNECTION between my PLC and Faculty Innovators. This book is an easy read and it's mind blowing and scary. I highly recommend it to everyone! Granted, it did take the first 46 pages to paint a picture of life as we know it ending (the necessity of the university) before an uplifting paragraph appeared in front of me. BUT the author had to make a convincing argument about why we must adopt change! He had to hit me hard. If you need to be convinced further about flipping and/or blending your classroom, READ Teaching Naked. You will see the CONNECTION.
(Continued)
ReplyDeleteAlthough I made choices (I'm still in the driver's seat and not the old dinosaur they're ready to dismiss), I see and feel the connections that are necessary to be proactive, to be current, to be cutting edge, to be an effective educator. I need to feel connected to my colleagues. I need to rejuvenate my teaching practices. I need to move forward through Faculty Innovators. I need to stretch myself--to be excited, to allow myself to crash (because I will and it won't be pretty) and feel discouraged but mostly to GROW.
By the way, my word for this year is REJUVENATE. Apropos? Yes, I feel rejuvenated. (My office moved down the hall and I threw away 75% and kept 25% of a 24-year collection at WIU.) Yes, I want to rejuvenate my teaching practices.
BUT I also need to remind myself continually that as I adopt new teaching practices, it's not about the latest and greatest technology piece (how flashy it is). It's about using it wisely to enhance my teaching, to build connections to my students outside of the classroom walls, to use technology as Bowen (2012) states as a "technique, not a strategy" (p. xiv). (Don't be too impressed with that. I'm still coming to terms with that phrase.)
I thought my project for Faculty Innovators would focus on a new online course I need to develop for Spring 2015. But it's too new to me. I don't have a handle on it. I don't have the books selected as yet. The big picture is not complete . . . yet. I woke up at 4am this morning thinking about a class I have taught for years -- one that I truly understand -- one that I know backwards and forwards. I immediately started jotting down ideas and questions pertaining to that class. Dawn wants us to think in baby steps, to tackle something manageable first, building momentum for change. By using something familiar, it will be easier to visualize it flipped or blended. This has the potential to build stronger connections between my students and I inside and outside of my classroom walls. Dawn, at this moment in time, it's all coming together and I get it. (I hope it's not fleeting and not due to an early morning fog in my brain.) :)
Wow! I hope that EVERYONE is reading this! I can sure feel your excitement and can't wait to get to work!!! I will have to check out the book Teaching Naked that you suggest!
DeleteI'm sorry, Dawn, that I am not following a specific numbered question. I just had to share.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of modeling "pause & rewind" to graduate students so they begin to think about what it means for their own teaching practices in their classrooms.
ReplyDeleteHello. Hello. Hello. (Imagine echoing). Is anybody out there? Please nod if you can hear me. Can you name the title of the song and artist? Do you "get" the CONNECTION? Tee Hee. This is what happens when I get little sleep! Be prepared. Be very prepared.
ReplyDeleteA little Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb offered to you compliments of Sara! ^^^^^^^^^^
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7EpSirtf_E
I hope everyone is having a good week and checking out the blog! See you tomorrow!
Question 1: 1.) I believe that flipped learning and blended learning are essentially the same thing, but that one’s viewpoint on that is dependent upon the their knowledge and philosophy on both. My belief is that flipped learning is a newer buzzword that has been applied to traditional blended learning practices that carry new and exciting ways of integrating direct and indirect instructional activities through the use of innovative teaching strategies and appropriate technological tools.
ReplyDeleteI predicted that you would say that! I wonder if it's because you are more well-read on the topic (an expert!). Since I'm a "beginner," I'm only looking at the surface and trying to distinguish the two but I do see the similarities.
DeleteEach of us based on our experiences and philosophies will probably continue to have our own opinions on the meaning and since there is no grounded model at this time the definition of flipped classroom will continue to evolve and that is totally OK!!
DeleteQuestion 2, Part I: What is your experience thus far with blended learning. With an undergraduate degree in the field of Instructional Design and Telecommunications (now Instructional Technology and Design), much of my coursework was conducted using blended learning strategies. Most of my courses involved a culminating project that required completion of a team-based project. Many of my courses were conducted using face-to-face class time for lecture, lab time for group work, and on online component for organization and information and document sharing. While these courses generally still had a lecture format they had time for constructivist learning, and teamwork built in to them.
ReplyDeleteThis year’s Faculty Innovators program will be my first time using this format to conduct a professional development program. I do not teach in the classroom.
Previously, for this program which I have conducted since 2004, (10 years) I would prepare an introductory presentation of the technology that I was going to share with the group, discuss the advantages and disadvantages and show integration ideas. I would follow that up by demonstrating how to use the technology and finally provide hands-on time during our face-to-face meeting for participants to practice using the technology. I did use a LMS to share documents, tutorials, and discussions that participants could refer to before and after our meetings. While the evaluations were typically very good the one comment that resonates time and time again from the participants is, “I love all of the things I have learned, but I do not have time to immediately apply them and then I forget how to do them. I wish I had more time to implement them!”
I felt that it was time to start a new format for the program and to share that opportunity with members of the Faculty Innovators program.
Question 2, Part 2: I have had the chance to do a lot of reading regarding the flipped classroom as well as to write an article for the MWERA journal over the past year. The concept reminded me so much of the way I was taught in my undergraduate and graduate courses here at Western, and also included a few new twists and strategies that I thought would be greatly beneficial to both faculty and students here. I had to dive right in!
ReplyDeleteMy preparation for this new format has totally transformed the way I design my instruction for the program. I believe I had gotten a little rudimentary and sloppy in my previous design. My “workshops” typically always consisted of the same format with a different topic. How boring that must have been for my participants! I also had a need to capitalize on the amount of time I could give my participants to actually work on developing their own instruction during the time set aside for the FI program. So, there you have it! I embarked upon another transformation year for the Faculty Innovators Program and so far it has been wonderful! (We haven’t even had our first meeting at the time of this writing! I hope you participants will agree!)
What has changed? First, I have forced myself to go back to my roots. Dust off my knowledge of Instructional Design, pull out my reference books and follow the design process, adhering to each step and making conscious considerations about what I am planning. For the participants they will be spending time that had not been invested before working at home on readings, watching videos, and doing various related guided practice activities to prep for each meeting. During our three-hour monthly meetings they will have time for collaboration, instruction and curriculum design, media selection and evaluation, media development, and peer evaluation. It is my hope that participants walk away with a strong feeling of confidence and a tangible course or unit of instruction that is ready to be implemented. My concern is the amount of time that will need to be dedicated outside of the meetings in order to make this work the way it is supposed to, so this time through I am trying to design as many “Plan B’s” as possible!
What have I picked up from the readings that will prepare me? The readings really helped emphasize just what blended learning is and what it is not! Having a quick list of what it is and what it is not helps steer me clear of misusing this method to front load information, over populate the class with videos, design a fully online course for a course that is not intended to be taught that way, and isolate students! I can clearly keep my list of what blended learning is in my mind as well as in a visual so that I stay on track with knowing, my students must be prepared and reminded that they are responsible for their own learning, instruction should contain a mix of direct and indirect instructional activities, my students must be engaged, and probably one of the most important attributes, that my job is as a guide and coach, not an expert or “sage on the stage”.
Question 3 Part 1: 3.) In what ways can blended learning courses be considered the
ReplyDelete“best of both worlds”, what could make them the “worst of both worlds?”
In the sense best of both worlds - I feel that if a blended course is designed appropriately and implemented the way it is intended to be, the possibility of additional class time for application of skills and concepts learned outside of class is golden! The in-class time for application gives the instructor the ability to ensure that his or her students are getting to work at a higher-level of learning (e.g. the top of Dale’s Cone &Bloom’s Taxonomy), and the ability to guide them in the right direction at times that they may be in need of assistance. It also, provides the students more opportunity for real-world experiences because in the classroom they have to adapt to working in teams, solving problems as they come, and being accountable for their own knowledge. This allows us to prepare the skilled citizens and workers of tomorrow that our society so desperately needs!
In the sense of “worst of both worlds” – You will notice that at this point I have really not said much about the technology component of blended instruction. I look at technology as a tool for transmitting the learning in the course. When chosen for its appropriate use it provides a beautiful companion to well-structured curriculum, however, when not chosen and used in the appropriate fashion to complement the instruction the result can be the worst of both worlds! With that said, remember I do love technology, but I would never suggest use of technology for use of technology sake or an inappropriate use of technology! I believe that while there are many types of technologies that can be used to “flip” the classroom, technology is important it is not the key ingredient to the blended classroom!
I feel that interaction to ensure comprehension and application of the knowledge is key!
Question 3, Part 2: Additionally, I feel that any use of technology needs to be discussed and explained to students. It requires guided practice and scaffolding for success. Telling a student to go out and watch a video for class, will not ensure that they understand the message being relayed in the video. Why not? When we think of watching video some of us associate that with recreation, watching our favorite movie, watching a television program, etc. We do not consider actively analyzing the content of the video, checking our comprehension, jotting down questions we may have, etc. In order for technology such as video to be successful for students mastering content on their own we as educators must provide them with guidance on how to review these mediated materials (albeit the same advice can go for reading books). When I tell you to watch a video for my course, please do it in the following way. When you are confused, pause the video and re-watch the section that is confusing to you. Pull out your notebook and jot down the questions that you have. Send me an email or post your questions to our class discussion on iTunes U or to our blog. When you are listening to something you already know and are beginning to feel bored or unchallenged with the content use your fast forward ability to move to the next element. Watch your video in short chunks. Use the pause button to stop and reflect on what you are watching. How does it make you feel? Do you agree with it? Do you object to it? Why? Jot down your answers to these types of questions as you go and plan to share them with at least one other colleague, if not the entire group!
ReplyDeleteI could go on and on, but I believe this will start to give you an idea of how I feel about how this type of learning could be the worst of both worlds!
Question 4: 4.) I will definitely not be in the role of expert. Many times those of us in technology get referred to as just that. It is scary! I don’t believe anyone can be an expert on technology! It changes too quickly! I am most excited about being a participant alongside the Faculty Innovators. Sharing the learning as we learn from and assist each other. I realize that there will be much more development necessary from me up front. I will have to be much more organized and descriptive when assigning at home guided activities. I will have to be prepared for the fact that some of my participants may not always come prepared. I believe that being flexible will be a new skill in the delivery of the program that I will have to adapt very quickly to. The most advantageous outcome will be that if this all goes as I envision it, faculty will enjoy this additional time to work on their curriculum and collaborate with each other while developing it! I feel the disadvantageous effects could come with frustration or loss in motivation due to the time commitment that participants will have to make outside of the face-to-face meetings.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 5: 5.) My burning question to all of you is, how do you like this so far?!!?
ReplyDeleteI love the blog and/or blogging. I'm a fan of Western Online and enjoy the "Discussion" section; however, this seems smoother in some aspects. More spontaneous possibly? Not sure why. Yet, in the Discussions area, you don't have limits and you can attach items -- makes it nice for a more formal class. It really makes you think about what it is you're trying to accomplish with students. And then, which avenue is best for your purpose/objective?
ReplyDeleteI found Rita Pierson entertaining and motivating. She reminds me of Harry Wong's humor in teaching/education.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the video that Janet posted!
DeleteBurning Question (1 of them): Would a blog entice students to interact daily (or at least more frequently) than 1-3 days before it's due? How can I feed that burning desire to interact with others more steadily or frequently than the "right-before-it's-due" mentality?
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of it has to do with one's motivation to socialize and talk about what they are learning. I do feel that blogs and continually seeing what others are learning and experiencing can be very motivating during the learning process!
Delete1. Blended learning means to me: using a combination of learning materials and teaching approaches to meet the needs of learners on an individual basis.
ReplyDeleteFlipped learning/flipped classroom means to me: using scheduled class time to work on projects/assignments so that assistance/questions can be answered. Using less time in class to go over things that students can/should be able to do independently (such as assigned readings)
2. My experiences are very limited:
I have taught courses using a variety of approaches. However, all of my courses are taught face to face. At times, I have used class sessions for a work period. I still tend to use most class sessions for going over reading assignments and providing examples to support assigned readings.
I would like to spend less class time going over reading materials and make students more accountable for reading assignments. I do not feel like students are spending any time outside of class being responsible for their own learning .
I would like to find activity-based approaches for applying assigned reading/viewings without going over every reading during class.
I need to make the students more responsible / motivated for their own learning.
3. Best/worst of both worlds: I feel blended learning could make better use of class sessions and possibly double the learning content per course.
I can also see this approach being a time management nightmare for learners. It could make the expectations for hours/time spent outside the class unmanageable for students.
4. Changes in blended classroom: I will work to create activities/projects that support the assigned readings through practical applications rather than me using class time to tell students what the assigned readings say.
I feel that I can expect a great deal more from students. However, I hope my expectations are not unrealistic concerning students lives/time.
5. Burning question : Are there available resources for finding motivational in-class activities that I can tweak/adjust to go along with assigned readings/course materials?
6. Philosophy of blended learning:
As we shared today Pam, I think that our philosophies are a little the same as far as getting to know our learners and forming relationships with them! Regardless of anything else I feel that is key! Maybe it could have something to do with our Midwest upbringing? Continue to take "small study steps" you are all doing great!
DeleteBurning Question #2: News Notes on Western Online is one of my favorite features because that's where my personality is revealed. (I think students feel more connected to me and/or I become more "human" by using it.) How can I capitalize on that? Is there a way to use videos in that section? Videos rather than lengthy narration?
ReplyDeletewill have to check that out, if not I can show you how to make your very own widget that should allow you to pull int hat type of media as well as class polls, and etc! Possibilities are virtually endless!
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ReplyDeleteI am late on getting started with activity, but I do have some comments. I think blended learning is a way to plan instruction so there will be student responsibilities for learning outside the classroom and then more active learning and participation in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI am posting this for Mary Jensen: "It seems like the focus for the out of classroom blended videos are all dependent on teacher made videos to show students content they will later apply in the classroom. Watching videos seems too passive, even if students are interacting with the video with pause and rewind. I would rather have students doing reading, research, and other types of active practice activities to prepare for the in-class participation and problem-solving activities. The big question is, does every outside of class activity have to be a video?"
ReplyDeleteI am re typing a bit of my post since the first time didn't take. I took the CITR Flipped Classroom course this past week and used it more for thinking and brainstorming than learning. The discussions with other faculty really charged my understanding and my notes from class turned into a schematic of what tools I need/have to use for flipping/blending, what skills I need to develop for best flipping. Now with Dawns literary guidance I am revisiting ,y instructional design and being more intentional about why I do what I do. In the past I have simply felt students needed daily class activities to stay awake and engaged. Who knew I was blending/flipping!?!
ReplyDelete