Blended Learning - It’s What’s Up For Successful Students

Meeting diverse needs of individual students has always been a challenge for
teachers. With only so many minutes in a class or so many hours in a day,
teachers have struggled to provide for gifted, average, and struggling students,
as well as to honor all learning styles. Adding online learning experiences to face-
to-face delivery has been one solution to these struggles, and research seems to
point to the success of these hybrids.

Educators have developed 6 models for blended learning, and teachers and/or
schools select from among them based upon their unique student populations.
The 6 models of Blended Learning are summarized as follows:

1. The Face-To-Face Driver Model.

This model works best for diverse classrooms in which students are
functioning at various levels of ability and mastery. In general, only
some students will participate in online learning components, as
follows:
o Students at mastery levels above their grade level may
proceed at a more rapid pace. This prevents boredom by
providing appropriate challenges for highly capable students.
o Students who are at mastery levels below their grade level are
given appropriate skill remediation in an effort to accelerate
their learning. And the beauty of online learning for these
children is that they are able to get all of the practice they
need to master skills and to devise their own techniques that
help to improve their memories when content retention is
required.
o ESL students can receive remediation as well, so that their
English skills may be more rapidly acquired.
2. . The Rotation Model.
This is really just a variation of the learning stations model that teachers
have been using for years. There is a set schedule by which students
have face-to-face time with their teachers and then move to online
 work. This model seems to be most popular in the following
environments: 
o Elementary classrooms in which teachers have already used
and are comfortable with traditional learning stations.
o Elementary classrooms in which students can be divided based
upon skill levels in reading and math. Thus, students who are
performing well in math but not in reading may have face-to-
face time wit. h their teachers for reading before rotating to
the online learning stations for math. Teachers are able to give
struggling students more individual assistance based upon
their needs.
3. The Flex Model.
This model relies heavily on online instructional delivery, with teachers
acting as facilitators rather than as primary deliverers of instruction. This
model appears to be most used and most successful in the following
environments: 
o Alternative school settings in which the majority of the student
population is considered to be at-risk. Traditional classroom
settings have traditionally not been successful for these
students.
o Alternative school settings in which students are involved in
work-study programs, have attendance problems, or have
been placed in a part-time schooling program.
o As a rule, the grade level for the Flex Model is secondary.
4. Online Lab School Model.
This model involves students traveling to and attending a school with
total online educational delivery for entire courses. There are no
certified teachers on hand, but, rather, trained paraprofessionals who
supervise. This is a good option in the following circumstances: 
o Secondary students who need flexibility of scheduling due to
other responsibilities (job, child-rearing).
o Secondary students who choose this option in order to
progress at a faster rate than they would in a traditional school
setting.
 o Students who need to move at a slower pace than traditional
classrooms provide.
o Schools and districts that face budget constraints and cannot
accommodate their total populations in traditional classrooms,
either because of facility restraints or the inability to employ
enough certified teachers. This model eases classroom size
issues.
5. Self-Blend Model.
This model allows coursework beyond that offered in a tradition setting
in a specific school or district. Students participate in traditional classes
but then enroll in courses to supplement their regular programs of
study. This model is particularly beneficial in the following
circumstances: 
o A course that is not offered by the school may be taken by a
student who wants additional learning in a specific content
field.
o Students who wish advanced placement courses for early
college credit can enroll in courses designed and approved for
such.
o Students who are highly motivated and fully independent
learners.
6. The Online Driver Model.
This model is the complete opposite of a traditional face-to-face
instructional environment. Students work from remote locations (e.g.,
their homes) and receive all of their instruction via online platforms.
Usually, there are opportunities to “check-in” with a course teacher and
to engage in online messaging if an explanation is needed. Schools and
districts that offer this model find that the number of students opting
for it increases annually. The model works well for the following
students: 
o Students with chronic illnesses/handicaps who find it difficult
to attend school.
 o Students whose jobs or other obligations demand flexibility to
“be in school” at hours during which traditional schools are
not in operation.
o Students who are highly motivated and who want to progress
much faster than would be allowed in a traditional school
setting.
While many “traditional” teachers may resist blended learning environments, this
trend is not going away. Students are digitally-oriented, understand the potential
for success that blended learning may offer them, and are excited about the
opportunities that blended learning offers them. And as school districts continue
to experience financial stress in their attempts to find a desk for every student in
a traditional classroom, online learning is an efficient and viable solution.

Which blended learning model have you been using to improve the education of
your students? Share your stories with us!