Module 6 Video Link

Blended Learning is the combination of face to face and distance learning.  The challenge is to train students to be learners and teachers along with having instructor's also trained to be both learners and students sharing in the learning community.  I like the analogy in Dr. Moler's new book, "The Next Generation of Distance Education" He states that today's traditional model of education is the cattle approach where the learner is herded into a particular space and time to learn and then prodded along to reach the desired goal at the desired time. He continues with the analogy by saying, he new model of distance education is more of a watering hole approach where the teacher provides the space (watering hole) and the water (curriculum) for students to take what they need and move on when they are full (Moller, L. 2012).  The learners should not be bound by space and time but rather learning should be limitless.  The problem with education in the brick and motor module is that the design is for that of the industrial age of spitting out products (workers) that can function in the factory system of being at work at a specific time and at a specific location and doing repetitive work day in and day out.  The global economy needs different skills for the worker of the information and technology age and that is one that has 21st century skills of collaboration, communication, creative and innovative, and constructors of their own knowledge (21.org. (2010). The blended learning model is based upon that of the constructionist and the humanistic theory's of learning.  The constructionist theory holds that learners learn best when they construct their own learning by discovery and application.  The humanist theory holds that the individual is responsible for their own learning and they must be self motivated to learn.  Anderson holds that it is more important what the learner does with the the technology that what the instructor does with it. (Anderson, 2008).  In other words the learner must utilize technology to construct knowledge in the 21st century model.  According to the Department of Education the goal for changing education is to utilize technology for a blended learning environment (US Department of Education, 2011)).  The blended learning environment is the combination of face to face (F2F) and digital learning based upon digital learning online.  The effective model according to Dr Dede is one in which the teacher is the instructional coach who utilizes Web 2.0 tools to create individualized lessons that are onto bound by time and space of the brick or motor learning environment. He has created software called, "Time to Know" which is a comprehensive program to assist the teacher in  individualized blended learning. However, their is a cost factor and the program must be purchased by the school system.he blended learning technologies aid the teacher in promoting individualized instruction.  However, the open source software is lagging and this type of curriculum design is very time consuming for a single instructor of 30 to 40 students.   According to Dr. Christensen part of the problem of the transition to the blended learning model is the lack of cost effective software for distance learning.  Christensen proposes that by the sharing and collaboration of resources and the change in the competitiveness of learning education can disrupt the traditional learning environment by around 2014. (Christensen, 2008). The transition can occur if learners and teachers share both roles and collaboratively share in both success and failures without criticism.  The learning environments must be supportive of both success and failure.  The link to the following video is the presentation for the topic of  Blended Learning

References
Anderson, T. (Ed.). (2008). The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press

Christensen, C. M. (2008). Disruptively deploying computers. In Disrupting class: How disruptive innovations will change the way the world learns (pp. 89-119). New York, NY: McGraw Hill

Dede, C. & Richardson C. (2012) Digital Teaching Platforms:  customized instruction for all classroom  learners. New York. Teacher’ College Press, Columbia University.

Moller, L. & Huette, J. B. (2012) editors. The Next Generation of Distance Education. New York. Springer Science+Business

Commented to:

Latin Tech

Roger Williams

Synchronous Video Viewing Comments To:

Troy Gordon

Marie Anglin

Blended Learning