Blended Learning

From an educational perspective, blended learning is primarily focused on integrating the traditional face-to-face classroom environment and the self-directed online environment

What Can Blended Learning Look Like? Some blended learning teachers deliver most of the lessons in a traditional manner. They post due dates, reminders, homework assignments, class notes, and enrichment or remediation materials online. Students access this material mainly outside of class – before and after school, at lunch, on weekends and holidays, and while absent. Some blended learning teachers have a small bank of computers in their classrooms that can be accessed flexibly. Students may take turns using the computers, or they may work in pairs on some assignments. Teachers of split grades can have one grade access content and assignments online, while the other does group work or is taught a face-to-face lesson. Some blended learning teachers have access to a full mobile lab or teach in a computer lab. In such classes, teachers may deliver the majority of their lessons online, since there is a high ratio of students to computers. During class, teachers make observations, confer with students, and offer face-to-face instruction to those struggling with difficult concepts Blended Learning Spectrum

What do I need to know to teach a blended course? You need to know how to use a Learning Management System (LMS).

What is a Learning Management System (LMS)? A Learning Management System is an internet platform which lets you: –communicate and collaborate online –store information and create repositories with different access rights –create training materials, upload existing courses and train online –receive and mark your students’ assignments electronically –monitor your students’ performance and track their results.

LMS Tools Blogs Wikis News Podcasting Screencasts Discussion Groups Dropboxes Online quizzes Online tests Surveys Calendars Insert Videos Insert Audio Upload files

Desire 2 Learn (D2L) LMS In Ontario, blended learning may be conducted through the provincial learning management system (LMS), where students and teachers have access to: –Communication tools, such as the blog, pager, discussions, news, schedule, and e- mail tools. –Assessment tools, such as drop boxes, quizzes, and surveys. –Provincially-developed content which includes

125 Secondary courses packages

And 18 Elementary course packages

Course Previews To view the available content and get a feel for the LMS visit and login user the following: For Public Secondary courses: –userid: preview_public –pword: preview For all Elementary packages: –userid: preview_elementary –pword: preview

Benefits of using a LMS

How to Start?

Conclusion Blending Learning: The Convergence of Online and Face-to- Face Education; John Watson; NACOL By combining the benefits of online instruction with the advantages of face-to-face instruction, you might improve learning in your course in ways that are impossible to achieve using only face-to-face meetings or only online resources.

eLearning Homework Help Blended Learning Digital Resources (OERB-OSAPAC) Dale Beech eLearning Contact ext Contact Information

The use of computers and online learning in education requires a much larger shift in thinking than simply adding a few computers to classrooms. Truly blended learning requires that teachers approach their role differently, as guides and mentors instead of purveyors of information. Remember