BLENDED LEARNING

BLENDED LEARNING

Introduction

The blended classroom is designed to meet the individual needs of student by allowing teachers to personalize instruction.  This strategy can be used for any subject and any grade level.  Blended learning combines face-to-face and online instruction. It allows students to work with teachers in school and have online resources at home. It is similar to the flipped classroom, but with more emphasis on in-class work with the teacher over video/home content. Project Based Learning is a type of blended classroom. Students work on projects at home, and in class. In class, they can ask the teacher for help, and continue on the project at home, with online materials for help. By having online materials available, students have access to support when out of the classroom. Students access some material at home and complete some work at home, while leaving more time during class to get into deeper context with the teachers.

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Pros: 

• Provides for individualized support for the students
• students can access material at anytime, anywhere, to review the material
• provides richer, more interactive learning experiences
• provides more time for collaboration with the students and teachers
• parents have access to what students are doing - better communication and support
• studies show it increases student and teacher productivity, improves teaching and learning, and provides more and better data, and helps customize learning.
• more and more colleges and even workplaces are using this model
• gives students more time to learn - extends the learning beyond the end of the school day

Cons:

• Teachers will need time to create and/or select content.
• Teachers will need training on using this method of instruction to make it effective
• students will need to be shown how to access, use the technology and what is expected of them
• Students need to be able to do work outside of school hours
• do they have access to technology at home?
• do they have access to internet at home?
• do they have other things that take up their time (job, etc.)
• students need to be self-directed to work at home

Ways technology supports the strategy

• resources are posted online via class website, LMS (Edmodo, Google Classroom, Schoology, etc). Resources include articles, videos, interactive multimedia, virtual labs, and more
• Teachers can track which students are using materials at home
• online materials are available to students anytime, anywhere
• materials are accessible to parents and specialists to assist the students
• provides interactive activities, support materials and learning resources
• multimedia content helps address different learning styles

WHAT IS E-LEARNING?

WHAT IS E-LEARNING?

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E-learning (also called electronic learning is any type of learning that takes place through or with a computer. E-learning is primarily facilitated through the Internet but can also be accomplished with CD-ROMs and DVDs, streaming audio or video and other media. The purpose of e-learning is to allow people to learn for personal accomplishment or to earn a professional degree, without physically attending a traditional university or academic setting. E-learning can be applied for all levels of schooling from grade school to graduate degrees, and is versatile enough to accommodate all learning styles.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_4788168_what-purpose-elearning.html 

According to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140715064821-11282346-indonesia-higher-education-e-learning-management-strategy

 

Here is the role of E-learning in Educational System

a) E-learning is a network, which allows him to improve quickly, save or bring back, distributing, and sharing of learning and information. This requirement is essential in e-learning, so that Rosenberg called it an absolute requirement.
b) E-learning is delivered to users through a computer using standard Internet technology. CD ROM, Web TV, Web Cell Phones, Pagers, and aids other personal digital although learning can prepare messages but can not be classified as e-learning.
c) E-learning is focused on the views of the most extensive learning, learning solutions beat traditional paradigm in training.

The Advantages of eLearning training includes

Based on http://www.optimussourcing.com/learninghintsandtips/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-elearning

More Flexible – eLearning can be done in short chunks of time that can fit around your daily schedule. Unlike public scheduled and in-house training, you don’t have to dedicate an entire day to the training that has been organised by your company. Instead, you will have a set amount of learning, normally divided into modules, with a deadline in which to do them in. This way, if you want to do all of the learning in one day as you work better this way, you can. However if your schedule doesn’t allow you an entire day off your everyday tasks – then you can easily spend an hour or 2 here and there at times that suit you.

Mobile – As eLearning can be done on laptops, tablets and phones – it is a very mobile method. Learning can be done on the train, on a plane or any other time that could normally be wasted. Whilst you used to be confined to the classroom, the whole world can now be your classroom.

No Travel– As just mentioned, eLearning can be done wherever you have a device capable of doing so. Therefore again you can fit it in to your schedule, but also save money on the costs of travel. As mentioned before on the public scheduled blog, external courses can sometimes only be sourced in locations far away from your company so you then have to pay the costs of travel as well potentially accommodation. eLearning takes these costs away completely.

Lower cost – As you aren’t using a trainer’s time or any room or equipment, eLearning tends to be the much cheaper option. If you already have a device capable of carrying out the training on, then the savings can be considerable. Therefore if you and your company are on a budget, this can be the ideal option for you.  Equally for companies that have thousands of employees then it can reduce the cost per head especially on areas such as Money Laundering, Compliance and Microsoft Office training.

Tailor it to you – eLearning courses aren’t confined to be fixed to try and suit the needs of the majority. If you feel you already know a particular area well and don’t need to spend an hour on it again, then you can skim over it and concentrate that time on something you feel you need to work more at. Everyone is able to learn at their own pace – a massive factor that only eLearning can provide for.

Technological Possibilities – eLearning is fast becoming a more and more popular method and with it, so has the investment into how to improve it further. The computer based nature of training means new technology is being introduced all the time to help with the learning. Different apps are helping to further reinforce the learning whilst forums can be used to greatly increase the amount of interaction and engagement between learners. This is only going to improve as time goes on as well.

Global – With very few restrictions companies can be confident that their staff can receive the same content regardless of their location, and in many cases, their nationality.  Therefore if you wish to provide the same training or have your staff understand and use common methodology, eLearning is a useful way of ensuring this happens with ease and reduced cost.

 

CALL AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

CALL AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

https://sarahjpeach.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/the-ins-and-outs-of-constructivism-a-synthesis-of-what-ive-discovered/

What is call?

Definitions of CALL from http://www2.nkfust.edu.tw/~emchen/CALL/unit1.htm

- Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) was the expression agreed upon at the 1983 TESOL convention in a meeting of all interested participants. This term is widely used to refer to the area of technology and second language teaching and learning despite the fact that revisions for the term are suggested regularly (Chapelle, 2001, p. 3).

- Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) may be defined as the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning (Levy, 1997, p.1).

- Given the breadth of what may go on in computer-assisted language learning (CALL), a definition of CALL that accommodates its changing nature is any process in which a learner uses a computer and, as a result, improves his or her language (Beatty, 2003, p. 7).

- CALL has come to encompass issues of materials design, technologies, pedagogical theories and modes of instruction. Materials for CALL can include those which are purpose-made for language learning and those which adapt existing computer-based materials, video and other materials (Beatty, 2003, pp. 7-8).

How is it connected to Constructivism?

There is a connection between CALL and constructivism like they said in http://constructivisminelt.wikispaces.com/Constructivism+and+CALL

The design of CALL materials generally takes into consideration principles of language pedagogy and methodology,

which may be derived from different second language learning theories (e.g. behaviourist, cognitive, constructivist).

Constructivist-based instruction often includes providing the learner with skills or support (e.g. modelling, coaching, scaffolding) and

encouraging the learner to actively construct his or her own personal learning experience.

The teacher’s role is to aid the learner in this construction rather than simply providing that information to her or him (Bowers et al., 2010).

(See Constructivism and language teaching: introduction, Constructivism and language teacher, Constructivism and language learner for more)

The current philosophy of CALL puts a strong emphasis on student-centred materials that allow learners to work on their own.

Such materials usually embody two important features: interactive learning and individualised learning. 

Types of CALL activity

-  multiple-choice & true/false quizzes -  gap-filling exercise/cloze -  matching -  re-ordering/sequencing -  crossword puzzles -  games -  simulations

-  writing & word-processing -  concordancing  -  web quests/searching -  web publishing -  online communication (synchronous and asynchronous)

ICT IN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

ICT IN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Education is the main power of a nation. The better education system of a country, the more success the nation is. Because of it, education is an important thing for a country to level up it’s prestige. 

For that reason also, in 20th century many of teachers become realize that ICT is an excellent media to spread the knowledge and skills. Teachers believe by using ICT as the education media, it will be easier and better to educate the people. So, know all of us must be at least know about ICT and better can use it in our daily life. Especially for teaching and learning activities, ICT had a great deal to develop it.

Educational ICT tools can be divided into 3 categories: Input source, Output source and Others.

picture source

Although we all understand that ICT is an important thing in this century, we must know well what is the advantages and disadvantages of it for education :

3 Main advantages of ICT tools for education 1‧ Through ICT, images can easily be used in teaching and improving the retentive memory of students. 2‧ Through ICT, teachers can easily explain complex instructions and ensure students' comprehension. 3‧ Through ICT, teachers are able to create interactive classes and make the lessons more enjoyable, which could improve student attendance and concentration.

3 Main disadvantages of ICT tools for education 1‧ Setting up the devices can be very troublesome. 2‧ Too expensive to afford 3‧ Hard for teachers to use with a lack of experience using ICT tools.  picture source ICT IN ENGLISH LESSON To equip students to be literate life long learners and global citizens of the 21st century we must successfully integrate ICT into both the English curriculum and English pedagogical practice. The Board of Studies in its cross-curriculum content requirements has embedded ICT into the English syllabus as follows: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) content in English enables students to develop and apply skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT in their composing, responding and presenting, and as part of the imaginative and critical thinking they undertake in English. The ICT content has been incorporated into the content of this syllabus to ensure that all students have the opportunity to become competent, discriminating and creative users of ICT and are better able to demonstrate the syllabus outcomes of English through the effective use of ICT. To implement ICT successfully in their classrooms teachers also need to: identify how ICT can be used to meet specific objectives within the English curriculum to improve pupils attainment (Moseley et al,1999) understand that successful use of ICT depends on other factors such as pupils’ work in the classroom away from the computer, discussions between pupils and between pupils and their teacher, and the ways in which pupils interact with each other at the computer (Mc Cormick and Scrimshaw,2001 cited in Becta, 2005) Using ICT as a classroom tool has many other benefits because ICT : provides highly motivational activities for students …Initially computer-based activities can provide stimulus to undertake tasks that students may otherwise avoid links to other learning and to real-world situations and experiences that reflect gender & cultural diversity increases opportunities for student interaction and decision making…This interactive process has the potential to cater for individual learning styles makes complex tasks more manageable …in some cases these activities require the development of new skills makes repetitive tasks more interesting illustrates complex processes or concepts provides access to resources…increases the need for students to develop critical thinking and effective information processing skills (DET Computer Based Technologies in the English KLA, 1997, pps 6-7)) However, even though ICT has a great deal for our educational system, the use of ICT must be under supervision of teachers. Generally computer based activities allow the teacher to assume the role of facilitator whilst students take on an increasing responsibility for their own learning.