Examining the

 Effects of Productive Struggle and Academic Rigor on Student Achievement

Using Digital Instructional Video in a Blended

Classroom Teaching Model

Provides direct instructionDelivers essential contentScreencast “how to” lessonsDemonstrates requisite skillsDigital storytellingEnriches classroom instruction

Digital video as an instructional tool

is designed to enhance and support an existing curriculum.

is clearly aligned with specific standards, outcomes, or learning objectives.

interrelates with other learning activities and assessments.

must be carefully and thoughtfully planned.

Successful technology integration

Students access video lessons away from school.The flipped classroom is one blended learning model

that utilizes digital video.Allows more personal & direct teacher/student contact

during class timeAllows more opportunities for scaffolding and

differentiated instruction Students work at their own paceSome research indicates increased student

achievement in blended and flipped classroomsThe most important aspects of integrating digital

video are the changes in pedagogical approach and effectiveness facilitated, not the videos themselves.

Digital video as part of a blended learning environment

There are numerous ways video can be integrated into an existing curriculum.

There are many free or low-cost video software programs for teachers to use.

Videos can be hosted free online, or on a school server for students to access.

Video podcasts can also be set up and made available online free of cost.

Videos can be saved in a variety of formats for viewing on any digital device.

Options for teachers

Even at its best, it is still mostly passive learning.

There are many poor instructional videos available on video sharing sites like YouTube.

If every teacher starts flipping their classes, students will spend hours every night staring at a computer screen.

Most instructional videos are nothing more than a regular classroom lecture on video, which is a poor use of the technology.

Criticisms of integrating digital video

Many mathematics instructional videos follow a deeply flawed classroom instructional model that looks like this.

1. The teacher presents a new technique, skill or concept to the class by explaining and demonstrating at the board in front of the classroom.

2. Students are given several related problems to practice in class.

3. More problems for further practice and reinforcement are assigned as homework.

4. The next day, the teacher goes over the homework problems. There might be further practice, or even a quiz over the same kind of problems.

5. The cycle begins again with a new topic.

Sound familiar?

Why the criticisms are valid, at least for math.

It provides no reason or motivation for students to work out anything on their own.

There is little or no student inquiry involved.It provides little or no academic rigorThere is little opportunity for students to

engage in productive struggle.

Why this pedagogical method is bad

When students are productively struggling, they are working on a task or problem that requires higher-level thinking and inquiry.

Students are “provided both the time and encouragement within the classroom culture to engage with the problem.” (Merseth, 2009)

The teacher does not explain how to do everything for the students, rather the students struggle to create and build on their own understandings.

Recent brain research indicates that for deeper learning to take place, “struggle is not optional – it’s neurologically required.” (Coyle, 2009)

Productive struggle

Academic rigor can be defined as “helping kids to think for themselves” (Allen, 2012)

It is characterized by students:knowing how to create their own meaning out

of what they learnorganizing information to create mental modelsintegrating skills into whole sets of processesapplying what they have learned to new or

novel situations

(Allen, 2012)

Academic rigor

For instructional videos to be truly effective tool in a blended learning environment, the designers of the videos should strive toincorporate the principles of sound

instructional designintroduce more opportunity for productive

struggle, leading to enhanced academic rigorcreate video lessons based on inherently

compelling and interesting learning situationsbreak the mold of just recording a routine

lecture or lesson

A better model for instructional video

ReferencesAllen, R. (2012, August). Education Update: Teaching Financial Literacy: Support Struggling Students with Academic Rigor. Membership, policy, and professional development for educators - ASCD. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from

http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/aug12/vol54/num08/SupportStruggling-Students-with-Academic-Rigor.aspx

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Cotterell, A. (2012, July 9). The Innovative Educator: Educators Examine Flipped Classrooms. The Innovative Educator. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2012/07/educators-examine-flipped-classrooms.html

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Hertz, M. B. (2012, July 10). The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con | Edutopia. K-12 Education & Learning Innovations with Proven Strategies that Work | Edutopia. Retrieved February 18, 2013 from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-pro-and-con-mary-beth-hertz

Mills, S. C., & Tincher, R. C. (2003). Be the Technology: A Developmental Model for Evaluating Technology Integration. Journal of Research on Technology In Education, 35(3), 382-401. 

Merseth, K. (2009). Learning Opportunities for Pathways Classrooms. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from

http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/sites/default/files/learning_opportunities.pdf

Morain, M., & Swarts, J. (2012). YouTutorial: A Framework for Assessing Instructional Online Video. Technical Communication Quarterly, 21(1), 6-24.

Murphy, K. (2013, January). Technology techniques: Using them the right way. Science Scope. 6-7. 

Tucker, B. (2012). The Flipped Classroom: Education Next. Education Next. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from http://educationnext.org/the-flipped-classroom/