5 Reasons to Implement Blended Learning

Written by: Charity Dodd
​charity@dsdpdcoaching.com 

Today’s global economy and the changing demands on the workforce require workers to be analytical, solve problems, creative and highly adaptable to change.  Educators cannot prepare students effectively for their futures through the ‘traditional” teaching model.  Schools and educators must change the way they instruct to prepare learners the changing landscape. ​

How can educators respond to the needs of learners to prepare them for their futures? ​

Blended learning strategies provides opportunities for educators to respond to the needs of our students and our society. For example, here are five reasons why we should implement blended learning in our schools. ​

1.  It is the way our kids learn.
Kids are coding through minecraft, producing their own videos and interacting with others online.  They are using #makerspaces to create and explore. When they want to learn how to do something, they go to YouTube to learn.  Our kids are learning in ways that we couldn’t have imagined and blended learning allows teachers to meet them where they are.

2. Prepares learners for real life.
Technology is changing the way we work.  Routine tasks are now digitized.  Workers in today’s economy must be able to communicate properly through technology, work effectively in teams, create solutions to problems and think critically.  Blended learning allows time for collaboration among learners, opportunities to connect globally to other classrooms.

​3.  Increases learner engagement.
When learners are interested in what they are learning, they stay engaged.  According to a Center for Digital Education study, over 70 percent of teachers employing blended learning for their classes saw improved enagement.  With the availability of digital tools, teachers can deliver instruction in different ways. Students learn through a variety of activities that meet their learning styles at their pace.

“The world doesn’t care what you know. What the world cares about is what you do with what you know.” - Tony Wagner ​

4.  Improves efficiency, feedback.
Blended learning allows teachers to maximize the time they have with learners.  Teachers have access to an abundance of resources. Teachers need to use these resources to analyze data on student learning. This process allows teachers to quickly assess student needs and to provide timely, effective feedback. Once this feedback occurs, students know exactly where they are in their learning.
With the implementation of digital content, teachers can assign adaptive technology assignments to learners to get immediate feedback while working closely with small groups or individual learners.  While a small group of learners are practicing skills through digital content, another small group of learners are applying what they learn by creating a product to show what they know.  In another part of the room, other learners are practicing skills independently while the teacher focuses on a small group to teach new content, re-teach content or provide feedback.
One teacher we work with was reluctant to try mini lessons with her high school Geometry class.  After encouragement and utilizing strategies we shared with her, she tried it.  After that class she said how much she loved meeting with each one of her 30 students because she’s never been able to do that through her traditional model of teaching.

5.  Makes learning fun and promotes student ownership.
​Interactive learning activities, interest-based projects and game-based learning makes learning fun for learners.  Choosing where to learn, who to learn with, and how they learn gives learners ownership. Students can begin to track their own learning to be accountable for their own learning.

Continue to learn about Blended Learning through our other blog post.