Blended Learning in the Math Classroom

When I flipped my math classroom last year, I feel that I did not do a great job of really changing the way that my students learn. Yes, they watched videos at home as opposed to listening to a lecture in class, but they didn't interact with the material in a new way. 

While I am not the biggest fan of Khan Academy videos, I applaud what this school in Oakland is trying is in order to reach students who have been previously unsuccessful in algebra. They are using the "coach" side of the website which allows the math teacher to access data on how students are progressing through the content. In addition to traditional in-class lectures, students are using the videos to work through the curriculum at their own pace.

It was interesting to watch this video mainly because of the results the teachers shared. They reported students repeatedly trying difficult tasks, even using "hints" to try to continue working challenging problems. They also noted that students were developing an attitude of willingness to try; a characteristic that Dan Meyers urges is necessary for students to be successful. Perhaps what was most intriguing was the fact that the students' test scores increased by around 30 to 40 percentage points. 

The teachers attribute the success of the program to many factors including the fact that it is online.  Using technology, especially computers, is immediately engaging for students.  Because the program is on the computer students receive individualized instruction based on how well they complete practice problems. Students also can access immediate help and are provided immediate feedback while working through lessons. In an age of immediacy, these are key components that likely are the reason for students being more engaged and more willing to continue to tackle difficult tasks.  In addition, the work is not multiple choice and computer adaptive meaning that students cannot just guess their way through a task, nor can they copy another students work. 

All these factors combined have lead to students to be more focused, attentive, and engaged. They grow as mathematicians in their willingness to try problems that in the past they might have immediately shied away from. The teachers report that even their basic math skills have improved as a result of being engaged in the program.

These are the results that I am interested in learning more about. I am so curious to learn more about how technology can reach students in a way that "traditional" teaching has failed to do. Specifically in math, but equally valuable for all subjects, I am excited at the prospect that technology can help close the achievement gap and level the playing field for all students regardless of race, income, and opportunities.If anything can accomplish this huge feat, it is technology.