CHAPTER TWELVE

MODELS OF BLENDED LEARNING IN SOCIAL STUDIES

Introduction

Blended learning can generally be categorized into five paradigms, according to Frieson (2012):

Station-Rotation Model

In a Social Studies class, a teacher can use rotation model, here, the students are expected to alternate between classroom-based learning modalities according to a set schedule or at the teacher’s discretion. At least one station for online learning is part of the rotation. Students rotate around all of the stations in the station-rotation model, not just the ones that are on their individual schedules, which distinguishes it from the individual-rotation model. Students have the option to move around or between stations using the station-rotation concept. The lesson is broken into various sections, and the teacher combines his regular in-person instruction with some online posts that may be videos or screencasts about the topic at hand. During the allotted time for the online class, the station-rotation system enables students to visit a variety of stations. The teacher may decide to alternate between working with them one-on-one or in small groups.

Laboratory-Rotation Model

The online lab model refers to a method of delivering an online course in a physical classroom or computer lab without the direct involvement of a face-to- face instructor. Although the course is entirely online, learning takes place in a classroom setting with lecturers giving lectures either synchronously or asynchronously. An online learning management system is used by the online teacher to provide the material. Teachers who are not necessarily certified in the subject matter the online instructor is certified in are in charge of the virtual labs and classrooms. While not necessarily knowledgeable in the subject matter, monitors are on hand to address any technological or discipline-related concerns.

Flex Model

In the flexible blended learning paradigm, classroom teachers provide on-site support while the curriculum is supplied online by a content provider. Many dropout-recovery and credit recovery programs use the flex model to help students get back on track with their attendance or graduate on schedule (Staker.2011). The flex model allows for real-time scheduling adjustments to match the constantly changing demands of students for learning because it is flexible rather than set. This methodology depends on the teacher-of-record, the personalized online system, and other adults to regularly use data, such student performance analytics from the online system, to know how to best assist each student in achieving predetermined goals. A classroom teacher is always present to monitor the student while an online teacher is delivering the instruction (Gairla, 2016).

A Self-blend Model

The “a la carte” or “self-blend” model lets students tailor their educational experiences by choosing particular online courses to complement their conventional in-classwork. The teacher-of-record for the online coursework component is a virtual one, and learning can take place on- or off-campus. In the self-blend model, students pick the online classes they want to take to complement what their institution offers. It is applied whenever a student decides to enhance the course offerings at their traditional institution by enrolling in one or more online courses. The online learning is done away from the school’s campus with the help of an online teacher. The mix of traditional and online lessons is chosen by the students. The self-blend model, like the online lab model, can be utilized in a way to provide curricular information that is not currently available due to a shortage of licensed teachers (Staker, 2011).

The Flipped Classroom Model

The term “flipped classroom” refers to a rotation model where students alternate on a regular schedule between online information and teaching that is often delivered outside of the classroom and in-person teacher-guided practice (or projects) that is typically conducted in a classroom setting (Christensen et al., 2013). In a typical blended learning strategy, activities from the classroom are completed in the opposite sequence. Outside of class, instructional materials are posted online, and class time is used for homework assignments and discussions of the ambiguities in the online material. Students watch the lecture’s audio or video materials at home, and projects and discussions take place in class. Engaging pupils and focusing their attention on conceptual information is the fundamental premise of the flipped classroom. Students have unlimited access to lesson information thanks to the advantages of flipped classrooms, much like with other blended learning models.

With this strategy, homework is used to supplement practice and problem solving during class time, while homework is used to provide topic information online at the students’ own speed after typical school hours. In a typical blended learning strategy, activities from the classroom are completed in the opposite sequence.

Problems of Blended Learning in Social Studies Classroom

Despite the profits as well as advantages of blended learning in shaping our educational system in the world at large and Nigeria in particular, there is a plethora of impediments faced in its use technically and pedagogically for the better development of our educational institutions. Challenges encountered in the phase of using blended leaning in the learning and teaching of Social Studies consist of the following factors:

  1. Technical Challenge

One aspect of technical challenges in using blended learning in Social Studies

course is that some of the Social Studies teachers are not technologically savvy. Since blended learning includes the use of technology mostly, the teachers who serve as knowledge facilitators in blended learning, lack the experiences to flow with the modern technological tools. Some are able to use these tools, but due to insufficient availability of power supply in Nigeria, they do not want to try them. Some learners or teachers often resist the utilisation of technology for learning and teaching (Hofmann, 2011; Kaur, 2013). Another technical issue concerning the challenge in the implementation of blended learning in Social Studies classroom is that, One university’s blended learning effort saw a third of the students report technological issues (McCown, 2014). In Nigerian higher institutions of learning, the major challenges with blended learning Due to the limited experience of our learning technologists and, of course, the incredibly low bandwidth at our disposal, we continue to struggle with how to deal with assessment concerns and technological challenges in an appropriate manner (Aborisade, n.d). In addition, schools in the United States spend over $3 billion annually on technical tools and digital content, but teachers are not adequately prepared to embrace this resource to practically utilise them (Herold, 2016; Rivera, 2017).

  1. Organizational Challenge

Management frequently believes that blended learning is the best approach for training programs, but it ignores the fact that this is a complicated process that requires consideration beyond a single program. Organizational difficulties of using blended learning contain the argument that traditional classroom instruction is more effective than blended learning, teachers’ role must be redefined for the efficient and effective utilisation of blended learning for Social Studies course and the learners progress should have to be monitored to ensure they surely use the blended learning for learning and not for chatting (Hofmann, 2011).

  1. Instructional design challenge

Some of the challenges on this aspect are the issues related to how to use blended learning for instructing and learning, how to match the medium of instruction to the students’ learning performance, how teachers would keep blended learning interactive in order to make the learners active partners rather than passive partners, and how teachers must ensure learners do follow up with the blended instruction (Hofmann, 2011). Many of the teachers in Social Studies courses have problem in using technology for the instructional activities; in other words, this is a sign that they are of poor quality in blended learning (Saritepeci&Cakir, 2015).

Social Studies as a course requires mental and physical participation of learners, therefore, learners most of time become active when using blended learning approach for teaching them this course.

Review Questions

Attempt the following questions:

  1. Identify and discuss the models of blended learning known to you.

  2. What are the justifications for the utilisation of blended learning in the classroom of Social Studies?