What does it take to Build a Blended Teacher Education Program for Personalized and Blended Learning Schools?

Objectives: The objective of the study was to understand the views, experiences, and challenges that preservice English teachers perceived in a flipped classroom, which was implemented in a language teacher education program following our institution’s desire to promote blended learning. Method: Two focus groups were conducted with the students (19). We analyzed the data using thematic analysis. Results: The results show that the students perceived flipped practices as innovative and beneficial for their learning. However, their responses also reveal that the autonomy required from them and taking more responsibility for their own learning were particularly challenging because of their lack of familiarity with the approach and their past learning experiences rooted in traditional teaching and learning. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: Our argument is that prior to implementing blended learning approaches, language teacher education and higher education should examine students’ readiness for such approaches and provide them with support for carrying out those practices.

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Social Justice or Status Quo? Blended Learning in a Western Canadian Teacher Education Program | Justice sociale ou statu quo ? L’apprentissage mixte dans un programme de formation d’enseignants dans l’Ouest canadien

Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology / La revue canadienne de l’apprentissage et de la technologie ◽

10.21432/t23k8t ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Kathy Snow

Keyword(s):

Teacher Education ◽

Academic Success ◽

Multicultural Education ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Education Program ◽

Culturally Responsive ◽

Teacher Education Program ◽

Full Time ◽

Formation Initiale ◽

Cas A

Sustainable pre-service teacher education is needed to encourage academic success for under-represented populations, through both culturally responsive and alternative programming options (Carr-Stewart, Balzer, & Cottrell, 2013). In 2013, the Western Canadian University that served as the basis for this case study, implemented a blended learning pilot course in multicultural education for its existing cohort of pre-service teachers, within their Indigenous Focus Teacher Education Program (IFTEP). The aim of the blended pilot was to increase flexibility in participation for the IFTEP students, who were all employed full time as teacher assistants within a local school board. The author examined the design model through qualitative analysis of student interview data, contrasted against observations of activities on the learning management system (LMS). Five themes emerged as important in effective and culturally responsive practice for blended learning design, in this case related to: institutional challenges, student autonomy and the complexity of commitments. This research presents a critical review of the feasibility of adopting blended learning for Indigenous students. Afin de favoriser la réussite scolaire des populations sous-représentées, il est nécessaire que la formation initiale des enseignants soit durable, et ce, par l’entremise d’options de programmes à la fois culturellement sensibles et alternatives (Carr-Stewart, Balzer et Cottrell, 2013). En 2013, l’université de l’Ouest canadien qui a servi de base pour la présente étude de cas a mis en œuvre un cours pilote en apprentissage mixte portant sur l’éducation multiculturelle pour la cohorte existante d’enseignants en formation initiale au sein de son programme de formation des enseignants axé sur les Premières Nations (IFTEP). Ce pilote mixte avait pour objectif d’augmenter la flexibilité de la participation des étudiants de l’IFTEP, qui étaient tous employés à temps plein comme aides-enseignants au sein d’un conseil scolaire local. L’auteur a examiné le modèle de conception à la lumière d’une analyse quantitative des données tirées d’entrevues d’étudiants, mises en contraste avec des observations d’activités portant sur le système de gestion de l’apprentissage (SGA). Cinq thèmes sont apparus importants pour une pratique efficace et culturellement sensible de la conception en apprentissage mixte, liés aux défis de l’établissement, à l’autonomie étudiante et à la complexité des engagements. Cette étude présente un examen critique de la faisabilité d’adopter l’apprentissage mixte pour les élèves autochtones.

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