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Blended Learning – STEM StyleSTEMstitute – June 24, 2013Presented by the Clermont County Gifted ProgramHeather Frost-Hauck and Fay Wagner, Gifted Intervention SpecialistsBethel-Tate and Williamsburg Local School Districts in Partnership with the Clermont Co. ESC

“Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint you can on it.” -Danny Kaye

+Our Mission

To develop a program that blended virtual learning with face-to-face lessons

+Two halves to our program:STEM Center –

Face-to-Face LessonsMoodle and It’s Learning –

Our Virtual Platforms

+What the research says…

+Lander Center for Educational Research (Touro College)

Online Learning… Is personalized and adaptive to meet

individual needs. Supports high levels of cognitive engagement in meeting

learning objectives. Balances computer- or teacher-led guidance with learner

control. “The distinctive advantage of online learning is that it gives control of time,

place, and pace to the learner. Online instruction holds great promise for achieving high-level learning outcomes when it is designed according to research-based principles and utilizes adaptive technologies to meet individual learning needs.” - Marcella Bullmaster-Day, Ed. D. , study author

+U.S. Department of Education’s Meta-Analysis: “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning” Results lean in favor of blended and online learning

producing greater student gains than traditional methods alone.

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, regarding this study: “This new report reinforces that effective teachers need to incorporate digital content into everyday classes…”

+Also shaping our philosophy… 21st Century Skills (The 4 Cs) – Communication, Collaboration,

Critical thinking, Creativity Mark Edwards (author of Every Child, Every Day) – Drivers of

Student Engagement: instruction must be relevant, collaborative, personalized, and connected.

Beers & Probst (authors of Notice and Note) – “…rigor does not reside in the barbell, but in the act of lifting it.” Students should be engaged, observant, responsive, questioning, and analytical.

Carol Dweck (author of The New Psychology of Success) - Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Jim Stigler – Struggle for Smarts

+What components make up a blended learning unit?

+Engaging and Challenging Face-to-Face Lessons

+Course Home Page

+Online Lessons

+Online Resources and Uploaded Files

+Online Assignments

+Quizzes and Tests

+Discussion Forums

+WIKIs

+Glossaries

+Blogs

+Online Messaging

+A Sample Blended Learning Unit…

+The Mystery of Felix Navidad Based on GEMS “Mystery Festival” curriculum

Data Analysis and Graphing…

Claims and Evidence in an Online Writing Assignment…

+Creating a Blended Unit…

+Creating a Blended Learning Unit: Select an existing unit you have developed. Decide which activities could be transitioned to the virtual

platform, keeping the unit standards in mind. Coordinate the timeline for face-to-face and virtual

activities. If possible, give more time than you think you will need to allow for flexibility.

Build the virtual portion of the unit, keeping activities as interactive as possible. Be sure to include extension activities so interested students may explore on their own.

You are ready to teach your blended unit, stepping into the role of facilitator with the online activities!

+Other ways to use blended learning…

The One-Day Lab

Ongoing Anchor Activities

Online Activities with a Face to Face Culmination

Communicating with Parents

Improving with Age

First Generation - Just the Basics - Web-sites- Discussions- Assignments

Second Generation - Bells and Whistles - Better Higher Level Activities - More Types of Activities

Third Generation - Integration of Content

+ Immigration Example

“ This week we have been learning why different groups of immigrants came to America. Today we are investigating why the Chinese came.”

+ Generation One: Traditional

Read pages 134 - 137 in your textbook. In your journal, record the “pushes and pulls” for that group. Be ready to discuss your findings in class.

+Generation Two: Transitioning From Traditional to Interactive Here are three web-sites to explore today. After completing your research, post your findings on the forums focusing on the “pushes and pulls”. Be ready to debate whether or not the “Chinese Exclusion Act” was needed.

+Generation Three: Utilizing the Virtual Environment to Build 21st Century Skills

We have received a copy of a letter written around 1852 from an immigrant named Yong Chang sent to his family back in his village in China. Utilize your detective skills and the clues in the letter to investigate the conditions of that time period. Analyze the letter to find the “pushes and pulls” for the Chinese immigrants. Using the provided websites, find evidence to support your ideas and post your findings. Be ready to debate whether or not the “Chinese Exclusion Act” was needed.

A Generation Three Unit… Stranded!

+Benefits of Blended Learning: Students are engaged in

meaningful activities

Makes appropriate use of rich online resources now available

Improves students’ technology and keyboarding skills

Prepares students for the online testing environment

Collaboration between schools and districts becomes possible

Increased quality of student performance

Challenging activities geared to the learning styles and needs of diverse learners

Tasks can be differentiated to match passions, talents, and ability levels

As the years progress, so to does the curriculum we will be able to offer because units can be reused

Parents can view any and all assignments

24/7 availability and support Affordable and Sustainable

+Potential Challenges:

Ensuring that time and technology are available to students for online tasks

Allocating teacher time for unit development and facilitation

Educating students about online etiquette Remember… Baby steps are necessary at

first!

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“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” -George Bernard Shaw

+Thank you for your time!

Contact Information for Teachers:• Heather Frost-Hauck, Gifted Intervention Specialist:

heatherfrost1@aol.com • Fay Wagner, Gifted Intervention Specialist:

wagner_f@betheltate.org Contact Information for Administrators or Professional

Development Requests:• Amy Bain, Clermont County Gifted Coordinator:

bain_a@ccesc.org

Developing Units for Virtual Learning Environments For Gifted and Talented Students through Pieces of Learning