In the past several months, the educational community has been trying to quickly get up to speed on research-based best practices to support student success during COVID. As we moved beyond the initial crisis teaching to a sustainable approach within this new environment, we turn to decades of research on what works for student learning and lend that knowledge to the current and future settings that include some aspect of distanced learning. Teachers across the world need to be able to provide a learning environment beyond the classroom walls. The focus of this work revolves around the growing body of research regarding Blended Learning. The concept and design of Blended Learning are evolving but imply a blend of face-to-face interactions with online instruction. As in face-to-face instruction, the impact on learning is dependent upon the quality of pedagogy, instructional objectives, opportunities for collaboration, and support. The requisite addition of online learning lends urgency to a careful review of what works and how to design learning for student success. The research is beginning to coalesce around specific pedagogical practices that, when combined, significantly increase the likelihood of student success. In an environment where everything feels chaotic, it can be difficult to be able to sift through the opinions and variety of tools available to stay centered on a few things that are necessary for student learning. The online plan should support the in-class plan and visa-versa. These six pedagogy moves are key in the middle of a pandemic AND will improve learning for students when they can safely return to the classroom full time.
Teacher Presence,
Student engagement
Interactive instructional videos
Feedback and Formative Assessment
Course Organization
Utilize LMS
1. Teacher Presence: While all of the components are important, the other components are not effective without an active teacher presence. The single most important predictor of student learning is the teacher-student relationship. Posting excellent material is good, posting excellent material accompanied by a short video or audio explanation in the teacher's voice is superior. From an introductory video on the landing page, multiple/short instructional videos or narrated slide decks explaining each concept, to an audio explanation of each assignment, when the teacher is present throughout the course, student learning increases.
2. Student Engagement:
routines: Instructional and classroom (virtual or physical) routines speed up learning. Students thrive when they know what to expect and what is expected from them. Instructional routines guide the predictable rhythm and content of the learning objectives and classroom routines engender student confidence in the classroom setting.
3. Interactive Instructional Videos: (The rule: 6-9 minute videos.)
In an extensive study of student engagement in online courses, Guo, Kim, & Rubin (2014) found that students were significantly more likely to engage in the videos within a course than any other material included in the online course. This is where the research is abundantly clear. Guo, Kim & Rubin (2014) reviewed 6.9 million video viewing sessions and a variety of online courses to assess student engagement While students were more engaged with different types of video (see Table 1), they found that video length was the most significant factor. Videos that were less than six minutes long had close to 100% engagement time. When extending to 9 minutes, the engagement time only dropped by 10%. Videos that went beyond 9 minutes dropped to 50% and those in the 12-40 minutes videos to only 20%.
A previous study by Zhang, Zhou, Briggs, & Nunamaker (2005) outllines the importance of interaction within each video and the significant impact on student learning. When students are able to manipulate the video (repeating sections, skipping ahead) that is organized into small segments to align with each concept, access the teacher materials and note-taking form, student learning is significantly improved. Zhang, Zhou, Briggs & Nunamaker found that, at least for older students, this format produced greater learning gains than that of the traditional classroom. This finding suggests that the Blended Learning environment, whether in person or digital, that includes interactive instructional video may be worth continuing well beyond the current pandemic. The Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University provides a detailed guide to the development of high-quality instructional videos that guides teachers through the essential pedagogical elements of video-based instruction.
4. Feedback and Formative Assessment:
If there is one significant key to success that is consistent online or in person, it is the teacher's skilled use of feedback and formative assessment throughout each lesson. "Quality feedback addresses not only the type of feedback a student receives, but also the frequency". (Ribeiro 2017)
5. Course organization: FIsher and Frey's message for teachers in these uncharted waters is : Prior to the COVID pandemic, schools and districts had reviewed their student data and developed instructional plans as part of the school improvement process. It is important to stay with those plans and continue to move the instructional focused pedagogy work forward. In Provo District, we have been working on Teacher Clarity and Formative Assessment across the district. Elementary schools are implementing a new math curriculum and fine-tuning literacy strategies. Secondary schools are implementing AVID. This work was in progress as a result of hours of collaborative work to determine the next steps based on student need. These topics are significant and relevant in the hybrid/digital/blended environments and remain the right work for the district. Hicks and Schroder (2020) suggest developing a robust communication plan and build routines:
Write out the plan
Broadcast the plan to students and parents.
Keep communication consistent.
Consider alternatives to email (such as Remind or similar text services).
Build Routines:
"1. Check announcements.
2. Complete morning check-in.
3. Open module and begin first task.
Once built, illustrate these processes with graphic organizers like process maps. Post these inside the LMS, inside the physical classroom, and attach them to announcements. "
6. Utilize the LMS: An inviting, easy to navigate landing page and course is vital for student success. The LMS is the center of the learning plan and will be central to communication. It is essential that the LMS is utilized whether students are in class or at home so that they will know how to engage in the learning as circumstances continue to change. A well-designed course that utilizes the LMS will keep students grounded and can be the basis for class routines.
These six pedagogy moves were vital in the COVID realm and will continue to be the scaffolding for student learning well beyond the current scenario. Student learning is accelerated and deepened when these six pedagogy moves are blended together seamlessly.
Additional resources:
1. tips for remote learning: https://www.nysut.org/news/2020/september/remote-learning
2. Death by Powerpoint (4 min)
5 Storytelling tedx (some potentially offensive language in the first few minutes)
6. defining types of engagement (article by Dr. Charles Graham et al 2020) https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/article/viewFile/1481/822
8. Six Key Components of Online Instruction Ribeiro 2017
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