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Go Blended!: A Handbook for Blending Technology in Schools

Go Blended!: A Handbook for Blending Technology in Schools

by Liz Arney
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
Release Date: February 2015
ISBN: 9781118974216
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Book Description

Craft a blended learning program tailor-made for your students

Go Blended! is a practical implementation guide for educators interested in getting blended learning off the ground. Author Liz Arney is a seasoned developer of blended learning programs at Aspire Public Schools, and she also closely collaborates with district and charter leaders from across the country on this work. Go Blended! offers boots-on-the-ground support for laying the foundation for a blended learning program in our schools and classrooms. Throughout the book teachers with blended learning experience share helpful tips and lesson plans to help educators make purposeful choices in using technology to fulfill students' needs without becoming an end in itself. This useful guide also offers key documents and timelines to support a blended learning implementation and provides step-by-step practical advice for avoiding mistakes. Readers will gain expert insight into both the broad and narrow of blended transition, from sweeping concepts like program goals to nitty-gritty details like teaching routines around technology use.

Technology is rapidly changing the landscape of education; teacher effectiveness and student achievement are both tied to the ability to adapt to new technology, and blended learning has become a hot topic in schools across the nation. Go Blended! helps school leaders and teachers take their first steps toward blended learning, putting them in a better position to continuously adapt as the world changes. You'll learn how to:

  • Investigate leadership and staff readiness to "go blended."

  • Learn how to evaluate and purchase the right educational software.

  • Keep the program's goals in mind throughout the development process.

  • Teach lessons that set students up for success when using classroom technology.

  • Tailor the program to the students, not the other way around.

    • Aspire's impressive track record of high performance, along with a growing body of evidence from blended schools across the nation, testifies to the reality that incorporating technology into the classroom can improve student outcomes. But improved student outcomes will only occur when teachers and administrators intentionally tailor technology and curricula to meet their goals. With Go Blended!, you can be confident that you're focused on the ultimate goal of blended learning: increasing student achievement.

    Table of Contents

    1. Cover
    2. Praise for Go Blended!
    3. Title Page
    4. Copyright
    5. Dedication
    6. Foreword
    7. About the Author
    8. About the Contributors
    9. Introduction
    10. Part 1: Starting the Process: The Fundamental Decisions
      1. Chapter 1: Identifying the Focus and Piloting
        1. Focus on the Instructional Problem You're Trying to Solve
        2. Solicit Input from Different Stakeholders
        3. Articulate How You'll Measure Success
        4. Don't be Seduced by the Tools or Devices
        5. Commit to Running Pilots
        6. Measure the Work
        7. Do You Need a Consultant?
      2. Chapter 2: Determining School Readiness
        1. Criterion 1: School Leadership
        2. Criterion 2: Staff Readiness
        3. Criterion 3: History of Student Achievement
        4. Criterion 4: Staff Willingness
        5. Criterion 5: School Stability
        6. Criterion 6: Quality of School Culture
        7. Criterion 7: School Technology Use
        8. Criterion 8: Information Technology Team and Infrastructure
        9. Criterion 9: Potential for Growth or Expansion
        10. Criterion 10: Other Potentially Competing Demands
      3. Chapter 3: Building the Team and Creating Buy-in
        1. School Leadership
        2. Teachers
        3. Site-Based Technology Support
        4. District- or Organization-Level Leadership
        5. Finding the Right New Team Member
        6. IT Leadership
        7. Communicating Your Vision and Engaging All Stakeholders
        8. One Principal's Strategy: Take the Team to Visit a Blended School
        9. Engaging Parents
      4. Chapter 4: Recognizing and Planning for the Learning Curve
        1. Start Small and Smart
        2. Who Needs Blended Learning Friends? You Do!
        3. Learn All the Time from Teachers
        4. Learn from Your Mistakes
        5. Everything is a Trade-Off
        6. Look for Opportunities
        7. Phase in the Work
    11. Part 2: Planning for Implementation: Strategic Decisions and Considerations
      1. Chapter 5: Choosing Your Model and Crafting Your Pilots
        1. Crafting Your Pilots
        2. Evaluate Your Pilots
        3. A Word About Next-Generation Models
      2. Chapter 6: Finding the Right Software and Hardware
        1. Who Should Choose the Software?
        2. How to Choose the Software
        3. Choosing the Right Hardware
      3. Chapter 7: Making Use of Student Data
        1. Using Blended Learning Data
        2. Data Needs to be Actionable
        3. Make a Plan for Using Data with Teachers
        4. Keep Your Eye on the Data
        5. Data Integration
        6. Account Provisioning
        7. User Names and Passwords
        8. What Good Data Looks Like
        9. Protect Your Students' Data
      4. Chapter 8: Setting Up the Space
        1. Identify the Ratio of Students to Computers
        2. Figure Out What You Have Room For
        3. Figure Out What You Have Budgeted For
        4. Locate the Power Sources
        5. Help Teachers Imagine Their New Space
        6. Don't Forget Cord Control
        7. And Then, Be Open to Change!
      5. Chapter 9: Getting Your Network Up to Speed
        1. Layer 1: How You Approach Technology From the Start
        2. Layer 2: How You Approach Your Physical Infrastructure
        3. Layer 3: How You Approach Your Network Infrastructure
        4. Expect Change with Your IT Team
        5. Should You Hire a Network Consultant?
    12. Part 3: Launching Blended: Helping Teachers and Students Be Successful
      1. Chapter 10: Training Teachers and Other Leaders
        1. Provide “Just-in-Time” Training with a Clear Overview
        2. Don't Skip the Training
        3. Schedule Follow-Up Training, If Necessary
        4. Integrate Training with Other Professional Development
        5. Focus on Teachers' Needs
        6. Don't Forget to Support Instruction
        7. Survey Teachers Frequently
      2. Chapter 11: Teacher Readiness and Classroom Readiness
        1. What is Readiness? And Why do You Need IT?
        2. Help Teachers Get There Over Time
        3. Students Also Embark on Blended Learning Journeys
        4. Student Readiness Takes Time and Deliberate Practice
        5. Celebrate the Process of Constant Improvement
        6. Build Community with a Newsletter
        7. Understand that Blended Learning is a Journey
      3. Chapter 12: Teaching Lessons to Support Blended Learning
        1. Teaching Routines and Procedures to Foster Student Independence
        2. The First Few Weeks of Going Blended
        3. When Students Aren't Working on the Computers
        4. What About Student Tech Literacy?
        5. Don't Forget Keyboarding Instruction
      4. Chapter 13: Setting Up Your Classroom and Students for Success
        1. Teach the Programs Themselves
        2. Rotating or Moving on and Off the Computers
        3. Create Incentive Systems to Keep Students Engaged
        4. Seating, Location of Workstations, and Student Behavior
        5. Manage Headphones or They'll Manage You
        6. Troubleshooting Problems that Arise
        7. Involve Parents by Sharing Key Information and Expectations
        8. Get Support from Blended Learning Teaching Assistants
        9. Appoint Tech Helpers in the Classroom
        10. Plan for Substitute Teachers
      5. Chapter 14: Making Mistakes and Iterating to Improve the Work
        1. 10 Big Mistakes We Made (And How We Corrected Them)
        2. 10 Mistakes We Didn't Make (And You Shouldn't Either)
        3. Iterating as a Process and Way of Life
    13. Conclusion
    14. Appendixes
      1. Appendix A
      2. Appendix B
      3. Appendix C
      4. Appendix D
      5. Appendix E
      6. Appendix F
      7. Appendix G
      8. Appendix H
      9. Appendix I
      10. Appendix J
      11. Appendix K
      12. Appendix L
      13. Appendix M
      14. Appendix N
    15. Acknowledgments
    16. Index
    17. End User License Agreement