A Blended Learning Environment:
Using Technology
to Create a Wall-less
Brick & Mortar Classroom
Sandy Anaka
Jill French
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Who Are We?
Sandy Anaka
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Jill French
 Masters of Educational Technology through UBC
(2005)
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I teach grade 5 using a blended environment
guiding questions: why, how, when, and which
technology best supports my students’ learning
(high/low)
goal: to use technology purposefully &
seamlessly throughout the day
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What is a blended learning
environment?
one definition…..
 face-to-face + computer mediated
learning (Charles Graham)
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wikipedia (check)
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Goals for this Presentation
to briefly explain why using technology in
diverse ways is important
 to demonstrate practical methods of how
you can gradually shift towards increasing
your use of technology
 to provide numerous support links to help
you with this gradually shift
This presentation is available online at
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Why use digital technology in the
classroom?
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changes is society
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online Connectivity Conference 2007
changes in learning
leads to some changes in teaching
practices
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Why….
Benefits We Have Noticed
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increased engagement levels
easier access to experts
transparency of learning (support material, daybook etc)
supports independent learning (e.g. wiki)
provides diverse types of reading (e.g. instructions,
information)
provides new ways to learn about your students and to
inform your teaching (blog)
easy access for me
provides new ways to teach, model, extend student
learning
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Why….
Supports Synchronous Learning
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synchronous: information or learning
occurring at a specific time
examples:
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Elluminate (e.g. V-class) free for 3 participants
benefits:
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ideas and thoughts can be exchanged
immediately
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Why….
Supports Asynchronous Learning
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asynchronous: information and learning
not dependent on a specific time
examples:
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video cams (San Diego Zoo)
current events (CBC news)
follow a researcher (Catt Trax 2 )
conference session video
benefits:
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information accessed at own convenience
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How….
Slowly, inch by inch
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Table showing traditional small change
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How…
Daybook Online
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interactive daily schedule
example daily schedule
benefits
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schedule is archived
accessible to parents (homework, child away)
accessible to teacher to revisit a lesson
accessible to students to revisit a lesson
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How…
Cross Curricular
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holistic instruction
for example:
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CattTrax2: BC researcher exploring global
connection i.e. economic, environmental
(project)
benefits:
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constructed knowledge (wiki)
non-linear learning
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Language Arts
vocabulary
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vocabulary: easy access for daily vocabulary
building
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for example:
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vocabulary building Daily Buzz Word
benefits:
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dynamic: new word daily
social construction
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Language Arts
mini-lessons
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access to mini lessons quickly & efficiently
example:
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mini-lessons online
spelling rules
benefits:
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students can access at any time
teacher faces students, easily monitoring
participation level
minimal time used to access, discuss lessons 14
Language Arts
assignments
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example:
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novel study
story writing
benefits:
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enhances the ability to explain the activity (hyperlinks
provide further information)
can be linked to mini-lessons chapter summaries
exhibit work e.g. student stories
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French
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Teaching French can also be
supported with interactive sites
examples:
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support teaching (resources, lesson plans)
support learning (resources)
benefits:
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online pronunciation (essential phrases)
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Science
Sturgeon Recovery Project
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real life, current and relevant science units
example:
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Sturgeon Unit
benefits:
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current, relevant text can provide the
information Nechako White Sturgeon
Recovery Initiative
connections to local field trip opportunity
review material e.g. Jeopardy
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Science & Social Studies
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access current scientific research
examples:
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Catt-Trax2
Units with goals, vocabulary, assignments,
and support links online
benefits:
real-life, current research
 relevant
 constructed knowledge (wiki)
 networks students with global issues
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Math
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supporting students’ learning in math
examples:
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visualization tools (addition with regrouping)
math term definitions
post lessons and quizzes online
see the ‘story in data’ weekly graph
pie charts or a variety Create a Graph
 pie charts compared to other graphs
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Math continued
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benefits:
instruction: diverse tools
 helps address different learning styles: visual
learners
 access by students and parents at any time
 practice from concrete
mid to abstract
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Fine Arts
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supporting our Fine Arts content
for example:
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music (theory, how to play, class music)
Drama (Readers’ Theater)
visual arts lessons
benefits:
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provides support material
supports independent learning
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Examples from the Classroom
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e-journals
story writing
French: Preparing for an Immersion Class
Show What You Know: representing new
knowledge
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Power Point Presentation
Socially Constructed Knowledge
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wiki “comesee”
blog “Northern Muses”
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Technology Used to Support These
Activities
Hardware
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SMART Board
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digital projector
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Computers
Software
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All The Right Type
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Macromedia Dreamweaver
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Elluminate (free access online)
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MS Word (we originally used OpenOffice)
Other
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Internet
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web space (our FirstClass provides this)
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Blogger (https://www.blogger.com/start)
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pbwiki (http://pbwiki.com/education.wiki)
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Jeopardy (How to create a Jeopardy Power Point)
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Further Resources
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Learning Theories
http://www.emtech.net/learning_theories.htm
http://tip.psychology.org/theories.html
http://www.learningandteaching.info/
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Instructional Strategies
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/categ.html
http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/models/
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Resources continued
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Other Professional Development links (more on
Jill’s site)
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Tutorials http://catalyst.washington.edu/help/
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Blended Learning Environment (video)
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-4338441514462445595&hl=de
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Resources continued
Social Networking Tools
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Global Learning Communities
 Curriki http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome
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Taking it Global http://www.takingitglobal.org/
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Learning Circles http://www.iearn.org/circles (video clip)
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Global Campaign for the right to Education
http://www.campaignforeducationcanada.org/en/index.php
more……….
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Social Networking Tools
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Technology software available online
SMART Technologies
http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/
Elluminate: http://www.elluminate.com/vroom/
Wiki: open-source software http://c2.com/cgi/wiki
moodle: open-source software http://moodle.org/
Blogging: open-source software http://wordpress.org
Blogger.com http://www.blogger.com
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Social Networking Tools continued
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Questions & Answers: Teacher Magazine
hosted this chat with Will Richardson,
author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and
Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms
and founder of Connective Learning.
http://www.edweek.org/chat/transcript_10_10_06.html
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Online Technology Newsletters
This link will take to a list of online
newsletters, journals etc.
Resources Online (put in the actual address)
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Ideas in Practice
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working with the experts: Virtual Astronomy
Pro D Connectivity global conference (52
countries, 1000 registered participants) at home:
University of Manitoba
daily technology use (example from Jill’s class)
Why use technology in the classroom?
a summary (continually evolving)
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If you are interested in anything you have seen
and would like support from a peer, please
email Sandy at sanaka@sd91.bc.ca or me at
frenchj@mail.sd91.bc.ca
and I will try to provide
the help you need.
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