How to Make Blended Learning Work: A Professional Development Resource
Caitlin Genord
Caitlin Genord is a high school English teacher who has a passion for integrating 21st century skills and technology in her lessons. Her capstone project is about how to flip the classroom for blended learning. Caitlin thinks that her school will continue to offer the blended learning option and she is interested and hoping to teach those classes for upcoming years.When talking about it, she came across concerns like students may not take responsibility and will not be held accountable for their work. To overcome this possibility Caitlin suggested a flipped learning option. After doing research on flipped learning in her coursework, she designed a professional development plan for teachers to teach them how to create a flipped classroom for blended learning. According to Caitlin, it supports differentiated and personalized learning.
For this project she used Microsoft Sway as a presentation tool. The professional development sessions were created for teachers who use blended learning. While designing thi PD, Caitlin considered ISTE standards 2a, 5b and 7a and Triple E framework.This plan was divided into different modules.
Module one was about understanding flipped learning. It explained the definition, meaning and how it looks. Teachers were asked to watch a video about flipped learning explained by Jon Bergmann followed by some reading material. At the end of the first module google form was used for assessment of teachers’ understanding. The link for this form was embedded in this presentation so teachers do not need to leave the site.
Module two was designed to explain the benefits of the flipped model in blended learning.Just like the first module this module had an embedded video explaining the benefits of blended learning. In this module Caitlin explained how it teaches teachers, students about self directed learning aptitudes which is important for students when they go for higher education. The next step was about interactive discussion using the RISE (Reflect, Inquire, Suggest and Elevate) approach.
In the third module, how to create a flipped lesson was explained in a video.It was a helpful video which was about how to plan home and in-person activities for students, considering things while creating videos for them,and how to write the lesson plan before and during class work. This module was focused on learning objectives, content area standards, class activities. There was a second video about flipped classroom toolkits, which reviewed some common issues and possible solutions with flipped learning.There was an assessment in this module too.
After understanding flipped learning, steps and ways to create it,the next module was about creating actual flipped lessons. Teachers would choose a lesson considering the given points and plan a lesson. There was a template made available to copy through google doc and MS Word. The readymade checklist was available on sway. They were asked to share their lesson plans.
The last module was getting the certification about their participation in flipped classroom professional development.
Caitlin believed that flipped learning classroom modules increased student interaction. They have more active time and they open up time for interactions and feedback with their classmates and teachers giving students collaborative opportunities. They can work at their own pace, so they can pause and rewind. It teaches students self directed learning like time management, self regulation, metacognitive skills etc (Sota, 2017).