Today is a rare day in my office, working on a bunch of odds and ends. I wrapped up some details for a summer workshop that will be featuring a national presenter. I organized some notes for a blended learning training. And I even finished reading a book that has been lying on my desk for a couple of weeks. The presenter to which I referred and the author of that book are the same person, Catlin Tucker. Years ago, Catlin embarked on a change in her instruction when she realized that traditional teaching, by itself, was no longer working with her students.
Thinking about Catlin coming to Kearney this summer also got me thinking a lot about change. With the election being over, most people are happy for the change in news coverage and campaign ads! However, many people are wondering what the change in leadership will bring to their lives, this country and this world. That could be said no matter which candidate had emerged the victor.
But another reason that I was thinking about change was in education. Like it or not, we are teaching different kids than we were 20, 10, even 5 years ago! Our kids are immersed in technology and social media. They know how to use devices to solve problems, find information, learn a new skill, create videos, organize their lives, and communicate with friends. Their ability to do those things should not be checked at the door because they have entered a classroom. Yet in many cases that is what happens. Whether it be due to the comfort level and technology skills of the teacher or just the fear of change, the classroom hasn't always kept up with world.
In the last several weeks I have had the honor of visiting some classrooms where real change has taken place! ESU 10 has four schools in the NeBlendED Initiative Pilot: Wood River, Elm Creek, Broken Bow, and Litchfield. Teachers in three other schools--Gibbon, Cozad and Gothenburg--are doing some blended learning piloting on their own! It has been amazing to see the shift from traditional teacher-centered classrooms to student-centered classrooms! In these environments, students have choice and ownership in their learning paths, including where and how they learn. They also have choice in how they demonstrate mastery to their teachers. Engagement is high! And when I visited with some of the students, the learning was evident!
Technology use does not equal blended learning. However, technology can be the driver of the transformation to a blended environment. Blended teachers utilize technology to assess students and quickly provide feedback, then make instructional decisions based on that data. When used in stations, technology can free up the teacher, allowing for opportunities for him or her to work with small groups of learners, thus maximizing the teacher-student interactions. At the same time, the technology stations also provide opportunities for students to create, think critically, collaborate and communicate. In addition, technology can help students access content, often with choice and differentiation for more personal learning paths. All of these benefits of technology were evident in the classrooms which I visited this month!
Yes, change is hard. And transforming a classroom from traditional to blended takes work. And time. I know teachers do not have enough time. But if they could see what I saw and hear what I heard in the last few weeks, they would know that the work and sacrifice is worth it! And those teachers who have broken through those barriers and made the shift in their classrooms will testify to that! They will also say that sometimes it is hard and it may not always be pretty, but change is good! (most of the time!)
Technology use does not equal blended learning. However, technology can be the driver of the transformation to a blended environment. Blended teachers utilize technology to assess students and quickly provide feedback, then make instructional decisions based on that data. When used in stations, technology can free up the teacher, allowing for opportunities for him or her to work with small groups of learners, thus maximizing the teacher-student interactions. At the same time, the technology stations also provide opportunities for students to create, think critically, collaborate and communicate. In addition, technology can help students access content, often with choice and differentiation for more personal learning paths. All of these benefits of technology were evident in the classrooms which I visited this month!
Yes, change is hard. And transforming a classroom from traditional to blended takes work. And time. I know teachers do not have enough time. But if they could see what I saw and hear what I heard in the last few weeks, they would know that the work and sacrifice is worth it! And those teachers who have broken through those barriers and made the shift in their classrooms will testify to that! They will also say that sometimes it is hard and it may not always be pretty, but change is good! (most of the time!)