2020.01.31. Blended learning

(Now: Attending a training session.)

Today, I attended two lectures about blended learning conducted by the Academic Support for Instructional Services and Technology (ASIST) office of the De La Salle University (DLSU). The morning session was devoted to Module 1 on Blended Learning, while the afternoon session was about Module 2 on Animospace, the online learning system of the DLSU. 

Blended learning refers to the use of technology to complement the traditional pedagogical techniques. This is found midway across the spectrum that has the pure class lecture experience on one end and the full autonomous online experience on the other. The DLSU, especially for the Senior High School classes, encourages a blended learning approach for all the offered classes. 

Dr. Jasper Alontaga discusses blended learning during the morning session on Module 1.

Of course, most teachers nowadays incorporate technology in one form or another in their teaching work (think Powerpoint presentations, or even document readers, for example). But blended learning goes deeper than these tools. The Director of ASIST, Dr. Jasper Vincent Q. Alontaga, discussed the different levels of “diving deeper” into blended learning experience. The SAMR model refers to the different stages: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition, which are shown in the figure below:

One of the things that I realized when I transfered to La Salle is that education is and should be in step with the times. The trainings in DLSU always emphasize the need to be a 21st century educator, and the fact that students are technology natives while teachers are technology immigrants. This completely changed my perspective on teaching. More needs to be done, but I believe that it is all worth it. ■