Blended Learning in a time of Pandemics

This two-year project, addresses three Erasmus+ priorities in the special Call in response to the Covid-19 situation. It aims to develop a package of training materials and resources at a European level to upskill school leaders and teachers in developing new online and blended learning approaches to the delivery of the curriculum at times when normal education is disrupted due to school closure or the enforced absence of teachers and students. The target age group is the Secondary sector, and the project brings together 6 partners from 5 countries. Partners will address the different types of disruption, the elements of blended learning, the challenges faced at a school level in implementing online and blended approaches, the skill sets required in both staff and students by developing and trialing models of blended learning and associated training and implementation resources. The impact of the Covid-19 disruption has highlighted issues related to policy, ensuring both quality provision, the skill sets of teachers and the danger that online learning alone can lead to wider gaps in learning due to factors such as access to the technology, the home environment, parental support and basic motivation. The project addresses these challenges in two strands. Firstly, it will address the strategic challenges faced in providing alternative approaches to traditional classroom teaching, by providing strategic guidance at a school level. Secondly it will produce a set of training resources for staff to design, test and evaluate a series of blended learning models in a range of different subjects, which incorporate personalised learning and mentoring support. The overall objectives are to:•collate existing practice of online and blended learning in the partner countries and identify priorities for development•produce a set of guidance for moving to online and blended learning at a school policy level (types of strategies, structures, schemes of work, resources, deployment of staffing, CPD needs)•develop and deliver training resources for teachers and support staff on how to deliver effective online and blended learning •pilot, test, evaluate and refine the training and models in 5 Secondary schools in 5 countries in a range of different subjects and age groups •evaluate the impact on learning and motivation, including data and feedback from students, teachers and parents•create a set of case studies from each country•disseminate the outcomes widely The outputs of the project will be:•A project website hosting downloadable resources and case studies•A set of guidance for school leaders on how to implement online and blended learning with a set of exemplar models •A set of training materials supported by teaching and learning resource covering 4 modules:oModule 1: Preparing an effective online learning approachoModule 2: Specific subject needsoModule 3: Maximising engagementoModule 4: Assessment•An impact report incorporating recommendations for school policy•A set of case studies demonstrating the programme in action in each of the 5 countries•A set of dissemination materials and seminars in 5 countries•An exploitation planThere is a need to undertake this work transnationally as the target groups in the different countries have different contexts, but the issue is an EU wide problem requiring transnational solutions. This can be achieved by sharing of best practice and expertise and by specifically creating a set of resources and methodology that is applicable and relevant for all European schools by testing them in the different contexts.