Blended Learning - a thirst quencher

“I’ll have a Coke, please.”

This is a waitstaff’s #1 annoyance. Can you guess why?

Well, do you want Coke, Diet Coke, Diet Caffeine free Coke, Cherry Coke, Coke Classic… get the picture?

The same is true with the phrase “Blended Learning.”

Ask 10 teachers what the definition of blended learning is and you will receive 10 unique responses:  hybrid-course; online content presented in class; students working in groups on a laptop; showing a TEDx and discussing in class, students attend class and then complete homework online.

                                                               “DRINK COCA-COLA” - 1886 slogan

       “Teaching in the Internet age means we must teach tomorrow’s skills today.” - Jennifer Fleming

There is no consensus as to what Blended Learning is other than it’s a pedagogic model combining traditional frontal teaching with tangible materials with technology.

But here’s the truth - whether you are a Diet Coke fan or part of the Coke Classic Club, you still belong under the umbrella of a Coke drinker. Same with blended learning: students who use technology either in the classroom or  for learning outside the classroom are in a blended learning class.

Just as there are so many varieties of Coke, there are a ton of edtech tools. Now, let’s put down the soft drink and plunge into an ice cold refreshing can of K (that is, a can of Kaizena).

                                                    “THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES.” - 1929 slogan

       “Learning spaces should encourage students to create, collaborate, contribute, design, reflect, and more!” - Steven Weber

Kaizena’s feedback tools provide a variety of ways for students to: learn, reflect, communicate, and collaborate. In previous articles, we discussed each feedback tool in detail. All four feedback tools: text comments, voice comments, lessons, and skills are tools used in blended learning environments.

Today, we’re going to implement a taste test (sort of). For those of you who weren’t around in the 1980s, PepsiTM did a Coke vs. Pepsi taste test. Across the nation, Pepsi (the underdog at the time), set up booths where people would be given two identical cups, each one filled with one of the sodas. People were asked what they preferred; Pepsi was chosen more. (I remember as a kid walking in a mall and seeing the booth. My mom participated and chose Pepsi). 

Check out an example ad here:

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We are going to do something similar. However, there will be no tasting, acid wash jeans, leg warmers, or banana clips.

Here is a Google Form that contains four samples that require feedback. You decide which Kaizena tool to use to provide the feedback. Please complete the form. We will share the updated results regularly.

We will keep this article live for a while and refer back to it to report on what you - our Kaizena users - prefer to use.

Some quid pro quos:

1. Please only respond once (Scout’s honor)
2. There is no wrong answer.

                                            “RED, WHITE, AND YOU”- 1986 Coca-Cola Classic Slogan

          “People expect to be bored by eLearning—let’s show them it doesn’t have to be like that!” - Cammy Bean

We’re excited to see the results of this survey. We are also excited that if you use Kaizena, then you are using blended learning in your class. Just as there are a variety of Cokes, there are variety of ways to provide feedback. Our hope and goal is to have you all take away a new perspective on feedback.

                                      “YOU CAN’T BEAT THE REAL THING”- 1990 Coca-Cola Slogan