Today’s students are used to having constant access to technology and digital resources in their personal lives, and harnessing the engaging power of such resources can boost blended learning success and help students create and thrive in personalized learning environments.
“All educators, all over the world, are struggling with this challenge of how to reach the learners we have in today’s schools,” said Ryan Imbriale, principal of Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore County Public Schools, during an edWeb webinar on digital learning. Imbriale will leave his position at the end of this school year to become the county’s Director of Digital Learning.
The goal is to ensure a learner-centered, personalized, blended environment powered by digital learning—one that is accessible anytime, anywhere, by everyone.
(Next page: Tips and digital resources to make blended learning successful)Define what the blended learning experience will be, including what it will look like, what roles students will play, what roles teachers will play, and how devices and digital resources fit into the picture.
Ensure that teachers are properly trained and prepared to embrace blended learning. Teachers must be comfortable using technology devices and digital resources in a blended learning environment, or else learning will not be successful.
“Teachers tend to teach like they were taught, and this is a huge issue” if high school graduates are expected to enter college and the workforce as globally competitive citizens, Imbriale said. If teachers are comfortable using digital resources and taking risks, students will reap the benefits. Higher education institutions must work to train teachers in this regard, as well.
Using digital resources such as social media can keep students engaged, reinforce lessons and concepts, and can reach students through communication methods they use in their personal lives. Students want to leverage emerging tools and digital resources to create personalized learning networks. In an untethered learning environment, students embrace learning that transcends classroom walls.
Blended learning tools and digital resources must work on multiple platforms if the school or district is device-agnostic.
Strengthen technology infrastructure so that it is able to adequately support devices and family and/or community access to digital resources. “We must vigorously move toward ensuring that all students have access to the tools and resources to be career- and workforce-ready,” Imbriale said.
A balance between access and safety also is key. “As we go through a blended learning experience and create personal experiences for students, how do we feel comfortable with students having socially-based learning experiences, using tools that they’re comfortable with, and also continue to maintain security and comfort?” Imbriale asked.
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