Ed Tech in Our Classrooms

 Blended learning offers a powerful way to enhance face-to-face instruction by incorporating digital tools that support diverse learning modalities. Before exploring this approach, I was most familiar with a hybrid model—one that combines in-person teaching with online or asynchronous activities. However, the blended learning model presented in the video is more nuanced and, importantly, more intentional. In the video, biology teacher Mickey MacDonald from Gainesville, Florida, explains: “Why I wanted to go to a more blended environment was so that I could figure out a way to differentiate instruction within the biology classroom… and work with students in small groups while others remain engaged in content learning.” This perspective is particularly compelling from a special education standpoint, where differentiation and inclusion are essential. Blended learning creates opportunities for targeted support. For example, small-group instruction paired with tools like iPads and ap...

Throughout my education, I’ve experienced two flipped classrooms—both in science courses. In CHEM 1 and Introduction to Microbiology, lectures were moved outside of class through videos and readings, while class time focused on problem-solving and discussion. Although the structure was similar, the execution differed significantly. In microbiology, we watched one or two short videos before class and completed guided questions. Class time was highly structured, with collaborative work that built toward increasingly complex applications. This format was effective, and I felt I learned a great deal. In contrast, the chemistry course was frustrating. Assigned lectures were outdated Zoom recordings, and we were expected to jump between timestamps to find relevant segments. Class time lacked structure, often reduced to the professor asking for questions without clear direction. As a result, the learning experience felt far less effective. Overall, flipped classrooms can be powerful when i...