Necessity is the mother of invention.  We heard from a MS math teacher and a MS engineering class teacher at an all girls’ school.  The latter undertook blended learning to beat the bell schedule.  The schedule did not prpovide sufficient time to saw and hammer and build so they took all the content out of the classroom and online.

In these 2 schools, students use this platform to share.  For example, students video record to explain how to do a math problem.  Through this process, the math teacher usually met the entire family throughout the school year as they would occassionally appear on student videos.  e.g. a MS girl  showed herself teaching her young brother andcousin the math problem.

Both teachers said to focus the classroom time on things that are better to do in groups or with each other.  Use the time to teach kids to work collaboratively with each other.

For example in the engineering class they designed and built solar ovens how to take a hands on learing into blended learning? (5th grade)  Learning online (need to know about solor energy and photovltaic  is b4 building solar oven).  Girls wouls learn and respond online. Teacher started to hear from kids they never heard in class.  Increased their engagement.  Kids would stop teachers around campus and discuss project and online learning.  Familiies got involved with discussions.  Kids started doing own research online.

The teacher used Wiley E. Coyote and other You Tube videos to help learning at the interest level of 5th grade teaches.  Video submssions – not sure would get this from kids in classroom.  Takes lot of time to view videos so ts a balancing act.  On the other end, teachers should keep their vidoes  short – what do they really need to know?  Hardest thing for teachers is not to create 4-hr video.  lots of tings out there -take advantagre of mulit media to help kids learn and retain.  use You Tube.  don’t just recreate classroom online.

Lot of time in the summer spent in by teachers but once created – it’s start up cost.  You can improve next year but foundatin is there.

todaysmeet.com/naisblended