Best Practices for Implementing a Comprehensive Online/Blended Learning

Best Practices for Implementing a

Comprehensive Online/Blended Learning

Center for Educational Leadership

and Technology

Leadership, Learning, and Technology for the 21st _Century

Purpose of today’s session

• Share research and best practices

•

Assist audience as they advance with

online/blended learning program

What is online/blended learning

and why choose it for K-12?

Individualized, Differentiated,

Personalized, and Blended Learning



How are they different?



What do they mean to the learner?



How do they impact the classroom teacher?

What changes need to be made by the

learning organization?

Individualized, Differentiated,

Personalized, and Blended Learning

 Individualization relies on evaluations to

determine strengths and weaknesses of a learner in order for the teacher to adapt materials and

instruction.

 Differentiated learning identifies weaknesses in

mastery of specific content or skill sets. The data is then used to group learners for adapted curriculum and instruction.

 Personalized learning is all about the learner.

The learner helps determine how he/she will learn

and is actively involved with outlining learning goals. Instruction is designed around interests and

Types of Innovation



Sustaining

 help organizations make better products or

services that can often be sold for better profits to their best customers. They serve existing

customers according to the original definition of performance.



Disruptive

 do not try to bring better products to existing

customers in established markets. Instead, they offer a new definition of what’s good – typically it improves a product or service in ways that the market does not expect.

Blended-Learning Taxonomy

 Rotation Model (e.g., flipped classroom) – fixed schedule between face-to-face teacher-guided projects on campus

during the standard school day and online delivery of content and instruction of the same subject after school.

 Flex Model - curriculum and instruction delivered online with

face-to-face support using a data dashboard to offer targeted interventions and coaching on meta-cognitive skills.

 À La Carte (Self-Blend) Model - a program in which students

take one or more courses entirely online with an online teacher of record and at the same time continue to have

brick-and-mortar educational experiences. Students may take the online courses either on the brick-and-mortar campus or off-site.

 Enriched-Virtual Model - students divide time between

Why online/blended learning

in K-12?



Blended learning should not be just another

district initiative.



It is a fundamental redesign of instructional

models with the goal of accelerating learning

toward college and career readiness.



It is an opportunity to develop schools that

are more productive for students and

teachers by personalizing education,

ensuring that the right resources and

interventions reach the right students at the

right time.

Why online/blended learning

in K-12?

What is Online and Blended

Learning in Support of?



Remediation



Credit Recovery (unit, course)

Out-of-School Placements

(Homebound, home-schooled, hospitalized,

and incarcerated youth)



Advanced Placement

Credit Acceleration

Personal Enrichment

Other?

The Defining Dimensions of

Online Programs

Before Moving Forward

 Key Aspects of Preparation

 Agreement on academic goals  Supporting critical mass

Where to begin with online/blended

learning?

Step 1: Plan

 Strategic Planning

 Designate program implementation manager

 Develop logic model (goals, key activities, outcomes) and

timelines

 Instructional Model Considerations  Platform Design Considerations

 Content Delivery Considerations  Technology Infrastructure

 Rotation (flipped classroom) Model  Flex Model

 À La Carte Model

 Enriched-Virtual Model

Platform Design Considerations

 Curriculum aligned to standards  Real-time data analytics

 Closed communications tools  Virtual classrooms/labs

 Interactive digital content and tutorial  Assessments aligned to standards

 Integration with SIS and other data tools  Cloud-based

Content Delivery Considerations

 Online Content Strategy

 Provided by multiple vendors  Device agnostic

 Full-time students

 Credit recovery, retention, acceleration  Supplemental

Technology Infrastructure

 1 Gbps per 1,000 students  Internal LAN/WAN connectivity

 10 Gbps per 1,000 students  One-to-one devices

 Instructional Technology staff  Technology support staff

Staff Development

Topics to be integrated

 Basic online/blended learning operations  Facilitating online learning

 Developing online content

 Developing effective online assessment

 Developing and assessing meta-cognitive skills  Supporting blended learning environments

Program Performance

Assessment

Effective implementation measurements

 Design and plan points of measurement

 What gets measured gets done

 Include key stakeholders on design

 Measure effectiveness of staffing strategies

 Measure impact of infrastructure have and have nots

Program Performance

Assessment

Step 2: Implement

 Deploying infrastructure

 Engineering and implementing integration

 Blending staff development with existing plans  Coordinating, measuring, and adjusting

implementation

 Embedding program implementation in school life and culture

Deploying Infrastructure

 Prioritize key areas of needs  Broadband

 Networking  Facilities

 Support staff

 Monitor critical paths

 Work from baseline developed at planning stage  Get focused

Engineering and Implementing

Integration

 Pursue alignment with existing programs  Maximize use of single sign-on (SSO)

opportunities (SIS, Data tools, Gradebook, etc.)  Manage data synchronization and/or uploads

Staff Development

 Participants

 Teachers, paraprofessionals, and aids

 Instructional coaches, technology staff  Leadership teams

 Business office, support staff

 Content

 Online/blended learning competencies

 Impact of blended learning on school culture  Change management

 Modality

 Professional learning communities

 Blended-learning sessions  Observation and coaching

Coordinating, Measuring and

Adjusting Implementation

Guiding Principles

 Plan “what you want”; implement “what you

can”

 Engage key stakeholders for continuous support

 Focus on short term performance assessment  Adjust plan as needed

School Culture

Capitalize on existing values

 Equity, innovation, failure tolerance, outcomes-oriented, continuous improvement, etc.

Educate on areas of opportunity

 Resistance to change, intolerance, skepticism, etc.

Communicate

 Inform about progress (positive or negative)  Ask for feedback

Communications Plan

Plan and execute communications strategy

 Initial consideration of blended learning program  Kick-off event

 Multi-media continuous updates

 Sharing short term and long term goals  Sharing plan adjustments

 Sharing progress measurements

Step 3: Improve

 Measure impact

Measuring Impact

Implementation Experience

 What worked better than expected?  What has been more challenging than

expected?

 What promising practices have we identified?  Have we achieved expected costs?

 What can we do differently and better?

 How and at what intervals will the lessons be

documented?

Activities

 How many classes and schools are using

blended?

 How many students are in blended classes and

how many teachers are changing their practice?

 How many online resources are being used by

teachers and students?

 How many staff development opportunities

have been completed?

Processes

 Are we able to consistently and repeatedly

implement blended learning for specific subjects and grades?

 Do we have sufficient clarity about our work

that we can execute it smoothly and effectively every year?

 Are we able to effectively scale the work to

increasing numbers of classrooms and schools?

Measuring Impact

Outcomes

 How are students responding to blended

learning?

 Engagement?  Performance?

 How are teachers responding?

 Engagement?  Performance?

 Do educators feel like they are having more

impact with students?

Adjusting Future Plans

Opportunities for Improvement

 What problems need to be solved immediately?  What unexpected advantages have raised for

future developments?

 How areas for improvement can be identified

Dissemination

 Who will do the work of developing innovative

practices, testing them, and documenting lessons?

 What resources will be applied to this work?  How will innovations be incorporated into

ongoing processes over time?

Where are You in the

Continuum?

Plan

Implement Improve

What support do you need with planning,

implementing, and improving?

      

Closing Comments

and

Contact Information

Center for Educational Leadership and Technology 65 Boston Post Road West

Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752

Phone: (508) 624-4474 Fax: (508) 624-6565 Web: www.celtcorp.com

Patti Sullivan-Hall

E-mail: psullivan-hall@celtcorp.com Office: (508) 624-4474 x1231

Antonio Pagán

E-mail: apgan@celtcorp.com Office: (508) 624-4474 x1216

About CELT

For nearly two decades, CELT has helped education leaders align their use of information technology with improved student

learning. CELT works collaboratively with educational

organizations to support and transform 21st century teaching, learning, and administrative processes. In order to ensure

widespread and productive use of technology, our strategies

include staffing plans and professional development programs, as well as maintenance and support activities.

CELT is one of the largest and most comprehensive providers of research and planning services for schools, education service

agencies, and departments of education. CELT's mission is to help learning organizations attain their vision, mission, and goals by integrating high-quality, mission critical technology programs and services with the organization's people and processes in the most timely, efficient, and cost-effective way possible.

Credits

1. Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey (2012). The Stages of Personalized

Learning Environments.

http://www.personalizelearning.com/2012/05/stages-of-personalized-learning.html

2. Heather Staker and Michael B. Horn (2012). Classifying K-12 Blended

Learning. Innosight Institute.

http://www.innosightinstitute.org/innosight/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Classifying-K-12-blended-learning2.pdf

3. Clayton Christensen (2013). Is K–12 Blended Learning Disruptive?

http://www.christenseninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Is-K-12-Blended-Learning-Disruptive.pdf

4. DLN Smart Series (2013). Blended Learning Implementation Guide Version

2.0 http://www.digitallearningnow.com/dln-smart-series/

5. Watson, J., et. al. (2011). Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning: An

Annual Review of Policy and Practice. Evergreen Education Group. http://kpk12.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/KeepingPace2011.pdf

6. MA DESE Office of Digital Learning. Beyond PARCC: The Next Generation

Classroom http://www.doe.mass.edu/odl/NextGenClassroom.pdf The Learning Accelerator. Blended Learning Educator Competencies