IMPACT OF BLENDED LEARNING

Researcher:

Supervisor:

Muhammad Amir

Dr. Muhammad Shakir

IN THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE

OF MASTERS OF PHILOSOPHY (M.PHIL. EDUCATION)

Session: 2015-2017

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The Islamia University of

Bahawalpur

CONTENTS

Blended Learning____________________________________________________

A Schoolwide Approach_______________________________________________

Procedure______________________________________________

Planning a Blended Curriculum_________________________________________

Target One Grade Level at a Time______________________________________

Set Goals for Each Class______________________________________________

Face-to-Face Mode__________________________________________________

Plan for Resources and Access_________________________________________

References___________________________________________________

Blended Learning
A Schoolwide Approach
Blended learning is a core part of P.K. Yonge Developmental Research
School. Since 2010, the school has taken a schoolwide approach to integrating
digital content as part of their instructional framework. Driven by changes already
happening at the higher education levels and the need to prepare students for the
21st century workplace, blended learning provides the school with a variety of ways
to address student needs, differentiate instruction, and provide teachers with data for
instructional decision-making.
P. K. Yonge views blended learning as the combination of digital content and
activity with face-to-face content and activity. It looks very different in each class at
the school. When a teacher has an activity that works well face-to-face, there isn't
any reason to look for a digital replacement. If they can find something digital that is
more effective or efficient, then that is implemented.
P.K. Yonge administrators knew it would be a challenge for their teachers,
many of whom were adverse to learning new technologies, or didnt have the time to
think about how to implement it in their classroom. Blended learning requires both
the time and a willingness to learn new things. But the benefits of doing the work
seem to far outweigh the challenges. Four years later, P.K. Yonge has almost 20
classes that have transitioned into a blended learning model.
Getting started on using the technology or transitioning curriculum can be
intimidating for some teachers. Many teachers at P.K. Yonge recommended finding
another teacher to buddy up with through the process, and to help support one
another.

Procedure
Planning a Blended Curriculum
In partnership with the University of Florida, P.K. Yonge designed a summer
institute that would give teachers the time and resources to think about blended
learning. At the institute, teachers had an opportunity to dig into what blended
learning was and how to rebuild their course. They also had the support of graduate
students from the University of Florida, who helped them to find and build content. In
time, teachers learned the tools and technologies on their own. While most schools
won't be able to host a summer program to plan and train teachers, the same
planning principles can be used in any school.
The institute itself was designed in a blended learning format. Teachers did
different kinds of activities, sometimes meeting face to face and sometimes online.
This provided the chance to experience blended learning in similar ways as their
students.

Target One Grade Level at a Time

P. K. Yonge decided it would make sense to start by systematically targeting
one entire grade level, rather than a smattering of teachers and students across the
many different grades. They chose the ninth grade as a place to start because it is
the start of high school, and they could roll up or down into the other grade levels
from there.

Set Goals for Each Class

Interested teachers were asked to fill out a proposal with the ideas they had
for transitioning their curriculum. Teachers were asked to think specifically about why
they wanted a blended learning environment and what gaps it could address in the
classroom.

Some of the needs teachers had were to provide students with differentiated
instruction, to find quick and easy ways to do formative assessment, and to give
students access to content 24/7.
Teachers were then asked how those gaps could be filled, what units in their
curriculum they could possibly see as blended learning units, and to propose a
timeline for the project. Finally, teachers were asked to define specific deliverables
for their course. All of this helped build the ownership that was necessary for
teachers to really want to do this work.

Face-to-Face Mode
One of the key components of blended learning is to identify what is already
working well in your classroom, and what might be better suited as digital content.
Teachers need to know that by adding digital content, it doesnt mean throwing out
all the direct instruction in the classroom. Keep what is working well in a face-to-face
mode, and add what could be more effective in a digital format.
Deliverables differed from teacher to teacher depending on the content area.
Some teachers overhauled an entire unit of their course, others focused on creating
assessments for learning and putting those in place, while others took a more
general approach and decided to transition all their handouts into a digital format so
they were more accessible.
It is important to start with some deliverables that are manageable, and then
keep adding new components over the year, or even next few years.

Plan for Resources and Access

Two crucial things to think about before you start are what kinds of resources
your school already has, and what kind of access students will have to the
technology necessary for a blended learning course. P.K. Yonge has been committed
to providing computers for its students, and has about 800 available on campus.
However, while some teachers have 25 computers in their classroom, others only
have a few Ipads. The school also extended its library hours, so that students could
access it every day before school and until 5:30 pm afterschool.

References
https://blended.online.ucf.edu/about/what-is-blended-learning