Using Blended Learning to Promote Global Education

The purpose of education is to give students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. Well, these days we live in a blended society. We experience a combination of face-to-face (F2F) and digital interactions daily. For example, at school I make many face-to-face interactions by connecting with my students in the classroom, attending meetings, and planning lessons with my colleagues. Digitally, I attend webinars and collaborate with my PLN on Twitter. And that is just a small percentage of my daily interactions! I go to the gym and work out with my trainer or take a class (F2F interaction), I have dinner with my family (more F2F interactions), and then I might check Facebook or email (digital interactions). People today live a blended life, and therefore, it is our responsibility to prepare students to participate in this blended world.

Many people confuse technology integration and blended learning, but there is a difference. We are not just replacing a lecture with a Prezi, or using Plickers or Socrative to respond to teacher-directed questions. Blended learning is a major shift in pedagogy; it moves from the traditional lecture model, to a student-centered model, with students actively involved in seeking out information. Students are empowered to take ownership of their learning.

Blended learning helps educators and students break down the walls of the classroom and interact on a global scale. Students can learn at any time and from anywhere because information is always at their fingertips. They also learn that there is no single source of information (the teacher) and can therefore dig deeper into the content, beyond what is covered in class. Students can watch videos featuring, read articles by, or even Skype directly with experts on the content area they are studying! Resources like Ted Ed and EduCanon allow teachers to take content-rich video clips and add questions to deepen their thinking and content articles for further exploration in order to encourage students to truly master their learning.

Blended learning also involves communication and collaboration. As the video points out, this is key! There are many project-based platforms like ePals, iEarn, and TakingITGlobal that help students communicate and collaborate globally. Google Apps for Education has also become increasingly prevalent in classrooms because of its power to connect students and classrooms. For example, classrooms can connect and have meaningful discussions in Google Hangouts. These are authentic opportunities for communication and collaboration and have helped to transform the classroom in this digital world.

References

Eden, W. (2013). Blended Learning and the Common Core State Standards. Retrieved from http://www.edelements.com/blended-learning-and-the-common-core-state-standards

Jonson, J. (2014). Blended Learning and Technology Integration [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD8AUfGsCKg&index=7&list=PLvzOwE5lWqhTv1uCzuAZZZbBJseZP_HwY

University of Florida. (n.d.) What is Blended Learning? Retrieved from https://blended.online.ucf.edu/about/what-is-blended-learning/