Embedded Files
Essential Questions
Essential Questions
• How can we design each learning experience to focus on what truly matters, to be meaningful and reflective for all students?
• How can we design each learning experience to focus on what truly matters, to be meaningful and reflective for all students?
• What role will students play in the design of the learning tasks?
• What role will students play in the design of the learning tasks?
Key Ideas
Key Ideas
• Differentiate the learning from the task
• Differentiate the learning from the task
• In-person and synchronous time should be for active learning
• In-person and synchronous time should be for active learning
• On-line asynchronous time should be for getting work done
• On-line asynchronous time should be for getting work done
• Learners should play a key role in the design of the task
• Learners should play a key role in the design of the task
“Just showing someone how to do something does not ensure that they can do it later. How many times have you seen someone cut hair, change a tire, or bake a cake, still not sure you can do it yourself? Imagine the difference if someone shared the thinking involved in each step of the process (and then allowed you to practice and receive feedback). That might just make the difference for you to be able to own that learning.” - John Hattie (The Distance Learning Playbook)
“Just showing someone how to do something does not ensure that they can do it later. How many times have you seen someone cut hair, change a tire, or bake a cake, still not sure you can do it yourself? Imagine the difference if someone shared the thinking involved in each step of the process (and then allowed you to practice and receive feedback). That might just make the difference for you to be able to own that learning.” - John Hattie (The Distance Learning Playbook)
Activate Your Thinking
Activate Your Thinking
The word "learning" is familiar to all of us. Yet if we were asked to define the term, we would likely share a slightly different and ambiguous definition. As you watch the video of Will Richardson's TEDx West Vancouver talk, carefully consider and reflect on your own beliefs about learning. Think about some important learning that you have engaged in... Were you successful in this learning? What motivated you to engage in this learning? Are you still engaged in this learning? What did you need, or would you need, to own this learning?
Beliefs About Learning
Beliefs About Learning
Reflect upon your own beliefs about learning and your needs as a learner. What do you need take ownership of your learning? Choose 3 words that best describe what you need as a learner to own your learning. CLICK "Take the Poll" and enter your 3 words. See what words others used in the window below.
“Do your students know what they are supposed to be learning? Or do they see the class as a list of things to do? There is a big difference between these two. When students know what they are expected to learn, they are more likely to learn it. At some point in every lesson, students should know what they are supposed to learn.” - John Hattie (The Distance Learning Playbook) - John Hattie (The Distance Learning Playbook)
“Do your students know what they are supposed to be learning? Or do they see the class as a list of things to do? There is a big difference between these two. When students know what they are expected to learn, they are more likely to learn it. At some point in every lesson, students should know what they are supposed to learn.” - John Hattie (The Distance Learning Playbook) - John Hattie (The Distance Learning Playbook)
Acquire Some Ideas
Acquire Some Ideas
To design meaningful learning in a hybrid environment focus on what is most important. As a designer of learning, it is often the teacher, that decides the learning that is most important? We design activities to engage students in the learning process, and we value the time spent with our students to build connections, collaboration, model, and support. Through our experience and conversations with educators we have assembled a list of suggested best practices for designing hybrid learning.
Hybrid Learning Design Best Practices
Hybrid Learning Design Best Practices
Start with a plan
Start with a plan
Planning for an online lesson shouldn't be much different that planning for a traditional in-person classroom lesson. The only major difference should be the digital tools used to support the virtual environment. Consider using a lesson planning template or framework to structure your lesson and focus on what is most important.
Activate, aquire, apply, and assess - 4 A's of Lesson Planning
Engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate - 5E's Instructional Model
Design with differentiation in mind
Design with differentiation in mind
Is the learning accessible to all learners? Plan learning activities that are open to all, providing a low floor and a high ceiling for learners. When selecting digital resources, consider choosing video resources with closed captioning for the hearing impaired, or provide students support to utilize accessibilty tools like Google Read and Write or ReWordify to simplify digital text and web resources.
Keep direct instruction and lecturing to a minimum
Keep direct instruction and lecturing to a minimum
We know direct instruction can be a useful in certain situations. We also know that many learners do not have the ability to "sit-and-get" for prolonged periods of time. In an online environment , it is even harder to keep learners focussed utilizing this type of instructional technique. Consider keeping direct instruction to a minimum and make it "bite-sized" when necessary.
Consider pre-recording instructional videos
Consider pre-recording instructional videos
Have you considered "flipping" your classroom? Is there information and content that can be shared with students ahead of time? Utilize video recording and screencasting tools like Zoom or Screencastify to create and share pre-recorded instructional videos and content for students to watch on their own. This can free up valuable classtime for more important learning activities.
Synchronous time is for active learning
Synchronous time is for active learning
When you have the opporutnity to connect with students in person or in a synchronous digital environment, and the opportunity for them to connect with each other in real time, focus on activities that leverage the social nature of learning. Utilize this time for collaboration, discussions, debates, pair-share, and making thinking visible.
Asynchronous time is for getting work done
Asynchronous time is for getting work done
One of the benefits of the hybrid learning environment is leveraging digital tools to keep the learning going when students are not f2f. Utilize this time to support learners, to practice and develop skills, work on the task, provide feedback and reflect on learning.
Keep it simple
Keep it simple
Differentiate between what is important to the learning process and what is simply "busy"work. Try to eliminate the unneccessary noise.
Slow it down
Slow it down
Remember that working in an online environment can be challenging and requires a different set of skills. We often assume that learners have the digital skills needed to navigate the learning environment at the same pace they would in the f2f classroom.
Make your students' thinking visible
Make your students' thinking visible
How will you know if your students are learning? Consider designing the learning so the activities that students engage in provide valuable insight into their learning progress. Engage students in activities to make their thinking visible (MTV). There are a number of MTV Routines that you can leverage in both the f2f and digital environment. There are also a number of digital tools that support MTV in online environments (Google Slides, Padlet, FlipGrid, Whiteboard.fi, Screencastify). We have sprinkled many of these tools through out this course to give you a chance to explore and reflect on.
Differentiate between the design of learning and the design of the task
Differentiate between the design of learning and the design of the task
When designing learning, be sure to separate the learning process from the task or project that students will complete to share their knowledge or demonstrate their curricular competencies and skills. What are you asking students to learn? What are you asking them to do? Make it clear to students what is learning, and what is the work to get done. If an activity is all about learning, then provide multiple opportunities for feedback and reflection. Learning tasks do not need to be formally assessed.
Give students a role in the design of the learning, the task, or both
Give students a role in the design of the learning, the task, or both
Consider the learners' role in the process of designing learning. Instead of designing tasks for students that focus on recall and recognition, pose problems to students that can be solved in multiple ways. Move from information to understanding by asking them to connect and relate. Give students ownership of their learning by bringing students into the process of designing the learning. Learning is not something that is done to us, it is something that we choose to engage in. Empower students with voice and choice in the types of activities that they can leverage to make their thinking visible. When designing the tasks and projects, invite students to be part of the process. Co-create the criteria and expectations with students so they have a clear understanding and ownership of the task.
Apply Your Learning
Apply Your Learning
Reflect on your previous experience designing learning...
How are the ideas shared in the suggested best practices CONNECTED to what you already knew about designing learning?
What new ideas did you get that EXTENDED or broadened your thinking in a new direction?
What CHALLENGES or puzzles have come up in your mind from the information presented?
Make your thinking visible and share it in this collaborative Google Slide Deck. Be sure to take some time to read and comment on what others have shared.
Extension - Examples of Powerful Learning In Action
Extension - Examples of Powerful Learning In Action
Check out the web resource - Digital Promise - Accelerating Innovation in Education.
Take a look at some of the powerful stories of students sharing their challenge based learning experiences. Reflect on the story that you have chosen to review, what do you notice about this example?
What motivated the student to engage in the learning?
What conditions were present to support the student in this learning?
What was the role did the teacher play in this learning?
Key Ideas Recap
Key Ideas Recap
• Differentiate the learning from the task
• Differentiate the learning from the task
• In-person and synchronous time should be for active learning
• In-person and synchronous time should be for active learning
• On-line asynchronous time should be for getting work done
• On-line asynchronous time should be for getting work done
• Learners should play a key role in the design of the task
• Learners should play a key role in the design of the task
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