I sat at my desk reading yet another request from a student:
“Mrs. Dyck, last year I was able to work from home and I got way ahead. I don’t understand why I have to come into class if I work better from home and am doing well on all my assignments.”
The pandemic had changed things dramatically, and now it was becoming even harder to get my students to come to class.
While beforehand we had been able to require students to be onsite for each of their morning classes, after experiencing remote learning, many students returned to their normal routines reluctantly. They had learned how to learn independently, picked up part-time jobs, and had begun volunteering. Now, the regular school schedule felt like it was in the way.
That moment, when it seems like the regular school schedule is in the way, is where seeds of a blended program often start. Not with a grand strategic plan, but with a nudge, a frustration, or a spark of possibility. And yet, turning that spark into a sustainable blended model can feel daunting. The philosophy, tools, structures, and mindsets required to start a blended program might appear overwhelming at first glance.
But while the transition to blended learning is complex, the core principles are surprisingly straightforward. They follow familiar patterns of change management, and with clarity and the right people at the table, schools can begin this shift with focus and confidence.
An Important Note:
There is more than one term that can be used to describe blended learning. Hybrid learning is another term that is commonly used, though hybrid learning can also refer to an education model in which a class is taught with some students in person while others join remotely. This model is not discussed here. This article will describe a model where students complete their work through a combination of in-class and online learning.
1. Start With “Where”, Not Just “Why”
Simon Sinek famously introduced the world to the phrase, “Starting with the ‘Why.’” This is certainly a valuable exercise to take part in when considering a shift to blended education. Equally important, though, is to consider “Where” a blended education model can be most impactful to support your school. You may not want every part of your education program to be delivered in a blended model, so which parts of your school would benefit the most?
For example, perhaps you are finding that your middle school math instruction is a particularly weak spot in your student academic achievement. Maybe a high staff turnover has resulted in inconsistent pedagogy and insufficient assessment practices. A blended educational experience, where students are taking the same online courses and outcomes are measured and paced consistently, could alleviate instructional, staffing, and resource burdens, allowing a more robust learning experience overall.
Blended education isn’t an end in and of itself. It’s simply a modality of content delivery that can be used to further an existing raison d’etre. By identifying what parts of your institution are most in need of a lift, you can identify where to begin to integrate blended learning approaches with consideration of the benefits and potential pitfalls.
Every school has opportunities it hopes to expand and stress points in need of solutions. Blended tools can help with both, so consider where they will have the most overall impact on your school.
2. Enlist the “Campfire Builders” in Your Staff
When introducing a blended model, you want to be sure to enlist the support of the right staff members.
Some staff appear change-ready because they are burned out: The current model, schedule, or constraints are causing fatigue. Careful! These folks, although they seem to be looking for change, might not be as ready for the rigors of change as you think.
Look for those staff who are thriving in your current system but curious about what could be even better. These teachers tend to:
- Believe deeply in your mission
- Are meaningfully engaged in the current system
- Have high relational trust with leadership
- Enjoy experimentation and iteration
- Possess a steady enthusiasm for students and learning
Your change-happy guinea pigs will need these deep beliefs to sustain them when blended gets hard.
At least initially, switching to a blended model will come with a whole pile of new problems and new learning curves. Already burned-out teachers might think that a change will solve their pain points, but will soon find new ones. It’s not an easy fix for the frustrations of traditional school systems. This discouragement could leave them doubly disaffected.
One principal described her blended pilot teachers as “the people who would still build a campfire with you even if it were raining.” They weren’t looking for rescue; they were looking for possibility.
That difference matters.
3. Stay Focused
Once you start dabbling in a blended education model, you will find it opens up a lot of options.
Maybe too many options.
A mid-afternoon drop-in pottery class? We could swing that! A robot demolition derby club? A little niche, but why not?
With scheduling now flexible, there are all kinds of things you could pursue! Time has become a variable but not the determinant, so now you can reimagine schedules, locations, or even course offerings. It could be tempting to fill the space that blended creates with dozens of new ideas or opportunities. As the wheels are just starting to roll, though, try to remain rooted in your purpose.
One school leader put a sticky note on her laptop that simply read: “Does this solve the problem?” If a new idea emerged and the answer to this question was no, the idea went onto a “Someday” list. That level of discipline is what allows blended programs to develop deep roots.
As your pilot program gets its legs, iterations will be needed, but keep those changes focused on the fix that you set out to address. Once you see evidence of improvement, then you can consider new goals. Keeping your focus measured and singular instead of reactionary or in pursuit of novelty will help your program develop strong roots that other iterations can flourish from.
4. Think Iteration and Adaptation, not Revolution
Blended models of education are just a new way to do what educators have always done — teach students and include them in the transformative and deeply engaging process of learning. You don’t need to overhaul everything in one year, nor should you! Blended models are a new tool in your educational toolbox. Consider carefully how to use this tool to further your ultimate aims and then iterate and adapt additional programs and pieces slowly.
Allowing momentum to build will permit your true purpose in educating to deepen, and soon — blended learning could become an integral part to the core purpose of your educational model.
Whatever you do in your first year or pilot program will just be one step along the way. Each year, you will be able to add in supports, receive feedback from stakeholders, adapt systems and structures to increase efficiency and replicability, and develop technological infrastructure. These things can all help your blended programs adapt to demands. As you refine your blended programs, they will gain even more momentum and you can clarify your purpose further.
While blended education models allow for a different use of time, space, finances, and schedules and can create opportunities for different types of learning, the true purpose of schools — education — hasn’t changed. The hope is that blended models can help support the “how” of what we do as educators, allowing us to reach more students, empower our staff, and deepen learning in more meaningful and purposeful ways.
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