Hybrid or Blended Learning

With the integration of 1:1 technology presenting classroom management and instructional delivery challenges, converting to a blended or hybrid class can be a viable solution. The secret is to view the transition for what it is: a process. The great thing is that the popularity of blended instruction, as well as the research that supports the method as more effective than face-to-face traditional classroom or online, makes professional development options easy to find. A great introduction to the topic will take place during the Twitter #MichEd chat Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014. Co-moderator, Chris Stanley, will share his experiences in his 3rd year as a hybrid class instruction. The chat will be built around Chris' recent blog post on the topic: "Teaching in the Hybrid Class". As always I am willing to support you at whatever step you are at in this process. Below are some suggested tools that could support blended learning.

Featured iPad Apps

The best apps for your class are the ones that allow students to participate, access and create based upon your content. As we continue to find the right tools for the job, students and teachers will use different tools. One way to take advantage of the iPad app display is to use the built in feature that allows any website that you choose to be placed on your screen as an app. 

Maximizing Google       

One of the Google Apps that is often overlooked is Google+ communities. There are a number of ways for educators to use this tool: from communication with students or groups to developing professional learning networks. Are you the only Physics teacher in the school? There is a community that will connect you with other Physics teachers around the state, country or even the world. ETML has some helpful blog posts to get you started: "Everything Teachers Need to Know About Google Plus" and  "10 Google Plus Communities for Educators".

Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform   

When transitioning to a blended or hybrid classroom, the platform from which you deliver content is a critical decision. There are pros and cons to the various platforms we use, as addressed in this article in a previous post. Here are some considerations for the advantages of developing your content in a Moodle Course:

• Pre-packaged lessons and units can be added with ease (such as content from Florida Virtual Courses, ReadWell Units from the WriteWell Curriculum, and teacher created materials from Michigan Learns Online.
• While there is a learning curve, you never reach a limit to what your platform allows as you continue to build your skills and practice.
• As a true learning management system, students are prepared when they reach college and University as many courses (not just blended or online) use a learning management system.
• I am here to help! In addition to videos, help docs and experience, I can assist you virtually or with scheduled PD. 

Twitter Friday Follow 

Chris Stanley, who will co-moderate the #miched chat on Wednesday, April 2nd, has been part of the hybrid course implementation at Fraser High School for the past 3 years. His tweets highlight success in his classroom, blog posts, and beneficial articles. 

Library News

Choice book projects are a great way for students to be exposed to content area concepts, meet the reading requirements for college readiness standards and explore topics of personal interest. This is a great way to extend content area learning. Consider booking collaboration time to create a project or assignment rubric. April breaks will make the month pass quickly! Let's start planning today.

iPads can be a great tool for an independent reading project. Students can choose digital books or create projects. The article "23 iPad Alternatives to the Book Report" is a good place to begin.