ERIC Number: ED622172
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 21
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Blended Learning Offers Promise as a Strategy for Re-Engaging Students. Research Brief
Center for Promise
Students disengage from and leave high school without a diploma for many different reasons: academic struggles, personal and/or familial obligations, unsupportive school environments and imperceptible relevance of school to their lives and futures. The common thread that connects so many young people who leave before graduating is that the traditional high school model simply did not work for them. Blended learning--education programs that combine in-person and online/virtual instruction and supports--has emerged as a potentially promising practice to meet the needs of young adults looking for a viable on-ramp to a high school credential and a pathway to postsecondary education and the workforce. Blended learning takes many forms, but its underlying tenet is that technology can be used to enhance and expand teaching and learning and create student-centered educational environments--that is, learning environments that are tailored to the student instead of students adapting to the learning environment. This paper presents a landscape analysis of how blended learning currently is being used as a strategy to serve young adults 16- to 24-years-old who have re-engaged in education ("re-engaged youth") in an effort to get a high school diploma or equivalency. The analysis is based on a review of relevant empirical research and interviews with program developers, practitioners and policy makers in the field. While additional, systematic research and evaluation is needed to fully understand the efficacy of blended learning for re-engaged students, this report highlights examples of how blended learning is being used within comprehensive re-engagement strategies to address students' needs. [Funding for this report was provided by Penn Foster.]
Descriptors: Blended Learning, Learner Engagement, At Risk Students, Dropouts, High School Students, Online Courses, In Person Learning, Young Adults, Dropout Prevention, Educational Technology, Electronic Learning, Program Development, Program Implementation, Quality Assurance, Educational Policy
Center for Promise. Available from: America's Promise Alliance. 1110 Vermont Avenue NW Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-657-0600; Fax: 202-657-0601; e-mail: publications@americaspromise.org; Web site: https://americaspromise.org/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: America's Promise Alliance, Center for Promise
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A