Blended+Learning+-+Challenges

Challenges in providing a successful educational experience for students in a 'blended' learning environment:
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 * I think the potential impact of blended learning on Secondary Schools is a little understated. I think it will rock the traditional model to its early 20th Century core. The role of the teacher will change fundamentally and therefore so will the required skill set. The traditional roles of teacher as deliverer of content and controller of student activity will no longer exist.
 * If blended learning is taken seriously I think teachers will have to come to terms with the fact that explaining or reciting stuff that they themselves understand is inefficient use of time. In fact they will probably end up with a responsibility to pre record all their content delivery. Students will demand the right to have content delivered when they are ready – not when the teacher decides the class is ready. Ken mentioned that blended students are making similar demands when they miss f2f sessions due to VC commitments.
 * I'm convinced that some quite sane students will cheerfully resist this as it makes them responsible for their own learning which means more work. Assisting the learners to see themselves as being responsible for and controlling their own learning is a process that will need considerable support. If teachers just say 'well, this is how we operate now', then many students are going to flounder. At the same time, I have absolutely no doubt that I would have been more personally and professionally at ease with myself today had I been forced to take responsibility for directing my own learning at school.
 * The potential impact of ICT on education is much bigger than just the classroom level - it is literally a revolution or potentially an overhaul of how and why education operates in local and global culture.
 * From this perspective we have to look at it the other way around: what changes do we need to make to the education system as a whole, and its relationship with our social and professional communities, as ICT changes the nature of interpersonal communication in all of these areas?
 * I think the classroom-level changes are secondary to the system-wide ones, although funnily enough they're probably also the necessary catalyst for it because it's a lot easier and faster for teachers to change their classroom practices and thereby cause politicians to change their policies than the other way around.
 * The example of a "classroom" that Ken provides in his presentation is more an example of changing the overall system and philosophy of education than merely a change in classroom practice and it's these kinds of changes that I think should be the goal, toward which classroom changes are just stepping stones.
 * I was interested in Ken presentation how he states that the key driver was necessity. It was do or die for these small rural schools. We now see students in urban areas accessing these programs by choice. It will be interesting to see the response of urban schools that don’t have the same necessity to change. How long can they continue to ‘ play school’ at the expense of learning.
 * As a parent of a student in he secondary system I was excited by the Blended Learning opportunities in the smaller centre and I have to say disappointed that this world has not been open to our city learners. How quickly and interested are the WHOLE tertiary sector in changing to a blended model?I can see some areas that are obviously changing but even within an organisation the range of buy-in is huge. This is definitely exciting and innovative times!!
 * For a f2f teacher embracing extra work is a pain how about handling technology? who as a teacher is a reluctant participant? Naturally online teaching needs more effort than face to face.i.e per student and per class. For some handling both can be too difficult. Teachers should be trained to handle that. For e.g. we see hegemonic behaviour every where. Does it force the teacher to take extra responsibility with choice or without choice. Any one who is forced to take extra responbility could have/portray counter productive results. For students the courses offered this way (blended learning ) is of utmost importance. For. e.g I was at a school in Mangere last week, this girl who was interested in becoming a Doctor. She did not have all the subjects available to upgrade to that. She finished her school with an ambition unfulfilled. After some time she did a One year Diplomo in through a pacific institute that enabled her to get into Medicine.