Getting Started with Blended Learning

2016-2017
YEAR
SYMPOSIUM
Leadership
Professional Development
Teaching
Getting Started with Blended and Online Learning
Content
Technology
Operations

Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome…………………………………………………………………………………..……..…............................. 2
What is blended learning? ................................................................................................... 2
What is iLearnNYC? ............................................................................................................ 2
I. Planning an Effective Program………………….………………………………….…………………...........3
How will my school begin?................................................................................................... 3
A. Vision and Goals…………………………………………………………..…..…………………............ 3
a. Leadership………………………………………………………………..….…….……………............4
b. Process & Protocol…………………………………………………………….……………….......... 4
c. iLearnNYC Committee………………………………………………………….…………….......... 4
d. Target Population……………………………………………………………………………….......... 5
e. Teacher Selection……………………………………………………………………………….......... 6
f. Instructional Models……………………………………………………….………………….......... 6
g. School Readiness/Infrastructure…………………………………………......................... 9
II. Scheduling and Programming..…….…….…………………………………...…….………………........ 10
How should I plan? ............................................................................................................. 10
a. Select Content…………………………………………………….….……………………………........... 11
b. Purchase Licenses………………………………………………….………….…………………........... 11
c. Admin Console (Programming)……………………………………………………………............ 11
d. Scheduling……………………………………………………………………………………………............ 11
III. Setting up for Success………………………………………….……………..………………………........... 12
How can I ensure success?.................................................................................................. 12
a. Getting Started for Teachers………………………….…………………….………………........... 12
b. Getting Started for Students………………………….………………………………………......... 13
c. Communication with Parents ………………………….……….…………………………….......... 13
IV. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)……………………….………….………….…………….......... 15
a. iLearnNYC Courses……………………………………………….…….…….…………………............15
b. Blended Learning FAQ…………………………………......................................................16
V. Appendices
A. Blending Learning Frequently Asked Questions………………………………………………….. 16
B. Classifying K-12 Blended Learning…………………………………………………………............... 29
C. School Readiness Checklist…………………………………………………………………………………. 49
D. Explanation of NYC Approved Vendors …………………………………………………………….…50
E. List of NYC Approved Vendors…………………………………………………………………………... 51
F. Scheduling Checklist………………………………………………………………………………………….. 52
G. Famis Purchasing Guide…………………………………...................................................... 53
H. iLearnNYC Case Studies ………………………................................................................. 59
I. Blended Learning in Action……………………………………….……………………………………….. 77
J. Student Agreement……………………………………………………………………………………………. 92
K. Student Instructions for Log In…………………………………………………………………………… 93
L. Sample Letter for Parents………………………………………………………………………………….. 102
M. Sample Parent Notice of Intervention…………………………......................................... 103
1

Welcome to iLearnNYC!
Getting Started Guide with Blended and Online Learning
iLearnNYC was first introduced in 2010 with 41 schools piloting blended learning models and has
quickly grown to over 200 participating schools in 2016. Through lessons learned and support from
Implementation Managers, iLearnNYC schools developed effective practices and strategies that
worked in their buildings. This “Getting Started Guide with Blended and Online Learning” is a
collection of promising practices, implementation strategies and resources to guide you in planning a
blended learning culture in your school. This guide will provide you with procedures and protocols to
ensure a successful implementation. Our work will continue to grow and evolve as schools begin to
incorporate blended and online learning into their school day. This “Getting Started Guide” will be
updated regularly as we scale. Our current work has also been documented in an iNacol publication: A
Roadmap for Implementation of Blended Learning: A Case Study of iLearnNYC Lab Schools which can
be found here
What is Blended/Online Learning?
Blended learning, as defined by Horn and Staker, is “a formal education program in which a student
learns at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place,
path, and/or pace, at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home, and the
modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an
integrated learning experience” (Horn and Staker, 2013). Online learning, also known as e-learning
uses the internet and computer technologies to connect teachers and students to deliver curriculum.
What is ilearnNYC?
iLearnNYC is a community of schools that are implementing blended and online learning to expand
current school boundaries that limit how and when a student can learn. iLearnNYC empowers
teachers, administrators, students and parents with digital resources, including online course content,
real-time data on student work, ePortfolios , and a suite of robust educational tools. Schools
participating in iLearnNYC classes can provide students with access to courses not currently offered in
their school such as Advanced Placement, core content, world languages, and credit recovery provided
there is a certified teacher in the content area. The boundary of the school day can be expanded so
students can complete their coursework anytime, anywhere from any computer with internet access.
This helps students learn all the time—not just when they are at school.
Introduction
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A. Vision and Goals
It is important to think about how iLearnNYC will impact your school and the purpose for the program.
iLearnNYC’s goal should fit into your school’s broader goal but also should be clearly defined. Schools
should work with their curriculum committee to align clear goals for each school year. Some sample
iLearnNYC goals are listed below:
 To implement 100% percent of our courses with a blended learning component.
 To have 50% of teachers recording lessons that allows students to watch content
online before coming to class.
 To offer online classes to students who are deficient in credits.
 To provide additional online opportunities for students to succeed.
Through observations and interactions with iLearnNYC schools, the following items/elements must be
carefully considered when planning to ensure that your vision and goals are being met.
a. Leadership
b. Process & Protocol
c. iLearnNYC School Committee
d. Target Population
e. Teacher Selection
f. Instructional Models
g. School Readiness
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a. Leadership
To build an effective blended learning program, strong and consistent leadership must support
implementation of vision and goals. A coordinated, intentional and systemic professional
development plan based on stated goals needs to be adopted in order for blended learning to
become part of the fabric of the school. School leaders should meet with teachers and be
transparent about their expectations, both in the physical classroom and in the online environment.
Leaders and teachers should have conversations about the blended model they will implement along
with:
 Budget
 Schedule
 Training
 Curriculum Planning
 Compensation
b. Process & Protocol
Having a process as to selecting students and enrolling them in the correct course is imperative.
 Who will review the students’ record to determine courses needed?
 Who will enroll the students in the iLearnNYC system?
 Will there be an orientation process for the student and family?
 What is the passing score or mastery based level for online learning?
 How many times will you allow the student to retake the online assessment before providing
intervention?
 Will the teachers of record be given time to grade and review student work? Will this be during
the school day or per session?
 How will you identify online courses in STARS?
School Leaders are responsible for knowing and enforcing academic policies. To reference see High
School Academic Policy Reference Guide and Middle School Academic Policy Reference Guide. If you
have any questions that have to do with grading and promotion, go to your network policy liaison.
c. iLearnNYC School Committee
An important factor in the success of any blended learning program is having a team of key players
who immerse themselves in this work and are responsible for the successful implementation. This
team should meet regularly to discuss successes and challenges and continually evaluate the
program.
The iLearnNYC school committee should consist of a coordinator, programmer, curriculum specialist,
4

an instructional coach, teacher of record, teachers, technician, and a guidance counselor. Creating a
team to handle the workflow of iLearnNYC is not enough. This team should be meeting regularly,
reflecting on the program, creating goals and making changes as necessary.
Below are some key roles and responsibilities for a successful iLearnNYC program:
Role Responsibilities
iLearnNYC Coordinator Manages and monitors the program’s success and has the
power to make decisions for change when needed; turnkey
Professional Development; liaison between iLearnNYC program
and school
Programmer Manages enrollments and creates iLearnNYC courses
Curriculum Specialist Reviews content and supports teachers in selecting the
appropriate content for target population
Instructional Coach Provides guidance for teachers using blended learning
(classroom management, monitoring progress, etc.)
Teacher of Record (TOR) Content certified teacher that is responsible for monitoring
student progress in a timely fashion and awards credit.
Teacher May facilitate the course in a lab setting but a content certified
teacher is still required for monitoring progress.
Technician Maintains equipment and submits helpdesk tickets when
needed.
Guidance Counselor
(Highly recommended for
high school)
Key person to identify and recommend students for online
coursework; also can make recommendations as to student
readiness for virtual environment
d. Target Population
Identifying your target population is very important to the success of your program. Your vision and
goals for this program should help you identify the population of students that this iLearnNYC will
serve.
Here are some ideas of what the program can assist with:
 Credit Accumulation/Acceleration
 Sharing Instruction across multiple schools
 Infusing technology into the traditional face to face (F2F) classroom
for differentiated instruction and improved engagement
 Supporting Students with Interrupted Education
 Advanced Placement Courses
 Foreign Languages
 Electives
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e. Teacher Selection
One of the most important things to consider when planning for blended learning is choosing the
right teachers for this work. This is a crucial element of having success in this program. While each
school may have their own idea of what qualities they are looking for in blended learning teachers,
some of the most common are:
 Interested in blended and online learning
 Comfortable instructing with technology
 Strong time management skills
 Willing to communicate and facilitate beyond the face to face classroom
 Willing to use online data to inform instruction and assignments
 Flexible and open to new ideas
 Online learning experience preferred
f. Instructional Models
Schools should define which instructional model they would like to follow. Most schools have multiple
models implemented. There are four emerging models that are identified to be successful within
blended learning as defined by Clayton Christensen Institute researchers. These four models are:
Rotation, Flex, A La Carte, and Enriched Virtual which are described below. To see the full report,
which discusses blended learning and these models further, see Appendix B
6

Rotation
Flex Model
Rotation model- a program in which within a given
course or subject (e.g., math), students rotate on a
fixed schedule or at the teacher’s discretion
between learning modalities, at least one of which
is online learning. Other modalities might include
activities such as small-group or full-class
instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and
pencil and paper assignments.
Flex model- a program in which content and
instruction are delivered primarily by the Internet,
students move on an individually customized , fluid
schedule among learning modalities, and the
teacher-of-record or other adults provide face-to-
face support on a flexible and adaptive as needed
basis through activities such as small group
instruction, group projects , and individual tutoring.
Some of the implementations have substantial face
to face support, and others have minimal ( e.g.,
some flex models may have face-to-face certified
teachers who supplement the online learning on a
daily basis, whereas others may provide face-to-
face enrichment; others may have different staffing
combinations; these are useful modifiers to
describe a particular Flex Model.)
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Enriched-Virtual model- a whole-school
experience in which within each course (e.g.,
math), students divide their time between
attending a brick-and-mortar campus and
learning remotely using online delivery of
content and instruction. Many Enriched –Virtual
model differs from the Flipped Classroom
because in Enriched-Virtual programs, students
seldom attend the brick-and-mortar campus
every weekday. It differs from the A La Carte
model because it is a full-school experience, not
a course-by course model.
A La Carte Model
Enriched Virtual
http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-model-definitions
A La Carte- A program in which students take
one or more courses entirely online with an
online teacher of record and at the same
time continue to have brick-and –mortar
educational experiences . Students may take
the online courses either on the brick-and-
mortar campus or off site. This differs from
full-time online learning and the Enriched
Virtual model because it is not a whole –
school experience.
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g. School Readiness
Planning for infrastructure is an integral piece of the preparation process for your school’s
implementation. Once you have your front end team identified, the next step is to make sure you have
the infrastructure and systems in place to ensure that the program runs smoothly from a technical
perspective.
This includes:
 strategies for computer allocation
 computer labs/ printers
 number of laptops carts
 headphones
 any other hardware you plan to utilize
 electrical and wireless capacity for your building
o Co-located schools need to consider total bandwidth usage as a building, not just a
school.
o A plan for daily heavy usage times amongst schools is key to uninterrupted student
experiences in the online aspect.
Other thing to consider in preparing your school for Blended and Online Learning:
 Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the amount of data traveling from one point to another within a given time
period. Many of our vendors are interactive and require higher bandwidth. To get a better idea
of your school’s usage as well as specifics as to the average daily highs and lows, check on the
Bandwidth Utilization Tool: https://pcis.nycenet.edu/bandwidth2.php
 Tech Support
While having a full time tech person on staff is highly recommended, you can also hire a CUNY
Technician. They are an affordable means for schools on a tight budget. By hiring a part time
CUNY Tech, schools can still have technical support for their blended learning program which is
integral to the success of the program.
See Appendix C School Readiness Checklist to view the checklist to help you prepare your school’s
infrastructure.
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New educational models such as blended learning and online learning options require the review of
existing teaching and learning policies and potentially the revision of existing policies, or the creation
of new ones to foster innovation. Examples of policies that may need to be addressed but are not
limited to: length of time that a student has to complete the required courses, scheduling availability
of courses, mastery based learning, procedures for enrolling and un-enrolling students and support.
Refer to the High School Academic Policy Reference Guide and Middle School Academic Policy
Reference Guide.
The following questions are items to consider before programming any iLearnNYC courses. They will
assist you in identifying needs and support the blended learning and online learning in your school.
1. Who is your target student population?
2. What vendor content and licensing structure best meets the needs of this population?
3. What courses from the iLearnNYC catalogs are you considering?
4. Will these courses be a part of the daily schedule for teachers and students or will they
offered during afterschool hours and require per session?
5. Who are the selected teachers who will:
a. Serve as assigned licensed subject area teachers of record (TOR)?
b. Manage the program?
c. Grade student work
d. Hold office hour for struggling students
Tips from the Field
● Determine your school’s grading policy
● Subject-certified teacher is responsible for course syllabus, monitoring student progress, and
awarding course grades
● If you have any questions that have to do with grading and promotion, go to your network policy
liaison.
II. Scheduling and Programming
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The iLearnNYC School Committee should plan in late spring and summer for fall implementation. The
team will review and be responsible for the below:
a. Selecting Content
iLearnNYC has a catalog of vendors that offer online and blended learning content. Prior to purchasing,
the iLearnNYC school committee should preview and demo vendor content to ensure that they are
aligned with the school’s vision and goals. See Appendices D and E for more information on NYC
approved vendor content.
b. Purchasing Licenses
All iLearnNYC licenses must be purchased through FAMIS. If you need assistance with this process,
please see Appendix G for the complete Famis Purchasing guide.
c. Programming (Admin Console)
Once you purchase your licenses through FAMIS, teachers and students must be programmed.
Specifically, iLearnNYC has a web based program called the Admin Console, wherein programming of
students for online content happens. To do this successfully, schools must send their programmers,
administrators and an alternative administrative person to be trained on this program. (Programmers
will need to attend Admin Console training)
d. Scheduling
Before students can be programmed for iLearnNYC, decisions have to be made regarding the
scheduling of students. See Appendix F for a checklist of things to think about.
Tips from the field
● Do not begin programming until your school rosters are set. In most cases, once you program
students into a course through the Admin Console, licenses are consumed.
● If you encounter any issues with your FAMIS purchase, reach out to your network liaison.
● Our helpdesk operators are trained in using the Administrative Console. They should be your first
point of contact when issues arise.
Phone: 718-935-3075
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iLearnNYC’s online and blended learning model meets the needs of most of our students, but it
requires a high level of independence and self-awareness. iLearnNYC students who consistently work
in their online courses and produce a steady flow of valid, completed assignments are almost
guaranteed to pass their courses.
Some students are still growing to become self-reliant learners. For these students, online learning
may not provide an effective path and students who are unable to meet the requirements of their
online learning courses should consider an alternative that can be discussed with the guidance
counselor. It is recommended that students participate in an orientation session before delving into
the content.
a. Getting Started for Teachers
While there is not one formula for supporting a blended learning teacher, we have seen some best
practices wherein teachers are set up for success. In order to begin this innovative practice, teachers
need to have an understanding of common definitions of blended learning and be aware of a variety of
blended learning models and resources. They also need to have a good understanding of how to use
the vendor content the school has selected for the upcoming school year.
School leaders are in the unique position to allow teachers opportunities to attend professional
development workshops, both provided by iLearnNYC and through outside partners and companies.
This is crucial, not only for teachers to be able to use online content and learning management
systems, but also for them to identify colleagues outside your school with whom to collaborate. It is a
best practice to set clear expectations for blended learning teachers and help them understand that
lessons in a blended learning class may look differently than in a traditional brick and mortar
classroom. It is important that school leaders sit down with their teachers and be transparent about
their expectations, both in the physical classroom and in the online learning environment.
Below are some examples of guidelines to implement in your classroom:
 Provide clear expectations for students with specific assignments and due dates.
 Actively monitor student progress using data reports.
 Provide students who fall 15% behind any course a progress warning, as well as an opportunity
to catch up with the support of teacher and/or guidance counselor.
III. Setting up for Success
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 Provide students who fall 25% behind any course the opportunity to meet face to face with
teacher or guidance counselor to evaluate options and provide interventions.
 Proctoring of Tests should occur in the classroom
 Ensure that students who fail a quiz or test more than twice provide evidence of their work.
Provide timely feedback to students. It is best to have online office hours. (Example: You check
your email between 5 pm - 8 pm and answer all emails at that time.)
Two resources that you may find helpful when thinking about the selection of teachers can be found in
Appendices G and H. They are case studies from iLearnNYC schools and Blended Learning in Action.
Tips from the field
● Send your teacher to iLearnNYC and specific vendor professional development.
● Seek out and provide opportunities for ongoing professional development around the topic of
Blended Learning
b. Getting Started for Students
When planning for blended learning, it is important to consider how you set clear expectations in both
the face to face and in the online portion of your class. We suggest spending the first few days to
provide in-depth orientation and provide continual reinforcement of expectations. See Appendix J for
a complete student agreement and Appendix K for step by step instructions for logging in.
c. Communication with Parents
Schools should communicate information about the iLearnNYC program to parents. There are
differences between blended/online learning compared to traditional classroom learning. Blended
and Online courses can be a method to expand the boundary of the school day and engage student to
complete their coursework anytime, anywhere from any computer with internet access. Having a set
of documents and/or other informational materials is essential to get parental buy-in and have them
become advocates for an innovative way that their children are learning.
While every school has their own way of making parents aware of what is happening in their schools, it
is important to think about using various ways to let parents know about your blended learning
program. Here are a few options:
Individual School Crafted Letter
Some schools like to send a more personalized letter to parents which explains a bit more about the
program. This letter should be linked to important information on your website. See Appendix L for a
sample parent letter.
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Parent Intervention Letter
Sometimes it becomes necessary to send parents notifications when students are struggling to meet
deadlines or standards of learning in your course. See Appendix M for a sample intervention letter.
Tips from the Field
● Be sure to communicate with Parents in a variety of ways; i.e. phone calls, email, social media
and letters sent directly to homes.
● Put an agenda item on your PTO meetings so that parents and the community at large are aware
of what is happening in iLearnNYC.
● Determine your school’s grading policy and communicate to all teachers, students and parents.
● Post your grading policy on your website.
14

When and how do I purchase licenses for my school?
You will be able to purchase licenses through FAMIS beginning the last week of August. A
communication will go out with the codes and the steps to do this once it is available
Are licenses for students, teachers, or both?
Licenses are for students and are what give them access to any one vendor’s content (so for example if
a student needs access to Compass they will need 1 Compass license, if they need access to the
iLearnNYC platform they will need 1 iLearnNYC platform license.)
Teachers do not require a license to access the system. You can add an unlimited number of teachers
to each iLearnNYC course you create without burning a license.
How can I give my teachers access to their course?
Your school Programmer (i.e. whoever attended Admin Console Training) has access to the Admin
Console, the system where courses are created. In order for you (the teacher) or your students to have
access and be able to login to www.ilearnnyc.net, your programmer will first need to create the course
in the Admin Console.
How are iLearnNYC courses created?
Courses are created in a system called the Admin Console. This system has a simple 4 step process in
which you name a course, add teachers, enroll students, add vendor content and click finalize. This
then sends the information to the iLearnNYC platform, and allows teachers and students to login at
www.ilearnnyc.net and access the course.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
ILearnNYC Courses
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Updated May 2016
Online and Blended Courses:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The purpose of this FAQ document is to assist NYCDOE high schools in understanding and effectively implementing
policies regarding online and blended courses. This guide supplements existing resources on graduation requirements
and policies for awarding high school course credit, as outlined in the High School Academic Policy Guide. For additional
support implementing online and blended courses, contact your Academic Policy and Systems Lead.
QUICKLINKS
• OVERVIEW
• ROLE OF THE TEACHER
• IMPLEMENTATION
• SYSTEMS
• APPENDIX
OVERVIEW
1. What is an online course? What is a blended course?
An online course is defined by instruction in a specific subject that occurs almost exclusively through digital
and/or internet-connected media.
Example: A student logs on to a vendor-provided website, which contains videos and interactive tools, to
receive lessons and instruction in math. These lessons take approximately 180 minutes per week (i.e. 54
hours of total instruction over the entire semester) to view and complete. The student also completes all
of his assignments and assessments using the vendor-provided website. The subject-certified teacher
monitors the student’s progress over email and in person, is available for extra help, and grades the
student’s work.
A blended course is defined by instruction in a specific subject that occurs through a combination of classroom-
based and digital and/or internet-connected media.
Example: A student enrolled in a math course receives instruction from a teacher in a conventional
classroom setting for 3 periods per week (for a total of 120 minutes). The remaining 60 minutes per week
of instruction (not homework or research) occurs via online delivery. The student completes her
assignments through the online portal, but sits for the midterm and final assessment in the classroom.
Online and blended learning refers to how students receive instruction and not to how students complete
homework and outside-of-class assignments. See the Appendix for examples of and best practices for
implementing online and blended courses.
2. If a course routinely incorporates the internet, computers, or other technology, is it automatically considered
a blended course?
No. Using internet, computers, or other technology as resources in the classroom or as supplements to the
curriculum does not necessarily make a class a blended course. Blended courses involve direct instruction
through the use of technology.
Example of Blended Instruction: Students receive instruction on Global History 2 through a combination
of virtual lessons and classroom-based instruction. Students are scheduled to participate in the virtual
lessons in the school’s library and discussions are scheduled to take place in the classroom.
16
Appendix A: Blended Learning FAQ

Updated May 2016
Example of a Course Incorporating Technology: Students receive the entirety of instruction for Global
History 2 in the classroom. Students have access to the course syllabus, lesson plans, practice assessments
and supplemental materials through an online platform, so that they can complete homework and study
from home. This is not considered an example of blended instruction.
3. When can online and blended courses bear credit?
An online or blended course can be credit-bearing, provided it meets all of the following requirements:1
• The course aligns with the applicable New York State commencement-level learning standards for the
subject area, as outlined in the course syllabus;
• Instruction is provided or supervised by a subject-certified teacher from the NYCDOE;2
• The course includes regular and substantive interaction between the student and the teacher, which may
occur in person and/or virtually;
• The course instruction satisfies the unit of study instructional time requirement (i.e. 180 minutes per week
throughout the semester/school year, or the equivalent of 54 hours of total instruction); and
• The student demonstrates mastery of the learning outcomes for the subject, including passing the Regents
exam in the subject area if he or she has not already passed an exam that counts toward a diploma in that
subject area. See question 18 for more information.
4. How should a school determine whether an online or blended course aligns with commencement-level
learning standards?
The subject-certified teacher overseeing the course is responsible for examining the curriculum and assessments
of the online course to ensure that the content aligns with commencement-level learning standards and is of
comparable scope and rigor to other courses offered by the high school awarding credit. The alignment of the
course components to commencement-level learning standards must be clearly outlined in the syllabus, scope
and sequence, curriculum map, or similar documentation. The teacher must adapt or supplement the course
content, as needed, to ensure that the course adequately addresses the learning standards.
5. How should schools evaluate online and blended courses?
Schools should maintain systems and structures (e.g. accreditation committees or a formal principal review) for
regularly evaluating new and existing courses, including online and blended courses. This review should ensure
that courses are aligned to commencement-level learning standards, are taught by subject-certified teachers,
and meet instructional time requirements. This may include reviewing the course syllabus, curriculum map, or
scope and sequence, sample lesson plans, assessments and a list of resources. Schools may choose to use the
Unit of Study Evaluation form as a way to ensure that a course is being implemented appropriately. The form is
not required, but may be helpful assessing and documenting the course’s alignment with these policies.
1
NYSED Online Course Requirements.
2
Through NYSED’s incidental teaching provision, there are specific instances where a teacher may teach one period per day
in a subject area outside their certification area, provided that they teach within the same student population as their
license area and have demonstrated subject matter competency in the subject.
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Updated May 2016
6. Do online vendors need to be pre-approved for use in credit-bearing courses?
For online and blended courses that are offered as part of a school’s academic program, schools may use NYCDOE
pre-approved online content vendors or another vendor of their choice.
For credit recovery programs, schools must use NYCDOE pre-approved online content vendors. See the Credit
Recovery FAQ for additional information on implementing credit recovery.
For all online and blended courses, including courses offered by pre-approved vendors, schools are responsible
for ensuring that the courses align with commencement-level learning standards and are implemented according
to the guidance provided in this document.
ROLE OF THE TEACHER
7. What is the role of the subject-certified teacher?
Online and blended courses must be instructed or supervised by a NYCDOE subject-certified teacher. The subject-
certified teacher is responsible for:
• Creating the course syllabus;
• Providing the student with opportunities for regular and substantive interaction;
• Monitoring student progress throughout the course;
• Determining if the student mastered the course content; and
• Awarding the student a final grade.
The subject-certified teacher that provides instruction or oversees the course must be the teacher of record in
STARS. As for all courses, teachers of online courses must be linked to a myGalaxy personnel record using the
Teacher Reference in STARS.
8. What constitutes “regular and substantive interaction” between the subject-certified teacher and student?
The NYCDOE subject-certified teacher supervising online instruction must frequently interact with, observe, and
measure students’ progression through course content, and provide meaningful feedback on student work. This
interaction can occur in-person (e.g., for a scheduled period at school) and/or virtually through various media
(e.g., by email or interaction through the online course vendor). As in any course, interaction between the
subject-certified teacher and the student must be frequent enough to allow many opportunities for students to
receive instructional support and meaningful feedback on their progress. The teacher should be consistently
available to meet student needs.
Example of In-Person Interaction: A group of students is enrolled in an online blended art history course.
The students receive virtual instruction for a total of 180 minutes per week. Each student is scheduled in
STARS for biweekly meetings with the subject-certified teacher to review his/her progression through the
content and for the teacher to address any questions or concerns. The teacher also holds open office hours
every Tuesday and Thursday before school for students to attend with questions.
Example of Virtual Interaction: A group of students is enrolled in an online, digital media course. The
students receive 180 minutes of instruction per week, participate in group discussions, and complete and
submit all homework assignments and assessments through an online vendor. The subject-certified
teacher supervising the course monitors each student’s progress and provides feedback to each student
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via a Skype chat once a week. The teacher also conducts weekly online discussions through the digital
community forum with all of the students.
Example of In-Person and Virtual Interaction: Five students are enrolled in an online American literature
course. The students complete the instructional lessons on their own time, but are scheduled in STARS to
check in with the subject-certified teacher supervising the course every Tuesday during first period. The
teacher also monitors and provides feedback on biweekly group discussions. Students and the teacher
have the ability to email one another at any time through the online vendor.
9. Does holding office hours for students to drop by suffice as regular and substantive interaction?
The subject-certified teacher overseeing the course must actively monitor students’ progress and provide
feedback to students in the course. If the teacher holds open office hours for students to attend as needed, it
must be in addition to another active form of monitoring student progress (e.g. emailing the student, conducting
virtual check-ins, or having recurring in-person meetings). However, regularly scheduling appointments with each
student or a small group of students during office hours is considered to be active monitoring of student progress
and would constitute regular and substantive interaction.
10. How does the teacher assess and grade student learning in online and blended courses?
Similar to all other courses, the subject-certified teacher overseeing the online or blended course is responsible
for designing or selecting assessments which align with the learning standards and learning outcomes outlined
in the course syllabus. Assessments may include projects, exams administered within or outside the online
platform, portfolios, and other measures of student mastery. Student grades must be based on student mastery
of the learning standards and competencies addressed in the online or blended course. As in any course, grading
policies for online and blended courses must be documented prior to the commencement of the course and be
clear to students, families, and staff.
11. Can non-subject-certified teachers or other staff members provide support to students in online and blended
courses?
All online and blended courses must be supervised by a NYCDOE subject-certified teacher with whom students
have regular and substantive interaction. The subject-certified teacher must be the individual linked to the course
in STARS. As for all courses, teachers of online courses must be linked to a myGalaxy personnel record using the
Teacher Reference in STARS. However, additional support may be provided by someone other than the subject-
certified teacher. Online support may be provided by the course vendor and in-person support may be provided
by a teacher or administrator at the school. For example, a school administrator may provide additional support
in the form of non-teaching duties, such as supervising students in a computer lab, taking attendance, or
managing equipment and access to technology. See question 26 for information on how to add this a non-
subject-certified teacher or other staff member to the course in STARS.
12. Many online vendors provide their own instruction, tutoring, assessment, or other academic support. Do
courses with these features require supervision by a subject-certified NYCDOE teacher?
Yes. All online and blended learning courses must be overseen by a NYCDOE subject-certified teacher. While
vendors may offer a variety of academic services for students in online and blended courses, vendor-provided
instruction and support do not replace the subject-certified teacher. The NYCDOE subject-certified teacher is
responsible for ensuring the course syllabus aligns to New York State commencement-level learning standards,
providing regular and substantive interaction, monitoring student progress, and awarding course grades.
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13. Can the subject-certified teacher be a teacher from another school, in another building?
A NYCDOE subject-certified teacher from one school can oversee an online or blended course at another school,
even if the schools are in different buildings. The subject-certified teacher overseeing the course is always the
teacher of record in STARS, even if she/he is from a different school. See question 26 for information on how to
program these students in STARS using shared instruction.
Example: School ABC has five students interested in taking Chinese 3, but no capacity to add this course
to their program. School ABC has an arrangement with another DOE school, School EFG, which does offer
Chinese 3 and is willing to have some of students from School ABC join the class remotely. The schools
arrange for the students to participate in the course via an online platform. The subject-certified teacher
at School EFG is responsible for the overseeing the syllabus, monitoring progress, and providing a final
grade. The subject-certified teacher is also the teacher of record in STARS. A teacher at the students’ own
school, School ABC, who is not subject-certified, may also provide general supervision and support.
A NYS subject-certified teacher at a nonpublic school, or a vendor-provided teacher who is subject-certified in a
different state, cannot fill this role because the teacher overseeing the course must be a NYCDOE subject-certified
teacher. If a school chooses to partner with a nonpublic school or vendor, the school must still have NYCDOE
subject-certified teacher overseeing the course.
14. How many students can a teacher oversee in an online or blended course?
The contractual class size limits that apply to traditional courses also apply to online and blended courses. The
subject-certified teacher of an online or blended course should oversee the instruction of no more than 34
students per class, subject to the extensions set forth in the collective bargaining agreement. This includes
students overseen by the teacher who are participating in the course from other locations.
IMPLEMENTATION
15. Is there a minimum number of in-classroom minutes that students must receive in a blended course?
There is no minimum in-classroom time requirement for blended courses. Students must have enough in-person
and/or virtual interaction with the subject-certified teacher so that the teacher can adequately assess student
progress and mastery of content.
16. Can students pace through online and blended courses in less than 54 hours and still receive credit?
Online and blended courses must provide the opportunity for 54 hours of instruction per credit. The online and
blended course also must be of the same scope and rigor as any other course offered by the high school. While
credit-bearing courses must provide the opportunity for 54 hours of instruction per credit, individual students
may move through the coursework more quickly or slowly. If many students are pacing through an online or
blended course in less than 54 hours, the teacher should reassess the course content to determine if it is of the
same scope and rigor as other courses offered by the high school. It is the responsibility of the certified teacher
to ensure that these courses are of equal rigor to other courses offered in the high school and are worth 54 hours
of instructional time per credit earned.
17. Must students complete an online course in a single term or can students complete an online course over an
extended period of time?
Students must be programmed in STARS and receive a final grade in all classes, including online and blended
courses, at the end of a term. Schools may not delay awarding a final grade beyond the course’s originally
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scheduled term. If a student does not master the course content by the end of the term, the school must award
a failing grade and provide make-up opportunities as appropriate.3
Schools should have clearly defined procedures to ensure that students’ final course grades are entered in STARS
in a timely manner and no later than four weeks after the end of the marking period.
18. When do students need to pass the Regents exam in order to earn credit for an online or blended course?
In order to earn credit for any course, including online and blended courses, students must demonstrate they
have fully and successfully mastered the course content. For online and blended courses, this includes passing
the Regents exam4
in the subject area at the end of the term, if the student has not already passed an exam that
counts toward a diploma in that subject area. Students must pass at least one assessment in each of these areas
to graduate: ELA, math, science, and social studies. This means that, if the student has not already passed an
assessment in these subjects, he or she must in order to demonstrate mastery and earn credit.
For courses that are part of a sequence, this requirement applies to the last term of instruction in that sequence.
Example: Global History is a four-semester, four-credit sequence of instruction that culminates in the
Global History Regents exam.
o If a student is taking the fourth semester of Global History (HGS44) as an online or blended course,
and if the student has yet to pass any social studies Regents exam, then the student must pass the
Global History Regents exam at the end of that term in order to receive credit for the course.
o If a student is taking the fourth semester of Global History (HGS44) as an online or blended course,
and the student has already passed the US History Regents exam, then the student does not need
to pass the Global History Regents exam in order to receive credit for the course. This is because he
or she has already passed a social studies assessment.
o If the student is taking the second semester of Global History (HGS42) as an online course, the
student does not have to pass the Global History Regents exam in order to receive credit for that
course. The Regents exam does not affect the student’s ability to earn credit for the first, second, or
third semester of instruction.
Example: Students are enrolled in an online Algebra II/Trig course. The course culminates in the Algebra
II/Trig Regents exam. For students who have already passed a math Regents exam (e.g. Algebra I or
Geometry), the Algebra II/Trig Regents exam is not required for graduation. Students who are enrolled in
this online course do not need to pass the Algebra II/Trig Regents exam in order to receive credit for the
course. The Regents exam may still be factored into the final course grade, as outlined in the grading policy.
Example: A student failed the second semester of a Living Environment course, but passed the Living
Environment Regents exam. The student is retaking the second semester of instruction as an online course.
Since the student already passed the required Regents exam, he or she does not need to retake the exam
in order to receive credit for the online course.
If a student’s online course credit is contingent on his or her Regents exam score as described above, the final
grade should not be entered into STARS until the Regents exam has been scored. These students should receive
3
See “Course Marks and Report Cards” in the High School Academic Policy Guide for additional information.
4
Or Portfolio Based Assessment Tasks (PBATs) for schools who have permission from NYSED to use portfolio assessments in
place of Regents exams.
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a failing grade at the end of the term if they do not pass the Regents exam. For all courses, including online and
blended classes, future Regents exam scores cannot be factored into the student’s grade at a later date.
In addition to ensuring alignment with this policy, the subject-certified teacher must clearly outline in the grading
policy if and how the Regents exam is factored into the final course grade. Unless the student’s credit is
contingent on passing the Regents exam as described above, the Regents exam score may account for no more
than 33 percent of a student’s final grade. Therefore, passing the Regents exam must not automatically result in
passing the course, and failing the Regents exam may not automatically result in failing the course.5
19. Can science laboratory requirements be met through online or blended courses?
For science courses designed to culminate in a Regents exam, students must also successfully complete an
additional, required, hands-on (not virtual) laboratory component of 1,200 minutes with satisfactory
documented lab reports. The lab may not be credit-bearing and must be provided in addition to the 54 hours of
instruction required for each science credit.6 This policy applies to all science courses designated to culminate in
a Regents exam, including online and blended courses. All other high school science courses should incorporate
lab activities.
Schools offering online or blended science courses designed to culminate in a Regents exam should arrange for
students to complete the 1,200 minutes, hands-on laboratory component in addition to completing the online
or blended course.
20. Can students take physical education (PE) as an online or blended course?
Students can take PE as an online or blended course provided that it is not used as part of a school’s regular PE
program. Online and blended programming may be used on a student-by-student basis, in situations where a
student is deficient in credits due to failing previous semesters of PE, transferring into the DOE from outside of
New York State, or temporarily unable to participate in physical activity for health reasons. For example, online
or blended PE may be appropriate for the following students:
• A student who is temporarily medically excused from engaging in physical activities;
• A twelfth grade student who failed PE in eleventh grade;
• A student who is on home instruction for portions of their education and cannot access PE outside of the
home; and
• A student who has a deficit in PE credits that cannot be accommodated during the school day (e.g., a
student who transferred into the DOE as a senior from a country that did not offer PE in school and must
now accumulate 4 credits of PE to graduate).
Online and blended PE courses must follow all of the policies outlined in this guidance, including the requirement
for substantive interaction with a subject-certified teacher.
21. Can all students participate in online and blended courses?
All students, including students with disabilities and English Language Learners, can participate in online and
blended courses. Schools should consider whether a student is ready to participate and will likely succeed in an
online or blended course before programming the student. For example, schools may wish to consider whether
students have developed the time management or organizational skills needed to self-pace.
5
See the NYSED School Administrator’s Manual
6
See the High School Academic Policy Guide for additional information.
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For students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the student’s IEP must continue to be implemented
in online and blended courses.
22. Are online or blended courses only to be used for credit recovery?
Credit recovery is one use for online courses, but it is not the only reason a school may choose to offer online or
blended courses. Reasons for offering online and blended courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
• To offer differentiation for students who are not successful in a traditional classroom setting;
• To provide a new approach to learning content that the student previously failed;
• To schedule students who are deficient in credits for additional courses;
• To provide students who have demonstrated the ability to work independently the opportunity to
participate in advanced classes;
• To provide students the opportunity to take courses the school does not currently offer;
• To familiarize students with online platforms and technology in a structured setting; and
• To help students develop time management skills and the ability to work independently.
23. Can online learning replace a student’s regular, in-school program?
No. Middle and high school students must receive instruction in a school building for at least 5.5 hours every
school day.7 Online learning outside of the school building may not replace any portion of the 5.5 hours of
required in-school instruction. In-school online learning experiences in a classroom or computer lab, including
the in-person interactions described in question 8, count toward a student’s required 5.5 hours and must be
programmed in STARS. Off-site online learning experiences, such as logging in to an online platform to view
lectures from home, do not count toward a student’s required 5.5 hours but may count toward the 54 hours of
instruction associated with earning a course credit.
24. Where and when can students participate in online learning?
Students can participate in and receive credit for online learning at school or at an off-site location, during the
school day or after school hours. However, the location where students participate in online learning determines
whether the scheduled class time can count towards students’ required daily instructional hours. Students in
grades 7-12 must be programmed for a minimum of 5.5 hours of daily instruction. The only students who are not
required to be programmed for 5.5 hours of daily instruction are fifth and sixth year seniors.
In school: students who participate in online learning at school (e.g. in a designated classroom, computer
lab, or library), during the school day, can count the class time towards the required 5.5 hours of daily
instruction. The online course and the digital learning portion of a blended course must be scheduled in
STARS and be taught in the school building in order for the class time to count towards the required 5.5
hours of daily instruction. See question 26 for guidance on how to code online and blended courses in
STARS.
7
Students in grades 7-12 are required to receive a minimum of 5.5 hours of daily instruction. The only students who are not
required to be programmed for 5.5 hours of daily instruction are fifth and sixth year seniors. Schools with SBOs may be
organized in other patterns. See NYSED Section 175.5 Length of School Day for additional information
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Off-site: students who participate in online learning at an off-site location (e.g. at home or the public
library) cannot count the class time towards the required 5.5 hours of daily instruction, even if the class is
scheduled as part of the school day. Instead, the time spent completing the online course or digital
learning portion of a blended course counts as additional hours of instruction. Students must still be
programmed for and receive 5.5 hours of daily instruction, not including off-site online learning. Schools
must also establish protocols for documenting the amount of time per week that students complete
course components remotely.
SYSTEMS
25. Can students try an online course without being scheduled for it in STARS?
Students must be scheduled for all courses in STARS. Students cannot try an online course without being
scheduled for it STARS, in the same way that students cannot try a traditional classroom course without being
scheduled for it in STARS. Schools also cannot provide login credentials for students to do a “trial run” of an
online course without being scheduled for it in STARS. Schools cannot retroactively add an online or blended
course to a student’s transcript or retroactively change the grade of an online or blended course unless the
rationale for doing so meets the criteria outlined in the transcript update form.
26. How are online and blended courses coded and scheduled in STARS?
Online and blended courses are coded in STARS the same way as traditional classroom courses, using the
standardized High School Course Code Directory to reflect the academic content. Online and blended courses
are scheduled in STARS in the following way:
• The subject-certified teacher overseeing the online or blended course must be the teacher listed for that
course in STARS. A non-subject-certified teacher or school staff who provides non-instructional support
(e.g. supervising students in the computer lab), should be added as “Teacher 2” in the “Section Properties.”
• The room listed for the course corresponds to where the students are receiving instruction (e.g. library,
computer lab, Room 310). If students are participating in online courses off-site, the room listed for the
course should be “Room 000” or “Off Site.”
• Online and blended courses are identified as “iLearn” or “Other Online” in the “Section Properties.”
See the STARS wiki for additional information on how to set section properties for online and blended courses.
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27. How should schools schedule students for online and blended courses?
STARS is the NYCDOE’s official record of students’ programs, course outcomes, and progress toward completing
course and exam requirements. Students must be scheduled for online and blended courses in STARS in the same
way they are scheduled for traditional classroom courses in STARS. Off-site portions of online courses must be
scheduled during an unused period (e.g., period 0) to document that a portion of the course occurs outside the
school day. Off-site portions of online courses must also be scheduled with a room number (e.g. Room 000).
Example: A group of students are taking Global History 3 (HGS43) as an online course. The students are
scheduled in STARS to participate in HGS43 during fourth period in the library (LIB). The students are also
scheduled in STARS once a week, during period 0, in Room 310, to meet with the subject-certified teacher
to discuss challenges and go over their assignments in person.
Example: A group of students are taking Music Theory (UUS11) as a blended course. The students are
scheduled in STARS for in-classroom instruction (Room 134) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during
fifth period. The online learning for this course takes place outside of school hours and at the location of
the student’s choosing (e.g. home or public library). The students are scheduled in STARS for the online
learning portion of the course on Tuesday and Thursday, during period 0, in Room 000.
All attempts and final grades in an online or blended course must be documented in STARS. Schools cannot
retroactively add an online or blended course to a student’s transcript or retroactively change the grade of an
online or blended course unless the rationale for doing so meets the criteria outlined in the transcript update
form.
28. How should schools schedule students participating in an online course at a different DOE school?
The shared instruction function in ATS enables students to remain on the register of their home school while
being programmed for and receiving a final grade in STARS for a course taken at another DOE school. To schedule
students who are fully enrolled at their home school but are taking an online or blended course at another
NYCDOE school, the shared instruction school must:
• Verify that the Shared Instruction grade code “999” is available in the Grade Code Table (Table 110) by
using the TBLD function in ATS.
o If grade code “999” is not available, schools should request grade code “999” via RQSA – GRC.
• Add ATS grade code “999” to an official class.
o At least one official class must have the grade code “999” before schools can initiate shared
instruction.
o Schools should either add grade code “999” to an existing official class or create a new class for shared
instruction students, using the CMOD function.
o If creating a new official class, the official class code and name should align with the school’s official
class naming mechanism.
• Initiate shared instruction for students using the ATS function SHIN.
o From the BIOS menu, type in the student’s ID number and select SIAD (option 15).
o Enter the shared instruction ‘Admit’ date and the shared instruction official class.
o An aggregate number of students attending shared instruction in your school can be viewed on the
STAT menu and RSHI report.
• Program students for appropriate course sections in STARS Admin.
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o Shared instruction students will display with a status of ‘ST’.
o Shared instruction students appear in STARS Admin Custom Reports 3.21 to 3.25.
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APPENDIX
EXAMPLES OF ONLINE COURSES
EXAMPLE 1
A school has two students who want to take a music theory course. The school has a certified music teacher. The teacher
decides to offer music theory as an online course.
The certified music teacher chooses an online course and makes sure she is comfortable with the content and
instruction. The course will be delivered over approximately 16 weeks, and the teacher feels confident that it is aligned
to high school standards and is comparable in scope and rigor to the 54 hours that would be received in school. She
explains in her syllabus how she will grade the students and outlines the standards the course addresses.
Students receive 180 minutes of instructional time per week (54 hours throughout the semester) via an online vendor.
The teacher estimates the students also spend two hours per week completing assignments. The students are
scheduled in STARS to do this during seventh period in the computer lab. They are also scheduled for one period per
week of check-in time with the teacher, to discuss challenges and go over their assignments in person. The teacher
monitors the students’ progress using the assessments, login records, and messaging system provided by the online
vendor.
At the end of each marking period and at the end of the course, the certified music teacher gives the students their
grades in STARS. Assuming the students complete the course and master all the content successfully, the students earn
credits on their transcripts.
EXAMPLE 2
A student who studied French at her school in Massachusetts recently transferred into School QRS. The student wants
to continue her studies in French, but School QRS does not currently offer any French courses. Staff at school QRS work
with their Borough Field Support Center to identify another school, School TUV, that offers French and is willing to have
the student receive instruction and participate remotely through an online platform.
The student receives a total of 180 minutes of instruction per week via the following breakdown: The student virtually
attends two-45 minute lectures at School TUV, with the NYCDOE certified French teacher at School TUV monitoring the
student’s attendance. The student spends 60 minutes per week completing online modules that align to learning
standards approved by the principal and 30 minutes per week completing independent study or collaborative work
assigned by the French teacher.
Every week, the certified French teacher at School TUV provides feedback to the student via the online platform. The
certified French teacher is also available daily through the online portal to respond to any questions the student may
have. A teacher at the student’s school, School QRS, arranges for the student to have access to computers and other
technologies, as needed, in order for her to participate in the lectures.
The certified French teacher is the teacher of record in STARS and is the teacher who awards the student her final grade.
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EXAMPLES OF BLENDED COURSES
EXAMPLE 1
School XYZ only offers Global History 4 as a blended course. The subject-certified teacher creates a course syllabus,
which describes what the learning standards that the course will address, the breakdown of class components (such as
number of minutes of instruction provided in-classroom versus via the online platform), a description of student-
teacher interaction, and the grading policy for the course. As is the policy for all new courses at her school, she submits
the course syllabus and a Unit of Study Evaluation form to her principal for review.
Students receive 180 minutes of instructional time per week, for a total of 54 hours over the semester. The teacher
provides in-classroom lessons for three 36-minute periods. The students spend the remaining 72 minutes a week
completing online modules, which includes video tutorials, discussions, and project work. The certified social studies
teacher also provides homework, which students submit via the online platform. The students are scheduled in STARS
to reflect the time and location of instruction.
The teacher reviews the students’ work and provides feedback on the group discussions and individual assignments via
the online platform. The teacher is also available to answer questions by email and during lunch period. At the end of
each marking period, the certified social studies teacher provides the students a grade in STARS.
At the end of the course, the students must pass the Global History Regents exam in order to earn credit for the course
if they have not already passed a Regents exam in social studies. The certified social studies teacher may also factor the
Global History Regents score in the students’ final grade, as described in the grading policy. At the end of the term, the
students’ final grades will appear on their transcript in STARS.
EXAMPLE 2
A school offers art history in a flipped classroom model. The art history course is supervised by a NYCDOE art certified
teacher, who is also the teacher of record in STARS. The teacher creates the course syllabus, which is aligned to NYS
commencement-level learning standards, and grading policy.
Students receive 180 minutes of instructional time per week, for a total of 54 hours throughout the semester. The
students spend 90 minutes a week completing online modules, which include video-taped lessons, virtual tours of
museums, webinars, and assessments. The students spend the remaining 90 minutes in the classroom, engaging in
discussions and art critiques with their peers and the subject-certified teacher. Students also complete homework
assignments and a final paper, all of which are submitted through the online platform.
The art-certified teacher monitors students’ progress through the online platform and provides virtual and in-classroom
feedback. The teacher also grades the students’ written assignments and provides a final mark at the end of each
marking period. At the end of the term, the students’ final grades will appear on their transcript in STARS.
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May 2012
Classifying K–12
Blended Learning
By Heather Staker and Michael B. Horn
VISIT WWW.INNOSIGHTINSTITUTE.ORG TO ADD YOUR PROFILEVISIT WWW.INNOSIGHTINSTITUTE.ORG TO ADD YOUR PROFILE
29
Appendix B : Classifying K-12 Blended Learning

Introduction
T
he growth of online learning in the K–12 sector is occurring both remotely through
virtual schools and on campuses through blended learning. In emerging fields, definitions
are important because they create a shared language that enables people to talk about the
newphenomena.Thefollowingblended-learningtaxonomyanddefinitionsexpanduponandrefine
our previous work in helping to create a shared language for the K–12 blended-learning sector.
In our report titled, “The rise of K–12 blended learning,” we observed that there were six
main blended-learning models emerging in the sector from the perspective of the student. This
paper introduces a number of changes to that taxonomy based on feedback from the field and
the need to update the research to keep pace with new innovations that are occurring in blended
learning. Most importantly, the paper eliminates two of the six blended-learning models—Face-
to-Face Driver and Online Lab—because they appear to duplicate other models and make the
categorization scheme too rigid to accommodate the diversity of blended-learning models in
practice. By moving from six to four overarching models, we have created more breathing room
in the definitions. We hope these new models will better describe the majority of programs so
that nearly all blended-learning programs will fit comfortably within one of the four. Appendix
A explains the differences between the new four-model taxonomy and the old six-model
taxonomy in greater detail.
Two design principles governed the process of updating and expanding upon the blended-
learning definitions:
1. Develop flexible definitions so that they can still be useful even as the field
continues to innovate. The definitions are intentionally broad and open, rather
than specific. They set forth basic patterns that are emerging, but avoid setting tight
parameters about how a model “has to be.”
2. Exclude normative qualifiers. This principle is a holdover from the last report. Some
blended programs are high in quality and some are not. Some use dynamic content,
whereas others have more static content. Some are more expensive than the traditional
schooling model; others are less costly. The definitions in this taxonomy leave out such
appraisals. Just as a hybrid car can be either efficient or a clunker and still be a hybrid
car, blended learning can be both good and bad.
In defining blended learning and identifying its emerging models, we looked at examples of
over 80 programs in the K–12 sector.1
In addition, in November 2011 roughly 100 educators met
during a pre-conference at the International Association for K–12 Online Learning’s (iNACOL)
Virtual School Symposium2
and critiqued the taxonomy.3
30

The taxonomy in Figure 1 depicts a preliminary categorization scheme for the blended-
learning landscape as it currently exists based upon an analysis of programs that either are
preparing to launch or are already in existence. It is important to note that many school operators
have implemented more than one blended-learning model for their students. Accordingly, the
models represent particular programs within a school, not a typology for whole-school design.
Figure 1. Blended-learning taxonomy
BLENDED LEARNING
1
Rotation
model
2
Flex
model
3
Self-Blend
model
4
Enriched-
Virtual
model
Online learningBrick-and-mortar
Station-Rotation model
Lab-Rotation model
Flipped-Classroom model
Individual-Rotation model
Later sections of this paper define each of the elements in Figure 1 and provide examples. As
stated in the first report, we continue to believe that these categories will evolve and expand. We
invite others to contribute to this research by offering improvements and additions.
31

Definition of blended learning
In 2011 Innosight Institute suggested a preliminary definition of blended learning. This paper
introduces a slightly refined definition to incorporate feedback from the field. Figure 2 depicts
the revised definition.
Figure 2. Definition of blended learning
The first component of the definition—online delivery of content and instruction with some
element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace—incorporates language from
Evergreen Education Group’s and iNACOL’s definitions of online learning. They define online
learning as education where content and instruction are delivered primarily over the Internet.4
The term online learning is used interchangeably with virtual learning, cyberlearning, and
e-learning. We included the phrase “with some element of student control over time, place, path,
and/or pace” to distinguish blended learning from technology-rich instruction (see the definition
of technology-rich instruction and the text box on page 6).
The second component of the definition specifies that the learning must be “supervised” and
take place “away from home.” This is to distinguish it from students learning full-time online at
a brick-and-mortar location such as a coffee shop, public library, or home. Someone associated
with the brick-and-mortar setting provides the supervision, rather than a parent or other adult
who is associated primarily with the student.
Blended learning is…
a formal education program in which a student
learns at least in part through online delivery of
content and instruction with some element of
student control over time, place, path, and/or pace
and
at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar
location away from home.
32

Figure 3 provides an annotated view of the definition to show the changes from the original
definition we proposed in 2011.
Figure 3. Annotated definition of blended learning
Blended learning is…
a formal education program in which a student
learns at least in part through online delivery of
content and instruction with some element of
student control over time, place, path, and/or pace
and
at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar
location away from home.
“content and
instruction” added
to distinguish online
learning from using
only Internet tools
Switched the
online delivery
part before the
brick-and-mortar
part for emphasis
“formal education
program” added to
distinguish blended
learning from informal
online learning, such
as students playing
educational video
games on their own
One common feature of blended learning is that when a course takes place partly online and
partly through other modalities, the various modalities are usually connected. In other words,
what the students learn online informs what they learn face-to-face, and vice versa. Furthermore,
if students have control over their pace, this control often extends to the entire subject that is
blended, not only to the online-learning portion of the coursework. Some researchers believe this
connection between modalities within a course or subject is fundamental to blended learning
and should be included in the definition itself. We believe that there are strong reasons for its
inclusion as well and note it here as an optional addendum.
The definition is from a student’s perspective. Even if the school itself is not offering online or
blended courses, students may still experience blended learning if they are engaged in a formal
online learning program on their own while also attending a brick-and-mortar school. They are
participating in the combination of both experiences, regardless of whether they initiated the
convergence or their school did.
The language in the blended-learning definition is intended to distinguish the definition from
other common forms of learning that many confuse with blended learning. The confusion arises
33

because certain education practices—such as traditional instruction, technology-rich instruction,
informal online learning, and full-time virtual learning—share some features of blended learning
but differ in key ways that exclude them from fitting precisely in the category. Figure 4 depicts
where these practices fit in relation to online and blended learning. The text following this figure
provides definitions of each of the highlighted education practices.
Figure 4. Blended learning in relation to other education practices*
BLENDED LEARNING
1
Rotation
model
2
Flex
model
3
Self-Blend
model
4
Enriched-
Virtual
model
Lab-Rotation model
Informal
online learning
Full-time
online learning
Traditional
instruction
Technology-rich
instruction
The following are suggested definitions for traditional instruction and technology-rich
instruction. These practices are not in and of themselves forms of blended learning, but they can
* The education practices highlighted in Figure 4 are neither mutually exclusive nor collectively exhaustive. For
example, students attending a brick-and-mortar school could be part of a program that has both traditional and
technology-rich elements. Furthermore, their program could center on an entirely different education practice,
such as project-based learning, which this figure does not include, as project-based learning could occur in all four
of these categories. The intent of Figure 4 is to situate blended learning among a few other education practices for
the purpose of differentiation.
34

combine with online learning to create a blended-learning experience for students. For example,
students could rotate between online learning and traditional instruction, or they could attend a
technology-rich classroom for certain subjects and take online courses for others.
• Traditional instruction – a structured education program that focuses on face-
to-face teacher-centered instruction, including teacher-led discussion and teacher
knowledge imparted to students.5
Students are matched by age, and possibly also
ability. Instructional materials are based on textbooks, lectures, and individual
written assignments. All students in the classroom generally receive a single, unified
curriculum. Subjects are often individual and independent instead of integrated and
interdisciplinary, particularly in secondary school.6
• Technology-rich instruction – a structured education program that shares the
features of traditional instruction, but also has digital enhancements such as electronic
whiteboards, broad access to Internet devices, document cameras, digital textbooks,
Internet tools,* and online lesson plans. The Internet, however, does not deliver the
content and instruction, or if it does, the student still lacks control of time, place, path,
and/or pace.
* Internet tools are software applications and programs available on the Internet that provide students with digital
functionality but do not deliver online instruction and content. For example, a student may use an Internet tool
like Google Docs for document creation or Edmodo for social networking. These tools help accomplish a task, but
do not provide instruction and content as an online course does.
One critical part of the definition of blended learning is that it involves “some element
of student control of time, place, path, and/or pace.” Digital Learning Now! describes
each dimension:
• Time: Learning is no longer restricted to the school day or the school year.
• Place: Learning is no longer restricted to the walls of the classroom.
• Path: Learning is no longer restricted to the pedagogy used by the teacher.
Interactive and adaptive software allows students to learn [in a method that is
customized to their needs].
• Pace: Learning is no longer restricted to the pace of an entire classroom of
students.
Source: “Roadmap for Reform,”
http://digitallearningnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Roadmap-for-Reform-.pdf
35

The following are suggested definitions for two types of online learning that are distinct from
blended learning. Like blended learning, these practices use the Internet to deliver content and
instruction and allow students some element of control of time, place, path, and/or pace. But
they fall outside the scope of blended learning in significant ways.
• Informal online learning – any time a student uses technology to learn outside of
a structured education program. For example, students could play educational video
games or watch online lectures on their own outside of any recognized school program.
• Full-time online learning – a structured education program in which content and
instruction are delivered over the Internet and the students do not attend a supervised
brick-and-mortar location away from home, except on a very limited basis in some
cases, such as for proctored exams, wet labs, or social events.7
36

Four models of blended learning
The diagram in Figure 5 depicts four models of blended learning that categorize the majority
of blended-learning programs emerging across the K–12 sector today. See Appendix A for the
rationale behind eliminating two of the six models from our previous report, titled “The rise of
K–12 blended learning.”
Figure 5. Blended-learning models
BLENDED LEARNING
1
Rotation
model
2
Flex
model
3
Self-Blend
model
4
Enriched-
Virtual
model
Lab-Rotation model
The following are definitions of the models and sub-models from Figure 5, as well as an
example of each model.
1. Rotation model – a program in which within a given course or subject (e.g., math),
students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the teacher’s discretion between learning modalities,
at least one of which is online learning. Other modalities might include activities such as
small-group or full-class instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and pencil-and-
paper assignments.
a. Station Rotation – a Rotation-model implementation in which within a given
course or subject (e.g., math), students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the teacher’s
discretion among classroom-based learning modalities. The rotation includes at
least one station for online learning. Other stations might include activities such
as small-group or full-class instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and
pencil-and-paper assignments. Some implementations involve the entire class
37

alternating among activities together, whereas others divide the class into small-
group or one-by-one rotations. The Station-Rotation model differs from the
Individual-Rotation model because students rotate through all of the stations,
not only those on their custom schedules.
Example: The KIPP LA Empower Academy equips each kindergarten classroom
with 15 computers. Throughout the day the teacher rotates students among
online learning, small-group instruction, and individual assignments.8
Figure 6
depicts one of KIPP Empower Academy’s station rotations (the rotations differ
somewhat based on subject; this figure illustrates one example).
Figure 6. Station-Rotation model, KIPP LA Empower AcademyFigure 6 Station-Rotation model, KIPP LA Empower Academy
Offline learningOnline learning Teacher Paraprofessional
Teacher-led
instruction
Online
instruction
Collaborative
activities and
stations
b. Lab Rotation – a Rotation-model implementation in which within a given
course or subject (e.g., math), students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the teacher’s
discretion among locations on the brick-and-mortar campus. At least one of these
spaces is a learning lab for predominantly online learning, while the additional
classroom(s) house other learning modalities. The Lab-Rotation model differs
from the Station-Rotation model because students rotate among locations on
the campus instead of staying in one classroom for the blended course or subject.
38

Example: At Rocketship Education, students rotate out of their classrooms to
a learning lab for two hours each day to further their instruction in math and
reading through online learning.9
Figure 7 illustrates this rotation.
Figure 7. Lab-Rotation model, Rocketship Education
Figure 7 Lab-Rotation model, Rocketship Education
Direct instruction
math/science
Direct instruction
literacy/social studies
Direct instruction
literacy/social studies
Learning lab
reading/math
c. Flipped Classroom – a Rotation-model implementation in which within a
given course or subject (e.g., math), students rotate on a fixed schedule between
face-to-face teacher-guided practice (or projects) on campus during the standard
school day and online delivery of content and instruction of the same subject
from a remote location (often home) after school. The primary delivery of
content and instruction is online, which differentiates a Flipped Classroom
from students who are merely doing homework practice online at night. The
Flipped-Classroom model accords with the idea that blended learning includes
some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace because
the model allows students to choose the location where they receive content
39

and instruction online and to control the pace at which they move through the
online elements.
Example: At Stillwater Area Public Schools along the St. Croix River in
Minnesota, students in grades 4–6 math classes use Internet-connected
devices after school at the location of their choice to watch 10- to 15-minute
asynchronous instruction videos and complete comprehension questions on
Moodle. At school they practice and apply their learning with a face-to-face
teacher.10
Figure 8 illustrates a Flipped-Classroom rotation.
Figure 8. Flipped-Classroom model, Stillwater Area Public Schools
Offline learningOnline learning Teacher
Practice and projects
School Home
Online instruction
and content
Figure 8 Flipped-Classroom model, Stillwater Area Public Schools
d. Individual Rotation – a Rotation-model implementation in which within a
given course or subject (e.g., math), students rotate on an individually customized,
fixed schedule among learning modalities, at least one of which is online learning.
An algorithm or teacher(s) sets individual student schedules. The Individual-
Rotation model differs from the other Rotation models because students do not
necessarily rotate to each available station or modality.
Example: Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School assigns each
student a specific schedule that rotates them between online learning in the
learning center and offline learning. Each rotation lasts 35 minutes.11
Figure 9
illustrates the Carpe Diem model.
40

Figure 9. Individual-Rotation model, Carpe Diem Collegiate
High School and Middle School
Central learning lab
Figure 9 Individual-Rotation model, Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School
Intervention
5:1
Seminar
12:1
Group
projects
Personal
trainer
Direct
instruction
15:1
273 students
2. Flex model – a program in which content and instruction are delivered primarily
by the Internet, students move on an individually customized, fluid schedule among
learning modalities, and the teacher-of-record is on-site. The teacher-of-record or other
adults provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through
activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring. Some
implementations have substantial face-to-face support, while others have minimal
support. For example, some flex models may have face-to-face certified teachers who
supplement the online learning on a daily basis, whereas others may provide little face-to-
41

face enrichment. Still others may have different staffing combinations. These variations
are useful modifiers to describe a particular Flex model.
Example: At San Francisco Flex Academy, the online-learning provider K12, Inc. delivers
the curriculum and instruction, while face-to-face teachers use a data dashboard to offer
targeted interventions and supplementation throughout the day for core courses. The
teachers-of-record for the core courses are the face-to-face teachers. (Many of the elective
courses have online K12, Inc. teachers who serve as the teachers-of-record instead of
the face-to-face teachers. These elective courses are part of the Self-Blend model, which
the next section of this paper discusses.)12
Figure 10 illustrates the San Francisco Flex
Academy model.
Figure 10. Flex model, San Francisco Flex Academy
Figure 10 Flex model, San Francisco Flex Public School
Breakout
room
5:1
Breakout
room
12:1
Science lab
Collaboration
rooms
Breakout
room
12:1
Study and collaborative space
Social area
250 students
42

3. Self-Blend model – describes a scenario in which students choose to take one or more
courses entirely online to supplement their traditional courses and the teacher-of-record
is the online teacher. Students may take the online courses either on the brick-and-mortar
campus or off-site. This differs from full-time online learning and the Enriched-Virtual
model (see the next definition) because it is not a whole-school experience. Students
self-blend some individual online courses and take other courses at a brick-and-mortar
campus with face-to-face teachers.
Example: Quakertown Community School District (QCSD) in Pennsylvania offers
students in grades 6–12 the option of taking one or more online courses. All students
complete a cyber orientation course prior to enrollment. Courses are asynchronous and
students can work on them any time during the day. QCSD has created “cyber lounges”
where students can work on their online courses at school, but they are also free to
complete the courses remotely if they prefer. The teachers-of-record for the courses are
the online teachers, most of whom also teach face-to-face courses for QCSD.13
Figure 11
illustrates the QCSD model.
Figure 11. Self-Blend model, Quakertown Community School District
Figure 11 Self-Blend model, Quakertown Community School District
Online teacherHomeCyber lounge
School
43

4. Enriched-Virtual model – a whole-school experience in which within each course (e.g.,
math), students divide their time between attending a brick-and-mortar campus and
learning remotely using online delivery of content and instruction. Many Enriched-
Virtual programs began as full-time online schools and then developed blended programs
to provide students with brick-and-mortar school experiences. The Enriched-Virtual
model differs from the Flipped Classroom because in Enriched-Virtual programs,
students seldom attend the brick-and-mortar campus every weekday. It differs from the
Self-Blend model because it is a whole-school experience, not a course-by-course model.
Example: At the Albuquerque eCADEMY, students in grades 8–12 meet face-to-face
with teachers for their first course meeting at a brick-and mortar location. They can
complete the rest of their coursework remotely, if they prefer, as long as they maintain
at least a “C” grade point average in the program.14
Figure 12 illustrates eCADEMY’s
Enriched-Virtual model.
Figure 12. Enriched-Virtual model, Albuquerque eCADEMY
Figure 12 Enriched-Virtual model, Albuquerque eCADEMY
Face-to-face
supplementation
SchoolHome
Online instruction
and content
44

Appendix A: Notes about how this taxonomy differs from the taxonomy
in “The rise of K–12 blended learning,” January 2011
This paper revises the preliminary blended-learning taxonomy that we introduced in “The rise of
K–12 blended learning,” published in January 2011, and its follow-on report, “The rise of K–12
blended learning: Profiles of emerging models,” published in May 2011. Its most notable change
is the condensing of the six blended-learning models to four. Numerous education experts
provided feedback to help us arrive at the four models. The following is a discussion of some of
the rationale behind the changes.
First, we eliminated the Face-to-Face Driver model because it was not substantively different
from the Flex and Rotation models, except that the students in Face-to-Face-Driver programs
often engaged with online content for shorter bursts of time. We also eliminated the Online-
Lab model. It was the same as the Self-Blend model, except that it described students who took
courses on campus, whereas the Self-Blend described students who took courses off campus. This
distinction did not work because too often students did a little of both. We combined the two in
Self-Blend to encompass any time students take an online course—either on-site or off-site—to
supplement their face-to-face courses.
Second, we changed the definition of the Flex model to allow it to encompass some elements
of the excised Online-Lab model. The old definitions of Flex and Online Lab tried to distinguish
the two by specifying that Online-Lab implementations involved less face-to-face support for
students. That distinction was problematic because the dividing line between the two was hard
to pinpoint. The new Flex definition is broader and allows for both types of staffing models.
Some implementations have substantial face-to-face support, and others have significantly less.
The broader Flex definition makes clear, however, that in all Flex programs the teacher-of-record
is on-site, even if that teacher provides little face-to-face enrichment of the online coursework.
Third, we subdivided the Rotation model into four common implementations. The other
models will likely develop subcategories also as they mature and researchers deepen their
understanding of the phenomena.
Fourth, we changed the name of the Online-Driver model because it was easily confused with
aspects of the other models or with full-time virtual learning. Instead, we suggested the newly
named “Enriched-Virtual” model, which we think has a more precise and specific definition than
did the Online-Driver model.
45

Notes
1
Many organizations have submitted profiles of their blended-learning program(s) to Innosight Institute’s database
at http://www.innosightinstitute.org/media-room/publications/blended-learning/. We invite school operators and
others with an eye on blended-learning programs not profiled in our report to add their profiles to this set of case
studies, which will in turn appear on our website.
2
iNACOL hosts the Virtual School Symposium each year. The 2011 pre-conference session that included a review of
the blended-learning taxonomy was titled, “Blended/Hybrid Learning 101: From Inception to Implementation.”
3
Special thanks also to suggestions from numerous other experts, including leaders from the Alliance for Excellent
Education, California Learning Resource Network, Charter School Growth Fund, Education Elements, Evergreen
Education Group, Foundation for Excellence in Education, Getting Smart, iNACOL, Plato, and Public Impact.
4
See John Watson and Steven Kalmon, “Keeping pace with K–12 online learning: A review of state-level policy
and practice,” 2005, Learning Point Associates, http://www.learningpt.org/pdfs/tech/Keeping_Pace2.pdf; and
iNACOL, “The Online Learning Definitions Project,” October 2011, http://www.inacol.org/research/docs/
iNACOL_DefinitionsProject.pdf.
5
MarthaElaineNeedham,“Comparisonofstandardizedtestscoresfromtraditionalclassroomsandthoseusingproblem-
based learning,” Dissertation presented to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2010, https://mospace.umsystem.
edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/9609/NeedhamComStaTesSco.pdf?sequence=1, accessed April 9, 2012.
6
Wikipedia, “Traditional Education,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_education, accessed Apr 9, 2012.
7
iNACOL does not provide a definition of full-time virtual learning. It does, however, reference Evergreen Education
Group’s useful definition of a full-time online program: “Full-time online schools, also called cyberschools, work
with students who are enrolled primarily (often only) in the online school. Cyberschools typically are responsible
for their students’ scores on state assessments required by No Child Left Behind, which is the primary way in which
student outcomes, and school performance, are measured. In some states most full-time online schools are charter
schools.” See John Watson, Amy Murin, Lauren Vashaw, Butch Gemin, and Chris Rapp, “Keeping pace with K–12
online learning: A review of state-level policy and practice,” Evergreen Education Group, 2010, http://www.kpk12.
com/cms/wp-content/uploads/KeepingPaceK12_2010.pdf.
8
A profile of KIPP Empower Academy is available at “Kipp LA,” Innosight Institute, http://www.innosightinstitute.
org/blended-learning-2/blprofiles-innosight/kipp-la/.
9
A profile of Rocketship Education is available at “Rocketship Education,” Innosight Institute, http://www.
innosightinstitute.org/blended-learning-2/blprofiles-innosight/rocketship-education/.
10
A profile of this district is available at “Stillwater Area Public Schools,” Innosight Institute, http://www.
innosightinstitute.org/blended-learning-2/blprofiles-innosight/stillwater-area-public-schools/.
11
A profile of Carpe Diem is available at “Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School (CDCHS),”
InnosightInstitute,http://www.innosightinstitute.org/blended-learning-2/blprofiles-innosight/carpe-diem-collegiate-
high-school-and-middle-school-cdchs/.
12
A profile of the San Francisco Flex Academy is available at “Flex Public Schools: San Francisco Flex Academy in
partnership with K12, Inc.,” Innosight Institute, http://www.innosightinstitute.org/blended-learning-2/blprofiles-
innosight/flex-public-schools/.
13
A profile of QCSD is available at “Quakertown Community School District: Infinity Cyber Academy,”
Innosight Institute, http://www.innosightinstitute.org/blended-learning-2/blprofiles-usersubmissions/quakertown-
community-school-district-2/.
14
A profile of the eCADEMY is available at “eCADEMY,” Innosight Institute, http://www.innosightinstitute.org/
blended-learning-2/blprofiles-innosight/ecademy/.
46

About Innosight Institute
Innosight Institute, founded in May 2007, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit think tank whose mission
is to apply Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen’s theories of disruptive
innovation to develop and promote solutions to the most vexing problems in the social sector.
47

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