Online Teaching and Blended Learning

Blended Learning	e-Learning
-Uses online e-learning platforms.	-Uses online e-learning platforms.
-Combines Face-to-Face Interaction with online learning.	-Can be strictly online.
-Requires students to be in a particular place (“brick and mortar”).	-Does not require students to be in any particular place.

Examples of Possible Blended and e-Learning platforms:

• Edmodo
• Ning
• Facebook
• Any Blog, such as Blogger
• D2L
• Today’s Meet

Ministry Directives and Initiative regarding e-Learning

Below you’ll find links and information about what the MOE has to say about e-Learning and Blended Learning:

Information about e-Learning

Brochure about e-Learning

Excerpts from the Brochure:

E-Learning Ontario allows teachers to better engage and support students learning and share their expertise with colleagues across Ontario through the provincial Learning Management System (LMS) and the Ontario Educational Resource Bank (OERB).

E-Learning Ontario gives learners the flexibility they need to succeed.  It gives secondary students more learning opportunities while they work towards graduation.  And it can help elementary students improve their oral, reading, writing and math skills.

Education and student success are top priorities for the Government of Ontario.  Access to high-quality digital support through e-Learning Ontario is key to ensuring that all students succeed, regardless of their location, abilities or circumstances.

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

Below you’ll find links and videos about how Blended Learning, e-Learning, and 21st-century Learning is being rolled out in the HWDSB.

The Hub (D2L)

e-Learning

An excellent video on how 21^st-century Learning is changing the face of our schools.  The positive influence of Technology, e-Learning, and Blended Learning platforms on students and teachers can be seen in this video:

What about the Juniors?

There is most assuredly a place for e-Learning and Blended Learning at the Junior level.  A frequent occurrence is illness or injury that requires the Junior student to be away from school for an extended period of time.  From broken limbs, to pneumonia, to a family vacation that was planned a year ago, many of the wrinkles in the Junior student’s education could be ironed out by an e-Learning platform.

While e-Learning does not replace face-to-face interaction within the classroom, being able to keep up with what the class is doing in their absence would cut down significantly on the amount of time it takes Junior students to get caught up after being away.

Further, having an e-Learning platform that students can access on evenings and weekends for resources and to hand in work is a convenience that it would be nice to have available for everyone.  In other words, it’s a Universal Design for Learning.  Though e-Learning accommodates a few students, it benefits all students.