Blended Learning and the role of the teacher

Blended Learning is a powerful pedagogy. It is more than just the incorporation of technology in order to carry out traditional learning tasks in non-traditional ways. In order to be effective, it must intrinsically motivate students to achieve learning goals collaboratively. If this is carried out, it can lead to an increase in test scores and grades, improve student's writing ability, create more and more positive opportunities for co-operation and improve student - student and student - teacher discussions related to the curriculum. Most importantly, a classroom in which blending is being carried out effectively reports vastly different set of roles for the teacher and the learner.

As students begin to take more and more control over their own learning, deciding themselves what it is they wish to learn, the role of the teacher is forever altered. No longer does he or she take centre stage and disseminate the information in a set schedule according to his or her aims. The teacher must willingly give up control of what is taught and when it is taught. Students will begin to seek out the information they require, when they require it. This "just-in-time" learning model (Bolton, 1999) redefines the relationship between teacher and student by allowing the teacher to step back from the instruction and instead work to guide his or her students to the correct learning.

Teachers, educators, no longer need to focus on teaching specific information, but on the teaching of skills and processes.  It is no longer important to be the centre of attention, disseminating information.  It is instead necessary to step into the background, give up control, and allow students to lead the path to their own learning.