Blend Learning NZ
blending educational theory into practice
Tracey Pacheco
Nicholas Bithell
BLENDED LEARNING
Blend’s vision is for every teacher to feel confident delivering quality innovative learning so every student can have learning experiences that are engaging and provide critical thinking opportunities. It’s about squeezing the most out of every teachable moment, by blending digital technologies, deep thinking inquiry or STEM together in authentic context for students.
The pedagogies that underpin our practice are constructivism, we believe students need to get hands on and create to show their understanding and connectivism where strong links are made through and across curriculum to deepen understanding. Key competencies are critical and our programmes develop student agency through collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.
MOE Accredited consultants work with leadership, teaching teams and students facilitating through strategic planning, hands-on workshops, in class modelling and support to create successful pedagogical change.
CHECK OUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE DIGI-TECH SHOWCASE
#creatorsnotusers
Sept 2019
Well, didn’t the school community turn out to support students learning with a future focussed approach!
The digi-tech showcase achieved what it set out to do - allow students to use and share with others how digital technology can weave into what we are learning across our school curriculum.
The new content in the technology curriculum is all about students becoming creators of technology rather than users, so we can better understand and value the impact technology can have in our everyday lives. It starts in the Juniors in an unplugged way. Students shared with parents how computers store information with secret binary codes, how to solve a problem by giving instructions and navigating maps to find the treasure. We even had students creating coded programs and digital books to teach us about their learning around the solar system.
We had over 50 Year 4-8 presenters attend the Senior evening event, putting their coaching hats on to teach others a digital tool or idea they were passionate about. If you made a binary bracelet, took on a kahoot quiz, played our computational thinking game, learnt how to do 3D design or code a game, played the giant piano or made a brainbox circuit - a huge thanks to the presenters. Walking through the rooms, parents and children had their curiosity ignited as they watched robots travel around the globe and wondered how a simple pencil drawing can become conductive. Our Stop Motion studio was a favourite as the Year 4s retold their stories in animated lego and playdoh.
RECENT SCHOOLS WE HAVE WORKED WITH
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