This document provides an overview of blended learning from the perspective of Dr. Rob Darrow, the Director of Member Services at iNACOL. It discusses definitions of blended learning, examples of blended learning models that range from more teacher-centered to more student-centered. It also provides examples of what blended learning looks like from the perspectives of teachers and students, with the content and location varying along the continuum. Joining iNACOL is encouraged for those interested in online and blended learning.

1. What does it look like to be a
Blended Learning Teacher?
Dr. Rob Darrow
Director, Member Services
January 2013
Presentation: robdarrow.wikispaces.com
www.inacol.org

2. Introductions
• Me: Director of Member Services,
iNACOL, former online school principal
(Clovis Unified in Central Ca), father of a
22-year-old
– My online and blended learning journey
• You: teachers? Administrators? K-6? 7-
12? Librarians? District?

3. Who is iNACOL? www.inacol.org
• Educators, policy makers, researchers,
non-profits, for-profits, support staff,
teachers, and administrators
• K-12 schools, universities, think tanks,
regional service agencies, county offices,
organizations, etc.

4. Why join iNACOL? www.inacol.org
• Passion for online and blended learning
• Receive daily news and research updates
about online and blended learning
• Contribute to the online and blended
learning voice and conversation
• Participate in regional and standing
committees

5. Why join iNACOL? www.inacol.org
• Participate in webinars and related
activities (access to Archives)
• Reduced cost for attending yearly iNACOL
Symposium (Oct. 27-30, 2013, Orlando,
FL)
• Membership: $60 for educators
– Other memberships: School, institution,
companies, etc.

6. A few facts
• 27 States have state virtual schools (California is
not one of them)
• 2 million K-12 online course enrollments in
2009-10
• 4 states require some type of online course as
part of high school graduation requirements
(Alabama, Florida, Michigan and Virginia)
• An estimated 50% of school districts nationally
are offering some time of online or blended
learning

7. In California
• 2012 Cal eLearning Census
(www.clrn.org/census)
– 481/933 districts completed census
– 106,000 students participated in either online
or blended learning courses, either part time
or full time
– 45% of districts reported students in full, part
time or blended learning courses

8. Counting Online Course
Enrollments
• One student in one course = 1
• Full Time = full time online (e.g. California
Virtual Academy or Connections Academy)
• Part Time/Supplemental = one or more
courses taken online or blended
• Blended learning…that’s what we’re going
to talk about!

9. What was school like
for you?
Teaching ?
Learning ?
Curriculum ?

10. There are blended learning
Definitions

11. Definitions, Part 1
• Two definitions:
– Blended learning should be viewed as a pedagogical
approach that combines the effectiveness and socialization
opportunities of the classroom with the technologically
enhanced active learning possibilities of the online
environment,
• Dziuban, Hartman and Moskal (2004)
– Blended learning “combines face-to-face learning
with computer mediated learning.”
(Bonk and Graham, 2006. Handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives,
local designs. http://www.publicationshare.com/).

12. Allen, I. E., Seaman, J., & Garrett, R. (2007). Blending in: The extent and promise of blended
education in the United States. Newburyport, MA: The Sloan Consortium.
http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/blended06

13. Most widely used K-12 definition
A formal education program in which a student learns at
least in part through online delivery of instruction and
content with some element of student control over time,
place, path and/or pace
and
At least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar place
away from home
Horn & Staker, 2011) - http://www.innosightinstitute.org/

14. There are blended learning
Models
• Rotation
• Flex
• Self-Blend
• Enriched Virtual

15. Emerging blended-learning models

16. Blended learning is not…

17. Blended
learning is
not like a
light switch
you turn on
one day

18. …And pedagogical shifts take time

19. Think in terms of 3-5 years
from now (not just today).
Think about what can be,
not what is.
This is a journey,
not a destination.

20. We are pretty clear
Face-to-Face Teaching Online Teaching
• Students in classroom • Students online
• Teacher in classroom • Teacher online (minimal
• Interaction face-to-face, face-to-face interaction)
mostly verbal, some • Interaction online video
visual conferencing, email –
• Fixed schedule of classes more visual, less verbal
to attend • Flexible schedule for work
• Prescribed curriculum completion
based on standards / use • Prescribed curriculum
of textbooks based on standards / text

21. But what does
Blended Learning
really look like
for a teacher?

22. Teaching and Learning
• What is the student
doing and where is the
student?
 What is the teacher
doing and where is the
teacher?
 What and where is the
content?

23. Online
Teaching
Technology
Textbook
Enhanced
Enhanced
Teaching
Teaching
Web / Online
Enhanced
Teaching
From Textbook to Online Teaching

24. What does “it” look like?
Where do you fit?
* See handout
• Textbook enhanced teaching and
learning
• Technology enhanced (not online)
• Web/online enhanced
• Blended
• Online

25. What does “it” look like?
*Teacher-centric vs. Student-centric
More teacher • Textbook enhanced
centric
teaching and learning
• Technology enhanced
(not online)
Combination
• Web/online enhanced
• Blended
More student • Online
centric

26. What does “it” look like?
*Teacher vs. student control of
teaching and learning
More teacher
control • Textbook enhanced
teaching and learning
• Technology enhanced
Shared (not online)
control
• Web/online enhanced
• Blended
More student
control • Online

27. What does “it” look like?
*Control of time and pace
Set time
structure
• Textbook enhanced
teaching and learning
• Technology enhanced
Some
(not online)
Flexibility
• Web/online enhanced
• Blended
Flexible • Online

28. What does “it” look like?
*Blended Learning Models continuum
Rotation • Textbook enhanced
teaching and learning
Flex
• Technology enhanced
Self Blend (not online)
Enriched • Web/online enhanced
Virtual
• Blended
• Online

29. Where do you fit?
• Teacher-centric ------------ Student-centric
• Teacher control of learning ---- Student
control of learning
• Set time structure -------------- Flexible

30. What does “it” look like?
• Textbook enhanced teaching and
learning
• Technology enhanced (not online)
• Web/online enhanced
• Blended
• Online

31. Textbook Enhanced
Teacher Student Curriculum

32. Textbook Enhanced
What is the student doing? What is the teacher doing?
• Sitting in a desk in a • Standing in front of the
classroom classroom
• Writing on paper • Directing Learning
• Listening to teacher • Group discussions
• Talking with peers
What is the content? Where is the content?
• Textbooks • On paper
• Supplemental materials • In the classroom
• Teacher created materials • In a school library

33. Technology Enhanced
Teacher Student Curriculum

34. Technology Enhanced
What is the student doing? What is the teacher doing?
• Sitting in a desk in a classroom • Standing in front of the classroom
• Writing on paper • Directing Learning
• Listening to teacher • Group discussions
• Talking with peers
• Using a shared or personal
computer
What is the content? Where is the content?
• Textbooks • On paper
• Supplemental materials • In the classroom
• Teacher created materials • In a school library
• Computer (Word, Ppt, etc.) • On a computer/digital white board
• Computer Program (loaded or CD- / doc camera, etc.
Rom)

35. Web/Online Enhanced
Teacher Student Curriculum

36. Web/Online Enhanced
What is the student doing? What is the teacher doing?
•Sitting in a desk in a classroom •Standing in front of the classroom
•Writing on paper •Directing Learning
•Listening to teacher •Group discussions
•Talking with peers •Some assignments/activities online
•Using a shared or personal computer
What is the content? Where is the content?
•Textbooks •On paper
•Supplemental materials •In the classroom
•Teacher created materials •In a school library
•Computer (Word, Ppt, etc.) •On a computer/digital white board /
•Computer Program (loaded or CD- doc camera, etc.
Rom) •Some Online
•Web
•Computer led (e.g. programmed math
or English. Plato, Ed 2020)

37. Blended
Teacher Student Curriculum

38. Blended
What is the student doing? What is the teacher doing?
(30% work online) (30% interacting with students online)
•Sitting in a desk in a classroom or •Standing in front of the classroom and
computer lab interacting online
•Using personal computer online at home •Directing Learning
or other location •Meeting students in small groups (f2f and
•Interacting with peers in person and online)
online •Developing/assigning online lessons
•Grading online
What is the content? Where is the content?
•Textbooks •On paper
•Supplemental materials •In the classroom
•Teacher created materials •In a school library
•Computer (Word, Ppt, etc.) •On a computer/digital white board / doc
•Computer Program (loaded or CD-Rom) camera, etc.
•Web •Online (computer led or teacher led
•Computer led (e.g. E2020, Aventa, K-12, content)
Inc, Compass, etc ) or Teacher Developed

39. Online Teaching
Teacher Student Curriculum

40. Online
What is the student doing? What is the teacher doing?
(70% or more work online) (70% or more interacting with students
• Sitting in a desk in a classroom or online)Standing in front of the classroom
computer lab • Facilitating Learning
• Using personal computer online at • Meeting students in small groups (f2f
home or school or other location and online)
• Interacting with teacher in person • Developing/assigning online lessons
and/or online • Discussion Board
• Interacting with teacher in person • Online meetings/teaching (e.g.
and/or online Elluminate)
• Grading online
What is the content? Where is the content?
• Textbooks • On paper
• Supplemental materials • On a computer/digital white board / doc
• Teacher created materials camera, etc.
• Computer (Word, Ppt, etc.) • Online (computer led or teacher led
• Computer Program (loaded or CD-Rom) content)
• Web
• Computer led (e.g. programmed math
or English)
• Teacher led

41. iNacol –Quality Online Teaching Standards –
Blended Learning Continuum
**Students**
Less Online More Online Mostly Online
Instruction Instruction Instruction

42. iNacol – Quality Online Teaching Standards –
Blended Learning Continuum
**Curriculum**
Less Online More Online Mostly Online
Instruction Instruction Instruction

43. iNacol – Quality Online Teaching Standards –
Blended Learning Continuum
**Instructional Support**
Less Online More Online Mostly Online
Instruction Instruction Instruction
iNacol Standards for Quality Online Courses (2011).
http://www.inacol.org/research/nationalstandards/

44. Blended teaching is a
combination of many factors
Student Teacher
• Personalized learning
• Ongoing review of student data to
• Flexibility of time change instruction
• Turns work in mostly online • Meeting with students whole class,
in groups, individually
• Participates in online • Online and face-to-face strategies to
discussion boards deliver instruction
• Adept with a variety of Web 2.0 tools
• Utilizes Web 2.0 tools to and technologies
complete assignments • Curriculum both face-to-face and
online in different modalities
• Actively engaged in content • Curriculum and assignments mostly
online and graded online
• Embraces redundancy and change

45. Quick Quiz – Blended Teaching or Not?
Strategy Yes No Maybe
Teacher posts an article online for students
to read.
Students turn work in online and teacher
grades all work online
Teacher utilizes online discussion boards
with students in an ongoing way
Students create a PowerPoint presentation
and present it in class

46. Online
Teaching
Technology
Textbook
Enhanced
Enhanced
Teaching
Teaching
Web / Online
Enhanced
Teaching
From Textbook to Online Teaching

47. Join us! International Association for
K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL)
• iNACOL is the premier K-12 nonprofit association for
online and blended learning
• 4400+ members in K-12 virtual schools and online
learning representing over 50 countries
• Provides leadership, advocacy, research, training, and
networking with experts in K-12 online learning.
• “Ensure every student has access to the best
education available regardless of geography,
income or background.”
• Annual Symposium: Orlando, FL, October 27-30, 2013

48. Remember…
This is a journey,
not a destination.
And…

49. “Never doubt that a
small group of
thoughtful, committed
“educators” can change
the world.
Indeed, it is the only
thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead

50. Contact Info
• www.inacol.org
• Rob Darrow – rdarrow@inacol.org