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Blended Learning Plan Barrington 220

Table of Contents Table of Contents Executive Summary Why Blended Blended Learning

Models of Blended Learning Strategic Plan Leadership

Educational Goals Building Capacity Communications

Teaching and Professional Development Blended Teacher Qualities Teacher Identification Study Group

Exploration Phase Classroom Implementation Phase District Design Phase Leadership Phase

Building Leadership Counseling Staff Future Cohorts Success in Teaching and Professional Development

Content Purchased Content Open Educational Resources District Created Content Combination Content Making the Content Decision

Operations School Start Times School Schedules Class Sizes Blended Planning Funding Priorities

Technology End User Devices Network Software

Appendix A - Blended Learning District Leadership Team Appendix B - Barrington High School Department Head Feedback Appendix C - Implementation Timelines

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Executive Summary Barrington 220 is exploring blended learning to enable the district to continue to allow students to demonstrate strong character, independence and resiliency, think critically and creatively, solve problems, and collaborate effectively throughout a global society. 1

The Blended Learning Strategic Plan that follows represents four months of research and conversations around blended learning in Barrington 220. The Blended Learning Strategic Plan begins with a definition of blended learning and the models to establish a common definition among all district stakeholders. The plan then provides recommendations around five key areas of blended implementation: Leadership, Teaching/Professional Development, Content, Operations, and Technology. While each section includes recommendations and action steps, some of the Barrington 220 blended model is left open for future refinement. This is a deliberate design feature because the Barrington 220 community values the voice of all stakeholders during the implementation of this plan. This Blended Learning Strategic Plan is intended to guide the district in implementing a successful blended learning transformation while ensuring that the final program design is reflective of the entire Barrington 220 community. Implementation timelines can be found in Appendix C.

Why Blended Barrington 220 has distinguished itself from other school districts across the state by allowing students to demonstrate strong character; independence and resiliency; think critically and creatively; solve problems; and collaborate effectively throughout a global society. This passion for meeting the needs of all learners is one of the reasons 2

Barrington 220 is recognized as one of the top ten districts in the state of Illinois by Niche, 3

which reviews 120,000 school districts annually. The district leadership team recognizes the power of continuing to cultivate a school district where all students have unique opportunities to be inspired and excel. Therefore, the district leadership team has decided to create and adopt a blended learning plan that will further the district’s mission.

Blended Learning Blended learning is a formal education program in which students learn in part through online learning and in part through face-to-face instruction, with the two learning modalities connected to provide an integrated learning experience. Blended learning 4

also gives students some control over the time, path, pace, or place in their learning. Barrington 220 has a strong culture of providing a technology-rich education model for students. Blended learning extends the technology-rich education by empowering teachers and students to use the data from the online learning modality to personalize instruction for individual students while maintaining high standards for all students.

1 Adapted from the Barrington 220 District Strategic Plan. 2 Adapted from the Barrington 220 District Strategic Plan. 3 https://goo.gl/tEMMD4 4 Adapted from http://goo.gl/hJ30Kt

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Technology-rich education models enable classroom efficiencies and can create engaging learning environments for students. However, even in technology-rich classrooms, students are often seen working on the same assignment at the same time. Blended learning is an instructional practice that gives teachers and students access to data that helps target instructional activities based on individual student needs. In a blended classroom, all students may be studying the same concept, but it is unlikely that they will be working on the same task at the same time. “Blended learning is a strategy for helping teachers achieve what they strive to do every day—deeply understand and enable each student they work with to reach the very highest levels of educational mastery.” 5

Models of Blended Learning

The Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation identifies four models of blended learning: Rotation, Flex, À La Carte, and Enriched Virtual. Blended learning is an 6

emerging field of research; the models have changed over time and may be redefined in the future as more schools modify the defined models to meet the needs of students. Of the blended models, the rotation model allows for the most interaction between the teacher and the students. In its simplest terms, the four types of rotation models allow students to rotate between learning modalities within a given course or subject. In some cases, the teacher will dictate the rotation, while in others the student will have more control over the rotation. There are four variations on the rotation model: Station Rotation, Lab Rotation, Flipped Classroom, and Individual Rotation. In the station rotation model, students rotate among stations in a single classroom. The teacher defines the stations. Common examples include online personalized learning, small group collaborative work, and teacher-led instruction. In this model, all students rotate among all stations as directed by the teacher. At the high school level, it is also common to see students rotating between learning face-to-face with the teacher on some days and learning in the digital learning space without a physical teacher present on other days. The lab rotation model allows students to rotate between learning in a computer lab on certain days of the week and in the face-to-face classroom on other days of the week. In the flipped classroom model, students complete the online learning component at home or off site and then use their face-to-face time for guided practice with the teacher. The primary content delivery is the online content that the student accesses outside of the traditional classroom. The model is called “flipped” because in the traditional

5 http://goo.gl/DEfVB8 6 http://goo.gl/1IpmhL

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classroom, the teacher delivers the instruction in the classroom and the students practice at home. By flipping, students receive the instruction online at home and practice in the classroom with the teacher. The last rotation model, individual rotation, students have a personal “playlist” of activities from which they can select as they learn a concept or skill. Students have choice in which activities they choose and different students may take very different paths to mastery. In the flex model, a student accesses most of the content online and progresses on a personalized schedule between online and offline activities. The teacher is used on an adaptive basis and provides support or alternative learning activities as needed. The online content is the primary driver of instruction. The flex model is often characterized by students being able to move at their own pace and finishing courses when they have shown mastery and not at the end of an academic term. In the flex model, both online and offline activities take place at the school. The flex model is often a whole-school model or a school-within-a-school model and does not happen at the individual classroom level. The à la carte model is simply an online course that a student takes to supplement the face-to-face courses that he or she is taking at school. Most common examples are students with a high interest in a specialized field, e.g., marine biology. In this case, the student takes an online course in lieu of a study hall and is able to reach out to a science teacher as needed. The last model of blended learning, enriched virtual, allows for the least amount of interaction between the student and the teacher. In this model, much like the flex model, the online content is the primary driver of instruction. However, unlike the flex model, most of the learning takes place outside of the school; the student only accesses the face-to-face teacher periodically. The student has regular scheduled check-ins with the teacher, but these are often only once or twice a week. Each model of blended learning has unique strengths and weaknesses. After deep discussions, the leadership team believes that no one model of blended learning will serve the needs of elementary, middle, and high school students at the same time. Just as blended learning is designed to personalize learning to the needs of individual students, the Barrington 220 blended learning model will need to be tailored to the needs of students at each level. A study group will be formed during the 2015–16 school year to define the Barrington 220 blended model. More information about the formation and structure of the blended learning study group is in the Teaching/Professional Development section.

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Blended Learning Strategic Plan This Blended Learning Strategic Plan identifies recommended actions and future considerations for a successful blended learning program in Barrington 220. The plan is comprised of five sections: Leadership, Teaching/Professional Development, Content, Operations, and Technology. These five sections are based on the work of the International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL) which identifies six elements 7

for success in blended learning. iNACOL separates teaching and professional development, but because they are inherently connected, they are combined in the Barrington 220 plan.

Leadership A district blended learning leadership team at Barrington 220 has spent a significant amount of time researching blended learning over the past four months. This team, authorized by the Superintendent and led by the Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Innovation, represents leaders across the district with various spans of responsibility. A full list of team members and their roles is found in Appendix A. The district blended learning leadership team is charged with designing and upholding solid educational goals for blended learning, building capacity within the district for blended learning, and communicating with district stakeholders about blended learning. 8

Educational Goals

Blended learning creates learning environments where individual students have the opportunity to set personal goals which may exceed district and state goals. The district leadership team will need to set measurable program goals for blended learning after the blended learning study group makes recommendations for blended models. Establishing program goals that can be evaluated with quantitative and qualitative data is essential for measuring success and refining the blended implementation. Examples of program goals that may be considered are: Providing Powerful Learning Experiences: Within two full years (2017–18), 50% of all Barrington 220 classrooms will transition to a blended learning pedagogy that consistently provide students with tasks and activities that are meaningful, engaging, and relevant, while connecting to students’ interests and/or previous knowledge. 9

College and Career Readiness: Every Barrington 220 student taking blended learning classes designed in partnership with Harper College will be immersed in learning opportunities intentionally designed to develop skills such as critical thinking, problem

7 www.inacol.org 8 Adapted from the Barrington 220 District Strategic Plan. 9 http://goo.gl/TjWYli

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solving, teamwork, and data analysis, and assessed through a combination of classroom walkthroughs, student surveys, and parent surveys to demonstrate college and career readiness enabling students to compete globally. 10

Personalized Learning: Barrington 220 blended classrooms will undergo an instructional shift where 75% of instructional time will move towards personalized learning for students by incorporating blended best practices, such as teacher-led small group instruction, collaborative learning, and/or individualized online learning. 11

Growth for All: District and state academic goals will not be lowered for students in blended learning classrooms. Barrington 220 will continue to exceed the state average 12

on required assessments. 13

Support Teachers to Make Shifts to Blended Learning: Barrington 220 teachers will undergo initial professional development training that highlights the overall benefits and pedagogy of blended learning in the classroom, allow training on the LMS, and provide support and resources to help teachers transition their classrooms to blended learning before they make the instructional shift in classrooms. Teachers will be provided with ongoing resources and coaching through a personalized professional learning 14

community or other planned events for collaborative planning time with other blended teachers, as well as district-level support.

Foster Future Innovation and Leadership: Barrington 220 blended teachers and administrators will be provided with multiple professional development opportunities, such as conferences, webinars, trainings, and workshops with the intent to promote ongoing innovation through an action research process. Participants will search for problems in the model, take action against them, learn from refinements, and share findings via the LMS system or other online learning community, becoming leaders in the blended learning movement. 15

Informed and Involved Community: Barrington 220 will establish effective two-way communications with all district stakeholders so that everyone has an opportunity to have their voice heard in the design and refinement of the blended learning program. 16

10 http://goo.gl/TjWYli 11 http://goo.gl/TjWYli 12 http://goo.gl/TjWYli 13 http://goo.gl/F7zuQL 14 Coaching is identified by Hawthorne Education, lead author of this Strategic Plan as one of the success factors in successful blended implementations. 15 http://goo.gl/TjWYli 16 http://goo.gl/TjWYli and http://learningaccelerator.org/district-communications

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The goals listed in this plan are intended to serve as starting places for Barrington 220. No formal goals have been adopted at this time and should not be adopted until the blended learning study group has had time to make blended model recommendations. Goals should be adopted in March 2016. Using the support of an outside consultant is often beneficial in designing and adopting measurable program goals. Building Capacity

Hawthorne Education recognizes four key components to successful blended learning 17

implementations. The first of those is visionary leadership . Barrington 220 has strong 18

district leadership with a passion for continuous improvement. It is important to continue to build leadership capacity among building administrators to create conditions that enable and support blended learning. The district leadership team has adopted a shared definition of blended learning and the different models. The next step will be to provide the same learning opportunities for building leadership teams. This process began in early June 2015 when Barrington High School administrators and department heads came together to discuss blended learning.

This process should be repeated with the middle and elementary leadership teams. 19

Building leaders need to have the opportunity to fully understand blended learning at the same level as the district blended learning leadership team. Building leaders will be responsible for building support for blended learning in their buildings and providing opportunities to fully understand how blended learning will lead to a more successful overall blended program. Bringing the building leadership team together for a blended learning forum in the late summer/early fall of 2015 will also be an important step in building capacity. Throughout the 2015–16 school year, building leaders will be invited to share in the blended learning study group that is recommended to begin in Fall 2015 with teachers across the district. The role of building leaders in the study group is to understand how teachers will be using blended learning to create student-centered learning environments. Including building leaders in the blended learning study group process will ensure that they have input in the final blended program design and are knowledgeable about how teachers are implementing blended learning. Throughout the 2015–16 school year, building leaders will need to have conversations about changes that they are seeing in classrooms and student learning as teachers implement blended lessons. Building leaders, with the support of the district leadership

17 www.hawthorneeducation.com 18 The other components are passionate teachers, constant coaching, and reevaluating all district processes. Teaching and coaching are addressed in the Teaching/Professional Development section and reevaluation is addressed in Operations. 19 See Appendix B for a summary of the feedback from this meeting.

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team, will use these opportunities to analyze current teacher observation protocols and determine if they need to be adjusted for blended classrooms. It is not uncommon for blended classrooms to have adjusted observation protocols and success criteria as 20

teaching and learning often look different in blended classrooms. Having building leaders involved in these conversations throughout the first blended learning study group year will ensure that all district staff are aligned with what Barrington 220 defines as exemplars in blended classrooms. Communications

Blended learning involves a significant amount of change for all members of the learning community. Change brings many questions. It is important that all district and building leaders are able to answer questions about blended learning from teachers, students, and families. Designing a solid communication system that provides timely and accurate information will ensure that all stakeholders have accurate information and are able to speak knowledgeably about blended learning at any time. Effective communication is a cornerstone of successful blended learning implementations. Strong two-way communication will help build engagement, trust, and credibility among all stakeholders. 21

Building leaders participating in the blended learning study group will be aware of how blended learning is progressing in the district. Since the study group will have limited opportunities to meet throughout the year, the Director of Media Services should coordinate a biweekly electronic communication to all building leaders, district leaders, and study group teachers. The newsletter will chronicle any blended learning activity, provide resources for a better understanding of blended learning, and include a frequently-asked-questions (FAQ) resource with answers. The FAQs should also be included in the district blended learning Google site, which is used for internal 22

communication about blended learning. Any administrator with questions about blended learning should address them with the Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Innovation.

Teaching and Professional Development

One of the key areas of any educational initiative is the teaching staff. A particular strength of Barrington 220 is the spirit of innovation and commitment to engaging learners that is evident throughout the district. Since the district has been implementing One to World for the past two years, the staff at the middle and high schools have already had significant exposure to and support in implementing educational technology in a one-to-one learning environment. While the transition to blended learning will require teachers to

20 http://goo.gl/UsjRYo Page 15 21 http://learningaccelerator.org/district-communications 22 bit.ly/bsdblended

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significantly change pedagogical approaches in classrooms, exposure to technological change over the past two years will serve as a source of strength. Blended Teacher Qualities

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) released the Blended 23

Learning Teacher Competency Framework in October 2013. The Framework identifies 24

the characteristics that successful blended learning teachers exhibit in their professional practice. The characteristics are broken into four domains: qualities, mindsets, adaptive skills, and technical skills. Each of the domains contain several characteristics that are important in teachers who are implementing blended learning. The two most crucial domains, mindsets and qualities, are especially relevant in identifying the teachers who will first implement initial blended learning in the district. Mindsets and qualities are particularly important because these characteristics can be supported and refined with coaching, but are difficult to adopt as adults. Adaptive and technical skills are easier to learn and implement than mindsets and qualities. The graphic on the right lists the characteristics 25

for each domain. The Framework should serve as a guide in identifying and developing high-quality blended learning teachers. While the characteristics identified in the Framework are applicable to all classrooms, they are particularly important in student-centered classroom models using blended learning, where the teacher and learning activities adapt to the needs of individual students instead of the students adapting to the teacher or curriculum. The district leadership team believes that eventually all Barrington teachers should be effective at blending face-to-face and online instruction, but also recognizes that different teachers will need varying degrees of support and time to make that transition. For this reason, a small subset of teachers across the district will be involved in blended learning at the onset.

23 www.inacol.org 24 http://goo.gl/DEfVB8 25 http://goo.gl/DEfVB8 page 8

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Teacher Identification

A core group of teachers will be identified to study, design, and implement blended learning throughout the 2015–16 school year. This team of teachers will be referred to as the “blended study group” and will be comprised of teachers from all subjects and buildings. The district leadership team believes that blended learning is a valuable instructional practice in all content areas and grades and, therefore, is committed to creating a diverse study group that represents the entire district. At the elementary level, teachers who are already participating in “LaunchPad,” the PK–5 iPad launch, will be included in the blended study group. This ensures that each building and grade level has a team of teachers with technology and coaching support included in the study group. At the middle and high schools, the Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Innovation and his team will work directly with the administration at each building to identify teachers who exhibit the mindsets and qualities identified on the Framework. Teachers will have the opportunity to express interest in the study group; participation will be voluntary. Since the blended study group will be actively learning about and designing blended classroom experiences, it is necessary to keep the team to a manageable size. No more than ten teachers should be identified at each middle school campus and another fifteen teachers identified at the high school to participate in the study group. At the high school level, some of the teachers identified for the study group should have summer school teaching experience and/or interest. Blended Study Group

The role of the study group is fourfold: explore and study blended learning, design and implement blended lessons as appropriate throughout the school year, have a voice in the final design of the Barrington 220 three-year blended implementation plan, and gain capacity to serve as blended thought leaders in the buildings. The study group will be provided with professional coaching and opportunities for collaboration and conversation throughout the 2015–16 school year. A variety of learning modalities, including face-to-face sessions and online synchronous and asynchronous collaborative opportunities, will be used to coach and support the study group. The instructional methods used by the study group will model best practices in blended learning. The Director of Media Services will play a primary role in coaching the study group throughout the year.

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Exploration Phase

Teachers will examine successful examples of blended learning, learn blended learning best practices, and have the opportunity to interact with blended teachers from other school districts during the exploration phase. The blended study group will be exposed to various thought leaders in the field of blended learning and have the opportunity to discuss their findings and apply them in a manner that will enhance the Barrington 220 blended model. While the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation clearly 26

defines four models of blended learning, it is often a combination and customization of those models that school districts find work best for their learning community. The four defined models are generalizations about a vast and changing field. A learning management system will be used to set up a professional learning community to support the blended study group during the exploration phase. Classroom Implementation Phase

After the blended study group has explored blended learning models, they will be ready to design and begin implementing blended lessons or units in their classrooms. With the support of their colleagues in the study group, the Director of Media Services, and the Instructional Technology Coordinator, blended study group members will identify lessons or units that they believe are suited for transformation to a blended format. Blended study group members will collaboratively design their blended lessons using the best practices that they identified in the exploration phase. With the support of the Director of Media Services and Instructional Technology Coordinator, blended study group members will implement blended lessons beginning in the second quarter of the 2015–16 school year. Blended study group members will use quantitative and qualitative data to determine the effectiveness of their blended lessons. They will also be provided opportunities for reflection and refinement of their lessons. It is through these controlled blended learning opportunities that the blended study group will gain first-hand knowledge about the blended options most effective for Barrington 220 students in various grade levels. District Design Phase

The district leadership team has agreed that the elementary schools will not implement blended learning models that alter the number of face-to-face minutes of instruction. It is currently believed that a variation of the rotation model of blended learning will be most 27

suitable in grades K–8. However, no final decisions have been made because the district leadership team believes that teachers and building administrators need to have a significant voice in the design of the blended models used at each building level. Beginning in January 2016, members of the blended study group will have the opportunity to play a role in the final design of the district blended learning three-year rollout. By this

26 http://www.christenseninstitute.org/ 27 http://goo.gl/PaemAB

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time, the blended study group will have a solid working knowledge of blended learning research and best practices coupled with some first-hand experience designing and implementing blended lessons and units. The blended study group will meet in teams by building levels to identify the blended learning model that they recommend for their students. The building teams will have the opportunity to discuss their design in vertical groups to assess whether they need to make adjustments to their recommendations so that students experience a smooth and natural progression of blended learning as they transition from one grade level to the next. The recommendations of the blended study group will be presented to the district blended learning leadership team by the Director of Media Services. The district blended learning leadership team will use the recommendations of the blended study group to inform the design of the final three-year blended plan. Leadership Phase

The district leadership team has deliberately decided on a three-year rollout for blended learning. One key factor for this decision was to build the capacity of the current teaching staff to excel as teachers in blended classrooms. Investing in the development of the blended study group throughout the 2015–16 school year enables the district to develop a solid core of blended teachers throughout the district. As the 2016–17 school year begins, the blended study group teachers will be the first set of blended teachers in each building. This design will create teacher-leaders who will be able to share experiences and knowledge with colleagues. Members of the blended study group will continue as teacher-leaders by supporting new blended teachers. This implementation model will allow blended learning to grow exponentially and organically without the additional expense of new personnel to oversee or manage the transition to blended learning. Building Leadership

While most of the blended study group activities are focused on building the capacity of the teaching staff, the administrative staff at each building will be integral to the success of blended learning. Principals, assistant principals, and high school department heads will be included in all blended study group communications. Principals and assistant principals will be invited to all collaborative activities, and department heads will be invited when appropriate. Building leaders will also receive support in evaluating blended lessons since these often look different than traditional classroom teaching models. Counseling Staff

Counseling staff often have close relationships with students and are primary drivers of the student course selection process at the upper grades. Counselors will receive regular updates from the Director of Media Services about the progress of the blended study group. They will also be included in opportunities to better understand blended learning, which students are most likely to succeed in blended classrooms, and how blended

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learning impacts student achievement. It is important for the counseling staff to be able to recommend blended classes and to support students as they make registration decisions. Additionally, counselors may have the opportunity to connect with Harper College and articulate how Barrington 220 students are prepared to learn in the post-high-school environment where learning is often more student-driven. Future Cohorts

The blended study group model will be modified into a cohort model for the 2016–17 school year and future years. Cohorts will be customized to each building level and will have limited opportunity to meet in vertical teams when compared with the study group. Since the blended model will have already been defined and started, the cohorts will focus on personal professional growth and a slower, more controlled development of blended courses. The Director of Media Services will use the support of teacher-leaders from the original study group to help foster professional learning and conversations among the cohorts. The cohort model will focus on blended learning research and best practices during the first half of the academic year. This will be accomplished through a district-developed professional learning course in a learning management system with periodic, but limited face-to-face collaboration. Cohort teachers will design and implement blended lessons or units late in the first semester to gain first-hand experience as blended teachers. During the second half of the academic year, cohort teachers will continue to periodically implement blended lessons while focusing on blended course design for the upcoming school year. The cohorts will move more slowly than the original blended study group to ensure that these teachers have the time they need to refine the mindsets and qualities identified in the Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework. Success in Teaching and Professional Development

Identifying the right teachers and providing them with the appropriate level of support is the key to a successful blended learning program. At the core of Barrington 220 is a strong and passionate teaching staff. Asking teachers to adjust their successful teaching practices to a pedagogical model that is more student-centered and personalized can be a significant adjustment. While traditional practices may show success for most students, blended learning models build on that foundation and encourage each student to push further using the power of technology to enhance the traditional student-teacher relationship. Standards are not lowered in blended models; rather, student expectations are customized to enable more engagement and ownership of learning. The teaching plan detailed in this blended learning strategic plan is designed to identify the right teachers to participate in the study group and future cohorts, while ensuring that teachers

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and leaders have the appropriate supports to succeed during the transition to a blended learning program.

Content Since “blending is a strategy for helping teachers achieve what they strive to do every day—deeply understand and enable each student they work with to reach the very highest levels of educational mastery,” the Barrington 220 leadership team agrees that 28

blended learning, using a variety of implementation models, is an appropriate pedagogy for all content areas. Because blended learning is the combination of meaningful face-to-face teaching and high-quality digital resources, Barrington 220 will need to invest in digital curriculum. “Digital curriculum” and “digital content” are broad terms used to describe complete online courses, content-specific resources, or anything within this range. “The decision to buy and/or build digital content is essential in the implementation of online and blended learning programs. Teachers may use content from an online provider, create their own, or a combination of both.” There are advantages and 29

disadvantages to each of these options. Purchased Content

Purchasing online content is the quickest path to owning high-quality digital resources. Digital content is the largest growth sector in the educational technology market and averages over $3 billion in annual sales. There are new content providers entering the 30

market every month. It is easy to find digital content that is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. Premium digital content 31 32

often comes bundled with related services, including assessment, analytics, and reporting software tools. Purchasing digital content is also the easiest way to scale blended 33

learning across a district. There are several potential downsides to purchased content that Barrington 220 will need to consider. First, premium content can be expensive and include recurring annual costs for updates. Second, different content providers use different technology platforms which may not be compatible with each other. For example, the instructional team may like math content from one provider and reading content from another. If these systems do not fully integrate with the learning management system, then teachers, administrators, and students will need to regularly log in to multiple systems to access content and data. This can be time consuming and frustrating, particularly for younger students. Lastly, different vendors may offer very different customization features. Barrington 220 teachers

28 http://goo.gl/DEfVB8 29 http://goo.gl/uiaxvl 30 http://goo.gl/oNg2cw 31 http://www.corestandards.org/ 32 http://www.nextgenscience.org/ 33 http://goo.gl/80rku8 page 34

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are accustomed to being able to adapt content for their classes, yet some digital content is rigid and linear in nature. Many teachers prefer content that is flexible and allows them the opportunity to rely on experience to introduce or adapt the digital content. Open Educational Resources

Open educational resources (OER) are often seen as a viable alternative to purchased content. OERs are freely available on the Internet. Many universities have high-quality OERs available for schools. Some OERs include versions of the premium features 34

mentioned above. However, because OERs are freely available on the Internet, they are 35

often dependent on donors or sponsors for hosting fees and updates. If this funding stops OERs may disappear suddenly. District-Created Content

Many districts choose to create their own digital content instead of purchasing existing content. District-created content is easier to align to district standards and can take into 36

account the values of the school community. District-created content can lead to highly personalized learning experiences for students that may exceed the quality of courses that are designed for the students across the U.S. 37

Just like purchased content, there are potential downsides with district-created content. Hawthorne Education research shows that the average time for a district staff member to create a single semester course is 500 hours. This assumes that the course creator is an expert in their content area, understands the principles of course design, and has the skills to use the technology tools to create the course. This becomes an extremely time consuming endeavor and, when evaluated financially, can cost around $10,000 per 38

semester course. The upside is that the district owns the course and is able to make adjustments for minimal ongoing costs. Another downside is that district-created content often lacks many of the premium features mentioned above that can be bundled with purchased content. Combination Content

One alternative that many districts find appealing is starting their blended program with some purchased content that can easily be customized. This option allows districts to start blended learning with solid digital resources while teachers build skills as blended teachers and course designers. Over time, teachers, with approval from the office of the

34 https://phet.colorado.edu and http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html and http://mathsnacks.com/ 35 https://www.khanacademy.org/about and https://www.frontrowed.com/ 36 http://goo.gl/bo03X6 37 http://goo.gl/YvyLC 38 This number is based on 500 out-of-contract hours at a $20 FLEX time rate.

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Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, are able to adapt the purchased digital content by bringing in their own resources and OERs. In order for combination content to be successful over time, it will need to be integrated in the district learning management system. This can potentially limit the selection of content providers for the initial purchase, since not all content integrates into learning management systems. Making the Content Decision

Each of the content options presented has strengths and weaknesses. Before making the decision to buy, build, or blend content, the district leadership team needs to review current content adoption policies to ensure that they are applicable to digital content adoptions. iNACOL, Quality Matters, and others have developed rubrics that can be 39 40

used or modified to help evaluate the quality of digital content. Once the leadership team agrees on the criteria for evaluating digital curriculum, Barrington 220 will be ready to identify the appropriate digital content. Barrington 22o teachers have been successful in the past at adopting curriculum resources to the needs of their students. However, with the depth and breadth of the Barrington 220 blended implementation, it is unreasonable to expect each teacher will be able to create his or her own digital curriculum. Additionally, digital curriculum needs will vary depending on the content area, blended model, and grade level. Therefore, it is recommended that blended study group teachers work with the leadership team to identify areas where content-specific digital resources are needed and collaboratively evaluate the resources to ensure that they meet Barrington 220 standards, are able to integrate into the learning management system, and are adaptable over time to the specific needs of Barrington 220 classrooms. Using this approach will ensure that the blended implementation is timely and Barrington 22o teaching and learning expectations are upheld throughout the transition to blended learning.

Operations Successful blended districts make adjustments to existing school operations to create conditions for blended success. Traditionally, school procedures and processes are designed to support an educational model that is teacher-centered and blended learning requires more flexibility. Some of the major operational systems that will need to be evaluated as Barrington 220 makes the transition to blended learning are school start times, school schedules, class sizes, blended planning time, and funding priorities. School Start Times

Schools traditionally measure attendance using seat time and operate under the assumption that for learning to happen, students must physically be present in a

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classroom at a specific time. This system is often tied to state funding formulas and is difficult to change. The reality is that learning can happen in a variety of places and is not dependent on a specific start and end time. Blended learning can allow for students to have some control over the time and place of their learning. The Barrington 220 blended 41

waiver from the Illinois State Board of Education allows for Barrington 220 students in Grades 6–12 to have the opportunity to learn outside of the traditional school day and school building for up to two hours per day without penalizing the district financially. This creates the perfect opportunity for Barrington 220 to reassess whether all high school students need to start their educational day at 7:20 a.m. The state waiver allows Barrington 220 to determine if there is an educational benefit for all high school students to start their day at the same time or if blended learning can provide a more flexible schedule for students who learn better at different times of the day. Many blended models allow for high school students to start classes later in the day and use “flex time” in place of traditional morning class periods. Flex time allows students to determine 42

when they are going to complete the online portion of their learning instead of having the school dictate the time and place for the learning. As a blended model is finalized in 2015–15, it will be important to have open discussions about adjusting school start times and ensure that the decision is based on what is best for students. School Schedules

School start times take into account the actual start of the school day while school schedules include the timing of classes and activities during the course of the day. School schedules are often referred to as the “master schedule.” Master schedules are essential to a smooth-running school. One problem with existing master schedules is that they are often rigid and limit some of the flexibility that makes blended learning work for students and teachers. As the blended learning study group begins to finalize blended models, the administrative team at each building level needs to evaluate whether or not the existing master schedule is in the best interest of teaching and learning in blended classrooms. Currently all Barrington 220 middle and high school classes are between 46 and 50 minutes long and meet daily. The blended model may not fit best in these small, discrete periods of time. The administrative team should meet in April 2016 to reevaluate the master schedules and determine what, if any, changes should be recommended to create the best conditions for success of the blended models.

41 http://goo.gl/1IpmhL 42 https://goo.gl/g3KHzW and http://goo.gl/G6CH1Z

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Class Sizes

Class sizes can be a sensitive subject because no one wants to add to the workload of teachers. One hallmark of effective blended learning programs is the personal relationships between teachers and students. The reality is that when teachers are freed from the need to lecture as a primary means to deliver content and instead use digital content tools with monitoring capabilities, teachers are better able to target direct instruction to small groups and individual students. The opportunity for teachers to interact with smaller groups of students enables them to build relationships with individual students instead of classes of students. It is this personalized learning relationship that encourages students to achieve at higher levels. Since personalized learning is a goal of blended learning, it does not make sense to routinely increase class sizes. However, there are several highly successful blended school models where teachers have lobbied for larger class sizes in learning labs so they could work with smaller numbers of students in classrooms. As the blended study group evaluates 43

blended models, it is important to have open conversations to determine if adjusting class sizes in some areas of the school day is in the best academic interest of students. Blended Planning

There are certainly some Barrington 220 teachers who have been using elements of blended learning in their classrooms. However, for most teachers, the transition to blended teaching will be new and require a significant change. Teachers need time to learn about blended learning best practices and determine how blended pedagogy will fit with their content, students, and teaching strengths. In most schools, teachers operate in isolation from each other for the majority of the day. Successful blended teachers are collaborative and need time built into their schedules to interact, plan, and learn with 44

other blended teachers. There are various ways that Barrington 220 can encourage collaboration for blended teachers; each of the options have their own operational challenges. Blended teachers can have their classrooms located next to each other to encourage authentic conversations throughout the school day. Blended teachers can use their Wednesday professional learning time to discuss blended learning and plan collaboratively. Some school districts give first-year blended teachers an additional planning period or duty period that allows for collaboration with other teachers. Lastly, being creative with class sizes and learning lab periods can open up collaboration time during the school week. The reality is that there is limited open time during the school day to allow for regular collaboration, but blended teachers who have collaboration time included in their schedule are more likely to be successful. The administrative team will need to discuss

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blended planning options with the blended study group in Spring 2016 and make a decision that is in the best interest of students. Funding Priorities

Blended learning often requires a shift in funding priorities. Since the emphasis on curriculum in blended programs is on digital content, a shift in funding away from traditional curriculum resources is necessary. Barrington 220 has already made a significant investment in technology and has some digital curricula. As curriculum adoptions occur, an emphasis should be placed upon high-quality digital resources that support the Barrington blended model. Traditional curriculum purchases often require a major financial investment in the initial year with smaller purchases for the remaining years of the curriculum life cycle. This is often not the case with digital curricula where annual licensing is more common. This change in purchasing requires the input of the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services for budgeting purposes. The total cost over time should remain flat, but the cycle of payments requires careful attention in the budgeting and forecasting process.

Technology

Since blended learning requires a digital learning component, having a reliable technology infrastructure is essential to long-term success. The infrastructure includes end-user devices, network, and software. Additionally, the infrastructure should include appropriate monitoring tools to ensure network stability and analysis of student learning. End-User Devices

Before the decision was made to explore blended learning, Barrington 220 made a commitment to its One to World initiative, which places high quality learning devices, such as iPads and MacBooks, in the hands of students and teachers across the district. Currently high school students use MacBook Air laptops and middle school students will use iPads during the 2015–16 school year. A group of elementary teachers across the District are participating in the “LaunchPad” program using iPads as Barrington 220 explores One to World at the elementary level. While blended learning does not require every student to have a device, the One to World program and its forecasted growth have placed Barrington 220 in a position of strength for their blended learning implementation. Network

As a part of the One to World rollout, the network infrastructure and bandwidth were evaluated and continue to be upgraded to reflect the increased demand that is generated by end-user devices accessing the network using Wi-Fi. This upgrade plan provides a solid technology infrastructure foundation for blended learning. The Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Innovation is committed to monitoring the network and ensuring that any additional demand brought on by blended learning is planned for in

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advance. As more learning moves online, it is likely that the demand on the network will increase. Additionally, the use of monitoring tools that will help determine online learning activities of students will be important to help students succeed. Software

Teachers across Barrington 220 have been using a variety of free and subscription-based learning management systems (LMS) in the classrooms over the past few years. An LMS is a software system for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of digital learning components. An LMS is an essential need for blended learning 45

because it brings together different digital pieces used in classes into a single digital learning space. The LMS also provides a safe online community for teachers and students to learn and share. While individual classroom teachers are often able to implement a single LMS in their classes, the move to blended learning will benefit from a single district-wide LMS selection. It is easy for individual teachers to select and create in any of a number of LMSs, but that can create a situation where students and families may be forced to log into multiple platforms to access content in different classes. As blended learning becomes more common at Barrington 220, it is important that the District evaluate and adopt one LMS that makes that transition smooth for all teachers, students, and families. The Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Innovation and his team will conduct a needs analysis of teachers that are currently using a LMS. This needs analysis will identify the features that are used most by teachers and what they want to see in a district LMS. Using this information, the team can select a LMS that matches the district’s needs. The team should narrow the field to no more than two LMSs and offer a group of teachers the opportunity to demo the LMSs and provide feedback that can be used in the selection process. The final LMS decision should be completed before April 2016.

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Appendix A - District Blended Learning Leadership Team The district blended learning leadership team represents administrators across the district who continue to research and identify best practices in blended learning. The team has collaborated online and through face-to-face meetings over the past several months. The team has been collaborative throughout the project, with members repeatedly responding to anonymous surveys to ensure they have had their voices heard throughout the four-month planning phase that led to the design of this Blended Learning Strategic Plan. This team has made foundational decisions that will ensure the Barrington 220 blended learning program upholds the district mission and provides meaningful learning opportunities for students and teachers. Team Member Title

Jeff Arnett Assistant Superintendent of Operations & Outreach

Alicia Bongiovanni Secondary RtI Facilitator & Director Summer School

Matt Fuller Assistant Superintendent of Technology & Innovation

Becky Gill Director of Elementary Education

Ty Gorman Assistant Principal, Barrington High School

Kelly Hansen Director of Secondary Education

Brian Harris Superintendent

Cindy Jaskowiak 46 Assistant Superintendent for Educational Programs and Assessment

Linda Klobucher Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning

Brian Knetl Associate Provost, Harper College

Steve McWilliams Principal, Barrington High School

Joe Robinson Director of Instructional Technology

LeeAnn Taylor Director of Media Services

46 Retired at the end of June 2015

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Appendix B - Barrington High School Department Head Feedback On June 9, 2015, thirteen Barrington 220 staff members met to discuss blended learning. The following staff members were present: Teachers

Julie Baylor - Science Department Head Jill Fearday - Guidance Department Head Chris Rhode - Mathematics Department Head, Incoming Lesley Roberts - Special Services Department Head John Roncone - Social Studies Department Head Alan Sanders - English Department Head Dr. Maria Vlahos - Mathematics Department Head, Outgoing Kathryn Wolfkiel - World Language Department Head

Administrators

TY Gorman - Associate Principal, BHS Heath McFaul - Associate Principal, BHS Ninja Nagel - Associate Principal, BHS Steve McWilliams - Principal, BHS Alicia Virgilio - Secondary RTI Facilitator & Director of Summer School

The team was led through a series of discussions and presentations on blended learning by Stacy Hawthorne, Dr. Cathryn Chellis, and Dr. Stacey Gonzales. As of August 4, 2015, five (5) department heads responded to the exit survey. The results indicated that:

● The majority agreed (80%) agreed the day was a valuable use of their time. ● All respondents felt like their voice was heard in the process and felt more

knowledgeable about blended learning after participating. ● The majority agreed (80%) believed that BHS is poised for success with blended

learning. Concerns mentioned by the department heads were:

● Ensuring staff buy-in. ● Securing a strong LMS early in the process to allow staff time to transition. ● Scaling blended learning to meet the needs of diverse teachers and students, ● Ensuring that teachers get ongoing and effective coaching throughout their first

year implementing blended learning.

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One department head sent a follow-up email to the survey indicating his enthusiasm for blended learning and mentioned several staff members in his department who would be ready to start exploring models this coming school year.

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