Face to Face learning or Virtual learning? The case for Blended Learning. Presented by Me<y Antony IB Diploma Coordinator Canadian InternaConal School (Singapore)
Internet and the associated technology devices have invaded our world. It’s movable, available anyCme, anywhere, it’s in our homes, our offices, our classrooms , our cars, our bags and in our pockets.
Are our skill sets changing?
A medium’s content ma<ers less than the medium itself in influencing how we think and act.
Marshall MacLuhan in ‘Understanding Media’
So what is the internet and the associated devices doing to our brains?
“I fear the day when technology overlaps our humanity ” Albert Einstein
Source: h8p://nj1015.com/these-‐photos-‐are-‐proof-‐albert-‐ einstein-‐was-‐correct-‐about-‐technology/
IB REGIONAL CONFERENCE KAULA LUMPUR 2013 during Professor Inayatullah’s key note address.
What is the internet and the associated devices doing to us and our students?
Nicholas Carr, a writer in technology, researches and draws connecCon between the history of technology and the internet and neural sciences or the study of the brain to show that our brains are being impacted.
How have our minds begun behaving differently ? Or Is it the middle age mind rot as Nicholas Carr calls for himself ? Is it teenage angst/ hormones? Or Is it how we use technology that ma<ers? We ought to control the tool and not let the tool control us?
In ‘Shallows’ Nicholas Carr quotes the scienCfic evidence from the works of neuroscience and neuroplasCcity specialists, Michael Merzenich, Eric Kandel and Alvaro Pascual-‐Leone on how our brains are changing in response to our experiences.
Research shows that our brains are being constantly rewired. That the brain is not a staCc organ, but neural pathways and synapses change due to changes in behaviour, experiences and someCmes injuries.
What is the picture of a student’s intellectual future? What is online learning doing to our brains?
There is no turning back, to the pre-‐internet world of learning and inquiry. Our minds are changing as we interact with the tools of learning, and as the structure of our brain changes, so do our thoughts and experiences.
What do we stand to loose by constant connecCvity, instant and unlimited informaCon?
Our newer experiences are changing our skill sets as we loose the skill sets of concentraCon, contemplaCon and reflecCve thinking.
Remember the old blackboards and chalk, well it’s regaining as the modern educaLonal tool in some schools, where they believe that the internet era is rewiring our brains.
Why are so many Silicon Valley execuCves sending their children to a tech free school? Ie schools with chalk boards and pencils and paper?
New York Times report by By MATT RICHTEL A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute • LOS ALTOS, Calif. — The chief technology officer of eBay sends his children to a nine-‐classroom school here. So do employees of Silicon Valley giants like Google, Apple, Yahoo and Hewle8-‐Packard. • But the school’s chief teaching tools are anything but high-‐ tech: pens and paper, kniZng needles and, occasionally, mud. Not a computer to be found. No screens at all. They are not allowed in the classroom, and the school even frowns on their use at home.
There are over 900 Walfdorf schools in over 60 countries and many more of such tradiConal schools across the world. While there are also schools that are clamouring for more tablets, computers and use of smart phones in teaching.
In an IB school there is no turning back, to the pre-‐ internet world of learning and inquiry. One of the recommended approaches to teaching in the Diploma is
Teaching with innovaLon through Technology
For a talent lost or diminished there will be another one that is gained. As educators when we conCnue to nurture student’s minds, we need to tread carefully and perhaps adopt the evolving ‘Blended Learning’ model of educaCon.
What is Blended Learning? • a formal educaCon program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instrucCon with some element of student control over Cme, place, path, and/or pace and at least in part at a supervised brick-‐and-‐mortar locaCon away from home. Innosight InsLtute
“Classifying K-‐12 blended learning” By Heather Staker and Michael B Horn (INNOSIGHT iNSTITUTE 2012)
Self Blend model in pracLce Diploma Online courses • Where students take an online course in their regular school schedule. • Delivery of the course is virtual or online • Students work with site based coordinator
Why Blended Learning? • Convergence of online and face to face learning • Prepares students for 21st century learning – more and more online learning happening with mooc • There is Lme and opportunity for mulLple review of content. • Enhances a students technology related informaLon literacy skills • New ways to collaborate/develop InternaLonal mindedness
Why Blended learning? • Student is able to pace their learning – anyLme, any where • Student is able to pursue subjects of their choice • Improves self management and organizaLonal skills • Supported by Horizon Report, ISTE as the future trend in learning
What do Diploma online students have to say? Learning attributes needed in Diploma online learning Inquirer
75
Learning attributes
Knowledgeable
93.8
Thinker
81.3
Communicators
81.3
Principled
87.5
Open - minded
81.3
Caring
43.6
Risk-takers
81.3
Balanced
81.3
Reflective
81.3 0
50 Survey of Year 1 Diploma online students
100
Learning skills
Ranking of skills required for Online learning
Research Skills
2
Communication skills
2
Thinking skills
2
Social skills
1
Self Management skills
8 0
3.2
6.4
9.6
12.8
Number of students Survey of Diploma online students
16
PracCcal concerns
• Teaching: Blended learning is unique and requires different instrucLonal strategies • Learning: Resistance to change from tradiLonal learning models • Learning: Personality trait of the learner in managing an online course
PracLcal concerns LogisLcs • differences in school calendars • differences in Lme zones of the teacher and students • tradiLonal handwri8en exams • administraLon of on site mock exams within regular schedule • Differences in reporLng schedule • Technology related issues
Possible SoluLons • Change of student and parent mindset • Focus on Edutech in schools – technology not just for subsLtuLon but redefiniLon (SAMR model) • IntroducLon of IB led blended learning in PYP, MYP to compliment a smooth transiLon and not just school led blended learning.
Possible soluLons… • Availability of Units/modules for students in regular courses • Ability for students to engage in the course at their Lme and pace – across summer, before the weekly schedule • More Diploma online providers
Some Strategies that didn’t work • At the on set -‐ Online learning periods were scheduled in the morning so that students could come late to school if they chose too– isn’t the beauty of online learning that students have control over Lme, place path and or pace? • Students could pay a8enLon to other subjects if they were doing fine in online learning = issues in management
PracLcal Lps through our experience • Appointment of a dedicated site based coordinator in addiLon to IB Teacher trained site based coordinator • Shared google doc to track students weekly progress • SeZng up collaboraLve student teams • Availability of tutorial/help sessions at school • Homework lab stay backs if falling behind work
PracLcal Lps • Students are counselled into and out of online courses • Online courses limited to one per student • EducaLng parents and students on what really is online learning/blended learning, someLmes they equate online learning = laptop learning • Providing hard copy text books • Surveys to find out opinion and interests
“The grass is not greener on the other side, its greener where you water it” Professor Sohail Inayatullah at the IBAP Regional Conference 2013