Blended Learning
A Birdville Digital Learning Publication for the Community
Defining Blended Learning
"Blended Learning is a formal education program in which a student learning at least in part through online learning with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace, at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home, and the modalities along each student's learning path within a course or subject are connected to provided an integrated learning experience."
-Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation
For a more detailed explanation, visit the Raise Your Hand Texas website.
Birdville Blended
April May, Richland High School
April uses Station Rotations and Flipped Learning in her in-level and ESL English 1 classes. Because many students are working independently each class day, Ms. May is able to work with small groups of students and she is seeing big jumps in student achievement. The students are also getting to interact with the standards in different ways as they move through the rotations.
Karen Bland, North Oaks Middle School
Jaclyn Bates, Smithfield EL
More Definitions
Sometimes to understand a new concept or definition it is helpful to understand what something is not. Thus, the following definition are provided. .
Technology-rich instruction – a structured education program that shares the features of traditional instruction, but also has digital enhancements such as electronic whiteboards, broad access to Internet devices, document cameras, digital textbooks, Internet tools,* and online lesson plans. The Internet, however, does not deliver the content and instruction, or if it does, the student still lacks control of time, place, path, and/or pace.
Informal online learning – any time a student uses technology to learn outside of a structured education program. For example, students could play educational video games or watch online lectures on their own outside of any recognized school program.
Full-time online learning – a structured education program in which content and instruction are delivered over the Internet and the students do not attend a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home, except on a very limited basis in some cases, such as for proctored exams, wet labs, or social events.
Source: Classifying K-12 Blended Learning, by Heather Staker and Michael B. Horn.