1. Blended-learning:
experiences and plans
Susan Hess

2. Learning Chinese
 Started in college, continued in graduate school;
emphasis on reading and writing
 5 years in Taiwan, first in the Stanford Inter-University
Program, then as a graduate student at National
Taiwan University (all materials, papers, presentations
in Chinese).
 Continued studying Chinese; became a Chinese
language instructor in Malaysia

3. Year 1: My only resource was a
basic text and 2 audio CDs
Dialogue page Vocabulary page

4. Problems with the textbook
 Textbook evalution using 25 criteria from Shrum and
Glisan 2005 gives it a rating of 8/75
 Does not incorporate ACTFL Standards for Language
Learning
 Not engaging to students
 Covers too many topics

5. Year 1 solutions
 Discovery channel
 Web quests
 Animated character websites
 Internet research for student
projects
 YouTube videos for AV content
 Student-produced flip camera
and Photo-Story movies
 Too many teacher-produced
worksheets

6. Year 2
Participated in Teacher Leadership Project with
focus on technology integration
 More student-
centered
projects
 VoiceThread
 GoAnimate

7. Year 3
following Summer Startalk Workshop
 Edmodo: Listening
comprehension & oral
responses
 Audacity
 Skype
 Quizlet
 Smart Response
character quizzes
 Redesigned Transfer
tasks
 MYP (IB) lesson plans

8. Summer 2012
 GMU Startalk 10-
day workshop on
21st century skills;
team-teaching in
mini-camp
 Blended Learning
class

9. Fall 2012 plans
(first year at Bullis)
 New materials with audio-visual and on-line
materials
 Lesson plans incorporating 21st century skills
 Haiku instead of Edmodo
 Student-centered projects, both individual and
collaborative