Blended Learning Comes to the Pathfinders Program!

Blended Learning Comes to the Pathfinders Program!

Research has long identified the importance of technology in the classroom. More recent studies have indicated that a program of blended learning opportunities provides the optimal learning environment for student growth.   Guided by such research, the Pathfinders Program at the League School is embracing a blended learning instruction platform.

Blended learning describes an education program that combines online digital media with traditional classroom methods. It requires the physical presence of both teacher and student, with some elements of student control over time, place, path, and/ or pace of instruction. Students receive both traditional teaching along with opportunity for online instruction.

The approach involves a myriad of delivery mechanisms and includes individual instruction, small group instruction and whole group classroom activities. Students are provided online content to augment direct teacher led instruction and are provided with teacher feedback and support to facilitate direct online content.    Additionally, the blended classroom allows for learning in multiple modalities and provides greater opportunity for the collection of data about student grown. It also lends itself to a more personalized, competency-based instruction program that can be customized to the needs of individual students.

In the Pathfinders Program, Chromebooks (laptops) and Google Classroom (software) have been identified as the tools to support a blended learning program for our students. Over the course of the year, we have purchased Chromebooks for individual use and customized student and teacher interactions through the Chromebook using the Google Classroom system. Teachers have received training in their use and will continue more refined training over the coming school year.

The Chromebooks and the on line learning content have been well received by the students and are sought after learning tools. Additionally, online content for Social Studies and Science have been purchased and applied throughout the elementary, middle and high school classrooms. Additionally, we employ web-based remediation and instructional intervention programs for reading and mathematics that add to our blended learning program structure. We are currently researching on line math curriculum programs to pilot during the current school year.

We are excited about improving educational outcomes through expanding our digital tools…and watching our students grow!