Blog Post #13

The Blended Learning Cycle



Mr. Anderson is a high school AP Biology teacher in Boseman, Montana. He uses a method called The Blended Learning Cycle. The Blended Learning  Cycle is also known as QUIVERS. It has five parts: Question, Investigation/Inquiry, Video, Elaboration, Review, and Summary Quiz. In his Podcast he discusses this method and how he uses it in his classroom. I think this method gives students a good understanding of specific topics. Asking questions and getting answers is always a great start. Then, investigating information gives students an even better understanding. Watching videos gives students the opportunity to see the hands on features of certain topics. Elaboration and Review work good together, along with Summary Quiz. The student is able to see their progress. While using this strategy, Mr. Anderson also lets students peer grade. While grading others papers, students are learning as well. Mr. Anderson's strategies are very creative, and interactive. I would like to use methods like his in my classroom.

Brian Crosby- Back To The Future

In Brian Crosby's video he shows that schools with low test scores have just as much initiative as schools with high test scores. His students all get free lunch, which means they live in poverty level cities. They do not know what city they live in, their phone number, and much less the state or continent they live in. These students have come a long way since being with Mr. Crosby. Mr. Crosby stays with these children for many grade levels. In his class they blog, interact on the internet, use Skype, and other fun activities. Mr. Crosby and his students made a hot air balloon as one of their science projects. They attached a camera to it, and sent it off with the balloon. His students got to experience what it was like in the atmosphere. Using these learning techniques, Mr. Crosby has gotten the children involved and they are learning. Experiments, technology, and eventful activities are what strive students to learn. I think Mr. Crosby has many great ideas, especially his science experiments.