This document discusses blended learning and the importance of promoting independent learning and critical thinking in online environments. It provides an overview of what blended learning is and considerations for ensuring student readiness for online learning. Key aspects that make blended learning effective include having intrinsically motivated and independent students, readily available technology support, and strong time management skills. The document emphasizes developing self-regulation, problem-solving, and goal-setting skills in students through independent learning. It also includes rubrics and resources for assessing and planning effective blended learning programs.

1. Independence, Critical Thinking,
and Blended Learning
ANASTASIA M. TREKLES, PH.D.
CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
PURDUE UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST
GET THESE SLIDES: HTTP://PADLET.COM/ATREKLES/BLENDED

2. Objectives
 This session will help you:
 Discuss and network with other educators about your
blended learning experiences
 Incorporate scaffolding in the online arena that
promotes independent learning
 Adapt and use research-based, future-ready frameworks
for online and blended curriculum development

3. What is Blended Learning?
 Some people call it hybrid, digital learning, or some
other name
 The NMC Horizon Report tells us that distance and
blended learning is still on the rise in schools
nationwide; more and more Indiana schools are
embracing it
 Is your school doing online snow days? Blended
lessons? Flipped classrooms? Using an LMS?

4. Here’s the real question:
What makes blended learning
work well?
Add your ideas to the Padlet:
https://padlet.com/atrekles/blended

5. Student Readiness for Online Learning
 Students (and teachers!) should be independent and
intrinsically motivated
 Technology support should be readily available and
skills adequate for the tasks required – “digital natives”
aren’t always as tech-savvy as you may think!
 Time management skills are key – students unable to
budget their time will have difficulty

6. Events of Instruction
 The things we need to do to make
sure learning happens
 Analyze any of your lessons and
think about how you go through
the Events of Instruction
 When do you loop back? When
can you move forward?
 What can this look like when you’re
not there to guide the lesson?

7. Independent Learning
 Develops self-regulation, patience,
social awareness
 Allows children to initiate activities
and find resources
 Increases problem solving and
goal-setting skills
 Helps them develop their own
scaffolds to promote learning
 Hear from real kids:
https://youtu.be/x28mhpi_ZDg

8. Question Time! (add to the Padlet)
 What does your blended or online program
look like now? (if you have one)
What’s good about it?
How could it be better?
 Don’t have a program yet but want one?
What needs do you have to consider?

9. Planning to Blend
 Consider this “flowchart” as
you plan
 Provide support throughout
the journey for teachers AND
students
 All areas should be
considered - don’t leave
anything out!

10. What Does Good Blended Learning Look
Like?
 Can take lots of forms
 Sometimes your technology
dictates certain functionality, but
the right components should
always be present:
 Intuitive navigation
 Clear learning objectives and
scaffolded structure
 Just-in-time support
 Some examples:
 Walkthroughs from winners of
BlackBoard exemplary course
program
 Canvas example courses
 Walkthrough of Google Classroom
example courses
 Log in to example courses from a
school using Schoology

11. Assessing Your Blend
 Even when you’re doing
“blended” and not “online”
these rubrics help ensure the
support is there for
independent learning to
happen
 Several great rubrics are
available to act as a “checklist”
of best practices
 Quality Matters
 Rubric for Online Instruction from
CSU
 Assessment tool from
Massachusetts Department of
Education
 iNACOL National Standards for
Quality Online Courses

12. More Resources
 List of quizzes for online student readiness
 K-12 Blended and Online Learning open
educational resource from Kennesaw State
University

13. Questions? Ideas?
Contact me: atrekles@pnw.edu
@iceindiana
@instruct_tech