What Does Blended Learning Look Like in your School?

What is blended learning? Are we truly blending learning in our region? Yes we are! Below are examples of Michael B. Horn - The Christensen Institute’s blended learning models that are taking place across our region, and quite successfully! 

Models of Blended Learning	Model Schools in C-A Region
Rotation Model Classrooms that rotate among learning modalities, with at least one of which is online learning.   Example: Click here for Randolph CSD’s recognized Blended Learning Mode	Many Cattaraugus & Allegany County elementary classroom stations
Flex Model Schools utilizing online Unit & Credit Recovery or digital content for AIS / RtI in computer labs   Click here to see the full list of Credit Recovery course opportunities.	Allegany-Limestone Hinsdale Cattaraugus Little Valley Olean Cuba Rushford Pioneer ​Genesee Valley
A la Carte Model Students take an entire course online while attending school.  These courses may be taught by a teacher online, and the course is monitored by an in-district Teacher of Record or CABOCES Online DL Teachers: Justine Lombardi and Christina McGee. Click here to see the full list of online course opportunities.	Andover Hinsdale Bolivar Richburg Olean Cattaraugus Little Valley Pioneer Ellicottville Portville Fillmore Randolph Franklinville Salamanca Friendship Scio Genesee Valley ​West Valley
Enriched Virtual Model Students are required to take a course face-to-face two days a week, but are allowed to do the rest of the work online from wherever they prefer.   Example:  DL VideoConference Courses	​Genesee Community College Sociology/Psychology T/Th face-to-face through videoconference & one hour online   Andover, Belfast, Fillmore, Friendship,  Hinsdale and Scio

While blended learning began in simple applications to serve students in situations where there was no other alternative, it has grown exponentially over the past ten years in the Cattaraugus Allegany region, where our region is recognized as the leader in online learning in New York State BOCES regions!  

Michael B Horn’s and Heather Staker’s book, Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools, lays out the process in a useful level of detail making it a must read for educators that want to take full advantage of tech-enabled learning. Staker shared, "I feel deeply sad when I see how many children do not have equal opportunities to high-quality schools. It's wrong that in a rich country with universal public education, zip code determines quality." But she feels fortunate to be living through the learning revolution where internet connectivity and personalized learning is “decimating old constructs about who gets what and introducing a new paradigm of shared access to the best learning experiences, regardless of geography.” (Education Week article - http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_innovation/2014/09/blended_a_conversation_with_michael _horn_heather_staker.html)
What educational “trend” do you think is helping students? Is there a trend that is getting in the way of learning? Michael B. Horn adds, “Online learning, particularly in blended learning schools, gives students more and more ownership of their learning, this is a big deal as it can allow schools to individualize for each student’s unique learning needs.” (http://dailyedventures.com/index.php/2012/11/08/michael-horn/)
How do these online learning opportunities benefit students? Danielle, from Allegany- Limestone, replied, “I wish that I could have studied this way from the beginning of the year. When I’m in a classroom with people, I get distracted, but using APEX is great. The program is really straightforward. It tells me exactly what I need to know. Some days I let it read to me and sometimes I read myself. I came from Pennsylvania and the work was harder and my Biology class was in a different place and the online class is helping me.”
To learn more about successful blended learning models in schools, join CA BOCES in an Online/Digital Learning Showcase, where you can ask questions and view demos of 7 different online solutions for:

• Credit Recovery (Apex Learning) - for improved graduation rates / PE medical leaves
• Credit Accrual / Electives (Edgenuity) - for student interest pathways to deepen student transcripts
• Middle School online content (Spider Learning) - for AIS / RtI
• Elementary online content (OHM Learning Network) - for blended learning centers / station rotation
• College and Career Readiness (Edmentum/EdOptions/Plato) - offering a wide range of Career & Tech courses
• Online Tutoring (iTutor) - for homebound students

​For more information about Digital Learning Day on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at CABOCES Olean Center Conference Rooms, go to: http://dev.caboces.org/iss/calendar/2017-04. 

By:  Betsy Hardy, CA BOCES Distance Learning