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Hi Everyone,
Blended learning to me has always been to learn by any means possible. I have never learned well in a face-to-face classroom, so when I was working as an ESL teacher, I was quite enthused about using different approaches in teaching English to new immigrants. I had no choice, really – since my students could hardly speak the language, being a sage on the stage would not do any good. This was before laptops and tablets were readily available, and only a handful of students could afford a cell phone. In those days, technology meant CD and DVD players, computer lab time and a multimedia projector (if the school was well-heeled enough to have a couple of laptops). My school was not, so it was up to me to wheel the television into the class each day and to sign out a few digital recorders under the watchful eyes of my supervisor, swearing that I would return these precious objects in the same condition that I had signed them out. My students and I still had a great time. I always marveled at how my lesson plans always expanded into some other directions, and fortunately for me, I was naive enough then to think that it was a good thing!
If one is open to the idea, one will see opportunities for blended learning everywhere. I believe that to learn the content is a great thing, but to know where to get the content is a greater thing. No matter how one does it, be it aurally or visually, in person or by technology, the end result is to know what to do. Personally, I think that the main challenge I have with blended learning is my inadequacy in the use of technology. It is not that I fear being laughed at – I have children who are light years ahead of their mother in this area so I am no stranger to the sighing and the eye-rolling
. I am just afraid that I do not know enough to be effective and efficient. That is why I am here in the eLearning Certificate Program: I would like to be effective and efficient.I work in a different environment now but I am quite envious of all the teachers out there for all the new technologies available to them nowadays. Most of these technologies are not applicable to my work situation right now. For the most parts, the main reason is that people resist, not to new things, but to the new ways of doing things. To apply a blended approach successfully in any situation, it has to make sense to the people involved. I do not believe in instituting new technology randomly just for the sake of having the tool. One has to show how the new tool will help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the workplace before it can be embraced by all.
Best,Mylan
