Blended learning

The internet is being harnessed to lessons in more schools and more school subjects each year. Stories that Move is designed to combine the benefits of working online and offline with the particular sensitivity needed to guide and support learners tackling the complexity of identity, diversity and discrimination. It takes into account that these topics will often also have a personal and emotional component.

Blended learning requires both online and offline work. In the learning paths we stimulate the individual expression of thoughts (online), with on- and offline group assignments, followed by an open exchange of ideas in class discussions and presentations. Each track ends with a personal (online) reflection by the learner.

The flow of on- and offline work aims to create a rich and intuitive learning process. It requires precise monitoring and careful support from the educator.

Pace

The learning activities vary in how much they need to be done at the same time (synchronously), either as a group or individually. Mostly the learning paths require that the learners work on the assignments at the same time and in the same space. However, some activities can be done asynchronously – for example at home, when students may be researching a particular story or preparing a presentation.

Making use of experience

Educators often feel challenged by online learning tools. The learning process can seem difficult to control. Educators’ lack of experience or the greater online skills of their students means that the learning process needs to be organised differently. In developing this toolkit, we engaged a large group of educators, using their experience and creative input from the very start of the project. We were able to test offline and online, to find a logical way to plan the activities. It is NOT the intention that the learners race through the tracks as fast as they can. We encourage the idea of ‘slow learning’, taking time to discuss different points of view and to reflect on what has been learned. (Read more: Visible thinking)

Offline alternative

As many educators and learners may not be able to use the internet in the classroom, the methods and materials used in each track are also available in PDF, ready to print and use in lessons.