As I was driving home from the grocery store yesterday, I noticed a couple sitting on their porch enjoying the beauty of the pleasant 75 degree day. They were both on their iPhones. Yes, I am a proponent of stepping away from the device and enjoying real life interactions; however, I began to contemplate what they were actually using their phones for at that time. Were they reading a book? Were they browsing Twitter? Neither of these are NEW hobbies to enjoy on a nice day on the front porch. We have always taken ourselves away from human interaction at times to sit and enjoy catching up on the news or a good book. Now we just use a device. The same goes for today's classroom. Change can be difficult, but we cannot progress if we never change. Resistance to an updated instructional method is comparable to resistance to getting rid of floppy disks. Change is inevitable, but we must use that change to our advantage to progress forward. So the question is
why is updating instructional methods much more difficult to sell?
About a year ago, our 7th grade team began the transition to a blended learning, 1:1 iPad classroom. We were confronted with many changes that we were encouraged to begin implementing in our classroom. With many days of professional development, we slowly began to shift our thinking of what a 21st century classroom would look like. We had lofty thoughts of a complete change. However, after one year of transitioning to blended learning, I have realized blended learning is not swinging the educational pendulum completely to the other side, it is simply updating the pendulum. The flash drive and Cloud-based storage sites did not change the function of the floppy disk, they simply updated it. The function of education will always be based in learning, educating, and developing relationships; the method of delivery will just continue to be updated.
Blended learning isn't simply the addition of a device or piece of technology in the classroom. That assumption scares educators into thinking their position will become extinct. Blended learning, in my opinion, is the updating of instructional methods. I have reflected on the updates below.
Unit Planning vs. Lesson Planning
In the past, I have always planned individual lessons to achieve a goal at the end of the unit - a paper and pencil test. There was one lesson per day, with the occasional choice options. We moved on to the next lesson without pursuing further interests or slowing down for understanding. This year, we have switched to a different approach that seems to fit with blended learning. During PLC, we plan units. When we begin with the the enduring understandings, we can create and develop different paths for students to follow within the unit based on interest and skill level. When we have the bones of a unit planned, we can begin to look for areas where technology and devices will make the process more efficient. Although it takes more time upfront, unit planning allows for the teacher to facilitate during the unit as opposed to the "stand and deliver" method.
Grading vs. Feedback
Assessment has always been my "needs improvement" area. I have struggled with fitting blended learning into a traditional grade book. The reason being - it does not work. We must update the assessment model if we update the instructional model. As I explained with unit planning, students tend to take unique, individualized paths within a unit, and this does not fit into a "one assignment - one grade" assessment tool. My goal for next year is to focus solely on immediate and targeted feedback through the use of various technology tools. Through the use of focused tasks and rubrics, teachers can provide students with the individualized feedback they need versus simply assigning a B to a certain assignment. Does a B tell a student that their content was advanced, but their conventions lacked refinement? To see student growth, we must structure our assessment model with time for feedback and revision.
Whole Group Teaching vs. Alternating Classroom Structures
In the past, I have found myself up in front of my students giving a generic lesson while they all look on and soak it in. Because that's what they are doing 100% of the time, right? Soaking it ALL in? Not so much. As a middle school teacher, I know there is a need for variety within my instructional methods and plans. There is a time and place for lecture; lecture is not always a bad thing. TED Talks are lectures, and they are engaging and informative. However, if I had to watch a TED Talk every day, 5 times a day, for 180 days straight, I might lose it. Blended learning has allowed me to experiment with different classroom structures to reach each student on their level. Whether it be learning centers, station rotations, simulations, or self-directed learning units, classrooms should consistently utilize different structures within the school year. Technology has allowed this to become much easier because it multiplies the teacher within the classroom.
Traditional Resources vs. Technology Resources
When I have a question or a curiosity, the first place I usually go to is Google. I often say to my husband that I cannot imagine having to go to the library or consult an encyclopedia every time I wondered something. We live in a world of information overload, and at times it can be daunting (especially when one uses the vast World Wide Web to consult a medical question). However, we must not ignore the obvious. We have any sort of answer to a question at our finger tips, and we
should use this. Yes, even Wikipedia. In a blended learning classroom, traditional resources are not always the best option anymore. I searched for a timeline app, and I was confronted with many options. We do not need flash cards anymore to study with the multiple flash card apps. If students are staring at a device more often than we like, then we should enter that realm and use it to our advantage. This update is not always an immediate shift. I learned this as the year went on. I wanted to adjust every resource to a technology/digital resource, but as I learned, it has to be a slowed down process, but a process nonetheless.
Teacher Centered Classroom vs. Student Centered Classroom
Ultimately, the goal in the classroom is to have the students learning, creating, questioning, and problem solving. This is not possible if the teacher makes all the decisions. I have learned there is a definite value in structure; a student centered classroom does not mean a free for all. However, a student centered classroom should give students a voice to what and how they want to learn. After my three short years of teaching with more of a traditional style, this has also been a shift for me. Letting go of control can be tricky, but after seeing student engagement increase, I know it's the right shift. I can now facilitate students and instruct small groups as needed. I have more time to develop relationships as I am working with smaller number of students than the entire class at one time. I no longer come to work to be stared at all day long. My goal is for my students to develop life skills as well as content, and by making my classroom student centered, the 21st century skills fit naturally.
This year has been a learning experience, and it also has solidified my philosophy of what education should look like. As with most change, there were struggles. However, if I give up after each struggle, progress will never happen. Progress does not automatically come when change occurs, so it is up to us as educators to take risks, experiment, and reflect to have these changes benefit our classrooms and ultimately, our students. As I have been told, the pendulum always shifts in education, but I truly believe this is not a shift. I believe blended learning is simply an update. A much needed update.
