Download Conference Presentation Slides Here Download AI-Generated TL;DR Slides for the Blog Post Here This week I have the honor and privilege to address the next generation of educators at the Buzz Into Teaching conference at Johnson County Community College. My keynote presentation will embark on a journey into the future of education—a future shaped by the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In our exploration of AI's role in education, we will uncover a world of endless possibilities. We will imagine classrooms where learning is personalized to each student's needs, where AI-driven systems adapt in real-time to foster deeper understanding and engagement, and where every teacher in every classroom has an assistant to help, and every student in every classroom has a one-on-one tutor. This vision of personalized learning isn't just a dream; it's a reality made possible by the integration of AI technologies - but only if future educators can learn to strategically integrate these technologies with the tried and true strategies of yesterday's classroom. Looking ahead, we can envision a future where AI revolutionizes nearly every aspect of education, from curriculum design to global collaboration. As we prepare for such transformation, it is essential to equip ourselves with the necessary skills and knowledge to harness the power of AI responsibly. Professional development opportunities, like those provided at the Buzz Into Teaching conference, will be key as we adapt to the changing landscape of education and the world at large. To remain at the forefront of innovation and best practices, we must become explorers and inventors - designers willing to take on new challenges with new approaches. Moreover, advocating for ethical guidelines and standards in AI usage will be paramount to safeguarding the rights and well-being of all students. From safeguarding data privacy to ensuring fairness and equity in algorithmic decision-making, it is our responsibility as educators to navigate these ethical waters with diligence and integrity. The journey ahead is both exciting and challenging. As we stand on the precipice of this technological revolution, my sincere hope is that we can constantly remember the profound impact we as educators have in shaping the future of our students and society as a whole. Together, we can embrace the AI revolution in education with open minds and compassionate hearts, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive in a world powered by knowledge and innovation. A world that will need to accept the benefits of what is artificial, without losing site of what it means to be human. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to share this journey with tomorrow's teacher leaders and leader teachers.
Together, may we seek to inspire and empower the next next generation of educators with passion, dedication, curiosity, and humanity.
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Navigating the Landscape of Blended and Virtual Teaching: Competencies for Effective Practice3/11/2024 As educators, we are experiencing a dynamic shift in teaching methodologies, propelled by the rapid integration of technology in educational settings. Blended and virtual learning environments have become increasingly prevalent post-pandemic, demanding a reevaluation of traditional teaching competencies and the cultivation of new skills tailored to these modern modalities. As someone deeply immersed in exploring the nexus between technology and pedagogy, I find myself continually reflecting on the evolving landscape of educational technology and the skills teachers need to navigate such a shifting landscape. I've been reviewing the synthesis of literature on online (OL) and blended (BL) teaching competencies from Pulham and Graham (2018) and Pulham et al. (2018) in preparation for an upcoming presentation for the Indiana Department of Education. These studies provide valuable insights into the core skills necessary for educators to thrive in modern digital domains. Their analyses underscore personalized learning as a cornerstone competency, with sub-domains such as pacing, curriculum, scheduling, and learning styles emerging as focal points for research and practice. While the effectiveness of catering to individual learning needs remains debated, attention to pacing, curriculum design, and scheduling offers promising avenues for enhancing personalized learning experiences within blended and virtual settings. Importantly, the syntheses highlight nuanced distinctions between BL and OL teaching competencies, emphasizing the need for targeted training and support tailored to each modality. BL teaching places a premium on instructional design that seamlessly integrates face-to-face and online components, whereas OL teaching requires a deeper focus on crafting engaging digital learning experiences. Recognizing these differences is crucial for guiding teacher preparation programs to equip educators with the diverse skill sets needed to navigate the complexities of blended and virtual instruction effectively. Moving forward, professional development must be grounded in real-world classroom observations and collaboration with educators who have experienced refining technology-infused teaching applications. Teacher education programs must seize the opportunity to integrate blended and online competencies into their curricula, ensuring that all pre-service teachers are equipped with the requisite skills to thrive in 21st-century learning environments. Support for in-service teachers must provide theoretical foundations while leveraging these teachers' experiences during the pandemic - helping them to see how they can transform in-person learning practices through overcoming the challenges they experienced during emergency remote teaching or helping them to combine virtual learning victories with their already effective in-person strategies. By embracing the paradigm shift toward technology-infused learning post-pandemic and fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, we can empower educators to unlock the full potential of technology in transforming education. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of educational technology and attempt to help teachers navigate it, it is imperative that we remain steadfast in our commitment to equipping educators with the competencies needed to excel in blended and virtual teaching environments. By embracing personalized learning, acknowledging the nuances between modalities, and refining competency frameworks to align with the demands of digital pedagogy, we can pave the way for a future where technology serves as a catalyst for innovation and access to quality education for all.
As a professor with a research history in personalized learning, I have witnessed the transformative power of tailoring education to individual needs, preferences, and interests. While personalized learning has been a part of education for centuries, recent advancements in instructional technology have paved the way for a more accessible and effective approach. The slides accompanying this blog post demonstrate that both teachers and students recognize and appreciate the affordances of personalized learning, marking a crucial shift in educational paradigms. The evolution of personalized learning, underscores its potential as a gateway to lifelong learning. The 2017 U.S. National Education Technology Plan redefined personalized learning to emphasize the learner's role in tailoring instruction, emphasizing activities that are meaningful, relevant, and often self-initiated. This learner-centric approach aligns with the call for a dynamic, personalized learning strategy capable of providing a unique and effective learning experience for each individual, fostering the skills needed to promote a lifelong commitment to learning. Technological advancements have given educational institutions the tools to customize learning experiences, but the true power lies in the pedagogical knowledge required to leverage personalized learning effectively. My research, drawing on frameworks and findings presented by experts like Horn and Staker (2014), Graham et al. (2019), and Shemshack et al. (2021), has emphasized the importance of tailoring the time, place, pace, path, and goals of learning. By incorporating learner profiles, previous knowledge, personalized learning paths, and flexible self-paced environments, educators can empower learners to take charge of their education and enhance their self-efficacy. The five dimensions of personalized learning (goals, time, place, pace, and path), illustrate the multifaceted nature of this pedagogical strategy. Understanding what is being personalized, how it is being personalized, who or what is providing personalization, and what the personalization is based on allows educators to create tailored, effective learning experiences. While the potential of personalized learning is vast, ongoing research, as highlighted by Short (2022), Bulger (2016), Watters (2023), and Zhang et al. (2020), is necessary to explore outcomes and ensure technology fulfills its promise of transformational, individualized learning. Read more foundational information about Personalized Learning in my chapter on the topic in EdTechnica co-authored by the brilliant Atikah Shemshack: https://edtechbooks.org/encyclopedia/personalized_learning Short, C. R. & Shemshack, A. (2023). Personalized Learning. EdTechnica: The Open Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. https://dx.doi.org/10.59668/371.11067 Bulger, M. (July 7, 2016). Personalized learning: The conversations we're not having. Data and Society 22(1), 1-29. https://edtechbooks.org/-jkKy Graham, C. R., Borup, J., Short, C. R., & Archambault, L. (2019). K-12 blended teaching: A guide to personalized learning and online integration. Provo, UT: EdTechBooks.org. https://edtechbooks.org/-TiF Horn, M. B., & Staker, H. (2014). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. Jossey-Bass. Shemshack, A., Kinshuk & Spector, J. M. (2021). A comprehensive analysis of personalized learning components. Journal of Computers in Education, 1(19). https://edtechbooks.org/-Uwr Short, C. R. (2022). Personalized learning design framework: A theoretical framework for defining, implementing, and evaluating personalized learning. In H. Leary, S. P. Greenhalgh, K. B. Staudt Willet, & M. H. Cho (Eds.), Theories to Influence the Future of Learning Design and Technology. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/-GBqb Watters, A. (2023). Teaching machines: The history of personalized learning. The MIT Press. Zhang, L., Basham, J. D., & Yang, S. (2020). Understanding the implementation of personalized learning: A research synthesis. Educational Research Review, 31(100339). https://edtechbooks.org/-RLV This is a topic I have written about before, but I find that as I develop greater understandings of my field it becomes necessary to revisit what it is I am passionate about. First and foremost let me say this: I am passionate about education. But what does being passionate about education really mean? Am I equally passionate about ALL education? No. While I think all education is important, there are certain aspects of education that I am more passionate about in general than others. For example, my background is High School and College English Language Arts (ELA) Education and I’m therefore much more passionate about it than I am say Elementary Social Studies Education. However, I am not devoid of passion for Elementary Social Studies Education. This assessment tells me that I am passionate about education in general. About education’s principles and techniques, its practitioners and its participants, which leads me to another question. What specifically am I passionate about within the realm of education? This question take me back to a conversation I had with Professor Russell Greinke, in the East stairwell between the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Martin Building at the University of Central Missouri. It was here that I first used the word “edutainment” to describe one of the goals I had for my (then) future classroom. Today, I find that the goals for my classroom are not much different. I am still passionate about finding better ways to engage learners within the classroom setting. However, unlike the 2008 pre-service teacher version of myself who was talking to Dr. Greinke in the stairwell, I now have a deeper understanding of how such engagement can be accomplished, and the answer for me is Blended Learning. For me, blended learning holds the key to how we can better engage the students of 21st century classrooms. Blended learning combines the traditional face-to-face modality of education with the technological affordances of an online learning system. Through blended learning, teachers can create more easily accessible and available content for their students; they can make help (both general and personal) more available to students both inside and outside of the classroom; they can provide ALL students with a forum to present and share their ideas; they can obtain data that helps them to track student progress, effort, and achievement in REAL TIME; they can engage students using a variety of teaching tools and applications; and they can allow students to learn at their own paces, in various places and times throughout the course. This is something my own students could have benefited from when I was teaching high school and college ELA. When I was teaching ELA, I served students whose ability level ranged anywhere from reading below a 7th grade level to reading above a collegiate level (according to the Scholastic Reading Index). When this was the case, I could not easily provide each student with the personalized instruction that would help them improve their skills. So, I did what teachers have seemingly done traditionally - I taught to the middle of the class, or more exactly, to where students should have been for their respective grade level. While I found that this was an effective practice, it did not seem to be the MOST effective practice. The result of me teaching to the middle was that my high achieving or advanced skillset students were often bored, and my low achieving or remedial skillset students were anxious concerning what I was asking them to do (see the Flow Theory Chart below). The average skillset students had the best opportunities to be engaged in the tasks of the classroom. I wish I would have had the knowledge and technology to have blended my classroom practices, so that I could engage all levels of learners with tasks that had the appropriate of difficulty for them. If I did, I think I could have created a greater sense of flow for all of my students (and by doing so better engaged them in their learning). So, what’s next? As Dr. David Wiley once told me, “Anecdote is not singular data.” I would like to complete research and share my ideas with others to determine whether or not my beliefs concerning the lack of flow and the abundance of anxiety and boredom in classrooms is universal. If my experiences are universal, then I can begin to look into ways in which blended learning can foster flow in classrooms. My hope is that I can be a catalyst for change in improving face-to-face pedagogical practices by incorporating blended learning systems into such contexts. This is my passion.
I want to help students learn better and have better educational experiences. To accomplish this goal, I want to help teachers teach better, and one way of doing so is by helping them personalize their instruction to ALL of the students they serve. I want to help revolutionize the twenty-first century classroom. There are many platforms available to public school teachers to help them provide students with an engaging 24/7 learning platform via blended learning. However, teachers need to understand the benefits of doing so, and how to overcome the accompanying costs. Helping teachers understand these principles will hopefully persuade them to adopt blended learning as part of their 21st century pedagogy. Improving teacher pedagogy to better engage students is my passion. Lately, I have really been trying to think through an easy way to communicate the benefits of blended learning, and what is needed for blended learning. This is primarily to help my students in a course at BYU that focuses on K-12 online and blended teaching. In trying to think through these things I came up with this graphic. It's pretty busy, but helped me to conceptualize blended teaching. The top triangle represents the reason we blend; blending increases pedagogical practices, saves us time and money regarding the development and distribution of learning objects, and increases flexibility in regards to access and time. In order to reap these affordances, teachers must first have a solid foundation of technology skills (using an LMS, accessing the Internet, finding online learning materials, etc.).
Then, teachers can begin building their competency with each of Blended Learning’s four pillars: Online Interactions (including synchronous and asynchronous communication with students and peers, as well as fostering learner-learner interactions and learner-content interactions), Real Time Data (using data gathered from online applications or an LMS to direct, modify, and improve student learning or engagements), Integration (using the online learning systems in tandem with effective face-to-face practices), and Personalization (allowing students to work at their own pace, in a flexible space or place, with chosen content or activities). |
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This blog presents thoughts that Cecil has concerning current projects, as well as musings that he wants to get out for future projects. For questions or comments on his posts, please go to his Contact page. Archives
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