Blended Learning
Throughout the coursework in the ADL program, I’ve discovered many iterations of a significant learning environment. For example, in Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools, Horn and Staker (2014) provide four models for blended learning. These models include rotation, flex, self-blended, and enriched-virtual models. Furthermore, within the rotation model Horn and Staker (2014) present four more models: Station-rotation, lab-rotation, flipped-classroom, and individual-rotation models. Each of these sub-models presents an easy way to create a blended environment in a traditional school environment.
The Cloud
In his TED Talk Build a School in the Cloud, Mitra (2013) paints a picture of students who use a computer to teach themselves. Through collaboration and encouragement, these students could learn concepts far above normal grade-level expectations in spite of the fact that they were learning in a different language. There are so many ways to provide choice, ownership, and voice through authentic environments, and traditional school has barely scraped the surface.
Multi-faceted Approach
From a teaching perspective, there are also many ways to provide significant learning environments to learners. Through my innovation project, Paperless Office, Paperless District (Stateler, 2021), I propose a top-down model of an office environment to “digitize paper processes and streamline current digital processes.” I have colleagues who plan to incorporate other pieces of blended learning, such as ePortfolios, micro-credentialing, maker spaces, and more.
The key is collaboration.
It’s no Secret that School isn’t Meeting our Needs
The RSA Animate: Changing Education Paradigms (Stephenson & Park, 2010) reminds us again that school, as it is, models the interests and image of industrialization. Specifically, this includes the production line, bells, batching students, schedules, conformity, and standardization. To illustrate this, I’ve written several blogs about our education system not working in a way to support our unknown future or current student population:
Square Pegs in Round Holes – From the Industrial Model to a Global Ecosystem
From Cog to Metacognition: My Story
As Stephenson and Park (2010) continue their thoughts, they say that we need to meet our students’ unknown future, we need to move in the opposite direction of our industrial model. This is the only way we can build our student’s capacity for divergent thinking and creativity. In order to do this, we have to “think differently about human capacity,” by moving away from fixed-mindset labels (Stephenson & Park, 2010). We must also encourage collaboration over competition. Finally, we must break the habits of the institution. Only then can we move away from this system that is no longer serving our needs as a community.
Good Ideas rely on Collaboration
Most great ideas happen in groups. Steven Johnson (2010) outlines the slow process of idea combinations through collaboration:
- Slow hunches: Breakthrough ideas almost never come in a sudden stroke of innovation. On the contrary, they spend a long time dormant in the background. Good ideas are the collision of smaller hunches (Johnson, 2010).
- The need to “collide with other hunches” and we should “create systems to allow hunches to come together and create something bigger than the sum of their parts” (Johnson, 2010).
- Good ideas increase through connectivity. In fact, the evolution and innovation of technology and science increased rapidly as globalization has come to fruition (Johnson, 2010). We need one another to “find the missing pieces to complete the idea we’re working on” (Johnson, 2010).
In the Spirit of Collaboration
Collaboration also includes sharing ideas. We are in a unique period of change and information overload. While it may seem distracting and overwhelming, if we can create a space to connect and time to reflect in significant learning environments, we can combat the overload. One method of connecting includes reading and publishing journal articles. As I consider the path I want to take, I recognize that my smaller peer group and I will probably publish together. However, as I think through the options individually, these are my top choices:
Why: Homeschooling isn’t bound by the same structure and rules that education systems are bound by. There is much more freedom to experiment with blended learning, cloud computing, and significant environments.
Why: This is almost the exact opposite of the first two I chose. That is to say, it is a very well-known organization. To be honest, I actually even belonged to ASCD in the past!
Why: Their readership includes instructional designers, educators corporate trainers, and managers. In addition, their readers know that eLearning is a growing and interesting field. This might be the best choice for my small team since we all teach adult learners.
Why: Accessibility for all! Edutopia is a free resource, so our article would be free to read.
What is your plan?
References
Horn, M. B., Staker, H., & Christensen, C. M. (2014). Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools. Wiley.
Johnson, S. (2010, September 17). Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson. YouTube. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://youtu.be/NugRZGDbPFU
Mitra, S. (2013, February 27). Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud. YouTube. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3jYVe1RGaU
Paperless Office, Paperless District. (2021, October). Karin Stateler, Cookies ‘N Cache. https://karinstateler.com/?page_id=95Stephenson, A., & Park, A. (2010, October 14). RSA Animate: Changing Education Paradigms. YouTube. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://youtu.be/zDZFcDGpL4U