Examining Blended Learning Models: Student To Teacher Interactions

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In part 1 of this 6-part series, Thomas Stanley looked at an overview of blended learning, specifically
the critical interactions of a blended learning model. In part 2, he looked specifically at student-to-
student interaction, and the reality of synchronous and asynchronous access. In part 3 below, he
takes a look at student-to-teacher interactions, and moving from instruction to becoming the “guide
on the side.”
Examining Blended Learning Models: Student To Teacher Interactions: Moving From Teaching To
The “Guide On The Side”

What role should the teacher assume in the blended and online world that will engage students
effectively using the tools of technology? Should instruction be direct, or should the teacher just be a
“guide on the side”? In an inquiry-based environment there is no doubt that the teacher should
become a “guide on the side.” Saying that does not mean that the teacher abdicates his/her
responsibility. In fact, it means that the teacher has even more responsibility to work with each
student throughout the lesson.

Using a combination of face-to-face, online synchronous and asynchronous environments, there are
a number of things a teacher can do to guide students to success. The first key responsibility is for
the instructor to organize the blended/online learning environment so that the students understand
the project and theme, the need for a plan, the resources they will need, the timelines, how to use
the various technologies, and how they will be evaluated. Clearly conveying these responsibilities
takes a considerable amount of effort on the part of the teacher; these responsibilities need to be
communicated to the learner by blending the real-time and anytime tools. They should be posted in
online forums. Also, it is not a bad idea for the teacher to create a video of the assignments. This
serves to not only convey the job at hand, but also to be an example of presenting material in a
variety of ways.

It is important to remember that the lesson will have a “flow” to it that intertwines the real-time
activities with the anytime class work (content/discussion/chat /project areas). Judging that flow is
one of the hardest tasks an instructor has during the project. One thing that must be done is to set
up a final project due date, and stick to it.

While the lesson is in progress, the teacher will have to work individually with each student, or
student group, to guide them toward their goals. Guide does not mean tell them, guide means to
evaluate their work by suggesting resources and setting standards that allow students to formulate
their own well-documented ideas of what is right or wrong. If the students determine that their
original hypothesis is “wrong” then the students must go back and re-do their work and answer the
questions that are now appropriate. Whether their work is “wrong” or not, is based on an evaluation
by their peers, the teacher, and experts from that field.

Another important role of the teacher during the lesson is to suggest data (websites, experts, etc.)
that students can use when analyzing and presenting their findings to the class. This is particularly
important if the work is inaccurate or sloppy. The students should have to go back, re-do the
research, or restructure the resources, and find more appropriate responses to the questions.

The teacher’s role is to encourage each student group to come up with their own answers to the
essential question or problem. Remember, not every student or group will come up with the same
“answer” to a question; the students will not only learn the material, but they will learn about the
process required to support and execute an answer. As a teacher in this environment, it is necessary
to help students learn the proper process to support an accurate measure of their findings. Using an
assortment of technology to do this requires a tremendous amount of time and effort on the
instructor’s part.
A major part of the teacher’s responsibility is to help students set up the end of the lesson where
they will do a quality presentation to real-world experts, defend their ideas, and then re-analyze
what they have learned about the subject. To help with this, teachers should have the students
identify, at the beginning of the project, a target group of experts, and then help them get these
experts or groups organized to come into the classroom. It is also the teacher’s job to work with the
students to determine what the finished product should look like.

For example, how much multimedia should be used, what online resources should be used, and
what traditional and other resources should be a part of the project as the students begin to publish,
post, or share their work. It is an essential part of the lesson that the instructor work closely with the
students to help them determine the most effective tools to use and what training the students
need in order to accomplish their work.

When different students do the same project, come up with different answers, and present their
work to experts from other subject matters or real-world areas, it encourages the young scholar to
do quality academic work.

As stated before the teacher’s essential role is guiding the students. The teacher will need to help
students find the people or resources needed, to evaluate the thinking process, to determine the
accuracy of the work, to fill in missed ideas or needed skills, and to make sure students do a quality
job on their work.

Because there are so many fantastic resources found in the online environment to accomplish this
awesome task, the teacher is constantly teaching to the moment or evaluating students’ work.
Whether a student is a minimalist or completes in-depth research, each individual student is
responsible for his/her own work and, in the end, his/her own education. The depth of learning will
be greater no matter what level the student seeks for his/her education. By using the variety of
instructional tools that are available (real-time and anytime) the online world can be a rich
experience for all students.