Just in time for Digital Learning Day, Digital Learning Now! (DLN) today released the fifth DLN Smart Series interactive paper with co-authors from Getting Smart and the Learning Accelerator. “Blended Learning Implementation Guide” provides education leaders recommendations for developing and implementing an effective plan to adopt a blended learning model that focuses on accelerating student learning for college and career readiness.
“Blended learning has the potential to transform the factory-like structure of our current education system into a new model that is student-centric, highly personalized for each learner, more supportive of teachers, and delivers better results,” said John Bailey, executive director of Digital Learning Now! By harnessing the best of online learning and face-to-face instruction, blended programs can diagnose a student’s strengths and weaknesses, and support differentiated instruction where students can work at a customized level and pace.
Teachers are also able to spend less time on routine tasks, like lesson planning and grading daily assignments, and more time working with students either one-on-one or in small groups.
The implementation of a blended learning model is not another district initiative, but rather a systematic, phase change in the way that education is delivered. This process requires rethinking the way classes are scheduled, teachers are supported, and instruction is delivered. The paper guides school and district leaders through the process of successfully shifting to a blended learning model with a strategic and comprehensive plan.
The newest addition to the Smart Series addresses everything from changes in roles and structures to staffing patterns, budgets and policy matters. The guide is also helpful to those wanting to gain an understanding of the transition that schools will go through in the years ahead. The authors intend to capture and update “Blended Learning Implementation Guide ” with best practices as schools make the shift to blended learning. Education leaders and practitioners in the field are encouraged to submit comments on the draft and engage with the authors through their websites, blogs and social media.
Upcoming papers will delve into staffing, school finance and online learning.
The DLN Smart Series, released in partnership with Getting Smart and the Foundation for Excellence in Education, is a collection of interactive white papers aimed at equipping policymakers and education leaders with the necessary tools for transforming education for the digital age. Each paper offers specific guidance regarding the adoption of Common Core State Standards and the shift to personalized digital learning. The first four papers in the series are available for download:
- Funding the Shift to Digital Learning: Three Strategies for Funding Sustainable High-Access Environments
- Data Backpacks: Portable Records & Learner Profiles
- Getting Ready for Online Assessments
- The Shift From Cohorts to Competency
Join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtags #SmartSeries and #DigLN or use the sample tweets below to spread the word. DLN is also active on Facebook at facebook.com/DigitalLearningNow and Twitter at @DigLearningNow.
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