Professional Development Specialist | Software Trainer | Science Educator
Instructional Designer | LMS Manager
Why We Need Change
STUDENT-CENTERED INSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY-RICH LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS DO NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT EVERY CHILD IN THE CLASSROOM IS GETTING WHAT HE NEEDS. IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING THE WAY THEY WANT TO LEARN, NOR DOES IT MEAN THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE WILL BE ONE TO REMEMBER OR VALUE. CLASSROOMS ARE NEED OF DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION, A MOVEMENT TO YIELD A MORE PERSONALIZED AND ENGAGING EDUCATION REGARDLESS, WE EXPECT STUDENTS TO ACQUIRE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS, NETWORK, AND BE READY FOR A WORLD OF CHOICES AND OVERWHELMING RESPONSIBILITIES.
BLENDED SCIENCE WILL INSPIRE TO TEACHERS TO USE THEIR TALENTS AND BE THE ARCHITECTS OF ENGAGING AND PERSONALIZED LESSONS. OUR UNIQUE STUDENTS WILL ACQUIRE A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP FROM CHOOSING BLENDED LESSONS, TAILORED TO THEIR LEARNING ABILITIES. THEY WILL SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS IN THE WAY THEY WANT TO SOLVE THEM. TEACHERS WILL BE MASTER FACILITATORS AND SUPPORT EVERY STUDENT, EVERYDAY. SEE BLOG ON BLENDED SCIENCE TO LEARN MORE.
Innovation Plan Proposal
Dear Academic Dean:
Distance Learning during the coronavirus pandemic exposed how much we needed to personalize our instruction for all our students so that they could be successful. We discovered how capable we were of adopting new forms of technology and how well we differentiated for our students. Most students thrived while others, such as our kinesthetic learners and special education students, required far more attention. How can we take this experience and evolve with the advancement of technology and use our resources to personalize instruction for all learning abilities while teaching 21st Century skills in science classes? It will be a hybrid of Blended Learning and Problem-Based Learning, which I will call Blended Science.
Blended Learning is an instructional method in which students are offered the choice of how to complete an assignment, when to complete it, and how they want to complete it. Some lessons are done from home and others are done as a class or through small group instruction. Problem-Based Learning is a method that uses real-world challenges or problems to teach students. In both cases, learning is ignited by a goal or question and students are given many options that fit their needs and interests.
I am proposing to practice, refine, and share this cost-free Blended Science framework in which:
Instruction will be broken down in the following five steps:
A. Goal Setting: As a class, we will set an overall goal for the entire year and for each unit to drive our instruction. This can be a question or task.
B. Scaffolding Lessons: Students will choose the lessons that fit their needs and decide their pace.
C. Exploration: I will facilitate student inquiry-based labs
D.Product: Students collaborate and choose their product and/or network with other schools
E. Collaboration: Students will take parts in discussions, providing feedback, sharing live documents or slides, and producing a final product. Students will network with other schools and classes.
2. Instruction, research, and feedback will be carried out on Google Classrooms and a Google Site.
3. Students will have the choice of when, where, and how to do the Scaffolding Lessons and what product to create.
This Blended Science Class will improve student achievement by transforming teacher-centered instruction into engaging, student-centered instruction. It will inspire others to use technology and to earn teachers Distinguished evaluations. I ask that you provide me with a class set of laptops, your input on acceptable class culture that is consistent with school goals, and the chance to share my results with the Site-Based Decision Team.
I look forward to meeting the needs of all my students and preparing them for the future.
Respectfully,
Jessica Casillas
Our unique students will acquire a sense of ownership from choosing Blended lessons, tailored to their learning abilities. They will solve real-world problems and how they want to solve them. Teachers will be master facilitators and support every student, everyday.
Goals
THE GOALS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BLENDED SCIENCE ARE:
<>TO HELP OUR STUDENTS LEARN 21ST CENTURY SKILLS THAT PREPARE THEM FOR FUTURE CAREERS THROUGH A BLENDED LEARNING AND PBL HYBRID THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A MORE MEANINGFUL, ENGAGING, AND PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
<> TO HELP OUR BLENDED SCIENCE TEAM OFFER TEACHERS AN ENGAGING, INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD THAT PERSONALIZES EDUCATION FOR ALL LEARNING ABILITIES WHILE UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY AND TEACHING 21ST CENTURY SKILLS.
What We Gain
Meaningful learning experiences
Career Readiness
Excellence in communication
21st Century Skills
An informed and involved community
Increase attendance and student engagement
Improve teacher evaluations
Who Are We Helping?
<>ALL LEARNING ABILITIES AND INTELLIGENCES
<>ALL STUDENTS WITH VARYING INTERESTS AND LEARNING PREFERENCES
<>ALL TEACHERS WITH A FLEXIBLE AND EASILY ADOPTABLE METHOD
<>ALL TEACHERS WITH PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
<>SCHOOL CULTURE
<>COMMUNITIES
How Will We Pull This Off?
<>RECRUIT 1-2 WILLING TEACHERS FOR 1ST YEAR. THEN ADD MORE TEACHERS.
<>IN 3 YEARS TO BECOME FULLY BLENDED SCIENCE
<> PHASE IN LEVELS OF BLENDED SCIENCE
<> A FEW TEACHERS AT A TIME.
<>GIVE STUDENTS CHOICES
Literature Review
This review of literature discusses the positive impact of Blended Learning and Problem-Based Learning as separate entities and the potential of bringing them together. The limiting factor in teacher adoption of either program is the lack of experience and professional development, which is the inspiration for purposeful professional development and support in this plan. Teachers will also potentially meet Distinguished marks on state evaluations due to the purposeful and engaging design of the classroom environment. Students are consistently preferring hybrid classes over pure face-to-face or 100% online classes. Teachers and students who have done either BL or PBL recognize both the value in authentic projects and 21st Century Skills gained
Annotated Bibliography:
I WILL BE READING THE FOLLOWING LITERATURE TO LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINING BLENDED SCIENCE:
The literature below explores how to strengthen the framework, culture, and professional development that will help the sustainability of Blended Science. Included are ideas developing authentic problem-based lessons and utilizing the power of choice to personalize lessons. This will also be used to help teachers to adopt Blended Science with ease and grow professionally.
The Blended Workbook
LEARNING TO DESIGN THE SCHOOLS OF OUR FUTURE
by Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker
