Anneleise Dickens

EDCI 531

March 1, 2014

Dr. C. Nickel

Subject and Purpose

This project focuses on a blended learning unit from the constructivist
perspective and takes place in a grade 12 English class on British literature. Students will
discover the Anglo Saxon life through study of culture, society, and literature in order to
relate that time to the modern world, with primary focus on the epic poem Beowulf. They
will be able to answer the essential question of Why is literature timeless?
Students in this class are seniors; the class size is 12. This class is designed on a
blended learning platform as the school itself is considered a flexible program for
students who prefer or are better-suited to a non-traditional learning experience. Students
have been recommended for the class based on counselor, teacher, and administrator
feedback. The students have also completed a questionnaire and written response of
application so instructors know their classroom makeup is that of motivated students
capable of working independently and collaboratively.
The purpose of this project is to explain how the first module within this unit
provides a constructivist blended learning experience for students. Its aim is to enable
students to learn to work collaboratively and independently as well as to become
confident critical thinkers.
Review of Literature
Learning and teaching are intertwined. Throughout the literature consulted for this
project, the consensus seemed to be that teaching a blended learning course from a
constructivist approach took the onus off the teacher as information-feeder and put that
onus on the student as information-gatherer. As Carman (2005) cites Elliott Mosie,

Anneleise Dickens

EDCI 531

March 1, 2014

Dr. C. Nickel

People are not single-method learners! (From Rosett, 2002). Wilson and Peterson, in an
article on the theories of learning, discuss the concept of learning as a method of active
construction and that students should be able to take their learning and use it critically
(2006, p. 1).
In their article, Wilson and Peterson focus on four shifts in education, each of
which seem to revolve around the constructivist approach and in which a blended
learning course makes use. Those shifts are:
1. Moving away from the student soaking up knowledge to being an active
constructor of meaning
2. The awareness of learners as social beings and knowing by doing
3. The value of differences in learning as evidenced by individual differences
amongst learners (social, political, cultural, etc.)
4. Students need flexibility in what they learnnot only to know the basics but
to be able to apply them to solving problemse.g. think and analyze critically
(2006, pp. 2-8).
Blended learning is, according to Catlin Tucker, instruction in which there is both
face-to-face learning/classroom instruction and online learning that is not necessarily
focused solely upon one theory of learning. However, it is constructivist in nature as the
student is allowed some flexibility and freedom as is the teacher, who can adjust to
different learners needs (2012, p. 12). In her book, Tucker outlines the role of the teacher
and offers in-depth information on important aspects of the blended learning approach:
discussion; questioning; incorporating standards; developing online community
(including safety, conduct, icebreakers, routine, and responses); and assessment. She

Anneleise Dickens

EDCI 531

March 1, 2014

Dr. C. Nickel

provides concrete examples of these and even applies them to different core subjects such
as math or English (2012, p.p. 41, 46-47, 61, 202).
John Cooks A constructivist approach to online course design to enhance
interaction and learner motivation in K-12 outlines how constructivism applies to
blended or online learning, and focuses somewhat on the social constructivist approach.
He explains this type of learning allows diverse learners to communicate, making them
better able to collaborate and interact with each other to construct the meaning within
the course (n.d., p. 3).
Overall, Caulfield, Cook, and Tucker propose blended learning and
constructivism as operating hand-in-hand with teachers responsible for the following
roles:

Teacher as facilitator/leader; may be silent facilitator, involved facilitator,

or a combination (Tucker, 2012, p.p. 35-37)

Teacher as provider of feedback, allowing self-regulation and structure

(Cook, n.d., p.p. 7-8)

Teacher offers a variety of new experiences, opportunities to collaborate
and to share experiences, thus learners become teachers (Caulfield,
2011, p. 56).

From this literature evolved a notion of conducting a class within a blended

learning incorporates the primary concept of constructivism in which learners are allowed
to construct their own knowledge through independent, collaborative, and teacherfacilitated discovery.
Application

Anneleise Dickens

EDCI 531

March 1, 2014

Dr. C. Nickel

Following is a general outline of the module and how each section applies the
constructivist theory. A webpage has been created using Weebly. Students are to go to the
home page first and complete the online introduction, where students introduce
themselves and review ground rules for collaboration and etiquette within posts (via
collaborize.com). This section applies constructivism as the process of learning is begun.
Students are given a place in which to interact and build their community, both online and
in class. It allows a safe place to express themselves (Cook, n.d.) (Tucker, 2012).
Given Module 1, students begin the discovery process of learning about Anglo
Saxon life. They have two online discussion posts in which they respond to websites that
include text, audio, and visual information. The posts allow students to bring in prior
knowledge and reflect upon the learning from the links provided. This brings in active
engagement in the learning process where students can control their learning and evolve
their own perspective via discussion posts (Wilson & Peterson, 2006).
Students are assigned a webquest and are part of a group. This follows the social
constructivism principle where they can interact with their classmates both in and out of
class and even go outside the class environment to access resources all over the world.
They also are able to fuse their prior knowledge and new learning with that of their group
members (Cook, n.d.). The engaged learning within a socially constructed group helps
them learn the intricacies of working with others while also allowing those who would
normally not participate face-to-face to engage online in a safe environment.
The assessment of both online postings and of webquests are constructivist in
nature in that they are relevant and ongoing. The teacher will provide feedback to posts as
well as within the grading of projects via rubrics. This shows students that the teacher is

Anneleise Dickens

EDCI 531

March 1, 2014

Dr. C. Nickel

involved and they are allowed to interact and grow as learners ("ImprovingQualityof
ScienceTeacherTraininginEuropeanCooperationElearning,"n.d.).

References
Carman, Jared M. (2005).
Caulfield, J. (2011) How to design and teach a hybrid course.
Cook, J. (n.d.). A constructivist approach to online course design to enhance
interaction and learner motivation in K-12. Theories of Educational
Technology. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/a/boisestate.edu/edtechtheories/aconstructivist-approach-to-online-course-design-to-enhanceinteraction-and-learner-motivation-in-k-12
Tucker, Catlin R. (2012) Blended learning in grades 4-12.
Wilson, S. M., & Peterson, P. L. (2006, July). Theories of learning and teaching.
What do they mean for educators? NEA Best Practices. Retrieved from
http://nea.org