This week is our last mathematics class and we refreshed our memories on the topic of Blended Learning.          

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What is blended learning?  Blended learning is a program that combines both online digital media with traditional classroom methods. It requires the physical presence of both teacher and student, with some element of student control over time, place, path, or pace.

As we were going through different articles that explained the topic more in depth, I found myself asking these essential questions:
We worked in groups this week to go through four different topics that included Blended Learning which you can find below with links attached if you're interested in reading more in depth: 

The Basics of Blended Instruction
Technology Integration vs Blended Learning 
4 Models for Blended Learning
SAMR Model


One presentation that stood out to me was the SAMR model which is an acronym for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition. Technology in the classroom is becoming more important for students and educators and we have a duty to consider how it might impact our teaching and students learning. This model is designed to help introduce learning that uses technology. Dr. Ruben Puentedura's theory suggest that substitution and augmentation elevate student learning while modification and redefinition transform the students learning. I look forward to doing more research on the SAMR Model and incorporating this into my classroom. 

My Group Presenting Technology Integration vs. Blended Learning

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The video above highlights a mathematicans understanding and their way of thinking and problem solving. These skills are transferable to any subjects. Thrun states intutition empowers an indivudual while eliminating the fear that comes along with many students learning math. Before these modules, I never connected the ability to use intution to have a positive effect on mathematics, but I do believe now that this has the potential for students to be  successful in mathematics while embracing a positive attitude. 

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Dr. Boaler also suggested that the most effective way for students to learn math is to understand the big ideas and not the intricate details. I agree with Dr. Boaler with the idea that its beneficial to organize content around a main idea. 

"Rich tasks have a range of characteristics that together offer opportunities to meet the different needs of learners. On its own a task is not rich, it is how the task is used in the classroom that may make it rich." - Source


This week we explored rich tasks in mathematics. You might be asking yourself, what is a rich task and how the heck do I introduce them in my class? Well, you came to the right place.

Rich tasks are those that are accessible to a wide range of learners, draw your students in with an intriguing starting point, offer opportunities for success, offer collaboration, discussion and more importantly offer the students to think for themselves.



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Take a look at this handy chart below to determine if your activity in math is considered a rich task:


Another great resource we were given this week is a website called: Which One Doesnt Belong? This is a great resource to have when you would like to initiate a conversation with students or even just to fill in some spare time you might have.

What I really enjoyed about this game was that it gets students talking and comfortable in a safe enviornment where they have an opportunity to explain their thinking to which one doesnt belong. Students have the ability to look outside of the box and explore their creativity. Most importantly, all learners can particiate AND without even asking, students will be using math language from all different strands without even prompting them.

Link: Which One Doesn't Belong

Try this one out and see what what you come up with:

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Tests vs Rich Tasks? 

Rich tasks have the ability to reveal student thinking in a different way than a test could ever do. It helps students focus on the problem solving method versus just stating the final anwser. It also gives students multiple ways to approach a problem.

To explore Rich Tasks further, we got into groups and tried the Finger Counting Challenge. Want to try it out? Link for the video can be found here.



What else do you need to use rich tasks effectively?

During our class, we discussed many other things that need to be put in place in order to have students excell while completing rich tasks.

These included:

-  Establishing a safe classroom environment
-  Having different tools available such as: chrome books/chart paper, calculators, manipulatives, technology
- Tasks that will encourage growth mindset from both the teacher and the students
- Realistic
- Options for extension for students who are finished early
- Appropriate amount of think time


"There was a day when people thought that the only way a kid could understand something is when we show it to them. Now teachers know that, if we give kids a little space, they can figure it out for themselves."  - Marian Small

Until next week :)