My take on this - enhanced centers that include accountability and differentiation in the classroom.
Just like in centers, students work in designated places in the room on activities that are typically linked to the content objective. However, instead of these areas being called stations, Marcia refers to them as studios.
Checklists - “Enhanced” Feature of the Blended Learning Classroom
Accountability is a key feature of blended learning, and the use of checklists allows students to take ownership of their learning and success. Without this accountability, most students will lose direction and waste time as they are (or should be) working to complete studios. Teaching since 2007 has taught me that students most definitely NEED some type of accountability!
The checklists include the studios, each studio’s activities and directions. Whole Group, Small Group, Independent, Digital Content and Future Ready are five studios that can be included on the checklist. The needs of your classroom and your personal preference determine the number of studios and activities per studio.
Under each studio, I list out the activities and directions along with a checkbox for students to check as they complete the items. I’ve created a series of blended learning checklists that you can checkout here in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
What are the Blended Learning Studios?
Whole Group - I typically use this time to teach a mini lesson related to the day’s objective as well as share directions, expectations and reminders about the studios and checklist. I like to spend no more than 10 minutes with the whole group.
Small Group - This teacher-led studio can be used to review data from a previous assessment with students. Another option is to allow students to practice and check their understanding (exit ticket) of the lesson that was given with the whole group. As students show they understand, they can be released to continue other studios.
Independent - This studio should consist of activities that the students can do without the teacher’s assistance. I typically have students review prerequisite skills from a previous grade level. For example - if the objective is related to solving equations with variables on both sides, students will have an activity where they’ll review solving one step and/or two step equations. Depending on the time of your class, 2 to 3 activities is ideal.
Digital Content - Students’ activities are online. Digital resources can consist of a pre-recorded lesson that students watch and take notes (guided teaching notes work really well). You can also incorporate writing activities like quickwrites and discussions that students respond to in their learning management system (LMS) such as Canvas and Blackboard.
Online games are always a hit as well, especially those that provide grades like Blooket. My students' level of engagement is always high when Blooket is offered. Check out my blog post How to Increase Student Engagement with Math Games for more ways to increase engagement in your class.
I also use this studio for assessments like Quizizz, a digital resource that gives me the option to allow students to have a limited or unlimited number of opportunities to get a grade that they’re pleased with (as long as it’s at least an 80), another key way to offer differentiation in the classroom.
Feature Ready - In this studio, students can work on interactive activities that relate to upcoming objectives for the current class or skills for the next school year.
If you’re looking to truly increase the level of differentiation in the classroom, and ensuring you’re meeting the needs of all your students, blending learning is definitely something to strongly consider. My checklists in my Teachers Pay Teachers store are a sure way to help you smoothly implement blended learning into your classroom.
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