The Hybrid Classroom

21st Century Learning


One of the biggest mistakes I made while learning to teach with online resources is to assume that my students knew how to navigate the internet, thus most websites and basically understood what was required of them in this platform....WRONG!!


The truth is that while most "natives" can navigate social and gaming sites, the concept of online learning is totally alien to them. This is a very common mistake made even in the paper/pencil environment. Students have tons of learning experience, but they do not necessarily know how to learn in your individual classroom and with your teaching style.


So after an embarrassing number of embarrassing tech related classroom incidents and after a ridiculous number of disappointing outcomes to what I thought were earth shaking tech aided lessons, I devised a simple technology integration plan that I now use for every incoming class.


  1. I first teach my students how to study and learn in my version of the hybrid class. I take them thru the paces as if they were in an employee training program.
  2. I show them all the course tools up front and try my very best to explain to them why these tools are relevant to them. This has helped me minimize the list of super dazzlingly cool but really pointless Web 2.0 tools in my lessons. Today's teens can see right through "busy work" so if I respect their intelligence, they tend respect the tool in question.
  3. I post an eNewsletter every week to inform parents, students, relevant colleagues and the admin. of weekly expectations and happenings in my class. The eNewsletter opens the door for parents to feel very comfortable about asking email questions about this learning approach they are not familiar with.
  4. Instead of classroom rules, I have a sort of "Employee Character and Conduct" series that I share with students throughout the term. Because my face to face classroom has the feel of a work place or an academic workshop rather than a traditional classroom (at least that is what I am trying to go for), It has been very useful to me to teach students skills needed to succeed in the grown up work place (non academic skills). My fearless leader and respected Department Chair John Mark Ellsworth shared these two very important resources to discuss character and decision making skills with teens, that are neither condescending nor childish:
In a later blog post, I will explain alternative ways to seamlessly use these 2 tools to replace the ubiquitous lists of "do's and don't" that exists in all of our syllabus.

Adding these 4 simple ingredients to my courses, has created a completely surprising atmosphere in my classroom. Once students understand how to learn in my classroom and see the relevance of their positive productive behavior, they are simply more engaged.

It has also greatly minimized the number of students complaints about doing work online and I believe my admin. is breathing a lot easier these days because they do not have to fend off the predictable "what the heck is going on in that classroom...???" phone calls and emails anymore.

I am not even going to lie. this has been a very difficult process (understatement)!! Students use come into my class with tons of skepticism and tons more energy to shut down yet another passing trend. However, the word is slowly spreading and I believe that they are quickly beginning to understand and even accept the benefits of a hybrid classroom.


Please, feel free to share the ingredients you toss into your hybrid mix so that we can all steal your ideas and learn to give more legitimacy to this teaching concept ....hahaha!

Views: 52

Comment

You need to be a member of The Hybrid Classroom to add comments!

Join The Hybrid Classroom

Latest Activity

Roy A Clark is now a member of The Hybrid Classroom
Aug 23, 2011
Dan Sherman posted a discussion

Online Summer Math Programs - proven to reverse summer learning loss

Research shows that most students lose more than 2 months of math skills over the summer.  TenMarks summer math programs for grades 3-high school are a great way to reverse the summer learning loss - 82% of students who used TenMarks increased their scores in a post summer evaluation. There are more than 30 different programs, personalized and ideal for all levels of learning and achievement. “Step-Up” programs to review last year and preview the next; “Foundation” programs to build core skills…See More
Jun 2, 2011
Joanna Montgomery updated their profile photo
May 12, 2011
Joanna Montgomery is now a member of The Hybrid Classroom
May 11, 2011
Matinga Ragatz left a comment for jenifer
"Welcome to the Hybrid Classroom.  Please tell us what brings you here!"
Feb 16, 2011
jenifer is now a member of The Hybrid Classroom
Feb 16, 2011
JD MOK left a comment for Matinga Ragatz
"Hello Matinga!! Nice to meet you .... I am JD ..Korean teacher.. And I'm happy to see again throogh email...after mspil seminar. I have a qeustion. Maybe ..do you call me ..because I got international call on Wed in Korea.. I am busy ... I…"
Feb 10, 2011
JD MOK and Matinga Ragatz are now friends
Feb 10, 2011
Matinga Ragatz left a comment for patricia
"Welcome to the hybrid classroom.  Please take a minute to tell us what brings you here."
Feb 8, 2011
Matinga Ragatz left a comment for Lauren Sager
"Welcome to the Hybrid Classroom.  Don't forget to tell us what brings you here!!!"
Feb 8, 2011
Matinga Ragatz left a comment for JD MOK
"Welcome to the Hybrid Classroom. Sorry for the extremely long wait.  I have been traveling a ton and spreading the love about the hybrid classroom philosophy.  Please feel free to post questions, answer stuff and even post blog entries…"
Feb 8, 2011
Profile IconJD MOK and Lauren Sager joined The Hybrid Classroom
Feb 8, 2011
Matinga Ragatz left a comment for lara
"Don't forget to tell us what brings you here!!!"
Jan 12, 2011
lizzy is now a member of The Hybrid Classroom
Dec 19, 2010
Anne Thorp, PhD left a comment for Matinga Ragatz
"Thank you Matinga! I  hope all is going well for you and yours. ~ Moodle on!~  :)"
Dec 15, 2010
Matinga Ragatz posted a blog post

New Moodle Upgrades in the Horizon

Your Route to Moodle 2.0Posted by Joel Kerr on 18 NovMoodle 2.0 is here – it is time to give your upgrade strategy some serious thought!At Synergy Learning we have been thinking about upgrades a lot for quite some time now and have come up…See More
Dec 15, 2010

© 2024   Created by Matinga Ragatz.   Powered by

Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service