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The New Blended Learning and The Problem with LMSs

11/25/2013

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As educators integrate technology into classroom practice, blended learning models offer a method for educators to use in designing learning that leverages technology to personalize and contextualize the experience.

Blended learning models embrace personalized, context-based and social learning. There is scope to develop blended learning models supporting classroom teachers in technology integration, to include managing technology in the classroom and holding students accountable for learning.

The next step is finding an LMS that supports social and interactive learning experiences. I have been on a hunt for an LMS that integrates all the elements I want in my learning design courses and workshops; webinars, interactivity, exploration, social learning and continuing professional network. 

I want an LMS that does it all. Clearly I am not alone in thinking this; a brief internet search shows a small explosion of new companies developing the iLMS - interactive LMS, providing platforms supporting blended learning models.

Perhaps it is time to think beyond the next few years, to visualize what technology integration in the traditional classroom actually means, and provide educators with what they really need; social, personalized, reflective and ongoing professional development, supporting a revolution in teaching practice, while leveraging and managing technology to develop and deepen interactive learning experiences. 

Can a new blended learning model for education, support teachers as they use the true power of technology to develop and manage learning experiences? 

http://interactyx.com/social-learning-blog/the-new-blended-learning-does-your-lms-have-what-it-takes/

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iGEAR: Immerse Learning from the Get-Go!

11/21/2013

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Take a look at our simple adaptation of the GEAR Methodology for Blended Learning: What activities would you supplement in at each phase to deepen the experience?
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iGEAR for Educators

11/20/2013

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Technology Integration for Teachers: Total Immersion and Instructional Design Training

11/19/2013

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Recently we have been discussing the challenges technology integration places on educators; knowing what technology to use, when and how to use it effectively and also when not to use it. There are expectations on teachers to integrate technology, but little professional development on elearning practices. 

Make no mistake, once technology is used in the classroom, elearning teaching methods (many such as GEAR are really solid) need to be applied. How many schools have provided blended learning training for their traditionally trained educators?

Elearning instructional design is developing solid models of learning which embrace measurable and memorable personalised learning. Meanwhile most class-based educators have professional development overtime on topics such as differentiation, technology integration and peer-to-peer learning. What if holistic professional development redesigns the way teachers construct learning? 

Schools have been moving towards blended learning through learning platforms and flipped lessons, why not remove the confusion and integrate technology entirely, providing the blended learning instructional methodologies such as GEAR (see previous AGILE in Education post).

Take a look at Edustruct, it offers an integrated paperless platform for educators, with secure social media options for parents and students: https://edustruct.com/ . This is one example of complete technological immersion, providing the environment and the tools to truly integrate; now how about  professional development in instructional design?
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AGILE in Education?

11/15/2013

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AGILE Design's Potential as a Professional Development Tool? 

I am really enjoying learning more about AGILE design. I think this has potential in wider environments than just instructional design. 

Perhaps it has potential in professional development design for educators? Learning and training that is broken down into chunks, applied and evaluated on the go. Can scrum meetings be a useful method to maintain motivation for teachers working towards institutional goals?

Feel free to comment and add your thoughts on AGILE's potential.

http://www.astd.org/Publications/Magazines/TD/TD-Archive/2012/03/Are-You-Ready-for-Agile-Learning-Design
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3 Tips and 5 Apps: Keeping Technology Integration Simple!

11/11/2013

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Integrating technology into the classroom can be overwhelming. The selection of applications designed to help educators and students is vast and evolving. It is easy to turn away from technology integration in the face of so many choices. 

What works best for your students and for you? Here are our top tips:

1. Ask your students: As digital natives, students often have a detailed and holistic understanding of what technology is capable of doing. Try asking students what they use, what they like best and why they like specific apps. When students' opinion is invited, the response can be very positive and helpful. It also give students ownership over activities and work.

2. Flip the Learning! Provide opportunities for students to choose how they represent learning. Students may choose media you have not encountered, it is delightful to see student creativity when given  freedom to make these choices. As educators and life-long learners it can be rewarding to learn from the people we teach.

3. Choose your top 5 apps that can be applied in many subject areas and situations and use them a lot and in different ways. Invite students to critique your top 5 apps as they make use of them too.

Below are our top 5 apps (not subject specific)

#1 http://www.showme.com/create: Create lessons or let your students teach and share
#2 https://mural.ly/ : Present and brainstorm collaboratively
#3 http://www.explaineverything.com/: Flip the classroom using an iPad.
#4 http://www.fiftythree.com/paper: Storyboarding, impressive artwork with this flexible app.
#5 http://www.haikudeck.com/: Presentation software with great images, easy to access.

Additional apps: 
For note taking that integrates dropbox try notability: http://www.gingerlabs.com/
For teachers to streamline communication with students and parents, well worth a look: http://threering.com/




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    Alex Catallo

    K-12 Educator, Curriculum and course designer, devising strategies and courses that empower educators to provide learning experiences in the classroom, blended and online environments.
    www.linkedin.com/in/acatallo/

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