Posted by Kristy Lundstrom, Head of Middle School on September 28, 2020

As we move from an all virtual learning to a hybrid model of instruction where students are on campus part of their week, we are thinking about how to create the best possible learning environment in school and at home. Studying how to do this has inspired many interesting debates, discussions, and dialogue. Using research-based methodologies, as well as tried and true experience to inform our work, we are starting this school year using our collective strengths. The decisions we make when we design the learning activities in our classrooms-- whether virtual or in-person--are made with care. 

Instructional Design
This informed design process is often referred to as instructional design. What our students learn and how our students learn are the key questions guiding our work. However, there are many moving parts. Everything from materials to schedules to calendars to how we group the students are all important when we employ good instructional design. For example, we plan to use the same rotation of subjects to ensure continuity; however, we will lengthen the class time when we are in-person. We will continue to use asynchronous tasks when we are virtual to offer rich group activities and more hands-on, off-screen opportunities for students to engage with newly learned concepts. We will have the same teacher and student groups throughout the rotation. Hopefully, the flow between the two days virtual and three days on campus will feel smooth. 

Going Bimodal
We do recognize that there will be one new aspect to our school environment: bimodal teaching and learning. What does this mean for students?

“When in hybrid school, students will, at times, likely be learning with classmates who are in class and who may be at home. In some instances, students may be at school, and their teacher(s) may be at home. These scenarios require “bimodal” teaching.This means that some students will connect from home while others will be physically in the classroom. “ — Dr. Kevin Costa, Director of Innovation & Learning

There are many aspects to consider when building bimodal learning environments. Luckily, we have had three weeks to build relationships, as we know that all powerful learning starts with trustful relationships. Teachers completed hours of professional development this summer focused on blended learning strategies. This knowledge informs the choices they make regarding which activities to do in-person and which activities to do while the students are learning virtually. This aspect of teaching is often referred to as instructional design.  

Blended Learning
First of all, let’s talk about the ”what” and then work backward to the ”how.” What we are talking about is blended learning. Adapted from the Clayton Christensen Institute definition, we define blended learning as "at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace; at least in part a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home; and the modalities along each students' learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience." 

What does that really mean? This means that if we are doing it right, blended learning activities will enable our students and enable our teachers. Our students will find their classes to be more relevant to their interests and needs and abilities. Our teachers will experience a structured, effective way to utilize all the tools in their toolbox to see and support and teach every student. In reality, one blended classroom will look very different from another. There will be a blend of direct instruction, discussion, and collaborative exercises. There will be a blend of group and individual tasks. There will be a blend of online and face-to-face activities. The blend will be determined by what the teacher deems best for the specific learner. We will know when we have the blend just right when the teacher has more one-on-one time with each student and each student feels seen, supported, and challenged.

How Does It Work?
The next question is, of course, the ”how.. This is where we begin to think about the process of Instructional Design.

The teacher is the leader of the learning. The decisions the teacher makes determine the roadmap for the student. Designing the structure of the course (pace, path, and place) and determining which aspects to emphasize makes the roadmap efficient. Many important interactions occur when learning is present: when and how the students should interact with the content; when and how students interact with the teacher and their classmates; when and how students interact with reflection to connect new ideas to their already existing knowledge. By understanding best practices in instructional design, we can draw a roadmap for each student to make the most of every lesson.

Good instructional design requires teachers to get and give continual feedback. In traditional classrooms, the feedback processes were too slow and time-consuming. This forced teachers to make decisions based on ”the average” of a class. In a blended learning classroom, teachers are empowered by an understanding of each and every student’s progress thanks to effective edtech tools and carefully planned interactions. Here are just a few of the tools in our collective toolbox.

Our Canvas Toolbox
These tools can also offer ways for the students to learn actively. Different tools work better in different situations. To be able to harness the power of these tools, we need a system for keeping up with it all. At our school, we use a learning management system, Canvas, to help students see their “roadmaps.”  As many of our teachers say, “It is a one stop shop.” There is a visible structure for each course. This structure is consistent whether we are in-person or virtual or hybrid. There are built in choices for the students. Sometimes they can choose how to submit an assignment, either as a written work or as a video. There are alternative retrieval tasks to reinforce big ideas. And the system facilitates many interactive activities (discussions, collaborations, etc.) for groups of students to learn together (even when they are not physically together). Students can see all of their feedback and learning data in one place. Canvas is also the system that will help us manage bimodal learning when students in different places are connecting together. In a blended learning environment, there are a lot of moving parts. Canvas helps students (and teachers) stay organized.

Whether virtual or in-person, we want students to interact with content and with each other. We want students to wrestle with new ideas and be supported by their teachers at the sweet spot of challenge. We want students to benefit both from the process of mastering a new ability, as well feel the success of being able to apply it when necessary. 

We are ready for bimodal learning. No matter the path, place, or pace. Blended learning is the what, Instructional Design is the how, and Canvas is the tool we use to bring it all together.