Blended Learning and Literacy
Blended Learning combines the most effective components of traditional face-to-face instruction and online learning. However, in what ways can it be most effective? This week I took a look at an article that investigated the effect on literacy in elementary school students. Although I teach Spanish, and this article focused on English literacy, my high school students are also in the beginning/ practicing stages of reading and writing in a language. I read this article from a comparative perspective of how it could be applied to my own content.
In the article, "Exploration of a Blended Learning Approach to Reading Instruction for Low SES Students in Early Elementary Grades" authors Rachel Schechter, Paul Macaruso, Elizabeth R. Kazakoff, and Elizabeth Brooke analyze the effect of students receiving blended English Language Arts instruction and compare the results to a control group of students who received the same material with traditional instruction. The study was conducted western Massachusets urban elementary school. Two first grade classes and two second grade classes were chosen and one was randomly assigned to be the control group for each grade. In total, 45 students were in the treatment classes and 38 in the control classes. Most students were Hispanic (followed by Black then White) and qualified for free or reduced lunch. The study was executed by placing six computers in the treatment classroom and using a rotation method to give students access to the online program Core5.
The study's results found blended learning. when incorporated into the ELA curriculum of first and second graders was more effective in raising reading skills as opposed to traditional instruction. While other students have been conducted on the effect of technology on instruction, effectiveness was not as notable because the technology was seen as an extra resource instead of an integral role.
Just as students in the first years of elementary school are beginning to read in English, students in introductory Spanish classes do the same. As seen in this study, blended learning allows the teacher to identify and address areas of need of each student and provide individualized instruction all within the typical class schedule.
Article: Prescott, J. E., Bundschuh, K., Kazakoff, E. R., & Macaruso, P. (2018). Elementary school–wide implementation of a blended learning program for reading intervention. The Journal of Educational Research, 111(4), 497-506.
Hello Ms. Diaz,
ReplyDeleteI really like how you explained your perspective as a high school Spanish teacher making use of this experience in an elementary school. I am glad that to see an example of using blended learning in schools serving students with low SES backgrounds. It is one of my concerns because not all students have equal technological access at home. The words "give access to students" helped me view blended learning from a different perspective. Instead of thinking that blended learning requires students to have access to technology, it might help to think of blended learning as providing students with access to technology. Instead of requiring more from students, it is providing more to them.
Hi Ms. Diaz, after reading your post I was left with some thoughts and some questions. Were the teachers in the group that implemented blended learning trained to use and teach students how to use the programs? Have the students had previous experience working with computers? How long were these ELA periods, and were they the same for both groups? Thank you for your post!
ReplyDeleteHello Ms. Diaz!
ReplyDeleteThank you for showcasing a real life example of how effective blended learning is in the classroom. From your blog and other resources, I learned that technology should be a part of your lessons rather than treating it as a resource. Just one question. How was technology utilized in these classrooms? Were the classes using the same programs? Different? Overall, I really enjoyed reading your blog. Thank you!
Hello Ms. Diaz,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that you point out using technology as a necessity, something normal in the classroom. I think many people see technology as an extra resource in the classroom instead of an integral part of students learning. Seeing that you were able to tie an elementary school example to a high school class shows that you are able to use blended learning among different subjects and grade levels. Thank you for sharing!
Greetings,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your approach to this article as you were able to see it through the lens of your own content area. Technology is integral for teaching and meeting the academic needs of digital natives. Great post!