The Christensen Institute and The Learning Accelerator team up to explain the basics of blended learning and illustrate its revolutionary potential.
Transcript:
Technology has revolutionized our world. We can connect, learn, create, and share like never before. We have immediate, improved, and personalized access to information. Yet, despite this powerful transformation, education has largely remained untouched.
The big idea behind blended learning is combining online instruction with brick-and-mortar schools and teachers, so students can learn at their own pace and optimize their individual learning. Blended learning combines the best of teacher-led instruction and computer-based instruction. The world today isn’t about paper and pencil—it’s about computers. Helping students become comfortable and familiar with technology now better prepares them for the world they’ll face after school.
Blended learning personalizes education for every student’s individual needs, meeting them where they are, when they need it. Assuming that all students learn in the same way does them—and educators—a disservice. When you walk into a blended learning classroom, you’ll see small groups of students working independently on computers with online programs, while others collaborate in small groups on rich, interactive projects. Teachers can focus on smaller groups, giving more individual attention and helping each student based on their learning style. Students are no longer stuck learning at the pace of the average of 30 classmates—they move at the pace of their own mastery.
Blended learning makes education active rather than passive. Students direct their own learning, learn from mistakes, and develop independence and critical thinking. The classroom becomes more fluid and dynamic, and teachers are better able to respond in real time. By using data from online learning programs, teachers can immediately see where students are struggling and adjust instruction in the next period or even the next class. Students receive instant feedback, allowing them to take ownership of their learning and track their progress continuously.
Parents also gain real-time access to their child’s work, which helps them stay engaged with their student’s learning. Students become deeply motivated as they take control of their educational pathway, learning how to navigate college, career, and life decisions. Blended learning allows content to be applied to real life, making knowledge practical and empowering.
Blended learning is democratizing education. Regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status, students gain access to a personalized education. Schools that adopt blended learning can dramatically improve outcomes; one school increased its API score from the low 500s to the 730s. Independence and self-directed learning are central to this model, allowing students to challenge themselves and realize their full potential. This is 21st-century learning, and all 50 million of America’s students deserve the opportunity to benefit from it.
