Blended Learning with BLOSSOMS

In the past couple of weeks, we have discussed the possibilities and potential of integrating our classes. It seems that with blended learning, technology can give students more accessibility to individualized instruction. As a teacher, it seems like a great idea to be able to cater to the education needs of every single student. However, at MIT, the possibilities of blended learning are not only being developed in the classroom or even school-wide level but at the international level.

These possibilities are taking on the form of an initiative called BLOSSOMS (Blended Learning Open Source Science or Math Studies Initiative), a cross-border, collaborative learning and teaching system. The system is designed for high school math and science contents by creating short videos that can be used as support by teachers. However, two key components make this intuitive truly unique.

First, the initiative is an international one. It aims to make content accessible to students in schools worldwide. The videos that are offered are actually created by teachers and professors from around the world. Because of the collaboration of teachers worldwide, videos are translated and available in a variety of languages apart from the native one that they are made in. When looking at the website myself, videos were available in Arabic, English, Farsi, Hindi, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Malay, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, and Urdu. Personally, I think that apart from access to the content itself, students would be able to see instructors of other backgrounds. Also if there are students who speak any of these languages at home, they can watch the videos in there home language and even share it with their families.

Second, the initiative aims to provide services to high-poverty locations through the use of a lower-tech delivery platform. If a site does not have access to internet services, the videos can also be provided through CDs, DVDs, and videotapes. Developers of the Blossom program are working to partner with universities and Ministries of Education in different countries that can be the centers of support and distribution for school sites.

Although I did look at the website and was able to look through the videos that are available, I am interested in getting more information about how the program is actually doing in other countries since the article itself was written over a decade ago.  Even if the videos are specific to math and science classes, I think that a multinational blended learning program with collaborating teachers and resources is a great idea. With Spanish, I think it could be possible to get instructors from the 20+ countries to collaboratively create content that we could all use. This would give our students a first-hand experience into the different types of Spanish that exist.

Article: Larson, R. C., & Murray, M. E. (2008). Open educational resources for blended learning in high schools: Overcoming impediments in developing countries. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 12(1), 85-103.