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WHY BLENDED LEARNING? What is fueling this steadily rising interest in blended learning? There are several practical benefits of blended learning. Picciano and Seaman (2012) suggest that in secondary education, online blended learning courses have been used for a variety of reasons, including the following: 1) to provide courses to students that would otherwise not be available to students (e.g., access to courses for students who live in rural areas); 2) to offer online learning courses for students who fail a course (for credit recovery); 3) to offer Advanced Placement classes; and 4) to address individual needs of specific students. While these reasons fill pragmatic needs, blended learning is also proving to be a powerful tool to fill a variety of other needs. First, blended learning customizes instruction and personalizes student learning. Second, blended learning provides teachers with the opportunity to emphasize their role as mentor as they have more time to help students overcome challenges and teach them to become problem solvers and critical thinkers. A third reason why blended learning is proving to be an effective approach t students are provided more opportunities o prioritize and own their educational choices. This student agency has proven to motivate students and prepare them for the challenges of becoming an adult learner. Each of these three benefits is discussed below. Student-Centered Learning Online courses and a myriad of other media enhancements implemented in the classroom bring the potential for increased personalization and competency-based learning. A good online course will assess students’ subject knowledge and identify gaps or weaknesses that need to be addressed. At the same time, an online course should identify areas of strength that students do not need to spend their time relearning. Furthermore, these technologies allow students to learn new subjects at their own pace. However, simply supplying technology and online learning programs in the classroom does not guarantee a personalized learning experience. A blended learning approach, with both personalized online instruction and customized teacher-student interaction, is, in the words of Horn and Staker (2015), “the engine that can power personalized and competency-based learning” ( p. 11). 4

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