Distance Learning
The blended classroom has become a necessary tool in today's world. With tablets and portable devices readily available, students and teachers from Pre- kindergarten to Twelfth grade have pivoted to incorporate online resources, lessons, and discussions into every day practice. The movements to integrate the vast resources of the World Wide Web into the daily lessons of our students have become well ingrained in what is considered today’s best practices. While we are in unprecedented times, I would argue that the education industry has been slowly preparing for the further blending of synchronous and asynchronous learning for years.
Since 2008, Pk-12 schools have been moving from traditional teaching methods to a more blended classroom mode. Colleges and universities have been racing towards online delivery of academic courses, as a way to reach a broader market, with the flexibility of learning from anywhere at anytime. In addition to courses for credit, MOOCs (massive open online courses) and free lessons, from companies such as Khan Academy, increasingly are held up as a revolutionary step forward. However, as some may see this step forward as the natural progression of education, there are many that feel the physical classroom with its ability to deliver tactile, auditory, and visual learning cannot be replaced online. This is why a blended model that utilizes technology to individualize a student experience, while balancing the benefits of the classroom experience for academics and the social emotional growth of students, is best. It is well known in research the importance of face-to-face opportunities to reinforce expectations and clarify misunderstandings. Students can easily check with other students and teachers for clarification of what they do not understand. These contacts are not so easily made online. At the same time though. we cannot ignore the online skills needed for the workforce of today and tomorrow.
Research points out that while the generations of students in schools now posses far greater online skills than their parents, the move from their traditional classroom learning experience for which they are currently engaged in, to that of online learning requires a set of skills that need to be taught. Thus if students are to be competitive in the workforce, the independent and self directed learning skills expected of higher education and corporate America make for a strong argument to begin the education of those online learning skills early. So what are some skills that we need to develop for our young students to be effective in an online learning environment:
The ability to transfer creative ideas and solutions to an online platform. The key will be to allow our students to engage in creative play and idea generation away from technology. However, giving them the skills to then transfer those ideas and creative thoughts to an online platform, which allows for the sharing and collaboration around those areas, will be key.
Communication. Teaching our students to communicate is key in any environment. Letting students know they have a voice and that the voices of others are important contributions to our collective knowledge is very important. We do that well in a classroom when we have visual cues to help guide us. For students to do well online, they need to have a greater use of vocabulary and expression to actively convey their thoughts and ideas.
Organization. Students have been taught for years the skill of organizing their work and prioritizing their time. In school, it is easy to show them and model that organization. In an online environment, it becomes a different task that utilizes online folders, calendars, and reminder tools. The drawback is that we cannot easily touch or feel to provide cross synaptic learning required in our brain to cement to long term memory.
These are just some of the skills we need to develop. As you can see, the skills themselves are best taught in a blended environment that give both the benefits of the classroom experience while incorporating the technological skills needed for life. Online education in k-12 environments is not a new phenomena. Schools that find the way to integrate online skills into their curriculum will be providing their students with the added benefits for their continued growth as lifelong learners. The blended school is one that not only can provide flexibility for students in their learning pursuits, but will also prepare our students with the skills necessary to adapt to a fast paced ever-changing work environment. An environment where they are free to pursue interests and future careers with greater enthusiasm while incorporating this new knowledge into their daily classroom instruction.
References
Baker, J. A. (2004). Full and Part-Time Distance Education Faculty. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 8(4), 33+. Distance Learning; Net-Savvy Universities Seeing Huge Enrollments. (2004, July 5). The Washington Times (Washington, DC), p. B01. Dykman, C. A., & Davis, C. K. (2008). Online Education Forum: Part Two-Teaching Online versus Teaching Conventionally. Journal of Information Systems Education, 19(2), 157+. Embrace of Massive Online Courses Rising; Institution President Warns of Limitations. (2013, May 7). The Washington Times (Washington, DC), p. A08. Fletcher, G. H. (2008). Getting beyond Us vs. Them: Our Recent Conference Reveals the Common Ground K-12 and Higher Ed Share in the Effort to Bring Technology into Learning. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), 35(9), 12. Long, M. (2000). The Psychology of Education. London: Routledge Falmer. Retrieved from http://www.questiaschool.com Lynch, M. M. (2004). Learning Online: A Guide to Success in the Virtual Classroom. New York: RoutledgeFalmer. Report: 6 Blended Learning Models Emerge. (2011). T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), 38(6), 9. Sleator, R. D. (2010). The Evolution of eLearning: Background, Blends and Blackboard. Science Progress, 93(3), 319+. Yacovelli, S. (2012, July). How to Effectively Evaluate E-Learning: Being Able to Ascertain the Quality of a Learning Module Helps to Ensure the Highest Return-on-Investment and Perpetuates a Positive Perception of the Value of Online Learning. T&D, 66(7), 52+.
Dr. Spencer Taintor is the author of “Building Authentic Confidence in Children”, father of 2 and Head of School at St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.