Shattering the Myths of Online and Blended Learning

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There are so many myths and misconceptions about blended an online learning that it only makes sense to take a class and found out what's real.  Having completed this course, I can tell you that most of the myths and misconceptions are just that, myths and misconceptions.  

Having not spent a lot of time in the classrooms yet, I was pleasantly surprised to see that students with disabilities are not being overlooked when it comes to blended and online learning.  Too often, this group of students are only taken into consideration after other students have shown success.  This is disappointing and I am glad to see the trend going the other way.

My biggest struggle with this class was writing my literature on blended and online learning in the K-12 grades.  There has not been enough research into this exploding field.  With blended and online learning proliferating at such a rate, there needs to be more in depth research into best practices, student learning rates, and satisfaction.

Having taken a number of online classes, there was not much that surprised me.  As mentioned before, I am excited about the opportunities for students with disabilities in an online and blended setting.  I will admit, I did not know how much effort goes into designing an online or blended course.  It is a lot.  Not only do you have to develop the material, you have to learn how to incorporate it into a learning management system.  This can take longer than actually putting the material together.

I think my biggest takeaway from this course will be to ensure that the lines of communication are always open and the students feel comfortable in contacting me.  The students are the losers if the teacher is not approachable or does not communicate effectively.

I really enjoyed this course.  I especially liked the fact that our professors gave us the opportunity to set up our own personal learning plan.  The ability to pick the parts of the course that best met my learning needs was a big plus in my book.  It really helps you take ownership of your own learning.

 

Online Sites and Apps For Science

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There are so many options available for teaching science with an online component.  One is called Study Jams.  It combines learning with music and singing.  This can get your kids out of their seat and we all know that we can remember lyrics to songs we have not heard in 10 years!  Science A-Z is an online resource that integrates science and literacy while assisting teachers in satisfying standards in both science and English language arts.  Learn 360 enables you to manage, share, and collaborate using a variety of resources located within the site.  Brain Pop is a site that uses videos, text information, games, and quizzes all provided by the site.  I have not seen any online resources used for science in my classroom.  One of the focuses of the class I am writing this blog for is to make sure you are not just lecturing at the front of the classroom.  Science can be difficult to understand if you do not provide your students with some hands-on opportunities.  While online sites are not hands-on, they provide a different level of interaction and opportunities that lectures do not.

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There are certain aspects of science that are much more enjoyable to do rather than to watch.  Using baking soda and vinegar to fill a balloon with gas or making jello to show how a liquid becomes a solid are a few examples.  However, there are some aspects of science that cannot be recreated through hands-on activities in the classroom.  Being able to see how blood moves through the body or what a functioning organ looks like in real life are a few examples of how technology brings science to life.  

Online resources can bring aspects of science that have previously only been shown through pictures.  Students can view body functions and see the universe through vivid videos and interactions.  Online resources can provide students with the opportunity to actually see how the universe works or how the human body works.  They can also provide students with the ability to do experiments that would not be possible because of safety concerns.  There is so much opportunity to give students more applicable learning methods then the traditional pictures and lectures. 

 

Science Vocabulary Content

 Science Vocabulary Content

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I have seen a variety of strategies used in my classroom.  My teacher has a word wall with science terms posted over most of the back wall on laminated squares.  These squares are colorful, neat, and informative.  They all contain an example or have a drawing that describes the term. Here is a picture of the wall (I apologize for the quality of the picture).

The kids regularly look back at the wall during science instruction and try and find the term they are looking for.  Most of the students have difficulty spelling these word and use the word wall to assist them in the spelling of these words.  She also had the students make flash cards to help them with the meaning of the terms and the spelling.

She has the students play bingo.  They get to pick a prize if they get bingo.  Last week she called it “Hingo” instead of Bingo because they were going over heat, radiation, convection, and other terms involved in this portion of the science lesson.  This really motivates the students because if they do not know the terms, they will never get bingo.  Several students thought they had bingo, but they had incorrectly identified some of the terms.  They were going to play again the next day, and I am sure the students that did not know a lot of the terms went home and studied so they could win a prize. 

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I think the students would benefit greatly from using the Time to Talk strategy.  It is difficult for students to understand the meaning of the word if they cannot use it in a conversation.  Giving them the opportunity to use the words in their colloquial language will aid them in understanding the concept.  It also gives the teacher the opportunity to show them how to make the transition into using the word or concept in more conceptual way.  

It might also benefit them to use graphic organizers.  It is more visual and can help to display words with a range of contextual information.  Students have different learning styles.  Using a graphic organizer can make the data seem less overwhelming and complex just because of how it is displayed.

Technology Related Challenges in 21st Century Schools

There are so many challenges related to technology change, with many of those challenges not having anything to do with the technology itself.  The burden of finding affordable technology that everyone is comfortable with is a challenge that has never been faced before.  Check out this video on some of the challenges and amazing things that are happening with technology.

I have selected four technology related challenges to explore in this post.  They are:

• Money
• Parents
• Training
• Administrators

Money

This is obviously one of the most important factors when dealing with technology change.  However, it is almost impossible to address because funding is determined by the government.  Each district must decide how to use these funds appropriately.  Elected officials are really the only ones that can change how districts are funded.

Proposed Solution:

Besides electing officials that are open to and willing to increase budgets, the only avenue I see is ensuring that the money is spent effectively.  Have trusted staff (teachers) review any new software systems to make sure they are user friendly.  Wasting money on systems that no one on the staff feels are efficient is irresponsible.  Also, administrators can look at technology to save money (E-books).

Parents

Some districts and schools do have the funding to incorporate technology into their schools but do not have the support of the parents.  Some parents reject new technology because they do not understand how it works and how it would be used.  Others fear for the privacy of their child and worry about access to inappropriate material.  I spoke with a teacher that has worked in the U.S. and Denmark.  Beth Borten said, "My students in Europe had google accounts and e-mail addresses 5 years before students here. They were doing project-based learning and flipped classrooms years before anyone in the states. The problem I ran into with the same age group of students in America was that their parents and the district weren't ready to give 4th and 5th graders e-mail accounts. I started asking for it in 2011. I finally got it in 2015, and only with closed access e-mail addresses". 

Proposed Solution:

Educate parents on what the new technology is and how it will be used in class.  Also, make sure privacy concerns and access to content is addressed.  I believe most parents will accept changes if they understand how it will be used to help their child.

Training

Another problem is making sure our teachers are properly trained.  If you do not feel comfortable with a new system, you will most likely resist the change and continue to use your old system if possible.  An article (http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol9/910-bohn.aspx) I read believes there are four types of resistant teachers:

• Those who believe administration will not help or understand them.
• Those who don't have confidence in their teaching and don't know how to improve.
• Those who prefer traditional methods and believe change would require too much work.
• Those who lack the desire or motivation to improve. 

In Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement (Schrum & Levine, 2009), the different generations in technology are described.  They range from digital immigrants to digital natives.  Digital immigrants are those people that still look up movie times in the paper.  Digital natives are those that were born and raised in the digital world.  I am a millennial, which means I fall in the middle.  

http://www.teachingquality.org/sites/default/files/users/user62/October%2023%202012

Proposed Solution:

Teachers need to be consulted when implementing new tech systems.  This makes them feel a part of the process and you get real feedback from the operators.  Ensure that the teachers have plenty of opportunities to learn how to use the new software.  It is very stressful to try and learn a new system on the fly.  Make sure that there is someone that can properly coach the teachers through the new systems. Confidence is key when using new technology.  This video was interesting to me because it talked about teachers learning from students.  I think some teachers do not like to ask students for help.  This is probably ego or fear of losing control.  Students take pride in being able to help their teacher.  
http://bcove.me/jk77w7kr

Administrators

Administrators can be resistant to change as well, but not always because they resist change.  Sometimes it is because of the cost or the backlash from parents and/or teachers.  Some administrators fear that if they change, their productivity will be affected.  Others are more concerned about he dollar amount.  

Proposed Solution:

The dollar amount can not really be adjusted.  However, as stated before, most people only fear what they do not understand.  If everyone is kept in the loop as necessary and everything is explained properly, there is a much better chance of success.

Technology in our Schools- Discussion with two Teachers

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One of my assignments for EDU 659 was to interview a leader in the education field.  I decided to interview a former elementary school teacher and designer/coordinator of the Master of Science in Online Teaching and Instructional Design program at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Dr. Jayme Linton.  I also interviewed Beth Borten.  She has a Master's degree in Elementary Education and has taught fourteen years in Georgia, South Carolina, and Copenhagen, Denmark.  When I began determining my questions for the interview, I had a vision in my mind on how the interviews would proceed.  I was wrong and pleasantly surprised.  Although both teachers have taken different paths, they both had many of the same answers and thoughts.

It was interesting listening to how technology has changed in the last fifteen years.  When each teacher began, they were lucky to have one computer in their classroom and they used overhead projectors.  Mrs. Borten's school in South Carolina  now has two computer labs, three rolling carts with class sets of iPads, and six computers and six iPads that stay in her classroom (fifth grade).  Mrs. Borten's fifth graders make Google Slides and Google Docs at least once a week.  It is amazing what young people can accomplish when given the right tools.  Mrs Borten also taught in Copenhagen, Denmark for several years in the late 2000's and early 2010's.  Mrs Borten said,  "My students in Europe had google accounts and e-mail addresses 5 years before students here. They were doing project-based learning and flipped classrooms years before anyone in the states. The problem I ran into with the same age group of students in America was that their parents and the district weren't ready to give 4th and 5th graders e-mail accounts. I started asking for it in 2011. I finally got it in 2015, and only with closed access e-mail addresses. The students can only use their google accounts for sharing within the district. It has been such a time-saver on collaborative projects".

My next line of questioning focused on how schools acquire new technology.  Both teachers shared similar stories when requesting new technology.  Both described a fairly simple process for approval, which was pleasantly surprising.  If a teacher discovers something new, he/she brings the new technology to the department.  If a majority of the teachers/department feel that the technology is a good idea, it moves ahead for departmental approval.  There are only a couple more steps for final approval, which was surprising.  This is not the case at many schools and universities,  where it seems like it takes an act of Congress to get approval for functioning desks.  At least in these two cases, it appears the administration has full faith in their teachers to make appropriate recommendations.  Dr. Linton mentioned that the Masters program she developed began with a conversation in the office of a colleague that was overheard by the head of the department.  What began as Dr. Linton creating one class, turned into the Masters of Science in Online Teaching and Instructional Design program.  It is one of the first college level blended programs in the country.  Having the freedom to brainstorm ideas is a great luxury.

Another topic discussed was how do kids use technology at home when they do not have internet.  While there is not a perfect answer, they are ways to make it work.  Some teachers give their students time before school or during school to finish web-based assignments.  Most teachers do an excellent job of making sure assignments are equal and fair to those that do not have access to the internet.  Other options are going to a library or using their parents phone.

I also wanted to know if it was difficult getting higher level administrators on board with technology since they are digital immigrants?  Both said this was not a problem at their institutions.  Mrs. Borten said that her district might actually overuse technology.

If these interviews taught me one thing, it is that teachers want the same things that they want for the students.  They want collaboration among faculty members and the freedom to suggest and try something new.  It is also evident that the two schools both my interviewees worked for do a great job of listening to their teachers/professors and trust their judgement.  Of course it could be that I was just lucky enough to interview two great teachers.  I hope I am lucky enough to work in such a positive environment.

Analysis of Current Research Literature in the Field of Instructional Design

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My latest assignment requires students to critically examine current research literature in the field of instructional design to determine research-based instructional design techniques and approaches. Each student will read at least six current research articles based on instructional design issues, models, and contexts of interest to the student. All students will contribute to a single, shared meta-analysis spreadsheet to share notes and thoughts about the readings. Based on the shared notes, each student will construct a blog post to discuss trends, implications, and recommendations for instructional design from the whole class review of literature conducted by the entire class.


Trends:
Creativity, explicit instruction, and engagement of students are several trends related to Online Instructional Design.  Creativity in online instruction requires a slightly different methodology than traditional instruction.  The teacher is unable to use some of the  traditional methods to engage and excite students about learning (body language, tone, and/or emotions).  Therefore, they must be creative in their design and implementation of course material.  Explicit instruction and engagement of students go hand-in-hand with each other.  Students can become frustrated with the course if assignments are not properly explained and communication is sporadic.  Online instruction has many of the same tenets as traditional instruction, however, more attention to detail is required because of the lack of individual and/or group face-time.

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The most cited research models in this study were the ADDIE model, Universal Design for Instruction (UDL), and Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction.  These models have many similarities and differences.  Please see the pictures below for a brief description of each model.

ADDIE Model

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Most of the research in this study regarding the ADDIE model were a result of "best practices" in the educational field.

UDL
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Most of the research in this study regarding the UDL model were the results of studies focused on special education.

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

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Most of the research in this study regarding Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction were through artifact analysis.

Three words that came up quite often when looking for trends in the shared database were: creativity, engagement, and games.  This is pleasantly surprising because I feel that these are very important components to successful implementation of online courses.  Using game applications in online learning is relatively new to the educational field.  It has the potential to add some excitement and immediate satisfaction to learning.

Implications:
While research into the field of online learning is growing, there is still so much to be learned.  Educators today are still learning as they go, which can be very frustrating to teachers and students.  It is time consuming and there is not a guarantee that a newly designed course will be effective.  However, studies show that if a course is effectively and efficiently designed, mastery of the content should be expected.  The UDL model is often focused on learners with special needs because it offers options to those with different learning needs.  Several articles in this study demonstrated how the model can be just as effective in online learning.  This makes sense because one of the main concepts of online learning is choice.  Creativity, explicit instruction, engagement of students, options, and availability of resources should be priorities when designing an online course.  


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Recommendations:
Research!  More in depth studies need to be conducted to make designing an online course more streamlined.  This will not take away from the creativity that each individual teacher brings to his or her class.  Instead, it will provide more time for each teacher to expand and improve their courses.  Most of the models designed for learning can be applied to online learning in one way or another.  Reviewing past literature and applying it to today's learning can be informational, however, actual studies are the only way to definitively prove the effectiveness of a design model.  Expanded research could provide a combination of models that will make the process more effective.
Teachers need to ensure that their syllabus contains all the information the student will need.  Each assignment should be explained in detail.  Resources and examples of successfully completed assignments can also aid in student success.  Communication and availability should be another focus of online educators. 

  

A Critique and Comparison of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and Merrill's First Principles of Instruction

The Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT) and Merrill's First Principles of Instruction (MFPI) are two very similar, yet unique instructional models.  Each has a main focus that is somewhat different from the other.

There are two major components to the RBT: Types of Knowledge and Cognitive Processes.  Each of the four Types of Knowledge contain Sub-Types that detail the type of learning that should take place in each category.



There are six components to the Cognitive Processes in the RBT beginning with Remembering and ending with Creating.

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The RBT does a great job of differentiating between how we should learn and what we are learning.  Having the ability to tailor a lesson based on the content that should be learned is a major component to effective teaching.  Lessons require different levels of learning and should be taught in different ways to accommodate the needs of the student.  The RBT is geared towards explaining to students the different levels of learning and what each level involves.  Sometimes we forget the most important step in teaching, teaching the students how to learn. 

Merrill's First Principles of Instruction are comprised of the five first principles.  These principles are guidelines for creating effective instruction by the teacher for the learner.

Table 1: Augmented first principles and reflective questions for design

Principle	Learning is promoted when…	Questions to ask yourself
Problem and task centered	Learners are engaged in solving real world problems and tasks	Does the instruction involve real world problems and tasks relevant to the learner? Does the instruction show the learners what they’ll be able to do at the end of the learning experience? Does the instruction include the components or chunks required for the successful completion of the problem or task? Does the instruction show multiple examples of the problem or task?
Activation	Existing knowledge is retrieved or activated as a foundation for the new knowledge or learning	Does the instruction make use of or activate learners’ prior knowledge as a foundation for the new learning, including cognitive structures to help organize the new knowledge? Does the instruction help learners see relevance of the problem task and boost confidence in ability to complete successfully?
Demonstration	New knowledge (task) is demonstrated to the learner	Does instruction show what the learner will learn versus telling what he or she will learn? Are examples consistent with content being presented (including non-examples)? Is learner guidance included (focus on relevant content, multiple perspectives, linking new knowledge to current knowledge)
Application	The learner applies new knowledge	Do learners have a chance to practice and/or apply learning? Are activities and assessment aligned with learning objectives? Is feedback provided after practice? Is coaching or scaffolding available to learners?
Integration	New knowledge is integrated into the learner’s world or context	Do learners have the chance to reflect, discuss, and/or defend their new knowledge or skill? Does instruction encourage learners to transfer learning to everyday contexts?

 http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/1233/research-for-practitioners-are-there-basic-principles-across-all-instructional-design-models

Here is video on MFPI-  https://youtu.be/rSIYP0BgOTw



Merrill's First Principles of Instruction are also comprised of different levels of thinking.  Each level requires more conceptual thinking and understanding.  This learning design model does an excellent job of helping the instructor understand all the questions they need to be thinking about as they design their lesson.  

Here is a spicy node to show the similarities and differences 

http://www.spicynodes.org/a/663e46d91d8668cff3d519a591748dfd

Critique
While the RBT lays out a clear path for learning, it can be difficult to differentiate between the levels of the Cognitive Processes.  They have a tendency to overlap.  Reaching the creating step in the process is more involved and requires a real depth of understanding.  This model is more beneficial to students than teachers.

MFPI's design is very thorough and does an excellent job of outlining the design process for teachers.  This design does not specifically focus on the student.  However, it does provide a great guide for the teacher and assists the students by providing a pathway for instruction.

I feel that Merrill's First Principles of Instruction are more beneficial to me at this point in my life.  It is more focused on assisting teachers in designing a thorough lesson and providing them with the right questions to ask when designing that lesson.  The RBT is more focused on the actual student and providing a pathway to effective learning.  

Take Advantage of the Universal Design for Learning Framework

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The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is set up to design learning experiences that are universal and to make sure everyone learns.  The design is based on the power of being flexible and allowing choices.  This allows students to take different paths to achieve their learning goals and gives them options on how to display their knowledge. 




http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.VWEpCVlVikp

Three Core Principles: 

1. Provide Multiple Means of Representation

2. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression

3. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement


 
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Essentially, these guidelines are focused on using multiple instructional platforms and offering students multiple ways of displaying their knowledge.  Each student learns in their own unique way.  Students should not be restricted in how they demonstrate their knowledge.  As with learning, each student has a preferred method of disseminating information.

It is my goal to do my best to incorporate as many of the UDL guidelines in my instruction as possible.  The UDL guidelines should be common sense.  Provide options in everything that you do with your class.  It keeps the learning fresh and gives the students the opportunity to take ownership of their learning.