Getting the Blend Right

Britt Gow, Hawkesdale P12 College

Science, Maths and VCE Environmental Science Online teacher atHawkesdale P12 CollegeSW Victoria

Technoscience blog since 2008

Twitter @brittgow brittgow@gmail.comSkype: britt.gow

http://digitaltoolbox.wikispaces.com

Blended learning is a continuum……

● Know your students well and how they learn best

● Mix it up - offer a variety of learning opportunities

● Use photos, diagrams, cartoons, video, music

● Give students choices

● Tell a story and create memories with all the senses

● Provide opportunities to create a product

Six Strategies…..

S Increasing success in an online environment.

(+, +)Successful in both face to

face and online environments.

(-, -) Less successful in both

face to face and online environments.

Increasing success in a face to face environment

(+, -)Successful in a face to face

environment, but not as successful in an online

environment.

(-, +)Successful in an onlineenvironment, but not as successful in a face to

face environment.

S Increasing success in an online environment.

Confident, well-organised, persistent, independent

learners

Increasing success in a face to face environment

Sociable, likes teamwork and learning collaboratively.

Persistent, flexible, good technology skills,

introverted, difficulty socialising.

Lacks confidence and persistence, poor organisational skills, needs structure & scaffolding.

Teacher

Student Parent

Traditional classrooms

Student

Teacher Parent

21st century classrooms

Student

Teacher Parent

School Family

Peers

Knowledge

Skills Attitudes

Traditional Learning

Knowledge

Skills Attitudes

21st Century Learning

Knowledge Skills Attitudes

LiteracyNumeracy

Digital literacy

Critical thinkingCollaboration

CommunicationCreativity

Media skillsTechnology

skills

ConfidencePersistenceOrganisationResilienceTeamworkFlexibility

http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework

Models for Integrating Technology….

● Collective Knowledge Construction

http://www.ideaslab.edu.au/design-lab/ckc/

● T-Pack - Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge http://tpack.org/

● SAMR Model - Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model

Collective Knowledge Construction

● Connect

● Communicate

● Collaborate

● Collective Knowledge Construction

SAMR Model

● Substitution - computer technology is used to do the same task.

● Augmentation - computers are an effective tool to perform common tasks

● Modification - computers enhance learning by allowing creativity

● Redefinition - computers support student-centered learning and collaboration

Substitution

● Typing text instead of writing● Research online instead of in the library● Ebooks on tablets● PowerPoint instead of posters● Online concept maps instead of on paper● Google docs as worksheets● Padlet as “post it” notes

https://bubbl.us

Augmentation● Padlet for online pinboards - brainstorming,

exit slips, questions and reflectiohttp://padlet.com/wall/Learn2013

● Wordle or Tagxedo for word cloudshttp://www.wordle.net/http://www.tagxedo.com/

• Prezi for presentations at http://prezi.com

http://padlet.com/

Prezi for presentationshttp://prezi.com/s5usfs2rctse/feral-cats/

Modification

● Google forms for feedback, quizzes, student surveys and gathering data

● Skype and Twitter allowing synchronous connections with experts, peers and communities outside the classroom.

Twitter

• Experts in your classroom

• Global conversations

• Instant answers to your questions

• Just-in-time conversations

@genegeekCatherine Anderson, a geneticist from Canada.

@ScienceMagsMagdeline Lum, a

Metallurgist, photographer and science writer from

Perth

Redefinition

● QR codes● Student-created videos● Collaborative Google docs● Blogs and wikis● Digital buckets (eg. Thinglink and Blendspace

- formerly edcanvas)

Redefinition

● Thinglink allows users to create a dynamic, interactive image with links to YouTube, wikipedia, how stuff works and other websites. http://www.thinglink.com/

● Blendspace allows the user to collate multiple resources under one URL. https://www.blendspace.com/

Hi Britt,

I am so sorry this is so late, I went straight from my last exam to East Timor but I'm home now, and I really need to thank you for all your extra efforts and hard work you had put into me throughout the year despite not being your student- this is something not many people would do.

Thank you for including me in your class, I see you so highly and I was constantly impressed by how kind you were each week. Your help was invaluable to me, and I didn't feel so alone in the subject.

I know that whatever study score I receive in the next week or so, that I can thank you for it, and it might just be the thing that makes that difference.

I have tried to spread the word to the coming Year 11/12 that if they would like to study environmental science like I had, that you are the best option.

Thank you for having such a positive impression on me. Enjoy your Christmas and all the best in the new year!

- Sally :)

http://www.edublogs.org

Start small – find a tool that meets a learning need in your classroom.

1. Are some students more likely to complete their studies and achieve

good outcomes by participating in an online learning environment?

2. What characteristics of students are likely indicators of success in an online

learning environment?

3. Is virtual, blended provision just a different way of doing the same

things?

4. What teaching strategies are more effective in an online learning

environment?

5. What aspects of virtual classrooms are advantageous to

student learning?

Thank you for your participation in this workshop session.

Please contact me if you have any questions, contributions or if you

would like to explore these questions further.

brittgow@gmail.combrittgow @ Twitter