The three features of blended learning can work together in multiple ways to allow students to make progress with their learning. The multiple models of blended learning are sometimes used in the classroom at different times, with some models being more useful than others for certain grades and subjects. Here's a further look at eight different models:
The station rotation model has students rotating through stations following a specific schedule. At least one of the stations includes online learning. This model is closest to what traditional classrooms call “centers” but must include that online component.
A station rotation may also include teacher-led small group stations and in-person activities or reading that are not online. Typically, all stations occur within the same classroom.
Due to teachers’ and students’ familiarity with this structure, station rotation is one of the most used blended models in elementary and middle school. Teachers using stations report that it gives them a sense of control and order over the blended learning environment.2
A lab rotation model is similar to station rotation, but it happens in a computer lab. In this model, students move to a computer lab to complete their online learning. While the online learning station is set in the computer lab, possibly under the direction of a paraprofessional, direct instruction likely occurs in the classroom with a teacher. This allows schools to maximize teachers’ time and allocate resources in the best ways possible.
Students working in an individual rotation blended model have a flexible schedule. They work from a playlist of assigned stations or activities. Their schedule is not fixed, so they can decide when they are ready to move on to the next activity.
These playlists might be set by a teacher or by a software algorithm. In both cases, the idea is to use data to determine where students need extra help or enrichment and schedule them into activities that meet their needs.
Teachers who adopt this model may appreciate that it optimizes their instructional time for interventions and small groups. This ensures that students receive what they need while teachers can spend their time helping students because they know that each student has a personalized set of activities to complete.
The whole group rotation model takes a simpler approach. It has the entire class moving between stations or activities as a unit. The teacher establishes the schedule, determining how long students should spend on each activity.
In some cases, the entire class may need to physically move from the classroom to another learning space, such as the computer lab. In schools in which every student has access to a device, this may not be necessary.
This blended learning model flips the work done inside and outside of the classroom. In the traditional classroom, homework is usually time for students to practice and apply what they have learned in class.
In a flipped model, however, this application and project work is completed in class while students watch videos of lectures or read course materials independently on their own time. This allows teachers to spend their time in the classroom actively supporting individual students and small groups as they practice new skills rather than lecturing.
The flex model allows students to develop their own schedules and learning activities based on their needs. The online learning component is central to the flex model, while teachers provide support and small group instruction as needed.
A flex model might include the following:
- Rooms for small group work
- Science lab space
- A computer lab
- Intervention groups
- Breakout rooms
This model is most often used in high schools because it prepares students for university environments.2 The flex model keeps the focus on close student–teacher relationships without imposing the top-down authority of the traditional school.
Students who seek a learning option that is not provided by the school can benefit from the a la carte blended model. In the a la carte model, students can complete an online course in the subject they wish to study while also taking in-person classes at school.
This model gives students flexibility over their learning content and allows them to complete courses such as electives or Advanced Placement courses their schools might not otherwise offer. This model is most common in high schools where students accumulate credit for coursework.
In the enriched virtual blended model, students complete most of their coursework online and go to school in person for just one subject or course. For example, some high school students may be able to take all their academic courses online but attend school in person twice a week to earn their physical education credits. The enriched virtual model may not require daily attendance for online work but does require minimal in-person attendance.
