WAVE teachers, administration, and technology staff attended a two day conference in Madison, Wisconsin to become certified Blended Learning facilitators. Heather Staker, founder of Ready to Blend, led a group of 30 educators from across the state in this hands-on training.
Currently, WAVE offers blended learning opportunities in the enriched virtual model. Teachers meet students in a face-to-face setting at the district storefront in the Wausau Center Mall. Here students can get additional assistance, collaborate with others, and participate in discussion based assessments. Down the road, WAVE hopes to expand the use of this space in the blended model of learning.
The Wausau team left the training excited to bring innovative blended learning opportunities back to the district for both teachers and students. In addition to the virtual experiences for students at WAVE, there will likely be opportunities, in the near future, for other district learners to experience what virtual education can offer.
Technology rich classrooms are now common place, but the disruptive innovation of changing the delivery model is at our doorstep, and we are ready to embrace the opportunities that allow student-centered, differentiated paths of learning.