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The Essential Blended Learning PD Planner
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The Essential Blended Learning PD Planner
Where Classroom Practice Meets Distance Learning

First Edition

Foreword by Michael Fullan

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June 2021 | 160 pages | Corwin
Foreword by Michael Fullan.

"One of the best new Professional Development books." 
-BookAuthority

Drive student learning with the best of both worlds!

Transition back to school with a comprehensive PD plan that leverages the best of distance learning and classroom instruction. Distance learning, despite its myriad challenges, has spotlighted innovative instructional practices and created an opportunity to fundamentally rethink how the traditional classroom works. 

In this timely, crucial book, Dr. Stepan Mekhitarian constructs a framework for a task force of teachers and leaders to establish an effective blended learning program that capitalizes on the capacity and skills teachers have built while teaching remotely. An innovative blended learning model effectively implemented across school systems will positively impact equity and access for all students. In addition to Blended Learning for Social Justice sections, readers will find 
 
Ideas for Professional Development sessions for sharing strategies and topics with teams
Distance Learning vs. Blended Learning sections to help transition various strategies between environments
Figures, templates, and tech tips to aid in implementation

Learn how to create a powerful learning experience for students that fosters collaboration, engagement, and rigorous learning experiences by combining instructional technology and the best of traditional classroom practice.
 
 
Foreword
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
INTRODUCTION
 
PART I: A NEW VISION FOR LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 
Chapter 1: HOW WILL SCHOOLS TRANSITION BACK TO THE CLASSROOM?
LEVERAGING BEST PRACTICES FROM THE DISTANCE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

 
WHAT IS BLENDED LEARNING?

 
BLENDED VS. DISTANCE LEARNING

 
FOUR BLENDED LEARNING MODELS

 
ENHANCING CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING THROUGH BLENDED LEARNING

 
LEVERAGING BLENDED LEARNING TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

 
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

 
KEY TAKEAWAYS

 
 
CHAPTER 2: RETHINKING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN BLENDED LEARNING
A WORD ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP

 
SHIFTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY

 
GATHERING THE DATA

 
DEVELOPING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WITH A SUSTAINED FOCUS ON INSTRUCTION

 
TEACHER-LED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT OFFERS LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASED BUY-IN

 
CONSIDERATIONS BEYOND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 
KEY TAKEAWAYS

 
 
PART II: APPLYING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE
 
CHAPTER 3: SUPPORTING RIGOROUS LEARNING FOR ALL
DIFFERENTIATED SUPPORTS FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS

 
RIGOROUS, CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

 
EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING TO FACILITATE CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING

 
STUDENT COLLABORATION

 
KEY TAKEAWAYS

 
 
CHAPTER 4: EMBRACING PERSONALIZED ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK
ASSESSMENTS TO GATHER ACTIONABLE DATA

 
ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK FOR ALL STUDENTS

 
FACILITATING SELF-MONITORING

 
PEER FEEDBACK

 
KEY TAKEAWAYS

 
 
CHAPTER 5: CREATING A BLENDED LEARNING CULTURE
THE RISE OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP TRAINING

 
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN A BLENDED LEARNING MODEL

 
ESTABLISHING A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING CULTURE IN CLASSROOMS

 
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION AND MANAGEMENT

 
KEY TAKEAWAYS

 
 
PART III: BRINGING TOGETHER TRAINING AND APPLICATION INTO ONE COHESIVE PROGRAM
CONCLUSION: BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

 
CREATING A VISION BASED ON THE KEY TAKEAWAYS

 
FOCUSED LEADERSHIP DURING THE TRANSITION

 
BUILDING YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM

 
COLLABORATING WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS AS STAKEHOLDERS

 
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A NEW WORLD

 
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

Long before a pandemic indelibly changed the world of education, Dr. Mekhitarian revolutionized blended learning PD across the state. Now an entire nation of educators benefits from the roadmap laid out in this book that navigates the transition to in-person blended learning instruction. Both students and teachers will benefit from this robust plan that promotes thriving versus just surviving.

Dr. Silke Bradford

This work does not lament what is lost from our past, judge where we are right now, or warn of what is to come. Rather, Dr. Mekhitarian speaks to educators in all levels and puts action to practices necessary for high-quality blended learning with the goal of successful transition back into classrooms where lessons learned are not lost but leveraged to address issues of equity and access.

Jessica Conkle

Dr. Mekhitarian is an educator with an uncompromising dedication to excellence. He has thought exhaustively through this transition we will all be making from Distance Learning to a “new normal” that heavily leverages technology.

Dr. Alyce Prentice

Mekhitarian’s Essential Blended Learning PD Planner should be in the hands of every educator as we prepare to transition from a remote
learning program to the post COVID classroom. School teams will be able to map out their site based plans to integrate instructional technology
and blended learning strategies, while differentiated learning to ensure student success. This is the new must-read for every educator.

Narek Kassabian, Ed.D.

INSIGHTFUL! Stepan Mekhitarian provides a clear path to an attainable future of high-quality education for all students. Classroom teachers will
find insightful best practices, instructional leaders a nuanced approach to professional development, and academic institutions a must-read for teacher preparation courses. A perceptive, instructional guide for authentic student learning experiences.

Rebeca Andrade, Ed.D.

Many educators transitioned from brick and mortar learning to distance learning overnight and are grappling with a future that looks very different from our past. Reading this book gave me confidence that our education systems and pedagogy in the near future will likely be more effective and equitable than anything we’ve strived for in the past.

Hrag Hamalian

This is a must-read for all educators facing a changing learning landscape. What jumps out at you is that Dr. Mekhitarian clearly knows what the
inside of a classroom (in-person and virtual) looks like and truly gets that we all need tools we can use right away to make a difference for students,
particularly those often left behind.

Dr. Drew Furedi

We have entered a new world where now, more than ever, we need guidance to navigate the digital space with innovative practices guided by sound theory. Dr. Mekhitarian provides us with support for continuing our work with confidence, regardless of what the future holds. This is an invaluable resource for teachers, school leaders, and professors of education—and the stakeholders they support.

Dr. Elizabeth C. Reilly

This is an invaluable resource for educational leaders and professional developers who are engaged in implementing effective classroom instructional practices that combine traditional classroom strategies with instructional technology tools. The author, an expert on blended learning and instructional technology, provides a guide with templates for schools and districts. A must-have resource.

Merle Price

Mekhitarian’s book is a guide and a pathway for all educators who plan to truly integrate technology in their classrooms once students and teachers
get back in the building. The key now is to learn from the mistakes of 2020. This book has the lessons all educators need.

David Carr

For instructors

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ISBN: 9781071843727
£24.99

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