Blendspace by TES

Blend or flip your classroom

With the advent of Technology Enhanced Language Learning (TELL), English Language Teaching has adopted the blended learning approach so as to maximise student learning outside the classroom. The term blended learning refers to 'Subjects that utilise some significant online activities in otherwise face-to-face learning, but less than 45 per cent' (Thomlinson and Whittaker, 2013:12).

Introducing e-learning is thus a logical stage in education due to the plethora of online and digital resources that learners can access with mobile technology.

 

About Blendspace

It is a a free virtual learning environment (VLE) which gives teachers and teacher educators the opportunity to implement the blended learning approach by offering learners an online platform for digital content and interaction. It's intuitiveness encourages less tech-savvy teachers to fend for themselves and use their creativity to design their own online lessons.

Blendspace enables extensive learning outside the classroom as educators can use it to supplement the face-to-face courses. Teachers can quickly create insightful lessons with the wealth of available resources that TES provides from google, youtube or from ready-made teaching materials. they can also add a text, a quiz and track their learners' performances.

Ten reasons to use Blendspace

1. It is an authoring tool which helps teachers to flip or blend their classroom and reach learning objectives by designing attractive and interactive activities that can be done online.

2. It exposes students to a wide range of learning materials therefore gives them enough time during the face-to-face course for extra interactions and tasks.

3. Teachers can use it as a supplementary platform for lessons, homework and useful links related to class-based topics.

4. Blendspace can serve as a bank of videos related to relevant topics to strengthen learners' weaknesses and magnify their strength as they represent powerful instructive materials.

5. It enables learners to design, present, and share their project work with the whole class.

6. It is easy to use therefore does not require high technical skills and motivates the tech-timid ones.

7. It engages learners in an autonomous learning environment where they build confidence by completing tasks in their own pace.

8. It promotes mobile learning as learners can download the app and log in at home or school.

9. The tool also fosters collaborative learning or reflective practice among teacher support groups as they can share ideas and teaching tips on a daily basis.

10. Blendspace offers free ready-made lessons and embedded videos which cover a wide range of topics.

Watch the TES video tour and click HERE to create your first lesson




Some limitations

Since blendspace is an online platform that can be accessed only with internet connection, using it in some areas might be daunting for teachers and learners because of a lack of relevant facilities such as computers. However, urging your learners to use their mobile devices can be a viable solution but requires scaffolding and guidance in order for sustainability and effectiveness. 


Example of lesson made with Blendspace: The island of Goree