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.