The Extended Classroom 2010-2015
Hi, I'm Aidan M. Roche, a second level teacher based in Wexford interested in exploring the potential of Blended Learning within the Irish education system. I am currently teaching maths and science and have been using blended learning with my classes since 2010.
In the current school year (2014/2015) each lesson that I have taught has been digitally recorded and shared with my students through their daily class blog. These blogs are a central component of the students subject website that contain curriculum targeted resources including assessment material, interactive activities, videos and summary notes.
In the current school year (2014/2015) each lesson that I have taught has been digitally recorded and shared with my students through their daily class blog. These blogs are a central component of the students subject website that contain curriculum targeted resources including assessment material, interactive activities, videos and summary notes.
The Extended Classroom: A new model of blended learning.
Blended learning, hybrid learning or flipped classroom describes a model of teaching/learning that uses a mixture of traditional face-to-face classroom methods with online teaching/learning. The Extended Classroom model of blended learning challenges current models proposing that for the teaching/learning to be called 'blended' most of the learning does not have to happen online.
Process: The Extended Classroom was the title of an Innovative Teaching and Learning Action Research project and masters thesis undertaken during the school year 2012/2013. The thesis gave an account of how blended learning was used with students in two senior cycle second level maths classes. In the Extended Classroom Model of Blended Learning traditional classroom teaching and learning was complemented with asynchronous digital resources that were created and shared by the teacher on a daily basis to progress students’ mathematical understanding. The creation and existence of these resources not only changed the students’ approach to learning outside of class time but it brought new challenges and pedagogical opportunities into the classroom.
Blended learning, hybrid learning or flipped classroom describes a model of teaching/learning that uses a mixture of traditional face-to-face classroom methods with online teaching/learning. The Extended Classroom model of blended learning challenges current models proposing that for the teaching/learning to be called 'blended' most of the learning does not have to happen online.
Process: The Extended Classroom was the title of an Innovative Teaching and Learning Action Research project and masters thesis undertaken during the school year 2012/2013. The thesis gave an account of how blended learning was used with students in two senior cycle second level maths classes. In the Extended Classroom Model of Blended Learning traditional classroom teaching and learning was complemented with asynchronous digital resources that were created and shared by the teacher on a daily basis to progress students’ mathematical understanding. The creation and existence of these resources not only changed the students’ approach to learning outside of class time but it brought new challenges and pedagogical opportunities into the classroom.
Rationale: Advances in technology and access to online educational resources have created new opportunities for teaching and learning. Even in the virtual absence of ICT funding and technical support many resources can be readily accessed to support blended learning. The National Digital Strategy (2013) imagines a future that embraces the possibilities of e-learning:
There are many positive outcomes associated with using online educational material that facilitate improvements to educational experience, such as: ... Allowing teachers to be more flexible and innovative in how they access and deliver the curriculum. Allowing schools to share resources and teachers access to global teaching aids. Engaging students more deeply through the use of online interactive content. Enabling the students to learn new skills. High levels of student engagement... Improved levels of confidence and ambition... Positive impact on student motivation. (National Digital Strategy, 2013, 34)
Resources: Online PC with data projector in the classroom with student access to the Internet outside of class-time. An Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) could be useful but there are effective affordable alternatives such as the use of a graphics tablet with IWB software.
Outcome: With the Extended Classroom accepted definitions of blended learning have been challenged and the door opened to new possibilities for teacher and students. This study has shown that innovations used in the Extended Classroom have positively impacted on the quality and speed of the course delivery, fostered positive student attitudes towards maths and independent learning which resulted in increased attainment and participation rates in higher-level maths. It suggests how ICT initiatives can become embedded in the teaching of maths with potential for wider application in second level maths education in Ireland.
There are many positive outcomes associated with using online educational material that facilitate improvements to educational experience, such as: ... Allowing teachers to be more flexible and innovative in how they access and deliver the curriculum. Allowing schools to share resources and teachers access to global teaching aids. Engaging students more deeply through the use of online interactive content. Enabling the students to learn new skills. High levels of student engagement... Improved levels of confidence and ambition... Positive impact on student motivation. (National Digital Strategy, 2013, 34)
Resources: Online PC with data projector in the classroom with student access to the Internet outside of class-time. An Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) could be useful but there are effective affordable alternatives such as the use of a graphics tablet with IWB software.
Outcome: With the Extended Classroom accepted definitions of blended learning have been challenged and the door opened to new possibilities for teacher and students. This study has shown that innovations used in the Extended Classroom have positively impacted on the quality and speed of the course delivery, fostered positive student attitudes towards maths and independent learning which resulted in increased attainment and participation rates in higher-level maths. It suggests how ICT initiatives can become embedded in the teaching of maths with potential for wider application in second level maths education in Ireland.
Create your own Extended Classroom
Create your website
We are in the age of Web 2.0. With web facilities such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Dropbox etc... creating and sharing content online doesn't require a a degree in computer science. Creating websites can be also easy and free. I use Weebly.com and would recommend it. To create your free website and start your own Extended Classroom click the link below.
Weebly.com
By scrolling to the bottom of the page you can indicate that you are an educator under the list of partners and avail of many premium features for free including being able to assign individual weeble websites to each of your students. See here youtu.be/v81nRa_W9Fk?t=49.
Useful free resources supporting blended learning
These are resources that I regularly use and would recommend.
Youtube is probably the single greatest online learning resource.
Dropbox
Edmodo
Quizlet
PBWorks
Khan Academy
We are in the age of Web 2.0. With web facilities such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Dropbox etc... creating and sharing content online doesn't require a a degree in computer science. Creating websites can be also easy and free. I use Weebly.com and would recommend it. To create your free website and start your own Extended Classroom click the link below.
Weebly.com
By scrolling to the bottom of the page you can indicate that you are an educator under the list of partners and avail of many premium features for free including being able to assign individual weeble websites to each of your students. See here youtu.be/v81nRa_W9Fk?t=49.
Useful free resources supporting blended learning
These are resources that I regularly use and would recommend.
Youtube is probably the single greatest online learning resource.
Dropbox
Edmodo
Quizlet
PBWorks
Khan Academy