Work Group on Student-Centered Learning in High School August 20, :00-3:30pm

Introductions and Background Welcome Work Group Introductions Background: – Nellie Mae Education Foundation New Approaches in Urban Districts Grant – $450,000 / 18 months to research, plan and pilot blended learning models at the high school level – Part of a cross-district community of practice with other Connecticut communities: Danbury, Meriden, New Haven, Manchester, Norwalk; Chelsea and Revere in Massachusetts; and Providence in Rhode Island 2

Planning Goals Goals: 1.To increase district and community knowledge of student- centered blended learning 2.To determine ways to use blended learning to increase student achievement and differentiate learning 3.To engage in action research to pilot and evaluate blended learning approaches in two schools: Pathways Academy of Technology and Design and Bulkeley Teacher Prep and Humanities Academy 4.To share best practices from the blended learning research for consideration throughout district 3

Project Scope and Planning Activities I Establish Current State: Where we are today What is Blended Learning and current district blended learning practices Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of blended learning II Conduct an Innovation Landscape: Explore promising practices Literature and case study review of key models and web-based and dynamic computer-based instruction Visit best practice blended learning models III Determine Desired State: Develop a Shared Vision for Blended Learning Vision statement for blended learning for Hartford Public Schools Theory of Action and Logic Model: Moving from Current to Desired State Implications on research, practice and policy for HPS 4

Project Scope and Planning Activities IV Engage the Community for Input and Expand Knowledge BOE, community and stakeholder sessions Reports and information sharing throughout project V Pilot implementation plans in Bulkeley and Pathways Action research plan to implement and document the experiences from multiple perspectives VI Project Report Based on research and results of action research, develop recommendations for consideration in advancing blended learning in the district 5

Planning Teams and Key Participants Superintendent’s Work Group on Student-Centered Learning in High School Bulkeley/Pathways Professional Learning Community (PLC) 6

Lightning Round…. In one sentence or less…jot down: Something that you know about blended learning OR Question you have about blended learning OR Something you like or dislike about blended learning 7

What is… Student Centered Learning? Student Centered Learning: Emphasizes that education is not “one-size fits all.” Students develop their academic and career interests and produce authentic, professional work to demonstrate their learning. Teachers act as coaches, advisors, and facilitators, providing students with the opportunity to take charge of their own learning. (Moeller & Reitzes, 2011) 8

What is…Blended Learning? Blended Learning – a formal education program in which a student learns in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace; in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home. (Clayton Christensen Institute, 2012) 9

What is happening nationally? 56% of District Administrators report implementing some kind of blended learning in their districts Of the remaining 44% of districts not currently implementing some form of blended learning, almost all are in some stage of planning 75% of District Leaders and 78% of School Leaders report interest in implementing a blended learning model Costs, teacher capacity, student access, and hardware were the most commonly cited obstacles (The Parthenon Group, 2013) 10

The Basics of Blended Learning 11 educationelements. (2011, September 24). The Basics of Blended Learning [Video file]. Retrieved from

Blended Learning Models 12

Rotation Within a course or subject, students rotate on a fixed schedule (or as directed by the teacher) between different learning modalities, at least one of which is online learning. 13

Rotation Example: The KIPP LA Empower Academy 14

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Flex Instruction is delivered primarily via the Internet, with students moving on an individually customized sequence; scheduling is fluid among learning modalities, and the teacher of record is on site. 16

Flex Example: San Francisco Flex Academy 17

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Self-Blend Students choose to take one or more courses entirely online to supplement their traditional courses. Example: Quakertown Community School District 19

Enriched model Students divide their time between attending a brick-and-mortar campus and learning remotely using online delivery of content and instruction. Example: Albuquerque eCADEMY 20

Hybrid Models 21

Summary Thoughts What are the most compelling opportunities that blended learning can provide for our students? What are the challenges, risks, concerns with blended learning? 22

Next Step: Landscape Scan School survey: work group feedback on topics, key questions, areas of inquiry 23

Going forward Project Activities Meeting Schedule: – October 22, 2013: 2:00-3:30pm – December 3, 2013: 2:00-3:30pm – April 29, 2014: 5:30-7:00pm: Work Group with Community – September 23, 2014: 2:00-3:30pm Website: 24