In support of the blended classroom
“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”
John Dewey
Libraries, while filled with books, have often been the place that new technology trends can first be found. From computer labs and ebooks to makerspaces and 3D printing, libraries offer their patrons access to technology that might not be available to them otherwise. For me, the position of being the librarian allows me to test trends and methods that classroom teachers might not have the time or freedom to try. The concept of offering a hybrid class focusing on digital literacy and research skills is one that I’m uniquely positioned to pilot. My hope in reviewing the literature was to find data to support making a change that would be the first in our building.
As we work to create more authentic learning experiences in a technology-rich environment, the use of educational models that support that goal are on the rise. A number of studies point to the growth of blended learning in both K-12 schools and libraries. The 2014 and 2015 Horizon Reports both indicated the use of blended or hybrid learning as a trend that would have impact over the next one to two years. Roscorola noted that the move to blended learning, which was previously driven at a state level, was now increasing at the district level, due to its ability to increase personalization, and in response to a perceived threat from online charter schools (2014).
A 2014 study of several Pennsylvania school districts using hybrid classes showed that students in those classes outperformed their classmates in traditional classes on standardized tests, with nearly 94% of the districts reporting higher scores for students in hybrid classes. In those same schools, a majority of teachers and students alike reported that the hybrid class participants were taking more responsibility for their learning and improving their ability to communicate and work with others. The study also noted that as students in hybrid classes “use technology, work in teams and learn independently every day,” they were developing “soft” skills that would prepare them for their future educational or career endeavors (Delicker Strategies, 2014).
One statistic from the 2015 ECAR report stood out as an indicator that students are truly ready for the blended learning experience. The percentage of students who felt that they learned most from classes without an online component dropped from 25% in 2013 to 12% in 2015. This means that 88% of students believe they learn more from classes that include an online piece. While those results are based on college students, the students in grades 6-12 polled in the Project Tomorrow Speak Up survey had equally positive feelings about blended learning, with 63% of them thinking that blended learning would be a good way for them to learn (2015).
Given that 87% of millennials reported that their cell phones never leave their side (Meeker, 2015), it’s no surprise that mobile learning is on the rise. The Speak Up survey found that students with mobile devices are more likely to use digital resources both in an out of school than those who do not, and that both parents and administrators see that as a major benefit of mobile learning (2015). As a result, schools and libraries are pushing to create a learning environment that is available 24/7. Building a library with mobile-friendly digital resources that are available on demand allows students to extend their learning beyond the traditional school day, and to find inspiration that isn’t confined by the boundaries of the school building and schedule. Creating a class where mobile-friendly, digital content is available on demand for a student, either to extend their learning or provide remediation, allows that content to be more relevant.
With the proliferation of technology, a major trend that most of the reports I viewed mention is the need for better digital literacy. According to the American Library Association, 51% of college freshmen have difficulty learning to use new online tools, and 43% “have trouble making sense of information once sources are found” (2015). Additionally, the percentage of librarians who reported “difficulty locating appropriate digital content” as a challenge rose from 10% to 29% from 2010 to 2015 (American Library Association, 2016). As cost containment continues to be an issue in public schools, it’s likely that more and more open web sources will be used, meaning that students need better skills for finding, assessing, and using online content responsibly. Given that nearly 75% of college freshman have trouble even developing keywords to use in research, and that 86% of them think that illegally downloading and sharing music is permissible (American Library Association, 2015), clearly more education in the area of digital literacy, including ethics and privacy, is necessary.
A study by Ng looked at whether exposure to digital literacy skills via a blended learning course would improve the digital literacy skill set of students. Even students who felt they were proficient with many types of information and communication technologies (ICT) reported an improvement in their digital literacy skills after taking the class. They reported they “were more positive about learning with ICT as they thought that ICT motivated them to learn, it made learning more interesting and they learnt better with ICT as it allowed them to learn more independently.” The same students were statistically more confident in their technical skills when it came to creating artifacts to demonstrate their learning, and more able to solve their own technical problems (Ng, 2012).
Providing students with adequate digital literacy skills is critical. Their educational life, and more importantly, their life after school, will increasingly require the ability to blend the technical, social, and cognitive skills that are the backbone of digital literacy. Creating a blended learning class would allow them to develop those skills in an environment that they find engaging, and one that has been shown to be effective. It also has the ability to tap into the appeal of using mobile devices, and provides students with the ability to access information and learn when it is most convenient for them. All of these features will help better prepare our students for the world that is awaiting them.
References
American Library Association. (2014). The state of America's libraries 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2016, from American Library Association website: http://www.ala.org/news/sites/ala.org.news/files/content/2014-State-of-Americas-Libraries-Report.pdf
American Library Association. (2015). The state of America's libraries 2015 (K. S. Rosa, Ed.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from American Library Association website: http://www.ala.org/news/state-americas-libraries-report-2015
American Library Association. (2015). The state of America's libraries 2016 (K. S. Rosa, Ed.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from American Library Association website: http://www.ala.org/news/sites/ala.org.news/files/content/state-of-americas-libraries-2016-final.pdf
Dahlstrom, E., Brooks, D. C., Grajek, S., & Reeves, J. (2015, December). ECAR study of students and information technology, 2015 [PDF]. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2015/8/ers1510ss.pdf?la=en
Dellicker Strategies. (2014, December). Hybrid learning program results: Summary report for academic year 2013-2014 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.pahli.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/HLI-Program-Results-2013-14-Summary-Report-12-3-141.pdf
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2014). NMC horizon report: 2014 K-12 edition [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2014-k-12-edition/
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015). NMC horizon report: 2015 K-12 edition [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-k-12-edition/
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015). NMC horizon report: 2015 library edition [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-library-edition/
Kelly, R. (2016, January 13). 9 ed tech trends to watch in 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/01/13/9-ed-tech-trends-to-watch-in-2016.aspx
Lynch, M. (2013, November 20). Libraries of the future: where trends are taking K-12 public school libraries. Retrieved April 18, 2016, from Education Week website: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/education_futures/2013/11/libraries_of_the_future_where_trends_are_taking_k12_public_school_libraries.html
Meeker, M. (2015, May). Internet trends 2015 - code conference. Retrieved from http://www.kpcb.com/internet-trends
Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? [PDF]. Computers & Education, 59(3), 1065-1078. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.compedu.2012.04.016
Project Tomorrow. (2015). Digital learning 24/7: Understanding technology-enhanced learning in the lives of today's students [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU14StudentReport.pdf
Project Tomorrow. (2015). Trends in digital learning: Empowering innovative classroom models for learning [PDF]. Retrieved from http://images.email.blackboard.com/Web/BlackboardInc/%7B3a7a75c7-1802-4824-b419-7ff739bcb8f8%7D_Bb_DigitalTrendReport_2015_Final.pdf?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&utm_content=
Roscorla, T. (2014, December 16). 10 K-12 digital trends to watch in 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from Center for Digital Education website: http://www.centerdigitaled.com/news/10-K-12-Digital-Trends-to-Watch-in-2015.html
Taylor, N. G., Subramaniam, M., & Waugh, A. (2015, February 26). The school librarian as learning alchemist: Transforming the future of education. Retrieved April 18, 2016, from American Libraries website: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/02/26/the-school-librarian-as-learning-alchemist/
