Resources and Digital Environments
Introduction
In this course, we learned about the power of educational technology and how to share our knowledge through publication. Below you will learn more about how we used adaptive programs in a blended learning environment in order to enhance and personalize learning for our students.
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).
As we began to implement a blended learning model during the 21-22 school year, our main goal was to increase student engagement and motivation in order to create personalized learning opportunities in a student-centered classroom. This school year, our Dyslexia students and a 4th-grade classroom integrated new adaptive learning platforms within a blended learning environment to assist in closing academic gaps caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lexia CORE5 and I-ready provided students with personalized learning paths that increased student engagement and motivation while shifting from a teacher-centered model to a student-centered classroom. Lexia CORE 5 and I-ready both provided students with personalized literacy instruction that allowed students the freedom of path and pace.
To learn more about my work in 5317 Resources and Digital Environments, please review my Publication Outline, Publication Rough Draft, Publication Final Draft, and my Media Project.
Publication Outline
Connection to Innovation Plan:
By incorporating adaptive learning programs, such as Lexia CORE 5 and i-Ready, in our innovation plan, Blended Learning: Personalizing the Future of Education, we harnessed the power of technology in order to provide personalized instruction and close academic gaps.
Our innovation plan first focuses on implementing blended learning in our dyslexia lab and a 4th-grade classroom. During the 2021-2022 school year, we began incorporating a station rotation blended learning model that incorporated two adaptive learning platforms, Lexia Core5 and iReady.
By:
Veronica Balli, Erika Peña, Ileana Reyna
EDLD 5317
Publication
We began implementing a station-rotation blended learning model during the 2021-2022 school year with the goal of creating personalized learning opportunities for our 4th grade and Dyslexia students. Within our rotations, we integrated new adaptive digital programs that assisted in increasing motivation and closing academic gaps caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
To learn more about our publication, please click the link below.
Blended Learning: Closing Gaps with Adaptive Programs
Blended Learning: Closing Gaps with Adaptive Programs
This publication was written by three elementary school teachers from Victor Fields Elementary in McAllen, TX. Erika Peña is a 4th-grade teacher and both Veronica Balli and Ileana Reyna are K-5 dyslexia teachers.
Media Project
Blended Learning: Closing Gaps with Adaptive Programs
In order to promote our publication article, Veronica Balli, Ileana Reyna, and I created a short media project that is meant to hook our viewers into learning more about our article, Blended Learning: Closing Gaps with Adaptive Programs.
To view our media publication, please click the link below.
