Literature Review

Blended Learning: Personalizing the Future of Education 

 A Literature Review

Ileana Reyna

In collaboration with: Erika Peña and Veronica Balli

Lamar University

EDLD 5305

Dr. Dwayne Harapnuik

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Blended learning is a student-centered, formal education program where students experience online learning that is integrated with instruction at a brick-and-mortar location (Horn & Staker, 2015). In a blended learning model, students’ online learning experiences must offer them some element of control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of their learning (Arnett, 2021). In other words, students may choose when, where, what, and/or how fast or slow they are learning. They have the power to pause, rewind, or fast-forward instruction based on their unique needs. Blended learning offers the best of both worlds, allowing schools to integrate 21st-century instructional models, such as time and space, flexibility, self-pacing, digital content, and increased personalization into an adult supportive environment (McLester, 2011). 

 

This literature review will explore the benefits of blended learning, specifically how implementing a blended learning model with personalized and targeted instruction will lead to higher engagement and student achievement. 

 

Understanding the Need for Blended Learning

“Dewey defines traditional education as information imposed from above, usually through lecture or books” (Roche, 2004). According to Farah (2018), the lecture in a traditional classroom causes a bottleneck, or an inefficient production of learning, because one size does not fit all.  Students come to the classroom with different learning styles and different background knowledge. This is where differentiation in the classroom comes to play,  yet  “today’s schools were designed over a century ago to do just the opposite of differentiation and customization. They were designed to standardize the way they teach and test” (Horn & Staker, 2015). According to Harapnuik et al., (2018), there is no denying that the standardized model of instruction proved to be an efficient way to get a large number of students to move into the industrial age, but we have progressed into the digital age where the challenges and opportunities that we face will not be met by a standardized learning model. He further states that if you really want to help students embrace an ever-changing future, you must create a significant learning environment (CSLE) in which you give your learners choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities (COVA) (Harapnuik et al., 2018). Blended learning creates that significant learning environment (CSLE) that removes the standardized one size fits all approach by providing a way for students to become “self-directed learners who are responsible for managing their own time” (Farah, 2018). 

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Benefits of Blended Learning

Rocketship Public Schools (2013) stated that blended learning has the ability to reach the right students, with the right lessons, at the right time. By blending the best of online learning and face-to-face instruction, teachers and schools are designing learning environments for students with a more personalized approach. This will place the student at the center of the learning process, creating a more engaging, efficient, and success-oriented learning environment (Powell, 2015). 

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Personalized and Targeted Instruction

With the blended learning model, teachers can provide personalized and targeted instruction that will allow students across the achievement spectrum to be successful. Students will no longer need to work at a predetermined pace that has been established without regard for their unique needs (Farah, 2018).  Blended learning models such as Rotation, Flex, A La Carte, and Enriched Virtual provide personalized instruction that meets each individual student’s needs. (Horn & Staker, 2015). One way to provide personalized instruction with these models is by using an adaptive online program along with teacher-led targeted small group instruction like Aspire ERES Academy in Oakland, CA, used within their station rotation model. Online adaptive programs such as Lexia Core5, iReady, and DreamBox provide students with lessons, skill-building practice, and mastery checks based on their unique instructional levels. These programs provide additional practice for students who struggle with certain concepts and accelerate students beyond grade-level material while providing educators with real-time data. (Rocketship Public Schools, 2013). Teachers then use this data to immediately identify learning gaps or enrichment opportunities and are able to provide teacher-led targeted small group instruction. “The result is a data-driven and student-centered classroom that honors the importance of personalizing learning to meet the unique needs of each student” (Farah, 2018).  A few other Educational apps that may assist in the process of equitable and personalized learning are Flipgrid, EdPuzzle, and Padlet. Flipgrid and EdPuzzle allow for a flipped classroom model and can also offer video discussions while providing a platform for all students. These three apps give a voice to students who may be hesitant to answer in a group setting or need extra time to plan a response making them feel empowered.

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Student Engagement and Motivation

Another benefit of blended learning is the potential to motivate and engage students by giving them choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities (COVA). By using COVA within the blended learning model, students are able to choose their path towards meaningful work, take ownership of their learning, and use their voice to share their knowledge and creations with others through authentic learning opportunities (Harapnuik et al., 2018). Research shows that “there is an intrinsic need for personal autonomy, self-determination, and to feel that one is choosing one’s behavior, vs. being controlled externally” (Elias, 2016). 

Additionally, in order for students to feel intrinsically motivated to come to school and learn, schools must crawl into a learner’s skin and see their circumstances--including their anxieties, immediate problems, and innate motivations--from their point of view (Horn & Staker, 2015). According to Farah (2018), there was a noticeable decrease in anxiety and increase in confidence for students engaged in blended learning. She stated that “students were no longer stressed about coming to class because they knew they were going to pick up where they left off and were confident they would be given the time they needed to truly internalize the content” (Farah, 2018). 

Furthermore, when schools align right with what matters most to students, they will hire the school to fulfill their job-to-be-done. Research by Horn and Staker (2015) finds that there are two core jobs that are the highest priority for most students: feeling successful and connecting with friends. This means not only understanding what students are trying to accomplish, but also understanding the experiences they need to get those jobs done, and then assembling the right resources and integrating them in the right way to deliver those experiences (Horn & Staker, 2014). Diane Tavenner, CEO of Summit Public Schools, states that “when you realize how irrational the current system of schooling is in which students advance based on time regardless of whether they have mastered the material, which has significant repercussions for their odds of success on future work—and then you give students a rational, competency-based schooling system—one that makes sense because it is set up for them to be successful—they want more of it” (Horn & Staker, 2015). Summit Public Schools believes that students must have positive social experiences where they work collaboratively with others to complete difficult tasks and discuss issues that are important to them (Horn & Staker, 2015). A traditional factory-type classroom does not offer the opportunity for students to build those relationships, as a blended learning environment can. Not only can blended learning have the potential to motivate and engage students by giving them choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities, but it can also create positive social experiences.

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Student Achievement

As a result of the personalized instruction and increase in student engagement that blended learning offers, schools around the nation have seen substantial student growth and achievement. According to Emily Murphy, Principal of Aspire ERES Academy in Oakland, CA, in their first year of implementing blended learning, the school grew 47 points in their Academic Performance Index (Aspire ERES Academy, 2013). Additionally, a case study of New York’s Randolph Central School District showed that after implementing a blended learning model at their elementary school, their math scores on state assessments improved and their ELA data was already showing signs of improvement, as well. Similar to Aspire ERES Academy, New York’s Randolph Central School District had implemented a blended learning rotation model where students rotated between adaptive online learning programs such as i-Ready and IXL, collaborative small-groups, and teacher-led instruction (Powell et al., 2015). According to Powell et al. (2015), as more schools and educational programs implement blended learning models the more evidence of effective and successful practices come to light.  

 

Proper Implementation of Blended Learning

In order for a successful implementation of blended learning, a clear goal and a long-term sustainability plan should be in place. Like with any new initiatives the who, when, where and how, must be clearly stated. Those involved; district leaders, teachers, and students should also be committed to supporting the goals of the plan. Blended learning is a pathway to student-centered learning, as it allows each child to achieve his or her fullest potential, but it is not a guaranteed success (Horn & Staker, 2014) without the proper implementation. Research by Darrow et al., (2013), suggests that planning and implementing a successful blended learning environment involves several elements, such as a reliable technology infrastructure and strong leadership with teacher buy-in. 

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Infrastructure

There are requirements needed for the successful implementation of blended learning initiatives such as basic infrastructure, integration of information systems, professional development of staff, and access to technological support (Kelly, 2016). According to Blended Learning in DC Public Schools, building blended learning classrooms is not free (Lautzenheiser & Hochleitner, 2014), but many districts have already invested and budgeted in technology, equipment, and programs making blended learning a possibility to pilot in classrooms. According to Harapnuik (2018), “Technology is a potentially powerful tool that should be used to enhance creation, collaboration, inquiry, investigation, and communication. Ideally, we want to give our learners choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities. Technology helps us to do this more effectively.” As schools move forward with a blended learning model, there needs to be an understanding and a clear set goal as to how digital devices and software will improve student productivity (Horn & Staker, 2015).  

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Strong Leadership and Teacher Buy-In

Maintaining and sustaining a blended learning initiative takes ongoing attention and involvement by administrators, teachers, and staff (Darrow et al., 2013).  Administration must set a clear vision, attend training, support blended learning, model actions, and ensure technology is not an additional initiative but a part of the curriculum (November, 2013). According to Darrow et al., (2013), the classroom teacher is also an essential part of the blended learning implementation. “Teachers need to understand and believe in the pedagogical shift that occurs in teaching when blended learning is successfully implemented” (Darrow et al., 2013). With that being said, how do we get teachers to buy into and believe in the blended learning model? According to Harapnuik (2014), it takes four steps to get people to buy into new things, such as implementing a blended learning model. First, it starts with the WHY (Sinek, 2009). Educators must know WHY they would want to add or improve the current method of instruction. Then, key influencers must be identified and enlisted. These are the social leaders that will influence others around the campus. Furthermore, an effective execution strategy must be installed, and lastly, self-differentiated leaders must be empowered. These teacher leaders have the ability to show people why implementing blended learning is better for the learners. Using these four steps will help the culture of the school embrace the change. It will become part of the fabric of the school, and the end result is a community of learners where all students are engaged and achieving at high levels (Darrow et al., 2013).

 

Conclusion

According to Dewey (1940), “The world is moving at a tremendous rate. Going no one knows where. We must prepare our children, not for the world of the past. Not for our world. But for their world. The world of the future." Considering that Dewey said this almost eighty years ago, imagine how rapidly the world is moving today. “If our goal is to educate every child to the highest potential, schools need to move away from monolithic classroom models toward a student-centric model with a modular design that enables mass customization” (Christensen, et al., 2008). Blended learning can provide that student-centric model while providing personalized learning and incorporating technologies needed for 21st-century skills. As the classroom shifts from teacher-centered to a more student-centered approach, students may begin creating their own personalized path towards more meaningful work.