UPDATED 6/23/2021 BLENDED LEARNING AND PBL LEARNING PROPOSAL LITERATURE REVIEW

UPDATED Review of the Literature

Blended learning and PBL in a Science Class Literature Review

Kathryn Lindley

Department of Education, Lamar University

EDLD 5315: Assess Digital Learning/Instruct

Dr. Julene Reed

June 23, 2021

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Update June 23, 2021

The literature review above was completed in June of 2020, due to the COVID-19

pandemic the author was able to implement the innovation plan as intended. This update to the

literature will add to the original research, in hopes that the author will be able to implement this

innovation in the school year 2021-2022. New/updated research will be bolded.

Review of the Literature

In the early 20th century school was a one house school room which housed students of

multiple ages and academic backgrounds. As technology improved more and more devices

started popping up in schools and classrooms. From radios in the 1920s to the first television in

1939, then the 1960s brought in the whiteboard to replace a chalkboard, eventually Apple

Microsoft computer was introduced in 1984 (Infographic, 2014). Once computers became more

common in society they found their way into classrooms and eventually into the hands of

students. Schools have always used technology in some form since its creation, but the way we

utilized the technology is more important.

In this literature review we will explore how blended learning and project based learning

will deliver effective instruction in the 21st century. According to research by Schoology in the

2018-2019 school year the most frequently used instructional approaches were “differentiated

instruction (73.5%), blended learning (54.8%), and individualized learning (47.8%)” with

blended learning receiving very high marks for student engagement (Trach, n.d.). Blended

learning and project-based learning will be the focus of this review, using sources no older than

15 years and emphasizing schools in the United States with a priority on Science classrooms.

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The conclusion of this review will show that a properly implemented blended learning and

project based learning will yield a student with 21st century skills.

What is blended learning?

“Blended learning systems combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated

instruction” (Keeping Pace with K-12 Digital Learning, 12th Edition, 2015). In other words,

students must receive some kind of online instruction, such as a self-paced canvas course, and a

face-to-face component. Within the umbrella of blended learning there are four main groups

according to Blended: using disruptive innovation to Improve Schools they are; Rotation Model,

Flex Model, A La Carte and Enriched Virtual (Graham, 2006).

Examples of blended learning can be seen all over the United States most notably KIPP

Academy in Los Angeles that implemented a station rotation model to better utilize their small

group instruction. When they started this switch there were roughly 100 students and 5 teachers

per grade level with very few class computers. As they shifted into a blended model around 15

laptops were implemented into each classroom, and 2-3 small groups were created for each of

the core subjects. Rotations could include workstations led by a teacher, interventions with

another teacher, or an automated laptop lesson. As a result, students labeled as “proficient or

advanced level jumped from 36 percent to 96 percent during the course of its inaugural 2010-11

school year” (Bethesda, 2017). Student learning styles have become a hot topic argued both for

and against changing the way we educate students. The International Journal of Evaluation and

Research in Education conducted research to see whether or not blended learning was beneficial

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for certain learning styles. The results showed that all learning style and blended learning

yielded the same results in the more than one hundred students observed (Shamsuddin, 2020).

Previous research has studied the trends in top-cited blended learning (BL) research

overall (Halverson, Graham, Spring, & Drysdale, 2012; Halverson, Graham, Spring, Drysdale, &

Henrie, 2014). These studies examined the themes of those top-cited international articles in an

effort to better understand the research community’s interests and concerns. The majority of

blended styles were seen in High school/ secondary education platforms (Spring & Graham,

2017). This works out well for the author because their innovation plan will take place in a high

school science setting.

In The handbook for blended learning; Bonk and Graham stress that no matter what

country or setting the learning is occurring, the learning must be meaningful and authentic.

Learning must have a defined purpose and the delivery of the learning is determined by its

authenticity. The book provides examples from many different countries and their uses of the

authentic blended learning styles.

What is Project based learning?

“Project-based learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively

explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge” (What is project

based Learning?, n.d.). Many different websites and books offer Project-based learning ideas

for students to use their knowledge to solve real world problems. Though solving a real world

problem is the most common form of project based learning, others include: teach others a new

skill, make predictions about an alternative future, take on a fictional role with a mission to

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accomplish, and research an issue and then justify an opinion (KOLOGI, 2018). Many students

experience a lack of motivation in school and or classwork, and this idea leads educators to look

for more relevant instruction. According to Setting the Standard for Project Based Learning

“students who previously did not do their assignments, or turned in shoddy work, become more

responsible and step up their work quality when they care about a project” (John Larmer).

Project based learning is best used when students can obtain a deeper understanding of the

content they are studying which is explained in Higher Education Vol 51. Both "pedagogical and

psychological motives” of project-based learning are explored in a secondary setting (Laura

Helle, 2006). Multiple cases in this study mention the importance of motivation and engagement

in the classroom; which leads to better understanding and success in the future.

Project based learning on a global scale seems like a large undertaking for most teachers.

PenPal schools blog has some great ideas to take local projects and expand them to international.

“Global connections not only increase engagement for students and improve social & emotional

skills like empathy, but they also require students to improve communication skills like reading,

writing, and digital literacy. Global connections can take your project-based learning unit to the

next level” (How to Support Global Collaboration through Project-Based Learning, 2020)

Penpal School blog has resources to help teachers build that global community which will then

help their students grow as well.

How do you Implement these systems?

When disrupting a classroom or school learning style, many people will be opposed.

Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns outlines

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what an educational disruption is and how to implement one effectively (Clayton M.

Christensen, 2008). Even though research can show how effective these models can be, change

will usually not be received with open arms. When looking at populations involved in the

changes; administration, faculty, parents and students will need to be considered. Harapnuik has

curated 4 steps to implement a disruptive system in an already established school system; these

steps include: “1. Start with the Why 2. Identify and enlist key influencers 3. Install an effective

institution strategy and 4. Enlist and empower self- differentiated leaders” (Harapnuik, 2014).

What are the benefits of using blended learning and project based learning?

Why should a teacher or school consider switching to a blended learning model and or a

project based learning model? Both can be adapted to any classroom or school if the participants

are willing to change. It may be difficult in the beginning, but results show us that these

customizable systems not only increase engagement but also lead to more students being

successful. According to research conducted by The International Journal of Research in

Education and Science students in low socioeconomic backgrounds showed marked

improvements in blended models versus a standard brick and mortar classroom (Seage, 2020).

Research done by the PNAS found similar results in their comparison of learning through a

blended model and a non-blended model many schools still utilize (Deslauriers, 2019).

Action Research

For the classroom teacher or school, the implementation of any instructional

strategy is, in the end, in service of facilitating student understanding and mastery. Usually

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the mastery is measured in the form of a summative assessment. Yet, no individual strategy

is “best” at producing high levels of performance. Instead, any pedagogical method

provides an opportunity for the student to interact with the topic in a way that can lead to

improved performance on a measurement instrument. This is also true of blended learning,

or merely reading a textbook. As noted by various studies, project and blended learning

methods can realize better performance results than a traditional classroom (Fisher,

Perényi, & Birdthistle, 2018) or nominal to none (Deslauriers et al., 2019)). So, it is

worthwhile to reiterate that the promotion of these strategies come from three main ideas:

1. Constructivist theory suggests that active participation and engagement by students

in class is vital to their mastery and understanding of a subject (“Inquiry-based

learning: Planning and teaching strategies,” 2014).

2. Project-based, blended learning models incorporate active student involvement in

their learning (Deslauriers et al., 2019).

3. Introducing a broad range of project-based, blended learning methods (flipped

classroom, remote education, project-based learning, physical and virtual labs) into

the classroom promotes student choice, ownership, and voice through authentic

learning experiences through this active engagement (Jeremy D Finn, 1993; Muis et

al., 2016; Richmond, 2014).

Improving levels of student engagement, becomes the focus of blended learning initiatives.

The following will examine research studies into project and blended learning to suggest

areas of future action research for educators to perform. The purpose of such research is to

identify methods within the project-based, blended learning model that increase student

engagement and participation as a whole class and within various student populations.

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While several studies focus on student perceptions of blended learning and their

performance within a course ((Akkoyunlu & Soylu, 2008; Fisher et al., 2018; Henrie,

Bodily, Manwaring, & Graham, 2015), the author suggests here that considering student

identified learning preferences may allow students to choose the most appropriate learning

model(s) for engagement. As such, three questions for action research are proposed:

1. How was students’ engagement affected by project-based, blended learning

activities?

2. How was students’ perception of their achievement affected by project-based,

blended learning classroom activities?

3. Does there exist a relationship between specific preferences in learning styles and

the different blended learning instructional strategies?

Conclusion

As technology changes, we as a society need to change the way that we educate our

children to meet their needs most effectively. The research shows us that students who are

engaged and feel a connection to their learning are more likely to continue in school. Whether

school or teachers choose a blended model or project-based learning in their environment they

can count on their students being more successful in the future. By implementing one or even

both of these models teachers and administrators can be sure the student in their classes will be

better prepared for the future.

Reflections after updating

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Blended learning and PBL both have many pros and cons to their systems. Pros for

blended learning include; “Collaborative learning experiences, increased accessibility, better

communication, and successful evaluations” (Stinehour, 2014). The author agrees that all of

these pros were found in their practice of implementing the blended learning style. Students who

were motivated to be successful were able to manage their learning with help from the teacher as

needed. Other students required more help and facilitation depending on their needs. Falling

behind was a problem as well as the other cons with blended learning. Students became

dependent on their devices and struggled/ complained when they didn’t have them. Technology

was not uniform across the students and were unable to find the help that they needed when

devices were not working. District IT help was difficult to get a hold of and sometimes

unresponsive.

References:

Akkoyunlu, B., & Soylu, M. Y. (2008). A study of student’s perceptions in a blended

learning environment based on different learning styles. Journal of Educational
technology & Society, 11(1), 183–193.

Bethesda, M. (2017). Los Angeles Empower Academy First School In KIPP Network To
Embrace Blended Learning. Education Week, Bethesda, Md. Education Week,.
Bonk, C. J., Graham, C. R. (2012). The Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives,
Local Designs. Germany: Wiley.
Clayton M. Christensen, M. B. (2008). Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will
Change the Way the World Learns.

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Deslauriers, L. S. (2019). Measuring actual learning versus feeling of learning in response

to being actively engaged in the classroom. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences.
Dole, S. F., Bloom, L. A., & Doss, K. K. (2016). Rocket to Creativity: A Field Experience in
Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning. Global Education Review, 3(4), 19+.
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Finn, J. D. [Jeremy D]. (1993). School engagement & students at risk.

Fisher, R., Perényi, Á., & Birdthistle, N. (2018). The positive relationship between flipped
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Learning in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787418801702
Graham, C. R. (2006). The Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs.
San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Harapnuik, D. (2014). People who like this stuff…like this stuff.
Halverson, L. R., Graham, C. R., Spring, K. J., & Drysdale, J. S. (2012). An analysis of high
impact scholarship and publication trends in blended learning. Distance Education, 33(3),
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Halverson, L. R., Graham, C. R., Spring, K. J., Drysdale, J. S., & Henrie, C. R. (2014). A
thematic analysis of the most highly cited scholarship in the first decade of blended
learning research. The Internet and Higher Education, 20, 20–34.
How to Make Social & Emotional Learning Authentic. (2017). PenPal Schools.
https://www.penpalschools.com/how-to-make-social-emotional-learning-authentic.html

How to Teach Digital Citizenship Through Global Project Based Learning. (2015). PenPal
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How to Improve Reading Comprehension Through Global Project Based Learning. (2017).
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‌ ow to Teach Writing Through Global Connections. (2011). PenPal Schools.

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‌ ow to Support Global Collaboration through Project-Based Learning. (2020). PenPal

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ct-based-learning

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I‌ nfographic. (2014). Timeline of Educational Technology in Schools Infographic. Infographic.

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John Larmer, J. M. (n.d.). Setting the Standard for Project-Based Learning. 2015.
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