A Digital Toolbox for Blended Learning

Environments

Britt Gow, Hawkesdale P12 College

Science, Maths, Biology and Environmental Science (online) teacher atHawkesdale P12 CollegeSW Victoria, Australia

Technoscience blog since 2008

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

http://digitaltoolbox.wikispaces.com

Introduction

1. What are blended learning environments?

2. How does this relate to the conference theme “Mapping Education Policy Landscapes – Rurality and Rural Futures?”

Blended learning is a continuum……

From no technology whatsoever…

to access anytime, anywhere.

Blended Learning at Hawkesdale P12 College, Australia

“A decade ago, a review of Australian science education, revealed many students were disappointed with their high school science. Today, this disenchantment continues, as evidenced by the declining number of students choosing to study science in senior secondary school.” Prof. S. Cory

Created online with “Create-A-Graph”http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp

• The Power to Engage• Students use technology already • It's not going to go away...it will only grow• Professional development• Employers want their workers to use internet tools

What does blended learning mean for rural students?

• Access to modern learning environments• Meet students in their “zone of proximal

development”, as well as the spaces they like to operate in (context )

• Ensure there are a variety of ways that students can access the knowledge & skills

• Provide authentic opportunities for learners to find their passion

“If our kids are going to live longer than us, they need to have a passion for learning to sustain them. Not content knowledge, but learning to learn. One eighth of the 21st century is gone already – get cracking with 21st century

learning” Stephen Heppell

Today’s learner’s are:• Multi-taskers

• Digitally literate• Mobile and connected 24/7• Experiential and Social• Visual / spatial learners with • Fast response times & short attention spans

● 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

Collective Knowledge Construction

● Connect

● Communicate

● Collaborate

● Collective Knowledge Construction

Over 50,000 views and 1,200 downloads onSlidesharehttp://www.slideshare.net/brittgow/malaria-powerpoint

https://www.youtube.com/user/brittgow/videos

Polycom with GTAC, Melbourne

https://bubbl.us

http://padlet.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/brittgow/year-7-minecraft-maths

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

https://quizlet.com/Brittgow

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

REFERENCES

• Clemons, Stephanie A. (2005) “Brain-based learning: Possible Implications for Online Instruction”

• Illeris, Knud (2007) “How We Learn: Learning and Non-learning in School and Beyond”

• Olsen, Richard (2011) “Understanding Virtual Pedagogies for Contemporary Teaching and Learning”