Using Blended Learning to Promote Global Education

What is blended learning?

     When you think about today's classrooms, you might picture a variety of things. You might see a teacher lecturing a class using traditional materials and methods. Or you might see students engaged using different forms of technology. Blended learning is an approach to education that combines the traditional methods of teaching with computer facilitated activities (Module three, n.d.). Blended learning has the power to be the greatest model for education we have ever created. With the blended learning approach, students are in the drivers' seat of their own education. By participating in interactive  activities using technology, students are able to learn the same skill but at their own individual pace (HighlandInst, 2013). Blended learning allows teachers to reach every student by providing differentiated instruction that the students are the leaders of. 

How can blended learning promote global education?

      It is clear that blended learning is an effective model for classroom instruction. Blended learning can be thought of as the mixture between traditional and distance learning (Educationelements, 2011). It is about immersing students in digital content that provides them with skills and practice in mastering content material. This is all great, but how does it connect to a global education?

     The variety of global education tools available today are extraordinary. Students can use wikis, blogs, RSS feeds such as Twitter, videos, or podcasts to learn from different people around the world. Teachers can arrange for video hangouts using Google or Yahoo, or students can Skype directly with partners around the world. These activities can take place during the school day to allow students to gain information about a topic of study. Students can also use project-based learning sites like ePals to become directly connected with other classrooms. With this site, students e-mail each other to learn more about desired topics.

     With the blended learning approach, students engage in traditional learning as well as technology-enhanced learning. This means that the entire school day is not spent Skyping with another class. Skyping with a class could be one part of a lesson, while another part is writing a reflection or completing an assignment with the material discussed during the video conference. Students might use ePals to communicate with other students, but they would also complete a traditional project that demonstrates mastery of learning objectives. 

     The environment with a blended learning classroom provides individualized instruction as well as differentiated small-group instruction (Educationelements, 2011). This environment is possible to achieve while promoting a global education. Teachers must learn about available tools to enhance students proficiency in technology as well as global education.

    The video below helps to describe blended learning a little bit more.

References

Educationelements (2011, Sep 24) The basics of blended learning. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xMqJmMcME0

HighlandInst (2013, Jan 24). Blended learning at the RI model school. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BGoqKN_Od0

Module three: Blended learning: An integrated approach (n.d.). Retrieved from bb.snhu.edu