Blended learning is a term that refers to an instructional practice where students learn through a mix of online learning and classroom instruction. To be considered blended learning, the students must have more control over their online learning, such as being able to set their own pace and schedule. The online and in-person instructional components of a blended learning model should be cohesive and integrated in order to ensure that students are learning what they should be and are able to make connections between the different instructional formats.
If you’re interested in learning more about blended learning and how it may benefit your students, there are many different online courses available. Completing one of these courses can arm you with the knowledge and information you’ll need to set up a blended learning program for your classroom.
Blended learning offers many benefits to students. One of the biggest advantages of a blended learning program for students is that they are more in control over their learning and schedule. Blended learning allows for a more flexible schedule and approach to learning.
Blended learning allows teachers to personalize the learning experience for each of their students. The video from The Learning Accelerator explains that blended learning allows students to learn in a way that works best for them. Each student can learn at their own pace, allowing teachers to make sure they are the best meeting the needs of each student in their classroom. Additionally, since students are completing assignments and assessments online, teachers are able to view more real-time data and use that data to immediately inform their instruction.
Another benefit of blended learning is that students can forge connections with their peers. Blended learning typically involves online discussion boards and chat rooms where students can post responses to assignments or seek input from other students. This can help them improve their communication skills and provide a social piece to their instruction, even if they do not live on campus.
Many students also prefer a blended learning model and have more positive feelings towards their learning. With a blended learning model, students are more actively involved and in charge of their learning during the online portion of their instruction. Then, during the classroom component, teachers have more flexibility to plan for active or project-based learning since students have already learned the content on their own.
Best Online Blended Learning Courses for Teachers
1. Blended Learning: Personalizing Education for Students (Coursera) →
2. K-12 Blended & Online Learning (Coursera) →
3. Teaching Techniques: Blended Learning (Lynda) →
4. Blended Learning for Teachers (ISM) →
5. Blended Learning (The Teachers Academy) →
6. BlendedX: Blended Learning with edX (edX) →
7. Virtual Online Teaching (Penn GSE) →
Online Blended Learning Courses
Online classes, such as those offered through the different platforms below, are a great way for busy teachers to learn new skills and information that can benefit their students. Online classes allow for more flexibility and let you complete assignments and lectures when your schedule allows. The online courses shared below are relatively short, while still providing very useful information, so they won’t require the time commitment of a full semester university course.
1. Blended Learning: Personalizing Education for Students (Coursera) →
Price: $49
Duration: 6 weeks
This course from Coursera is designed to help teachers learn more about blended learning and the different possible models they can use to implement a blended learning approach in their classrooms. The course content examines three different schools that each take a different approach to blended learning. Through learning more about the systems and processes implemented by each school, participants will be able to evaluate the pros and cons of each approach and learn more about the potential benefits of blended learning for their students.
You will learn:
- How to help students transition from traditional instruction to blended learning
- The teacher’s job in a blended learning classroom
- Potential challenges and possible solutions to blended learning
- Different options to consider when selecting hardware and software to use with blended learning
- How to begin planning for blended learning instruction
User feedback:
“I enjoyed this course because Blended Learning was a new concept to me prior to taking it. The way the tutors explained the concepts with real-life examples and the engagement with teachers and students using these concepts made it easier to understand.
I also enjoyed the pop-up quizzes and how even after choosing a wrong answer, you’re given multiple chances to get it right and an explanation is given.”
Best for: Educators who are interested in learning more about blended learning and exploring the different possible ways to implement blended learning in their classroom.
2. K-12 Blended & Online Learning (Coursera) →
Price: $49
Duration: 8 weeks
This 8-week course from Coursera is designed to provide learners with an overview of what blended learning is and how they can implement a blended learning model in their classrooms. Participants will have the opportunity to design a blended learning unit that they can use with their students. The course is completed entirely online and provides flexible deadlines to accommodate different schedules. After finishing the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion.
You will learn:
- How assessment works with blended learning models
- How to teach different subject areas using a blended learning approach
- Different technology choices for blended learning
- Information about the iNACOL standards for online learning
- How to plan for a blended learning unit for your students
User feedback:
“Useful and practical information based on research and current trends. A must for anyone who teaches online courses provides online professional learning, or teaches a technology-related subject.”
Best for: Teachers who are new to blended learning that would like to learn more about it and gain experience planning for a blended learning unit.
3. Teaching Techniques: Blended Learning (Lynda) →
Price: $29.99/month (includes access to all of Lynda’s expert-led courses)
Duration: 1 hour and 37 minutes
In this online course from Lynda, instruction focuses on helping users learn more about the different technologies that are available to help with blended learning instruction. The instructor will share different strategies that can be implemented to ensure students are engaged and involved in the learning process. Participants will also learn more about blended learning models and how to ensure the instruction and resources they provide meets the needs of the diverse learners in their classroom.
You will learn:
- How to use Google Apps to design blended learning coursework
- How to capture screenshots with mobile devices
- How to record audio and video to share for instruction
- How to make a YouTube channel to share videos with their students
- How to use learning management systems in their instruction
User feedback:
“Lynda.com is used across the organization and allows individuals like me to keep their work skills fresh, to learn new ones, and to keep in the loop with modern technologies. Lynda.com is constantly refreshing the course offerings and provides a variety of learning paths and it is very important in the days of constantly changing technology.”
Best for: Educators who are interested in learning more about blended learning and the various technologies they can use to implement a blended learning model with their students.
4. Blended Learning for Teachers (ISM) →
Price: $400 for ISM Gold members, $440 for everyone else
Duration: 2 weeks
ISM’s Blended Learning for Teachers course is designed to help ensure that teachers have the knowledge and skills to implement a blended learning model of instruction with their students. Instruction will focus on providing quality instruction with a distance learning model while ensuring that teachers are still meeting the guidelines laid out by their districts. Students will be part of a cohort of learners, so they’ll have the opportunity to share experiences and gain insight from other learners. However, learners will still have the flexibility to complete assignments based on their own schedules and time constraints.
You will learn:
- How to create a positive classroom community for blended learning
- How to plan for meaningful instruction
- How to monitor students learning and progress
- How to make the most of distance learning and ensure that the needs of all students are being met
User feedback:
“There are so many valuable things I gained, but the practical application of ‘delivering on the mission with excellence such that it makes a difference for kids’ has been clearly presented.”
Best for: Teachers who will be using distance learning to instruct their students and want to ensure that all students are learning as much as possible.
5. Blended Learning (The Teachers Academy) →
Price: $79.99
Duration: 15 hours
The goal of the Blended Learning course from The Teacher’s Academy is to familiarize teachers with the concept of blended learning and help them evaluate how they could use such a model in their own classroom. Throughout the course, participants will have the opportunity to learn from other teachers who have successfully implemented a blended learning model in their classroom. After learning more about blended learning and how it works, teachers will also have the opportunity to reflect on how implementing this model of instruction could benefit their students.
You will learn:
- The benefits of a blended learning model of teaching
- The systems, processes, and strategies that other teachers used to implement blended learning instruction
- How blended learning can be used in conjunction with the Common Core Standards
- How to create blended learning lessons to be used with their own group of students
User feedback:
“The standout project in this lesson was the PowerPoint I created because I can actually use it in a classroom with students. It was a very practical, useful requirement for the class.
Best for: Teachers who are considering implementing a blended learning model of instruction and would like to see real-life examples of how other educators use the model with their students.
6. BlendedX: Blended Learning with edX (edX) →
Price: Free, $99 to add a Verified Certificate
Duration: 2 weeks
This is a self-paced course from edX that was created to familiarize educators with the concept of blended learning. The course examines how blended learning can help teachers see an increase in the engagement and academic performance of their students. Learners will explore how different schools have implemented a blended learning approach for their students and hear the positive impact blended learning has had on students at these schools.
You will learn:
- Some of the challenges and benefits of a blended learning model of instruction
- How blended learning can lead to an increase in student engagement
- The successes other educators and schools have had when implementing a blended learning model
- How to design a blended learning course to best meet the needs of your students
- How to plan for educators and support personnel when designing a blended learning model
User feedback:
“EdX provides an excellent opportunity to build knowledge and learn new skills. The format of the courses allows you to learn at your own pace while providing an engaging experience.”
Best for: Teachers or school leaders who want to learn more about blended learning or develop a blended learning program with edX.
University Blended Learning Course
University blended learning courses are another good option to consider. With a university course, you can earn graduate-level credits, which are required in many districts to retain your certification or increase your salary. Most university courses will require a greater time commitment than online courses, but they’ll also provide you with more information that can help you improve your instruction and ensure the needs of all the students in your class are being met.
7. Virtual Online Teaching (VOLT) (Penn GSE, Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania) →
Price: $2,160
Duration: 30 weeks
The VOLT certificate program from the University of Pennsylvania is a two-semester program for kindergarten through 12th-grade educators. The program is designed to help teachers gain knowledge related to implementing the use of technology in their classrooms and help them learn how to effectively reach and teach their students through a blended learning model of instruction. The course takes place completely online, so participants can learn from wherever it is convenient for them. There are also only 15 students in each cohort, so learners will be able to forge connections and gain insight from a more intimate group of classmates.
You will learn:
- Online classroom management strategies
- How to keep students engaged with online instruction
- Best practices for administering and evaluating assessments to students
- How to best differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students
- Different technology options for online or blended learning instruction
User feedback:
“University of Pennsylvania is a world-class institution. It benefits from having top researchers across a number of fields and high-quality facilities. The faculty are knowledgeable and well-suited for their positions.”
Best for: Educators seeking to learn more about the benefits of a blended learning program and how to plan, differentiate instruction, and assess student performance through online instruction.
Closing Thoughts
With blended learning, students are in the driver’s seat. They need to take responsibility for their learning, which can help keep them more actively engaged in the process and help them retain more of the information they learned. Enrolling in one of the blended learning classes we shared above can help you learn more about what blended learning is, how it works, and the myriad of ways your students can benefit from it.
Some other professional development courses that may benefit your students include social-emotional learning courses, special education courses, and classroom management courses.
Last Updated on May 13, 2022 by Emily
- Facebook9
- Twitter21
- Pinterest67
- 97shares
Good suggestions during these uncertain times ✔️
Thanks! Hope everything will be OK soon, I miss my students so much