This question seems so easy to answer -it the way the students learn ‘now-a-days’, the students are more engaged, the teacher becomes the activator of knowledge, the students become a community of learners and achievement ultimately increases…
but don’t take it from me…
In this video hear the students raise their voices, teachers speak out in support of Blended Learning and educational research experts John Hattie, Michael Fullan and John Seely Brown speak to using more digital tools in the learning environment.
Discover how using digital tools in your class environment enriches the learning in your class, makes learning visible and gives students a voice as they journey to those enduring learnings.
Just in the past few years have we finally started to incorporate some tech tools at my school. The best tool we are now consistently using across classrooms is School Loop. I have really gotten in to using this tool and now I have students turning in assignments on school loop and we utilize other features like the ability to to post grades, class notes, email etc. Just like the students in the video, my students love technology.
After reading Micheal Fullen’s book Stratosphere it is true that Education is slow to utilize technology tools. However, it is really a win win for the student and the teacher.
I love grading assignments on school loop, plus the grade book helps to improve potential errors in grading. In the old days I was taking out a calculator to add up a students grade, not any more.
Plus doing things like having an online class discussion or blogging opens the door to an even greater number of potential learning activities for the student. Offering variety keeps the students engaged.
Blended learning is the way to go. I loved the video, very interesting. Most importantly students love blended learning which is key.
Thanks, Lindsay. I have never heard of School Loop but will be sure to check it out. We use a tool called Desire to Learn (D2L) to accomplish the tasks you mention as it is provisioned to us by the Ministry of Education for eLearning and Blended Learning. You reminded me with your mention of Fullan of a post I’ve been intending to write about the use of the word “technology”. I’ve never particularly cared for the way Fullan uses the term as it really is void of any meaning. Teachers have been incorporating technology into their learning environments for generations. I believe it would be more useful and tangible if he, and other researchers like him, would state specifically what they are referring to.
Around the 45 second mark, Michael Fullan states very clearly, “If we do it right, it will take us into the next sphere of learning.” I think that a tool like D2L (Desire to Learn) needs to be implemented with an educational vision in mind. To start allowing students to upload assignments and receive feedback via the internet is a shift in the teacher-student dynamic. While I am not passing judgment on the digital tool, I am trying to say that if this is the direction a school intends to go in, then it should be clearly communicated that all features serve the purpose of educating the students. Finally, it needs to be proven that this approach works. But for it to be done right, evidence needs to be gathered to back up the shift.
Do I think the method will work? Absolutely. Students gravitate towards the ability to interact with each other outside of the physical classroom, and the blended learning approach allows for differentiation – not just for academic level, but for personality type, as well.