Blended+Learning


 * Blended Learning - to inspire,engage and achieve relevance **

Blended Learning refers to the mixing of different learning environments and techniques. Learners and teachers work together to improve the quality of learning and teaching. The ultimate aim of blended learning is to provide realistic practical opportunities for learners and teachers to make learning independent, useful, sustainable, engaging, collaborative and ever growing.

Blended learning increases the options for greater quality and quantity of human interaction in a learning environment. Blended learning offers learners the opportunity “to be both together and apart.”A community of learners can interact at anytime and anywhere because of the benefits that computer-mediated educational tools provide. Blended learning provides a ‘good’ mix of technologies and interactions, resulting in a socially supported, constructive, creative and collaborative, learning experience.  ** I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand **. - **[|Confucius,] [|//Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC)//] **

http://www.techiebrekkie.net/ Web 2.0 Tools, How to, Blog
 * [|Digital Storytelling]** View more [|presentations] from [|Jennifer Dorman].

http://thinkingweb2.wikispaces.com/ Excellent Blended Learning resource

[] Learning to Change Changing to Learn Advancing K-12 Technology Leadership, Consortium for School Networking(COSN) Video [] A stick in the sand

** Blended Learning Tools **

· ** Emerging electronic media ** - computer, mobile phone, i-phone, satellite television channels, data-projector, interactive whiteboard and videoconferencing. · ** Computer mediated instructions ** · ** On-line tutorials ** · ** Face to face instruction ** · ** Communicating tools ** - e-mail, Skype, instant messaging, pod-casting, video conferencing, broadcasting, posting and texting · ** Social networking services ** - Edmodo, wiki's, twitter, Ning, MySpace and Face Book. · ** Publishing tools ** - blogging, wiki-ing, web-sites, Moodle, Windows software, Pod Casts, VodPods .**Creating Tools** - Dvolver [], Eduglogster, Adobe Premier, Voki, Go Animate [] · **Organising tools** - OneNote, Delicious, Net vibes, Diigo Google Reader. · ** Information Gathering tools ** - Internet, Google, i-tunes, You Tube, TED, Wikipedia, apps, Go2web20, Survey Monkey

[] Schools yesterday and today

** Blended Learning for RBSC "What lies beneath". **
==**Model confidence and enthusiasm, risk taking and allowing short periods of chaos which evolve to create value added lessons.**==

**Mentor to teacher's and teacher's to students, "tell me know what you know about"**
***Practical Blended Learning classroom lessons***

** 1. 'Blended Learning' example 1. **

Class commences - "chalk and talk" - 5 minutes of scaffolding Students log on to computer/net book Students access Edmodo, teacher has posted a question; students post solutions and build on other students responses. Teacher uploads a task from 'My Documents' which requires researching, organising and evaluating. Student opens OneNote and creates a new page with relevant title. Gathers information from the net, their delicious account, asks other students opinions by posting questions on Edmodo, uses screen clippings and creates a response to the task. Student sends a completed task to a word document and then uploads the file to Edmodo. Teacher uses a data projector or interactive white board to display the uploaded files. Students and teacher evaluates the tasks. Students post positive responses and constructive criticism. Teacher posts an evaluation and reply to each task, the responses are transparent.

2. 'Blended Learning', example 2

Students are given a process based example eg, a science experiment, a lesson in drawing perspective, how to write an essay, how to use OneNote etc. Students record key points of the process in OneNote, if the activity allows photos can be included taken with the notebook software. Once the information is evaluated, students login to Dvolver and create a 3 scene animated movie that teaches the principles of the process. Students copy and paste the completed movie's URL into their class Edmodo account. The work is displayed and evaluated using a data-projector, interactive white board or by sharing in groups of 4 on the notebook. Teacher evaluates students work and gives feed back on Edmodo, student instantly is able to access feedback. It was noted in an extensive survey that students are encouraged by and need feedback and teacher evaluation.

3. 'Blended Learning', example 3

Teacher surveys students using, 'Survey Monkey', to access students knowledge of the current topic. Teacher evaluates and enriches the topic by showing a relevant You Tube video on the data projector or Interactive white board, if unavailable, teacher posts video link on Edmodo and students watch computer tutorial on their computer. ( Please note, if it is a You Tube link, it will need to be cleared by DET prior to lesson if students to run it on their computers ). Students post key notes on Edmodo whilst watching the video. When complete students read and discuss their peers ideas and key notes on Edmodo. Students open a word document and create a 'Smart Art' graphic representation chart of what they have learned from viewing the video. Students save the graphic and upload it to Edmodo for evaluation and display. Students may get permission from other students to copy and paste their graphic representations to their OneNote page.

4. 'Blended Learning', example 4

Students are organised into groups. Each group is given a topic related problem to solve and a choice of digital tools eg, Dvolver, comic strip generator, Toondoo, comic creator Microsoft Movie maker, Survey Monkey, Adobe Premier, OneNote, PowerPoint or Eduglogster. Students predict, research and present their solutions and opinions in their their chosen digital media. The work is uploaded or a link added to their edmodo account ( the group can create an Edmodo account rather than an individuals account ). Each group presents their work to the teacher and other groups, the group receives positive responses via Edmodo.

5. 'Blended Learning', example 5

Teacher picks up from current topic, students login to class wiki and create a page each to use as a journal and their home page. Students respond to the topic and design their wiki page. There is an emphasis on research, creating new information and personal reflection. Students can flick between their own wiki page and other students as a way of comparing and contrasting different responses. Students are encouraged to continue to add to their wiki page at home and at school as it is a work in progress.

6. 'Blended Learning', example 6

Students are introduced to new topic/concept. Students learn about bookmarking and how to catagorise with Tags. Students join delicious bookmarking and find, save and appropriatly tag 10 websites on a related topic. Teacher gives students a higher order thinking question that asks for the differences between two subjects. Using the websites stored in their Delicious account students produce an article or essay in OneNote. Students save their work into a PDF file and email it to teacher for evaluation. Teacher picks 3 examples and post it on the class wiki or blog.

7. "Blended Learning', example 7

The class is introduced to Free mind, mind map tool. Students are given a selection of topic related subjects and encouraged to create a detailed mind map with one of them. Students evaluate their mind map and take 5 key elements from it. Students open Power Point and put the key elements as a headings on Power Point slides. Each slide is notated and has images and text added to give more understanding to the word. The completed Power Point is uploaded to Edmodo for display and/or stored in the class wiki or their OneNote folder.

8. "Blended Learning", example 8

Students are given new information by way of; teacher explaining or demonstrating, video, vod-cast, web-site, or book. Students respond to the information and post a question about it on their class blog. Teacher picks 5 questions and divides the class into 5 groups. Each group researches one of the questions and post their findings on the blog. Students and teacher comment on the responses. A link to the blog page is posted on the class Edmodo group with an evaluation of the information collected.

9. "Blended Learning", example 9

Teacher extends the current topic of work, key issues are discussed and reiterated by visiting the class Blog, Edmodo or Wiki, students post succinct comments and key points. Students open 'lovely charts', [] and join or login. Students pick from the 5 available chart categories and create a visual representation chart of the topic points. Students add their topic chart to their Wiki page and evaluate their peers responses. Teacher directs students to take the chart and turn it back into the written form using an essay or a report format. Essays can be submitted for marking by uploading to Edmodo.

10. "Blended Learning", example 10

Students studying a novel or play in English, designing an interior or restaurant in TAS, looking at Architecture in Vis Arts, historical moments or places in HISE, the layout of a lab in science, angles and measurements in Maths as examples, open [] join or login and create a 2D or 3D building that will represent the topic. There is an emphasis on organising and manipulating the templets to draw out a deeper understanding of the subject. As an alternative students can choose to represent their current topic by creating a comic strip in[] or a visual story in [] or a visual poster graphic in []. All visual representations of the topic to be shared in the class Wiki or on Edmodo allowing student, peer and teacher evaluation.

Please feel free to add your own web 2.0 tools to create Blended Learning lessons, teaching is about learning and evolving and you might have some great tools in your PLN. Test them out and list links to the good ones, "pass on the wisdom". ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. [] //An edmodo tutorial to help teachers get started. []//
 * Resources **

[] //A OneNote tutorial to help get started//

[] TALE Tools

http://nswdetstaff2.wikispaces.com/ DET teacher's collaborative wiki

[] [] [] []

Teachers, after working with their mentor, have the opportunity to select a couple of 'Blended learning' tools and incorporate them into their lessons and the curriculum at a rate that they are comfortable with. Teachers and students will gain confidence together allowing the tools to be used more frequently and with greater outcomes. Ultimately the goal of, Blended Learning to be:** inspiring, engaging and relevant **, will be met.