Blended Classes:Give it a Whirl

Barbara Z. Johnson, Ed.D.University of Minnesota – Duluth

Blended/Hybrid/M-Classes

SomeClassroomLearning Activities

OnlineLearning Activities

Reduced Classroom Time

Tech Enhanced Learning

100% - 70%

Flipped Classroom

Blended Learning

Online Learning

70 % to 20%

20% - 0%

Types of Online Activities

Synchronous

• Same time

• Live lectures

• Phone calls

• Text or video chat

• Virtual worlds

• MMOGs

Asynchronous

• Not same time

• Recorded lecture

• Email

• Discussion forums

• Blogs and wikis

Online Instruction Paradigms

Direct Instruction

• Recorded lecture• Camtasia Relay• Photobooth

• Live lecture• Adobe Connect• Elluminate• iChat

• Virtual worlds• Second Life

Constructivist• Online collaboration,

creation, and sharing• Google apps• Blogs and wikis• YouTube/TeacherTube/Vimeo• ePortfolios

• Discussions• Moodle (text)• Voice Thread (multimedia)

• Virtual worlds• Second Life• Active Worlds

Constructivist Example:Introduction to Theater

Challenge: getting students to discuss theatrical productions in depth

Constructivist Example:Introduction to Theater

1 View a play

2 Online Critique (discussion forum)

3 Review and evaluate other students’ critiques

4 Instructor reviewed online critiques

5 Instructor leads in-class summary discussion of the play and mini-lecture to clarify or deepen understanding

Direct Instruction Example:

Math Class

Challenge: Instructor did not like to lecture in front of the class

Direct Instruction Example:

Math Class1 Recorded lecture streamed (Adobe Captivate)

2 Students viewed in Blackboard (Kaltura plug-in)

3 Formative assessment (quiz in Blackboard)

4 In-class mini-lectures to address quiz and homework results

5 In-class work-through of ill-defined problems related to the topic

Creative/Studio Example:Printmaking

Challenge: Group review and critique of student work

Creative/Studio Example:Printmaking

1 Students create work digitally OR scan hand-drawn examples at 6 different stages of development

2 Classroom created in Second Life with multiple rooms for display

3 Students uploaded their designs and posted in their room in Second Life

4 Class met in Second Life to do group critique of designs using voice chat – instructor lead