1. BLENDED LEARNING:
HOW CAN YOUR
STUDENTS BENEFIT?
TESOL 2010
Christina M. Cavage
in conjunction with Pearson Education
2. Dilemma
Instructional Tools to support course goals/
outcomes and meet my students needs (beyond the
core text)
They needed to be:
engaging
accessible, but not cost prohibitive
encouraged learners to be more independent; to
develop greater autonomy
3. Solution Attempt . . .
Over the course of the years, I
tried several things:
Had students purchase CDs
with texts
found these were often
unopened
4. Solution Attempt . . .
Assigned lab work
for homework
students often
could not attend
due to their life
schedules
5. Solution Attempt . . .
Began using Course
Management systems
like WebCT and
Blackboard
Very time consuming
to create/load course
content
Created my own
website
found students were
accessing it regularly,
but allowed for little
interaction
6. Blended Learning
Began using one web-
based tool, Focus On
Grammar Interactive
students appeared more
engaged, seemed to take
more control over their
learning, and obviously
they had greater access to
course content
Blended
Learning . . .what is it
really? And could this
be the answer?
7. Blended Learning
Research tells us that blended learning is . . .
The blending of in-class instruction with a web-
based course system that supports and
reinforces the content delivered in the face to
face environment.
8. Blended Learning
Could a blended
learning model truly
help my English
Language Learners
make greater learner
gains in their language
development?
Was this the answer?
In class research
Fellowship
9. Blended Learning
Blended learning . . .
The blending of in-class instruction with a web-based
course system that supports and reinforces the content
that is delivered in the face to face environment.
Additionally, it increases learner gains through
the increased level of engagement, easy access to
material and the promotion of independent
study.
10. Advantages of a Blended
Learning Environment
Students interact
with content more
frequently when
content is presented
and supported in a
web-based
environment thus
increasing learner
gains (supported by
Dept of Ed 2009
research)
11. Advantages of Blended
Learning
Students have access to
content anytime,
anyplace . . . so that
student who works till
3 am, can log on after
work or can ‘keep up’
with the class if they
need to return to their
country due to an
emergency
12. Advantages of Blending
Learning
Students take more
control over their own
learning; i.e.. they
develop greater learner
autonomy
13. Blended Learning
Environments
Three levels of blended learning
Non-management
electronic workbook
instructors can view student
work
Little management
reinforcement of course content
can be manipulated to some degree
Full course management system
can be manipulated by teacher, i.e..
teacher can add and delete content
14. LEI and FOGI
Longman English Interactive Focus on Grammar
Interactive
Four levels
Five levels
Incorporates all skill areas
(provides learning Corresponds/supports text
outcomes)
Allows student to submit
Provides remediation up to 10 drafts of an essay
Nicely Supports Side by Provides essay revising/
Side, Center Stage editing tools
15. MyNorthStar Lab
My NorthStar Lab (and Directed and open
other MyLabs) speaking practice
Five levels of Allows teacher to record
MyNorthStar, to support feedback
5 texts
Allows teacher to delete
Includes book content questions/content and
and so much more . . . also add questions/
content
Rich vocabulary practice
(pronunciation) Includes Assessments
16. MyNorthStar Lab
What my students are “I learn new words easily
saying . . . by playing games and
practicing pronunciation.”
“I can practice anytime.”
“More fun than doing
“I can practice as many homework in my book.”
times as I want.”
“I like to practice my
“I like NorthStar Lab speaking on the computer
because I can listen to my because sometimes I am
teacher.” quiet in class.”
17. Blended Learning
Environments
Longman English Interactive
login
Focus On Grammar Interactive
login
MyNorthStar Lab
login
18. Blended Learning
What I have learned about using a blended learning
environment . . .
allows the learners to have greater access to course
content
allows the learners to interact with content in an
engaging, stimulating way
allows learners to interact with course content at
high frequency rates
allows the learners to self-direct their learning;
leading to greater learner gains
19. Blended Learning
Using a blended learning environment . . .
allows ESL professionals to augment their teaching
allows ESL professionals to customize their course
content to meet needs of their course/program(through
the re-ordering to creating and deleting questions)
saves time for ESL professionals in searching for
additional course support materials
provides ESL professionals with a “portfolio” of student
work, evidence for mastery of student learning
outcomes
21. Blended Learning
References:
Al-Jarf, R. S. 2004. The effects of Web-based learning on struggling
EFL college writers. Foreign Language Annals 37 (1):49–57.
Cavage, Christina. 2009. Teaching and Learning Language with Web
2.0. Princeton Mid-Career Fellowship Papers 2009
Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning; A Meta-
Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development,
Washington, D.C., 2009. Accessed at — (http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/
eval/tech/ evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf).
