When I work with teachers shifting to blended learning, I strive to establish the WHY driving our work together. I want teachers to understand the purpose and value of the shift to blended learning. Blended learning is not a reaction to a moment. Blended learning is the thoughtful design and facilitation of learning experiences that […]
The pandemic has elevated the phrase “blended learning.” When schools closed or shifted to hybrid schedules, many institutions turned to blended learning to navigate the new demands placed on teachers and educational institutions. As an outspoken advocate for blended learning over the last 10 years, I was initially excited to see so much momentum in […]
As this year winds down, I encourage teachers to take the final weeks of the school year to create closure, collect feedback, and help students look forward. Needless to say, the 2020-2021 school year has been intense. Teachers and students alike are eagerly anticipating the summer. As tough as this year has been, there has […]
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“Students don’t do the asynchronous work.” “Students don’t work unless I am monitoring them.” “Students will only do the work if I grade it.” I hear statements like this every week. Teachers are frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of focus, engagement, and motivation. I can empathize with their frustration, but I attribute […]
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The more physical distance between the teacher and the learner, the more challenging it is to collect formative assessment data consistently. I’ve taught in person, online, and in blended learning environments. The aspect of teaching that is hard to replicate in the online environment is the teachers’ ability to collect informal data by merely listening […]
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In the last ten months, teachers have had to design and facilitate learning for various teaching and learning landscapes. Teachers in states hit hard by the pandemic, like my home state of California, have been online since March. Some teachers are on a hybrid schedule seeing students a couple of days each week. Others are […]
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The events of the last nine months have launched the phrase “blended learning” into the mainstream. I worry that instead of articulating the value of a powerful blend of online and offline learning, teachers are receiving the message that they “must” adopt blended learning to meet the demands of the moment. Yes, blended learning can […]
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When I began my career in education, I believed the value I brought to the classroom was my subject area expertise cultivated as an English major at UCLA and my pedagogical expertise honed while working on my teaching credential and Masters in Education. I operated under that misguided assumption for years. I remember feeling intense […]
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Teachers all over the country are being asked to teach “concurrent classrooms” in which some students attend class in person and others attend virtually. The teacher in a concurrent classroom attempts to meet the needs of the students in class and online simultaneously. This is the most challenging scenario I can imagine in our current […]
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The 2020-2021 school year promises to be unpredictable from start to finish. Teachers may be teaching online, on a hybrid schedule, or juggling students both in class and online in a concurrent classroom. Regardless of the situation teachers are in, it’s helpful to have a strong foundation in online and blended learning. I’ve designed a […]
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I’ve spent the last four months working with teachers all over the country (virtually, of course) as they navigate the uncharted waters of online and blended learning. The majority of teachers I have spoken with did not enjoy their initial experiences with distance learning. A big issue for many teachers was a general lack of […]
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When teachers introduce tasks or assignments in the classroom, they often provide both text and verbal directions. They have the luxury of holding up papers or projecting online assignments to show students exactly what to do. Teachers working with younger learners who may not be strong readers or teachers who are introducing a complicated or […]