Blended Learning: What is it and how is it useful?

According to the authors Tomlinson and Whittaker (2013) the term "Blended learning refers to a language course which combines a face-to-face classroom component with an appropriate use of technology. The term technology covers a wide range of recent technologies, such as the Internet, CD-ROMs and interactive whiteboards."  The adoption of blended learning came to represent the inclusion of computer technology providing online and offline activities and materials instead of seeing this as a new approach to teaching and learning.

Traditionally, face to face teaching has been seen as the only way a teacher had to transmit knowledge to their students. And although it is true that nothing can replace the guidance and emotional support a teacher provides, when face-to-face learning is rightly combined with online learning the outcome is always beneficial to the students.
We cannot deny the importance that our students belong to the new digital era. As Digital Natives (Prensky, 2001) they will always find lessons that integrate technology as interesting ones and this combination with the traditional methods can enhance the way in which they work in and outside the classroom. 


The benefits of using blended learning

First of all, one of the most important benefits blended learning provides is the convenience that students can study when they want and at the speed they want. Regarding the academic sector Osguthorpe and Graham (2003) identified six suggested reasons to apply Blended Learning: pedagogical richness; access to knowledge; social interaction; personal agency (learner's control and choice); cost effectiveness;  and ease of revision. Later on, these same authors narrow the list down to the following three: improved pedagogy; increased access/flexibility; and increased cost effectiveness.
In addition to these reasons Hockly (2011) provides three additional ones:

• Learner's expectations - learners nowadays expect technology to be integrated into their language classes.
• Flexibility - learners expect to be able to fit learning into their busy lives.
• Ministry of education - in some contexts teachers are expected to offer blended learning options.

In order to conclude this post we can say the real challenge in this model is trying to make the most of it in order to avoid only using technology alone. 

"The real importance and significance in blended learning lies in its potential. If we (...) focus on the process, blended learning represents a real opportunity to create learning experiences that can provide the right learning at the right time and in the right place for each and every individual, (...). It can be truly universal, crossing global boundaries and bringing groups of learners together through different cultures and time zones." (Thorne, 2003)

Blended Learning has been proven to have the potentiality to increase students learning outcomes while lowering attrition rates when compared to equivalent fully only courses. Having said that, there is no reason why teachers should not consider to include this approach as a way of enhancing their lessons and cater to every learning style.

For further information about Blended  Learning you can watch the following video

References:

Itslearning Global. (2013). "Blended learning in 2 minutes and 38 seconds". Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5txJfv2q0c&feature=youtu.be Last access November 5th

Partarrieu, S. (2015). "Why we still need face-to-face teaching in the digital era". Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/why-we-still-need-face-face-teaching-digital-age Last access November 6th

Thorne, K.  (2003). "Blended Learning: How to Integrate Online and Traditional Learning." Great Britain: Kogan Page Limited

Tomlinson, B. and Whittaker, C. (2013). "Blended Learning in English Language Teaching: Course Design and Implementation". London: British Council

Web 2.0: interaction and collaboration online

The state of online technology has changed radically and the web is now characterized by greater collaboration and interaction among its users. Not so far ago, information was posted on websites for users to only read and download it but no interaction was perceived. According to the online English Cambridge Dictionary (2017)  Web 2.0 is defined as “the name for all the internet features and websites that allow users to create, change and share internet content.”  

Web 2.0 is characterized by collaboration and interaction among its users.

Margaret Rouse (2015) argues that the arrival of Web 2.0 brings to an end the static nature of the traditional World Wide Web. According to her, the major difference lies on the increasing interaction among internet users based on communities that share information and collaborate among themselves.

Web 2.0 is composed of some elements which enable this interaction. One of them is: Wikis that allow users to make contributions and edit the content of the site such as the well-known Wikipedia. Another ones are Saas (the acronym for Software as a Service), web apps and cloud computing which came to replace locally-installed programs and services.

Perhaps the most fashionable is Social Networking such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, etc. This expands the number of one’s business and social contacts through the connections each individual makes. Also, Mash-ups that are web pages or applications that integrate complementary elements from one or more sources. Social Curation sites such as Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram, which enable the the collaborative sharing of content organized around one or more topics.

Finally, mobile computing contributed to the proliferation of connections wherever its users are. This was helped by the increasing use of smartphones, tablets and mobile devices together with accessible Wi-Fi networks.

Web 2.0 is composed of some elements which enable this interaction and evolution.

To bring this post to a conclusion, we would like to comment on the parallelism we found between traditional teaching and World Wide Web. The Web is in constant evolution and so should be teaching methods. Teachers have to take into account that students are not passive users of the information they receive. Much on the contrary, students need to be seen as active builders of the new knowledge. At this point, technology plays a crucial role helping teachers to bring innovation to classroom and readapting to the unavoidable changes of these modern times.

References

Cambridge University Press. (2017). "Cambridge online dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary online." Retrieved from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/diccionario/ingles/web-2-0 Last access: September 27th

Rouse, M. (2015) "Web 2.0." Retrieved from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Web-20-or-Web-2  Last access: September 27th

SAMR: Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition Model

SAMR model was developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura as a new method to evaluate how technology impacts teaching and learning. 

According to Puentedura, R. (n.d.) within this model, we can identify four layers: the first two focusing on enhancing the learning task while the other two focus on actual transformation of the task. 
In order to explain these different levels we are going to make use of the example suggested by Candace, M (2013). The first layer is called SUBSTITUTION, in which computer technology is used to perform the same task as was done before the use of computers. An example of this would be using Google Docs to replace Microsoft Word. In this case, the task of writing is the same but the tools are different. However, there is no functional change in teaching and learning and this tends to be teacher-centred.

The second layer is AUGMENTATION. Computer Technology offers an effective tool to perform common tasks. There is some functional benefit here since students and teacher can receive almost immediate feedback whose impact is that students may begin to become more engaged in learning. At this level, the learning process starts to move from teacher-centred to teacher/student-centred. An example of this layer would be again using Google docs that provides extra services like auto saving and auto sharing with others instead of doing it manually.

MODIFICATION being the third layer encompasses using technology to redesign new parts of the task and transform students learning. For example, using Google Docs' services to collaborate and share feedback on a given task. At this point there is a significant functional change in the classroom as computer technology allows peer and teacher feedback. 

Finally, in the last layer, REDEFINITION computer technology allows for new tasks that were previously inconceivable. An example of redefinition would be connecting to classroom across the world through students sharing google docs and using the chat and comment sections to write their own narrative on the same historical event and discuss about it. 

At this level, common classroom tasks and computer technology function as support for student centred learning. 

SAMR model

As a conclusion, we can say that applying the SAMR model provides a useful tool for teachers to have a deeper understanding of the benefits of technology in the classroom. The model allows teachers to leave behind pencil and paper traditional methods to get into the transformation of teaching and learning.

For more information about SAMR model you can watch the following video:

References:

Candace, M. (2013) “SAMR Model Explained for Teachers.” Retrieved from  http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/samr-model-explained-for-teachers.html    Last access November 6th

Gorman, M. (n.d.) “The SAMR Model of Technology Integration Article” Retrieved from  https://sacsteacher.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/9/1/31918433/the_samr_model_of_technology_integration_article.pdf  Last access November 6th

Puentedura, R. (n.d.) “SAMR: Beyond the Basics” Retrieved from 
http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2013/04/26/SAMRBeyondTheBasics.pdf  Last access November 6th 

Integrating TPACK in the classroom

To begin with, we would like to state that TPACK acronym stands for: " Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge" but the original term PCK, which stands for Pedagogical Content Knowledge, was first coined by Shulman (1986) who proposed that "effective teaching requires a special type of knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), that represents the blending of content and pedagogy into an understanding of how particular topics, problems, or issues are organized, represented, and adapted to the diverse interests and abilities of learners, and presented for instruction” (p. 8). 
This idea was later enlarged by Mishra and Koehler (2006) who included the technological aspect to this theory and coined the term TPACK. They considered the influence that knowledge about technology can have on effective teaching. Therefore, The concept of TPACK refers to " knowledge about the complex relations among Technology, Pedagogy, and Content that enable teachers to develop appropriate and context specific teaching strategies." 
These authors highlight the importance of following a particular order to apply this framework. In the first place, teachers need to consider the content they are going to deal with. Secondly, it is necessary to take into account how this content is going to be taught. Lastly, teachers decide which technological tools best suit the teaching of this content. 
Furthermore, the differents components that TPACK comprises need to occur in a reciprocal relationship situated in specific contexts. The following diagram shows this dynamic relationship:

The TPACK framework demands teachers to have deep understandings of each of the above components of knowledge in order to make an effective integration of them to their teaching.

For more information about TPACK model you can watch the following video:

On the following section we will share one lesson in which we have integrated the TPACK framework in order to revise the present continuous tense.

TPACK applied to a real lesson

The following lesson is one in which the idea of using a video aroused from the necessity to show students actions in real time while teaching them the present continuous tense. This is a 2nd year at the secondary school Paula Albarracin and the aim was to show the progression of different actions for them to associate meaning and form in a more appealing way. We decided to show a video of the Pink Panther for many reasons; firstly, we wanted students to make focus on the progression of the action and not so much on a dialogue, that is why the fact that this is a silent cartoon was perfect for our purpose. Secondly, our intention was to show something which students find familiar and appealing so as to get them interested. This also helped students remember the actions and verbs they needed to complete the activities that followed since the pictures in motion were still fresh in their mind. Finally, another of our purposes was to help them find joy while learning as a strategy to remember the use of this verbal tense. 

On the following link you will find the video and some of the activities designed for this lesson. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41aGCrXM20E 

Flashcards

Wordsearch

 Sentence completion

References

Koheler, M. and Mishra, P. 2014. "The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework"

Why should we integrate digital literacies in our classrooms?

It is known that nowadays we are constantly surrounded by technology. It is up to us to learn how to use it to make the most of it. As Hockly (2013) argues, "Digital Literacy is an umbrella term that refers to our ability to effectively make use of the technologies at our disposal". As formers of future generations it is our duty to foster the acquisition of certain skills necessary for today's and tomorrow's citizens. We must remember that above all we are teachers of the language of global communication and this is what demands us to make our learners acquire digital skills simultaneously with English learning. By integrating digital literacies in our classroom we not only make lessons more relevant and interesting but also prepare our learners for better job opportunities.

Hockly, N. (2013). "Digital Literacy."

According to Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum's book, these digital literacies can be divided into four domains. The first one refers to how the use of texting literacies are believed to negatively affect our learners' literacy development. "Whilst print literacy is a familiar typology, texting literacy remains the domain of regular mobile phone users and is much maligned in educational circles for the supposedly negative effect it is having on literacy." (Hockly, N. 2013).
The second one has to do with our young learners chance to create social communities within their immediate context but also around the world by making use of social networks, which give them the possibility to shape their identities. Thirdly, as regards the overwhelming amount of information available in the web, it is necessary that our learners learn not only how to find it but also to be critical enough to select it and evaluate whether it is reliable or not. Finally, technology gives our learners the chance to create unlimited materials such as videos, pictures and other media, that is why understanding Remix (Navas, 2012) is important for understanding media. The author argues that "Remix education is a pedagogical approach that gives students the tools and critical approaches to communicate their own novel ideas, identities, and rhetoric through refashioned, retooled, and repurposed cultural objects." 
As a conclusion, we can say that as technology is part of our modern life we can not ignore the fact that, wisely implemented, it can be very beneficial to our lessons. This is why, teachers should not neglect the importance of teaching "digital literacy skills" in order to enhance their learners' digital competences and add relevance and interest to the class.

References:

Dudeney, G. Hockly, N. and Pegrum, M. (2013). "Digital Literacies: Research and Resources in Language Teaching". Pearson Education Limited.

Hockly, N. (2013) "Digital Literacies: What are they and why should we care" Retrieved from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/digital-literacies-what-are-they-why-should-we-care Last access November 6th.

Navas, E. (2012). "Remix Theory: The Aesthetics of Sampling".  Retrieved from https://autoriaemrede.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/remix-theory-eduardo-navas.pdf Last access November 6th.

The teacher as teaching aid

It is widely known that being a teacher encompasses a variety of roles that he or she needs to fulfil in the classroom. According to the author Jeremy Harmer (2007), there is a distinction between the different roles, among which we can find a "controller", an "organiser" more oriented to classroom management, or we can find an "assessor" giving feedback to the students on their performances. Furthermore, we can see the teacher as a provider of different materials that are used in the lesson, usually being a creator him/ herself. There are occasions when the books are not enough or suitable for the group of students they are intended to. This is when the teacher has to become a resource him/herself so as to create specific materials that satisfy his/her students' needs. The teacher will have to bear in mind different aspects at the moment of creating material for the students, such as the context in which the lesson will be situated, the resources available in the school, the diversity within the group of students and now the implementation of technology in the classroom. 
The author Prensky also talks about the roles of the teacher in the 21st century and how they have changed since the appearance of technology.
In the following video the author explains this change more in detail. 

In order to include the students’ interest in the creation of materials it is important for teachers to get familiarized with technology, which is, nowadays, a useful tool students have at their disposal to help them to learn. The author Prensky (2001) distinguishes between two categories among the users of technology: Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. Within the former we can place our students who were born in the digital era and are well acquainted with the use of technology. The later are those who had to learn how to use technology in order to get updated and take advantage from it. We can say many teachers are within the second category since either not all of them had the opportunity to access  the benefits technology provides or they refuse to become part of this technological era. However, we highlight the importance technology has at the moment of designing our own materials when they appeal to students’ interest and needs.

Prensky, Marc (2001) "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants"

As a conclusion, we can say that as our students are in a continual evolution, teachers need to constantly re-adapt their methods to suit their students needs. It is no longer a question of whether to implement adjustments to the traditional methods but of how to do it in order to bring to lessons to life. 

References:

Harmer, J. (2007) "The Practice of English Language Teaching". Pearson Education Limited.

Prensky, M. (2001) "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants".