Book Review: The Power of Blended Learning in the Sciences

Review by Doreen Lewis, Ph.D.

The Power of Blended Learning in the Sciences
by Dr. Oliver Dreon, Dr. Ivan A. Shibley, Jr., and Dr. Timothy D. Wilson
The Part-Time Press, 2019, 164 pp. $20.00

The Power of Blended Learning in the Sciences serves instructors as a guide to developing a blended learning environment in science courses.  The book is nicely laid out… organized, and chapters flow.  It’s written in a conversational tone (informal) and it’s a rather quick read, too.  There are facts supported by research and literature. I like that the book uses large icons to call the reader’s attention to important messages. A “key” icon designates “how-to” tips.  And a “traffic light” icon suggests that the reader take warning (tips what NOT to do).   The book is divided into 16 chapters.

Chapter 1 provides a lesson about how the brain stores information – or – how we learn, biologically… cortex, glucose processing, neurons, depolarization wave, synapse, nerve, neurotransmitters, axons, cerebrospinal fluid, memory, etc. (great background about science behind memory).  Suffice it to say, the point of this introductory chapter is that a lot of “stuff” is in the minds of students, so the teacher’s responsibility is to organize information and supplement material with interesting things to enhance retention, and not overwhelm students. Use multi-media to enliven the senses and be advised that PowerPoint slides “don’t count” (PowerPoint fails to combine sensory input, working memory to long-term memory.)

Chapters 2 and 3 are about the blending processes. The authors explain that there is power in being a content expert in what you teach, but that is not enough.  It is necessary to incorporate teaching strategies to pass along knowledge (Pedagogical Content Knowledge, PCK). To engage students and activate learning, it is necessary to interact with them and avoid lecturing. Students have experiences and opinions and faculty can facilitate discussion by asking, “what if…?” questions, challenging existing beliefs, asking more complex questions so as not to elicit parroted right answers only. TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) is introduced as the use of technology in teaching. 

Chapter 3 answers the question, “Why Blend?”  There are numerous existing models of blended learning environments and the authors settle on a definition that means that online plus face-to-face instructional modes are used with intention based on what’s appropriate.  Using an acronym, BLEND, they explain the methodology for creating a classroom that is balanced, learner-centered, engagement-driven, novel, and dynamic. I like that they’ve created a list of quality questions that instructors can ask themselves (like a checklist) to see if areas to focus on strategizing.

Chapters 4 and 5 are about teaching in a way that is active.  The authors offer an interesting premise: to assign pre-class work and expect students to have performed the work and arrive to class prepared.  In contrast, many traditional instructors lecture on what students should have read (but didn’t) prior to class.  The trick is to have students perform an exercise prior to class, instead of simply read the chapter.  This could be in the form of a quiz or an interactive video, for example.  These types of activities improve learning.  It challenges the faculty to get creative and organized with their strategy for teaching before the semester even begins.   

Chapter 6 reminds the reader about the memory process and how easy it is for students to forget what they just learned as they carry on in other classes and about their days.  Instructors need to help students retain information.  This comes by way of “rehearsal,” such as self-testing, or having students write their own quiz questions and answers to submit, or even having students create their own Wiki page about a topic.

Chapters 7 and 8 introduce the advantages of using technology.  Freedom of time and ability to rewind and re-watch lessons are strategies that work for students. A few case studies are presented to showcase the positive effects.  The scientific principles that deal with information processing and memory are contain herein, with a detailed adaptation of other theorists, such as Mayer. Then, in Chapter 9, the idea of collaborative learning is suggested.  Students can help each other, and they enjoy doing so.  Several resources are proposed for student interaction such as blogs and online document sharing websites, and classroom games. Chapter 10 explains use of “classroom response system (i.e., a clicker),” which allow for real-time interaction in the classroom, itself.

Chapters 11 and 12 deal with assessment, keeping in mind that students often, “do not know what they do not know,” so successful educators help them assess their knowledge.  It is also important for instructors to measure their own success.  This can be explored through instructor satisfaction. Surveys are a great tool.  Grading is, indeed, an important measurement of a course’s success.

Chapters 13 through 15 are important chapters for instructors who have a blend of class ranks or student backgrounds in their courses.  You’ll find tips for integrating the levels of science experience from introductory to advance courses in teaching one course. There are also creative suggestions for generating enthusiastic response to your course subject for non-science majors.  The author provides reasoning to support that you can effectively blend labs for students working together.  Finally, Chapter 16 guides instructors as to how they can grow as a teacher.  There are suggested reading sources to help faculty stay in touch with others in their field and connect to support others.

As I read, The Power of Blended Learning in the Sciences, I realized that many of the suggested integrative classroom techniques are ones that I had been doing in my classroom for several years already.  For me, many techniques developed in my planning and revising course content based on what didn’t work in my classroom (e.g., straight lecture). It was by experience, alone, I learned to communicate with students to understand intimately what they needed and what made learning real to them.  Young people today are unafraid to tell instructors what subject matter is difficult, and they will ask directly, “show me,” instead of “tell me.”  For faculty who are planning to revise courses to a blended format, this book is a short cut and better than learning the hard way through experience (like I did).  The authors, though science-minded, have tools and ideas that overlap any collegiate discipline.  

This is a recommended book for any instructor who wants to capture student interest in the subject they teach and ensure that student learning encompasses a real world experience involving all the senses.

*****