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In my Art of Blended Learning Online Course this week, we continued our work on the playlist model. I began our synchronous session by addressing frequently asked questions about this model. In this post, I will share answers to some of those questions. Q1: How Long Should Students Work on a Playlist? The length of […]
The playlist, or individual rotation model, is a highly effective blended learning model that empowers students to take ownership of their learning by giving them control over the pace and path of their learning. This model presents a sequence of carefully curated learning activities tailored to each student’s unique needs and abilities, allowing them to […]
In coaching sessions earlier this week, I worked with two different teams of teachers who were concerned about a couple of students who might not function well in a small group dynamic. Generally, I stress the importance of balancing individual and collaborative tasks because students need opportunities to work independently and collaborate with diverse partners. […]
This week, I received a comment to my blog asking: What do you feel is the biggest difference between playlists and choice boards? Would you say a playlist is more data-driven and a choice board gives more variety in learning modalities? These are great questions! I have heard teachers use these terms interchangeably, yet there […]
After reading Catlin Tucker’s blog post, 5 Strategies to Engage Learners Around Flipped Instruction, I was inspired to reflect on and revise a mini-unit I designed focusing on the short film Alike by Daniel Martinez Lara and Rafa Cano Méndez. This silent film sheds light on the subtle ways that creativity can be absent in […]
At the start of a virtual workshop last week, a teacher sent me a note in the chat saying that she wanted to quit. She was frustrated and exhausted. This is a sentiment I’ve repeatedly heard this year as I work with educators who are teaching online, on hybrid schedules, or juggling the demands of […]
One reason I am such a big advocate for blended learning is that using the various models allow me to spend more time on the aspects of my job that I enjoy and feel are most valuable for students. I don’t want to waste precious class time talking at my students. I want to sit […]
Part V: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part five of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my last blog in this series on using the “Claim-Evidence-Question” routine. To recap, metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider their thought patterns, approaches to learning, […]

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Part IV: Thinking About Thinking This is part four of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my last blog in this series on using the “I used to think…Now, I think…” routine. To recap, metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider their thought […]
Part III: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part three of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my last blog in this series on using the “Connect, Extend, Challenge” routine. To recap, metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider their thought patterns, approaches […]
Part II: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part two of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my first blog in this series on using the “I see, I think, I wonder” routine. To recap, metacognition is a cognitive ability that allows learners to consider […]
Part I: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part one of a five part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Metacognition, often referred to as “thinking about thinking,” is a cognitive skill that empowers learners to reflect on their thought processes, learning strategies, and understanding of a concept or subject. […]