Learning from the Learning Institute

I take as many walks as I can these days to get out from behind the screen! It has been beautiful to walk in the cold and the snow. Recently as I was walking past the Farmhouse on my usual route I thought about when I began working with Blended Schools Network at the beginning of July as the Language Institute Coordinator. Fresh from a vacation in Scotland, I was ready to dig into something new and exciting. As I took over the reins of the Language Institute, I realized I had a lot to learn! Teachers, schools, districts…  There were Learning Management Systems, Blackboard Collaborate, scheduling, timing, billing, communicating, reading, hearing and finding my way in this marvelous learning organization.

The first semester of working with the Language Institute has been nothing short of amazing. Talk about learning – World Language teachers work with over 400 students in Blackboard Collaborate on any given day. Students come from as far away as California, and our teachers are as far away as Egypt! Language learning is about communicating within different cultures; this is surely happening as we hear from students, teachers, parents and schools districts.

During the first semester Laura Hanley and Iryna Kozlova presented a live session hosted by Blackboard on why and how we use Collaborate to host synchronous sessions that engage students in learning. Iryna and Evon Zundel had just published a chapter on the value of synchronous online learning in the book Online Teaching and Learning: Sociocultural Perspectives with several collaborators. You can read more here.

In addition some other interesting, provocative and inspirational work that happened just this fall:

·       Dr. Mohamed Bugaighis, retired Moravian College Professor, spoke to students about the Arab Spring in November and we recorded the session for Arabic and Social Studies lessons. See it here.

·       A student from Quakertown is using his Arabic to help another student from Syria.  Check out the video.

·       Fatma El Turky was able to visit the UN with her student Evan Cosgrove to attend The Better World Campaign’s Thank a Peacekeeper 2013 Reception, held at the Tolerance Museum in New York City. Participants spoke with influential world leaders in a live panel discussion. Evan met Pakistan's Masood Khan, Ambassador to the United Nations.  See more here.

·       Students have written to their language teachers telling them about college and world experiences in multiple countries using the languages they learned with Blended Schools.

·       One parent recently sent an email saying how her son really enjoys his language instruction, as well as the classroom interaction. He has a wonderful teacher and she has been impressed with his progress so far. We also received great feedback on our special presentations and projects that few would expect from “online” language classes or any online classes.

I am sure there is much more that could be reported that happens every day in our courses. Our teachers visit their students for special events when the distance allows, students send their teachers gifts for the holidays. So much of what happens at the Blended Schools Learning Institute is exactly what research tells us students need to be successful: high standards, challenging work, teachers who believe students are capable and adults who care for them. In my short time with the Language Institute, I have seen great things, and I look forward to continuing these great practices as the Language Institute transitions to the Learning Institute.

Check out the Learning Institute’s page on the Blended Schools Network’s website and see all the great courses that people of all ages can participate in. We provide flexible options to help meet the demands of 21^st century learners! Think about how learning and learners drive education!