Content area
Full Text
According to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, blended learning refers to any time a student learns at least in part at a brick- and-mortar location away from home and in part through online delivery, with student control over time, path, and/or pace (Wicks, 2010). There are four recognized models for blended learning. The first, the rotation model, includes the popular flipped classroom model in which instruction and content are delivered online from a remote loca- tion (often at home) after school, and guided practice occurs at school with face-to-face teacher guidance.
The second is the flex model, through which con- tent and instruction are delivered via the Internet while the teacher is on-site to provide face-to- face support through small-group instruction, projects, and individual tutoring. The third mod- el is a self-blended one, with students choosing online courses to supplement face-to-face classes. The fourth and final model is the enriched virtual model, whereby the entire school focuses on stu- dents dividing time between on-campus learning some days of the week and remote online learn- ing other days (Staker & Horn, 2012).
Regardless of the model your school adopts, blended learning has enormous potential for classroom learning. Some experts argue that by 2019, 50% of high school courses will be offered online (Horn & Staker, 2011). As always, the role of the teacher is to create standards-based blended learning experiences that are engaging and meaningful and that harness the many out- standing online resources available today. This article will focus on online resources for teachers appropriate to blended learning environments of any type.
Online video libraries are an incredible re- source for blended learning. One site-100+ Video Sites Every Educator Should Bookmark (updated for 2012) available at http://www .accreditedonlinecolleges.com/blog/2012/100- video-sites-every-educator-should-bookmark- updated-for-2012/ (Lopez, 2012)-lists dozens of video libraries for teachers and students. For ex- ample, TEDEd: Lessons Worth Sharing (http:// ed.ted.com/) is a free educational website for teachers and learners that contains educational videos created mainly by teachers and animators nominated through the TEDEd platform. This platform lets users take any useful educational video, create a customized lesson around it, and distribute it to a wider audience. One example of...