Session presented at the Innovation Institute, June 2018

1. Designing On-Line, Blended and Personalized
Learning Courses-What Does All That Mean?
Derrick Mears, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator-Educational Technology
Associate Professor Curriculum and Instruction/Educational Technology
Twitter: @MearsDr
Website: tinyurl.com/DrMearsETEC

2. The Status of On-Line Learning In K-12
• 316,320 students attended online schools in the 2013-2014
school year
• 30 states offer fully online statewide schools
• 20 states prohibit open enrollment in online schools
• 26 states offer state virtual schooling
• 16% of the U.S. K–12 student population is enrolled in online
schools, charter schools or private schools
• 20 states have enacted a combined total of 28 laws related to
data privacy in 2014
• 11 states offer online course choice programs
Evergreen Educational Group (2015). Keeping Pace with K-12 Digital Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice (12th Ed.). Retrieved from
https://www.inacol.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Keeping-Pace-2015-Report-1.pdf

3. Why Do K-12 Students Choose On-Line?
TRIO Wolf Creek Study (Minnesota)
Evergreen Educational Group (2016). Why do students choose blended and online schools? The “end of average” requires personalized learning environments.
Retrieved from
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59c3f229197aeabbd2a556b2/t/5afde15c70a6adead81fed55/1526587747644/FOBL_WhyStudentsChoose.pdf

4. Why Do K-12 Students Choose On-Line?
Evergreen Educational Group (2016). Why do students choose blended and online schools? The “end of average” requires personalized learning environments.
Retrieved from
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59c3f229197aeabbd2a556b2/t/5afde15c70a6adead81fed55/1526587747644/FOBL_WhyStudentsChoose.pdf

5. Why Do K-12 Students Choose On-Line?
Evergreen Educational Group (2016). Why do students choose blended and online schools? The “end of average” requires personalized learning environments.
Retrieved from
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59c3f229197aeabbd2a556b2/t/5afde15c70a6adead81fed55/1526587747644/FOBL_WhyStudentsChoose.pdf

6. Thoughts To Ponder As We Navigate
Evergreen Educational Group (2016). Why do students choose blended and online schools? The “end of average” requires personalized learning environments.
Retrieved from
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59c3f229197aeabbd2a556b2/t/5afde15c70a6adead81fed55/1526587747644/FOBL_WhyStudentsChoose.pdf
• Students are behind in School and need to
catch up:
• Origins of on-line learning in K-12 schools
• High school credit recovery
• Students are doing well in school but feel they
are not challenged, and become bored or
disengaged
• Student decision or parent decision?
• Has our focus shifted too far in this
direction?
• Students who feel that traditional school is “a
bad fit”
• Student decision or parent decision?
• Real life?

7. Thoughts To Ponder As We Navigate
Knowledge Works (2017). The Future of Learning: Redefining Readiness from the Inside Out, Retrieved from
https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/future-learning-redefining-readiness/
• Increased Focus on Social/Emotional
Development
• Concerns with isolation of working in the on-line
environment
• Looks at working environments of the future.
• Three Key Components
• Individual Awareness
• Self regulations of emotions
• Social Awareness
• Empathy and perspective taking
• Self Discovery
• Deep self Knowledge

8. New Focus in On-Line K-12 Environments
Knowledge Works (2017). The Future of Learning: Redefining Readiness from the Inside Out, Retrieved from
https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/future-learning-redefining-readiness/
• Increased Focus on Social/Emotional
Development
• Concerns with isolation of working in the on-line
environment
• Looks at working environments of the future.
• Three Key Components
• Individual Awareness
• Self regulations of emotions
• Social Awareness
• Empathy and perspective taking
• Self Discovery
• Deep self Knowledge

9. New Focus in On-Line K-12 Environments
Knowledge Works (2017). The Future of Learning: Redefining Readiness from the Inside Out, Retrieved from
https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/future-learning-redefining-readiness/
• Key Skills for Development:
• Thrive in ambiguity and uncertainty
• Communicate and create with
numbers
• Learn anything, anywhere
• Cultivate inclusive communities
• Make friends with people and
machines
• Take initiative and self-advocate
• Think differently
• Solve problems

10. Thoughts To Ponder As We Navigate
Guyan, M. (2013). 5 Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in eLearning. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/5-ways-to-
reduce-cognitive-load-in-elearning
• Cognitive Load Theory
• Intrinsic
• Complexity inherent in the
material being studied.
• Extraneous
• Cognitive load imposed by non-
relevant elements that require
extra mental processing
• Germane
• Elements that allow cognitive
resources to be put towards
learning

11. Thoughts To Ponder As We Navigate
Guyan, M. (2013). 5 Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in eLearning. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/5-ways-to-
reduce-cognitive-load-in-elearning
• Reducing Cognitive Load in On-Line
Learning
• Present some information via the visual
channel and some via the verbal channel
• Break content into smaller segments
and allow the learner to control the pace
• Remove non-essential content
• Words should be placed close as
possible to the corresponding graphics
• Don’t narrate on-screen text word-for-
word

12. So Many Terms, It’s
Confusing?
Maxwell, C. (2016). What blended learning is and isn’t. Retrieved from
https://www.blendedlearning.org/what-blended-learning-is-and-isnt/
• Terminology in On-Line Learning
• Blended Learning
• Learning environment where
portion of the learning takes
place virtually and part face to
face
• Key differences between tech
rich versus blended learning

13. So Many Terms, It’s
Confusing?
Maxwell, C. (2016). What blended learning is and isn’t. Retrieved from
https://www.blendedlearning.org/what-blended-learning-is-and-isnt/
• Terminology in On-Line
Learning
• Tech-Rich Instruction
• Most common in K-12 face-
to-face only classrooms.
• Students complete in class
work using devices

14. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Flipped Learning Network, (2014) The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P , Retrieved from https://flippedlearning.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf
• Terminology in On-Line Learning
• Flipped Learning
• Direct instruction moves from the group learning
space to the individual learning space
• Group space-interactive learning environment where
the educator guides students as they apply concepts
and engage creatively in the subject matter
• Good and Bad pedagogy can be involved here

15. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Flipped Learning Network, (2014) The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P , Retrieved from https://flippedlearning.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf
• Pillars of Flipped Learning

16. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Flipped Learning Network, (2014) The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P , Retrieved from https://flippedlearning.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf
• Pillars of Flipped Learning

17. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Flipped Learning Network, (2014) The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P , Retrieved from https://flippedlearning.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf
• Pillars of Flipped Learning

18. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Flipped Learning Network, (2014) The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P , Retrieved from https://flippedlearning.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf
• Pillars of Flipped Learning

19. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Office of Educational Technology (2017). Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: 2017 National Education
Technology Plan Update, Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf
• Personalized Learning
• Personalized learning refers to instruction in which the pace of
learning and the instructional approach are optimized for the
needs of each learner.
• Learning objectives, instructional approaches, and
instructional content (and its sequencing) may all vary based
on learner needs.
• Learning activities are meaningful and relevant to learners,
driven by their interests, and often self-initiated.

20. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Afton Partners, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, CEE Trust, the Christensen Institute
for Disruptive Innovation, Charter School Growth Fund, EDUCAUSE, iNACOL, the Learning Accelerator, the Michael & Susan
Dell Foundation, Silicon Schools (2014). Personalized Learning-A working definition. Retrieved from
https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/personalized-learning-special-report-2014/a-working-definition.html
• Personalized Learning Components

21. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
• Personalized Learning
• Competency-Based Progression
• Each student’s progress toward clearly-defined goals is continually assessed.
• Student advances as they show mastery
• Ongoing assessments
• Individual advancement
• Big Picture Questions:
• How is mastery defined?
• How are credits defined?
• Will higher education recognize?
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Afton Partners, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, CEE Trust, the Christensen Institute
for Disruptive Innovation, Charter School Growth Fund, EDUCAUSE, iNACOL, the Learning Accelerator, the Michael & Susan
Dell Foundation, Silicon Schools (2014). Personalized Learning-A working definition. Retrieved from
https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/personalized-learning-special-report-2014/a-working-definition.html

22. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
• Personalized Learning
• Flexible Learning Environments
• Student needs drive the design of the learning environment. All operational
elements—staffing plans, space utilization and time allocation—respond and
adapt to support students in achieving their goals.
• Operational Alignment
• Staffing and Roles
• Time Allocation
• Space Utilization
• Grouping and Connections
• Big Picture Question-Can the is be supported for all students?
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Afton Partners, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, CEE Trust, the Christensen
Institute for Disruptive Innovation, Charter School Growth Fund, EDUCAUSE, iNACOL, the Learning Accelerator, the
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Silicon Schools (2014). Personalized Learning-A working definition. Retrieved from
https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/personalized-learning-special-report-2014/a-working-definition.html

23. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
• Personalized Learning
• Personalized Learning Paths
• All students are held to clear, high expectations, but each student
follows a customized path that responds and adapts based on his/her
individual learning progress, motivations, and goals.
• Personalized Learning Plans
• Varied Learning Experiences
• Student Ownership
• Big Picture Question
• Can the is be done for all students?
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Afton Partners, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, CEE Trust, the Christensen
Institute for Disruptive Innovation, Charter School Growth Fund, EDUCAUSE, iNACOL, the Learning Accelerator, the
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Silicon Schools (2014). Personalized Learning-A working definition. Retrieved from
https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/personalized-learning-special-report-2014/a-working-definition.html

24. So Many Terms, It’s Confusing?
• Personalized Learning
• Learner Profiles
• Each student has an up-to-date record of his/her
individual strengths, needs, motivations, and goals.
• Big Picture Question
• Can the is be done for all students?
• Elementary?
• Secondary?
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Afton Partners, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, CEE Trust, the Christensen
Institute for Disruptive Innovation, Charter School Growth Fund, EDUCAUSE, iNACOL, the Learning Accelerator, the
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Silicon Schools (2014). Personalized Learning-A working definition. Retrieved from
https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/personalized-learning-special-report-2014/a-working-definition.html

25. How to Implement-Learning Management
Systems
• What Is A Learning Management System?
• Platform used primarily for online or blended learning, supporting the
placement of course materials, associating students with courses,
tracking student performance, storing student submissions and
mediating communication between the students as well as their
instructor.
• Provides an instructor with a set of tools and a framework that allows
the relatively easy creation of online course content and the subsequent
teaching and management of that course including various interactions
with students taking the course
Watson, William R. (2007). An Argument for Clarity: What are Learning Management Systems, What are They Not, and
What Should They Become?, Retrieved from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Course_management_system

26. How to Implement-Learning Management
Systems
• Common Features of an LMS:
• Course Management-lists of courses, registration, credit information and syllabus,
pre-requisites
• Teaching Materials
• Self-assessment quizzes
• Lessons tools
• Asynchronous Communication: email, forums
• Synchronous Communication: chat, whiteboard, teleconferencing,
• Student tools: Home page, self tests, bookmarks, progress tracking, ....
• Student Management Tools
• Learner feedback: course evaluations, surveys, test evaluation surveys etc.
• Closed circuit platform
Watson, William R. (2007). An Argument for Clarity: What are Learning Management Systems, What are They Not, and
What Should They Become?, Retrieved from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Course_management_system

27. How To Implement?
Learning Management Systems

28. Designing On-Line, Blended and Personalized
Learning Courses-What Does All That Mean?
Derrick Mears, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator-Educational Technology
Associate Professor Curriculum and Instruction/Educational Technology
Twitter: @MearsDr
Website: tinyurl.com/DrMearsETEC