Page, L., Sheehan, T., & Worrell, C. (2012). How to do more with less. ISTE: Learning and Leading,39(6), 18-20. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20120304?pg=4&pm=2&fs=1
Summary: This article, "How to do More with Less", starts out by discussing the governments expectations for students reaching and learning higher standards with less time and less money. The article then introduces the topics of flipped classrooms and blended teaching. Blended teaching is the mix of normal face-to-face instruction with online learning practices. In blended classrooms, teachers use digital resource in order to enhance the learning experience. On the other hand, a flipped classroom contains a teacher who uses technology such as videos and podcasts to give class lectures. Therefore, if a student ever needs extra help they will be able to review the lecture very easily. The good thing about both the flipped classroom and the blended teaching is that they both use free online resources. These online resources are beneficial in that they enhance students creativity and technology skills. Commonly used web based tools include wikis, social bookmarking and blogs. All of these are good for personal use as well as for group use. The article even offers examples of different teachers that use certain tools. For example, a teacher at Westfield High School has utilized a digital information organizer and created a LiveBinder for her sophomore language arts class. It was useful to the students because they could easily access information for their research projects. There are many free web based educational tools that everyone can use.
Question 1: How could digital storytelling be beneficial for a class?
Answer 1: Doing activities that are out of the ordinary usually get student interested. In Jeanie Keyes-Plante's seventh grade literacy lab, she asks students from Westfield High School to write a story and create a story board. Each student then creates a digital story of the narrative event that incorporates text, graphics, music, and voice narration. Digital Storytelling transforms students stories into live showcases and is powerful in teaching another form of traditional writing (2012:20). Clearly, digital storytelling is a good way to express students creativity other then just the usual writing strategies.
Question 2: What do teachers think of the idea of blended teaching or flipped classrooms?
Answer 2: It is fair to argue that not every teacher will like the idea of blended teaching or flipped classrooms due to their liking of traditional styles. However, Karen Bernier, and eighth grade math teacher at Ashland Middle School claims that she has transformed her classroom and her way of teaching. Ms. Bernier was very new to the whole blended learning idea, but once she started into it she noticed an improvement in her students grades and learning strategies. As a good teacher would, she became more interested in the idea of blended teaching. She uses technology enhanced lessons as well as online notes and assessments to help her students out. She was surprised to see how much excitement she saw in her students about learning the material as well. Therefore, even if every administrator doesn't like the technology based classroom idea, they should still try something such as posting notes online to see the reactions and improvements they will get from their students.
