Summary of BLAST project looking at aspects of learning design at A level using Moodle

1. Blended Learning
and
Sixth Form Teaching
Blended Learning
An evidence-based approach
Summary
Roger Handyside

2. Some observations about (some) sixth form
students
• Lacking engagement?
• Waiting for teacher to ‘deliver’ the lesson?
• Minimal homework?
• Reluctance/inability to do reading?
• Passive attitude?
• Lack of independent learning skills?

3. Themes
SLT becoming ever more obsessed with ever more complex lesson plans, 3 or 4
part lessons all documented in ever more detail depending on whichever ‘guru’
is fashionable at the time. (Chief of Ofsted says extended reading and writing
is OK (outstanding?) in lessons with teachers giving individual feedback)
Little work has been done on longer term sequences of activities, over a
week, fortnight or longer.
What works? Resurgence of interest in evidence-based teaching and
looking at classroom research.
Ofsted and VLEs – Ofsted are becoming more interested in the use of
VLEs especially at post 16 level:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/virtual-learning-environments-e-portfolio
What are schools using their VLEs for?

4. Resource Based Individual
Timeline – traditional model Activity: Homework written
task follow up A sequencing
model for HE
Tutor
presentation:
didactic teaching
for basic
knowledge
One week: 2 X 1hr classes, 2 X 1hr homeworks

5. Analysis
Cognitive balance
Differentiation

6. Learning phases
• Traditional 3 part lesson
• Mike Hughes 4 phase lesson
• Blended learning 3 phases (big picture)
• Petty (PAR)

7. What works? - Hattie’s Effect sizes
Popular
reference work
in schools
Activity (click through on slide show to show different activities)

8. Summary of effect sizes

9. Mike Hughes 4 phases
Phase one: • Set the scene; link to prior learning; review previous lesson;
provide the big picture; share learning objectives
Phase two: • New information; instruction/exposition
Phase three: • Processing; making sense of information; understanding
Phase four: • Review

10. Geoff Petty’s PAR Model
Petty, G. (2009)

11. Activities
Timeline – more active learning model dragged from
list
Attempting to
incorporate
‘phases’ into
blended
learning
Phase four: Review in class
Phase one/two
Starter
Phase three: Process Phase four: Follow up homework

12. Analysis
Cognitive balance
Differentiation

13. Blended/hybrid teaching
Integrated planning of online activities using VLE and face to face lessons
Longer term planning
3 main phases
1. Online preparation
2. Face to face class interaction
3. Online reflection/review/follow up etc.

15. Independent Learning Progression
model

16. Progression from GCSE – Sixth form?

17. Pre-class activities
• A great deal of research has been done in HE (especially in
first year science courses)
• Mainly to get groups up to speed when there has been a
variety of science backgrounds
• Activities have included, text-book work, readings,
worksheets, writing frames, quizzes etc.
Benefits
• Students are familiar with key terms/concepts before the
lesson
• Lessons become more discursive as students already have
knowledge of the topic
• Students become ‘ready for the lesson’ and less passive

18. Reflection
Working on metacognition works
• How did you tackle the task?
• What went well? What didn’t?
• What alternative ways could this have been done?
• How would you approach a similar task?
• How would you advise another student? Etc...
(e.g. Hughes 2002)

20. Timeline – blended learning model, with reflective journal
Reflective
journal - online
Pre-lesson Active class lesson Online forum
activities - online
Could be adapted as Practice exam
sequence for various question submitted
learning/skills objectives online

21. Analysis
Cognitive balance
Differentiation

23. Example geog
page

24. Student
guidance

25. Project
information

26. Learning
sequence

27. Work plan
outline

28. Extract fro
Biology forum
Forum (from biology)

29. Quizzes for
testing basic
terminology/
concepts

30. Online
assignment
using video clip
Assignment
submitted here

31. Draft of
reflective
journal to
encourage
metacognition

32. Next steps
• Revision activities for June modules
• Online model answer marking against mark scheme after class
discussion
• Collaborative creation of exemplary exam answers using wikis.
• Peer assessment, online pairs
• Development of bank of SCORM quizzes
• Develop use of discussion forums/small group forums
• Develop online graphical organisers
• Collaborative student presentations