1 A Blended Learning Environment: Using Technology to Create a Wall-less Brick & Mortar Classroom Sandy Anaka Jill French

2 Who Are We? Sandy Anaka

3 Jill French Masters of Educational Technology through UBC (2005) Masters of Educational Technology through UBC (2005) Masters of Educational Technology Masters of Educational Technology I teach grade 5 using a blended environment I teach grade 5 using a blended environmentgrade 5 grade 5 guiding questions: why, how, when, and which technology best supports my students’ learning (high/low) guiding questions: why, how, when, and which technology best supports my students’ learning (high/low)why, how, when, and whichhigh/lowwhy, how, when, and whichhigh/low goal: to use technology purposefully & seamlessly throughout the day goal: to use technology purposefully & seamlessly throughout the day

4 What is a blended learning environment? one definition….. face-to-face + computer mediated learning (Charles Graham) face-to-face + computer mediated learning (Charles Graham)Charles GrahamCharles Graham wikipedia (check) wikipedia (check) wikipedia

5 Goals for this Presentation to briefly explain why using technology in diverse ways is important to briefly explain why using technology in diverse ways is important to demonstrate practical methods of how you can gradually shift towards increasing your use of technology to demonstrate practical methods of how you can gradually shift towards increasing your use of technology to provide numerous support links to help you with this gradually shift to provide numerous support links to help you with this gradually shift This presentation is available online at

6 Why use digital technology in the classroom? changes is society changes is society online Connectivity Conference 2007 online Connectivity Conference 2007 changes in learning changes in learning leads to some changes in teaching practices leads to some changes in teaching practices

7 Why…. Benefits We Have Noticed increased engagement levels increased engagement levels easier access to experts easier access to experts transparency of learning (support material, daybook etc) transparency of learning (support material, daybook etc) supports independent learning (e.g. wiki) supports independent learning (e.g. wiki) provides diverse types of reading (e.g. instructions, information) provides diverse types of reading (e.g. instructions, information) provides new ways to learn about your students and to inform your teaching (blog) provides new ways to learn about your students and to inform your teaching (blog) easy access for me easy access for me provides new ways to teach, model, extend student learning provides new ways to teach, model, extend student learning

8 Why…. Supports Synchronous Learning synchronous: information or learning occurring at a specific time synchronous: information or learning occurring at a specific time examples: examples: Elluminate ( e.g. V-class ) free for 3 participants Elluminate ( e.g. V-class ) free for 3 participants Elluminate benefits: benefits: ideas and thoughts can be exchanged immediately ideas and thoughts can be exchanged immediately

9 Why…. Supports Asynchronous Learning asynchronous: information and learning not dependent on a specific time asynchronous: information and learning not dependent on a specific time examples: examples: video cams (San Diego Zoo) video cams (San Diego Zoo)San Diego ZooSan Diego Zoo current events (CBC news) current events (CBC news)CBC newsCBC news follow a researcher (Catt Trax 2 ) follow a researcher (Catt Trax 2 )Catt Trax 2Catt Trax 2 conference session video conference session videovideo benefits: benefits: information accessed at own convenience information accessed at own convenience

10 How…. Slowly, inch by inch Table showing traditional small change Table showing traditional small change

11 How… Daybook Online interactive daily schedule interactive daily schedule example daily schedule example daily scheduledaily scheduledaily schedule benefits benefits schedule is archived schedule is archived accessible to parents (homework, child away) accessible to parents (homework, child away)homework accessible to teacher to revisit a lesson accessible to teacher to revisit a lessonlesson accessible to students to revisit a lesson accessible to students to revisit a lesson

12 How… Cross Curricular holistic instruction holistic instruction for example: for example: CattTrax2: BC researcher exploring global connection i.e. economic, environmental (project) CattTrax2: BC researcher exploring global connection i.e. economic, environmental (project)project benefits: benefits: constructed knowledge (wiki) constructed knowledge (wiki)wiki non-linear learning non-linear learning

13 Language Arts vocabulary vocabulary: easy access for daily vocabulary building vocabulary: easy access for daily vocabulary building for example: for example: vocabulary building Daily Buzz Word vocabulary building Daily Buzz WordDaily Buzz WordDaily Buzz Word benefits: benefits: dynamic: new word daily dynamic: new word daily social construction social construction

14 Language Arts mini-lessons access to mini lessons quickly & efficiently access to mini lessons quickly & efficiently example: example: mini-lessons online mini-lessons online mini-lessons spelling rules spelling rules spelling rules spelling rules benefits: benefits: students can access at any time students can access at any time teacher faces students, easily monitoring participation level teacher faces students, easily monitoring participation level minimal time used to access, discuss lessons minimal time used to access, discuss lessons

15 Language Arts assignments example: example: novel study novel study novel study novel study story writing story writing story writing story writing benefits: benefits: enhances the ability to explain the activity (hyperlinks provide further information) enhances the ability to explain the activity (hyperlinks provide further information) can be linked to mini-lessons chapter summaries can be linked to mini-lessons chapter summarieschapter summarieschapter summaries exhibit work e.g. student stories exhibit work e.g. student storiesstudent storiesstudent stories

16 French Teaching French can also be supported with interactive sites Teaching French can also be supported with interactive sites examples: examples: support teaching (resources, lesson plans) support teaching (resources, lesson plans)resourceslesson plansresourceslesson plans support learning (resources) support learning (resources)resources benefits: benefits: online pronunciation (essential phrases) online pronunciation (essential phrases)essential phrasesessential phrases

17 Science Sturgeon Recovery Project real life, current and relevant science units real life, current and relevant science units example: example: Sturgeon Unit Sturgeon Unit Sturgeon Unit Sturgeon Unit benefits: benefits: current, relevant text can provide the information Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative current, relevant text can provide the information Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery InitiativeWhite Sturgeon Recovery White Sturgeon Recovery connections to local field trip opportunity connections to local field trip opportunitylocal field trip local field trip review material e.g. Jeopardy review material e.g. JeopardyJeopardy

18 Science & Social Studies access current scientific research access current scientific research examples: examples: Catt-Trax2 Catt-Trax2 Catt-Trax2 Units with goals, vocabulary, assignments, and support links online Units with goals, vocabulary, assignments, and support links online Units benefits: benefits: real-life, current research real-life, current research relevant relevant constructed knowledge (wiki) constructed knowledge (wiki)wiki networks students with global issues networks students with global issues

19 Math supporting students’ learning in math supporting students’ learning in math examples: examples: visualization tools (addition with regrouping) visualization tools (addition with regrouping)addition math term definitions math term definitionsdefinitions post lessons and quizzes online post lessons and quizzes onlinelessonsquizzeslessonsquizzes see the ‘story in data’ weekly graph see the ‘story in data’ weekly graphweekly graphweekly graph pie charts or a variety Create a Graph pie charts or a variety Create a Graph pie charts pie charts pie charts compared to other graphs pie charts compared to other graphsother graphsother graphs

20 Math continued benefits: benefits: instruction: diverse tools instruction: diverse tools helps address different learning styles: visual learners helps address different learning styles: visual learners access by students and parents at any time access by students and parents at any time practice from concrete mid to abstract practice from concrete mid to abstractconcrete midabstractconcrete midabstract

21 Fine Arts supporting our Fine Arts content supporting our Fine Arts content for example: for example: music (theory, how to play, class music) music (theory, how to play, class music) music theoryhow to playclass music theoryhow to playclass music Drama (Readers’ Theater) Drama (Readers’ Theater)Readers’ TheaterReaders’ Theater visual arts lessons visual arts lessonslessons benefits: benefits: provides support material provides support material supports independent learning supports independent learning

22 Examples from the Classroom e-journals e-journals e-journals story writing story writing French: Preparing for an Immersion Class French: Preparing for an Immersion Class Show What You Know: representing new knowledge Show What You Know: representing new knowledge Show What You Know Show What You Know Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation Socially Constructed Knowledge Socially Constructed Knowledge wiki “comesee” wiki “comesee” wikicomesee wikicomesee blog “Northern Muses” blog “Northern Muses”Northern MusesNorthern Muses

23 Technology Used to Support These Activities Hardware SMART Board SMART Board digital projector digital projector Computers ComputersSoftware All The Right Type All The Right Type Macromedia Dreamweaver Macromedia Dreamweaver Elluminate (free access online) Elluminate (free access online) MS Word (we originally used OpenOffice) MS Word (we originally used OpenOffice)OpenOffice Other Internet Internet web space (our FirstClass provides this) web space (our FirstClass provides this) Blogger ( Blogger ( pbwiki ( pbwiki ( Jeopardy (How to create a Jeopardy Power Point) Jeopardy (How to create a Jeopardy Power Point) Jeopardy

24 Further Resources Learning Theories Learning Theories Instructional Strategies Instructional Strategies

25 Resources continued Other Professional Development links (more on Jill’s site) Other Professional Development links (more on Jill’s site) Other Professional Development Other Professional Development Tutorials Tutorials Blended Learning Environment (video) Blended Learning Environment (video)video

26 Resources continued Social Networking Tools Global Learning Communities Global Learning Communities Curriki Curriki Taking it Global Taking it Global Learning Circles (video clip) Learning Circles (video clip) clip clip Global Campaign for the right to Education Global Campaign for the right to Education more………. more……….

27 Social Networking Tools Technology software available online Technology software available online SMART Technologies Elluminate: Wiki: open-source software moodle: open-source software Blogging: open-source software Blogger.com

28 Social Networking Tools continued Questions & Answers: Teacher Magazine hosted this chat with Will Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms and founder of Connective Learning. Questions & Answers: Teacher Magazine hosted this chat with Will Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms and founder of Connective Learning.chat

29 Online Technology Newsletters This link will take to a list of online newsletters, journals etc. This link will take to a list of online newsletters, journals etc. Resources OnlineResources Online (put in the actual address) Resources Online

30 Ideas in Practice working with the experts: Virtual Astronomy working with the experts: Virtual AstronomyVirtual AstronomyVirtual Astronomy Pro D Connectivity global conference (52 countries, 1000 registered participants) at home: University of Manitoba Pro D Connectivity global conference (52 countries, 1000 registered participants) at home: University of ManitobaConnectivity daily technology use (example from Jill’s class) daily technology use (example from Jill’s class) daily technology use daily technology use Why use technology in the classroom? Why use technology in the classroom? a summary (continually evolving) a summary (continually evolving)summary

31 If you are interested in anything you have seen and would like support from a peer, please Sandy at or me at and I will try to provide the help you need. If you are interested in anything you have seen and would like support from a peer, please Sandy at or me at and I will try to provide the help you need.