Running head: SPECIAL LEARNING 1

Blended Learning in Special Populations

Spring (2021)

Team Name: Ninjas of Knowledge

Change Agents: Kari Cooper, April Lemonds, Leila Parker & Jeremy Trimmer

Client: Coach Herkie

Innovation: Blended Learning

Intended Adopters: Teachers and Students

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Abstract

Blended learning is an educational innovation that combines individual, digital, student

learning with face-to-face instruction. Blended learning relies on the use of technology and

lessons that provide individualized instruction. This can be extremely beneficial for students in

special populations. The instructional delivery method allows for teachers and students to adapt

to the uses of technology and an increasingly more digital society.

Pantherland High School is located in Northwest Georgia and has a student population

of approximately 1,300 students. Blended learning would provide students with flexibility in their

learning and allow students to take ownership of their learning. To develop an action plan,

surveys and interviews were conducted with teachers and students to determine their thoughts

and interests regarding blended learning. The results of these tools were used to create overall

goals, and the steps for the action plan are provided along with a plan for sustainability.

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1a. Innovation

In this section, we present an overview of the innovation we are proposing for our

project. We define the innovation, we explain what advantages it may bring to the context, and

we note its five attributes in terms of Rogers’ (1995) Diffusion of Innovations change model. For

this project, we will be examining blended learning; specifically in special populations. Due to

the COVID-19 pandemic the education system has really depended on technology to ensure

that students continue to learn no matter their location. Blended learning and teaching is an

avenue for students to take on more responsibility for their own learning, and allows flexibility for

the teacher and student.

Definition and General Features of the Innovation

Blended learning can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be a combination of multiple

teaching approaches, a combination of different modalities and media, or a combination of

face-to-face teaching and computer-based teaching. It is a double-sided advantage to learning

(Rivera, 2017). It is not strictly a teacher lecturing in the classroom, but it is also not strictly

online. The purpose of blended learning is to create a shift from a traditional teacher focused

classroom to more of a student focused classroom. It allows the student to pick their own time

and environment for learning, and it is an opportunity for the teacher to personalize their

teaching based on the students and their individual needs. Blended learning, when properly

planned and implemented, will enhance the learning environment (Hofmann, 2018). With that

being said, not every student thoroughly enjoys a blended learning environment due to the fact

that seeking immediate help is difficult (Alvarado-Alcantar, 2018).

Blended learning requires the following infrastructure: a learning management system

and access to various educational programs; such as IXL or Edmodo. It requires the following

hardware infrastructure: the teacher and students will need a computer and dependable

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internet connections. Blended learning allows Walker County Schools to prepare students for a

working environment where they could potentially be working from home. In conclusion, studies

have shown that students who work in a blended environment are more professionally

developed and have more self confidence when working on their own (Saltan, 2017).

Rationale

Technology is advancing in society and to keep up with this advancement, changes in

instructional delivery must change as well (Alvarado-Alcantar, 2018). Blended learning allows

for teachers and students to make the necessary instructional delivery changes. Many systems

are already using a blended learning model in reaction to the COVID19 pandemic. Therefore,

more educators are becoming aware of blended learning and may be more willing to adopt the

innovation.

Five Attributes of the Innovation

Rogers (1995) states that there are five attributes that describe the rate of adoption of an

innovation. These attributes are relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and

observability. The relative advantage of blended learning is that the innovation provides more

convenience and better results over traditional learning. Blended learning is compatible with the

way that education is already viewed; however, there may be some difficulties that need to be

overcome in the introduction and implementation of this innovation. Given the nature of blended

learning, there is an opportunity to try and determine the benefits before it is fully adopted.

Lastly, blended learning provides opportunities to see positive results for stakeholders.

Relative advantage. Some students with special needs are drawn to a fully online

learning format; however, this format proves to have smaller student gains than the traditional

classroom. When students are in a blended learning environment, the teachers can more

accurately assess the effectiveness of a lesson during the face-to-face portion of the class.

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Therefore, a blended learning environment has surfaced as an alternative to better meet the

needs of the students (Rivera, 2017). The relative advantage, then, of blended learning for the

student is the increase in learning through more flexible and individualized instruction. For the

teacher, the relative advantage is the opportunity to use technology and digital resources for

student growth and increasing the effectiveness of lessons for each individual student.

Compatibility. Traditional methods of instruction, including students being in a

classroom learning from a teacher and having a teacher provided answers to questions, allows

for individualized instruction for students with disabilities. Additionally, research has shown that

when online instruction and assessments are used and blended with the traditional classroom

setting, there are benefits to students with disabilities. Therefore, blended learning, where the

students with learning disabilities receive the traditional face-to-face guidance in addition to

digital materials to reinforce instruction have proven beneficial (Rivera, 2017). Adopters of

blended learning are already familiar with the value of individualized instruction for all students,

especially those with disabilities. Teachers can rely on past experiences with specialized

instruction to ensure that the benefits of blended learning are used to guide student learning.

As education becomes more and more individualized, blended learning provides a unique

opportunity to meet the needs of all students.

Complexity. Blended learning has moved to the forefront of consideration as a viable

method in the special education classroom. While it’s not new to education, it does still present

some unique and complex challenges to both educators and students. Studies have shown

special education teachers are not being trained for or equipped with the skills necessary to

implement blended learning in their classrooms in a way that will benefit special needs students

(Rivera, 2017). Additionally, teachers are found to struggle with the “ability to integrate effective

virtual opportunities into a typical classroom day” (Riviera, 2017) and it’s found that in

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synchronous blended learning classrooms, students who are in the classroom virtually will often

feel though they are excluded or an outsider in the classroom community (Angelone, Warner,

and Zydney, 2020).

Special needs students themselves will have potential limitations with computer skills

and the general technological knowledge needed for the platforms and experiences used in the

class. Some researchers have suggested that a “framework” needs to be created for teaching

students with disabilities specific strategies to be successful in online courses - especially in

regards to reading and comprehension (Ludlow, 2014). It is with these complexities in mind that

training opportunities for special education teachers are necessary to further expand blended

learning options in special education (Carbonell, Dailey-Hebert, and Gijselaers, 2013).

Trialability. The trailability of an innovation such as blended instruction will naturally

allow for flexibility and experimentation as “the blended classroom experience has the ability to

take many different forms” (Rivera, 2017). Ratios of face to face learning and virtual lessons can

be altered and adjusted from class to class very easily depending on the students’ needs and

the technology needed. Students with special needs have Individualized Education Plans

(IEPs) thus, each student’s individualized instruction and strategies will vary. “The IEP process

in a blended classroom is a technical procedure requiring collaboration between the general

education and special needs teacher. The requirements include students with disabilities being

evaluated for their IEPs in both face-to-face and virtual meetings, as the student will be

evaluated in both classroom formats” (Rivera, 2017). This planning and coordination for each

student will result in differing strategies for each student and should begin with introductory

lessons on the virtual platforms in small increments and because ‘one size does not fit all’,

experimentation is by nature expected.

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Observability. Studies have shown the benefits of blended learning & instruction in the

classroom. Online instruction has proved to be especially beneficial to students with special

needs as teachers have stated. For example, in a recent study “survey results showed that 69%

of teachers observed that online education has made it easier for students with visual

limitations, 83% of teachers agreed that online education has made it easier for students with

auditory limitations, and 92% of teachers agreed that online education has made it easier for

students with physical limitations to achieve their academic goals” (Marteney and Bernadowski,

2016). Furthermore, 83% of teachers stated they observed an increase in student motivation

66% of teachers found an improvement in writing skills, and 81% of teachers found that

students received more individualised support and feedback in an online setting versus face to

face traditional learning. 53% of teachers teaching students with IEPs felt that online instruction

made it easier to implement students’ accommodations.

1b. Context

In this section we will describe the school and classroom environment for the diffusion of

blended learning. The description will include a summary of the climate, as well as demographic

information of the school. We will provide details of the school population, focusing on the

special needs students that blended learning can benefit.

Description of the School

Pantherland High School is a suburban high school located in northwest Georgia in the

small town of Rossville. Pantherland is located just two and a half miles from the Tennessee

border near Chattanooga. It is a part of the Walker County School District and is one of two high

schools within the district. Pantherland High School serves approximately 1,300 students per

year in grades 9-12. The school currently is fully operational on a regular schedule five days a

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week with in- person learning. As of now, less than 300 students have chosen to attend school

virtually.

Parental involvement is a problem at Pantherland. The rural atmosphere in which the

school finds itself has meant that the parents of many of the students are not high school

graduates. As a result, many parents and students alike place little emphasis on attaining a high

school diploma and even less emphasis upon post-secondary education. Many of the students

are from single parent homes. In some of these homes, one parent lives in Georgia and the

other in Tennessee. As a result, these students begin school at Pantherland in August, withdraw

to attend school in Tennessee when they go live with the other parent, only to return to

Pantherland in January or February when they return to live with the original parent. Another

factor that influences the academic achievement is the economic circumstances in which a

significant number of our parents and students find themselves. Pantherland High School has

approximately 75% of the students that receive Free/Reduced lunch and 17% of the population

receives educational services. Pantherland has recently launched a dual enrollment program

that allows 11 th and 12 th graders the opportunity to earn college credits at a local community

college while completing their high school diploma. Pantherland also offers students the

opportunity to join the Honors Academy where they can enroll in AP courses and earn college

credits.

Demographic Data for Pantherland High School

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The Pantherland school improvement plan includes ensuring that all students at all

cognitive levels receive the skills and complete all requirements to graduate from high school

and be ready for college, work and life. The goal is that by June 2021, over 90% of the senior

cohort will graduate high school. Plans to achieve this goal include improving literacy, numeracy

and written expression. The plan also includes updating technology devices (laptops,

chromebooks, vision boards and video cameras) to help support student engagement and

student success, as well as purchasing new classroom furnishings to support hands-on

learning.

Lack of funding in previous years has hindered the acquisition of necessary technology,

but in 2020 the school received a grant for 1:1 technology for all students. Due to the COVID-19

pandemic, delivery of these devices has been delayed and have still not been received.

Although Pantherland is currently transforming to a technology-centered school of learning,

there is a need to improve teachers‘ capacity for effective teaching through the provision of

technological tools. A technology coach is employed and provides on-going professional

development focusing on the use of technology and technology-based instructional strategies

and familiarizing teachers with multiple ways that technology can supplement their curriculums,

actively engage students in the learning process, and enrich their classroom instruction.

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Our innovation of blended learning will be diffused in a self-contained special education

classroom. This classroom currently has eight students with all but two students attending

in-person instruction. The classroom focuses on academic, as well as pre-vocational training.

Due to the pandemic, students can’t currently attend and participate in training on the job sites.

This places more of a focus on academic instruction. During the academic instruction, each

lesson is modified based on the individual needs of each student. Technology is utilized in the

classroom, but is an extension of the teaching and not utilized for individual enrichment. The

teacher controls the learning with very little student control.

General Characteristics of the Intended Adopters

Our first intended adopter is Coach Herkie at Pantherland High School. Coach

Herkie is a 29 year old, white female. She has six years of teaching experience and currently

teaches in a Special Education Classroom, which also serves as a Community Based

Vocational Educational Classroom. Her students are in 9-12th grade and range in age from

16-20 years old. Students can stay until the day before their 22nd birthday. Coach Herkie’s

education includes a Bachelor's degree in Special Education from Jacksonville State University

and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction Accomplished Teaching from

Valdosta State University. Prior to her current position, she taught in both a resource and

co-teaching classroom. Through an informal interview with Coach Herkie, she stated that she

isn’t fully familiar with blended learning but is very interested in learning how to use it to teach

her students.

Next, our additional intended adopters are the eight students in Coach Herkie’s class.

Student one is a twenty-year old white male in grade 12+ who has a mild intellectual disability.

Student two is a sixteen-year old white female in grade 10 who has a moderate intellectual

disability. Student three is an eighteen-year old white male in grade 12 who has a mild

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intellectual disability. Student four is a twenty-year old white male in grade 12+ who has a

moderate intellectual disability. Student five is a nineteen-year old white male in grade 12+ who

has a moderate intellectual disability. Student six is a seventeen-year old white female in grade

12 who has a mild intellectual disability. Student seven is a twenty-year old white male in grade

12+ who has Autism. Student eight is a 20 year-old white male in grade 12+ who has a mild

intellectual disability.

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2. Analysis

In this section, we present an overview of the analysis of our proposed innovation:

Blended Learning in Special Populations. We interviewed two teachers and three students from

Pantherland and asked them about their views, knowledge, and concerns about blended

learning in special populations. On a larger scale, we also asked them about their school

environment. Such as, whether or not the school had the required infrastructure and if they

would have support from administration, stakeholders, and the community.

Method and Sample

An interview protocol was created to be delivered to students and teachers. This

protocol was followed during interviews with two teachers, a classroom teacher and a parapro,

and three students who are all high school seniors. The interviewer followed the protocol in

order and the responses were recorded to allow for review and analysis. The interviews took

place in the classroom at Pantherland.

Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Innovation

1) Teachers

The teacher and parapro that participated in the interview were optimistic in the benefits

of blended learning, especially for students with special needs. The parapro admitted that he

has a more traditional view of education and isn’t always receptive to change. However, he

views blended learning as a positive change and beneficial for student learning. The classroom

teacher believes that blended learning allows for more individualized instruction for her

students. She also noted the benefit of self-motivation; students can spend more time on the

topics that are of interest to them or that they feel they need more work. There were mixed

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perceptions of technology. The teacher views technology as an essential tool in education while

the parapro suggests that students and teachers need to be cautious in becoming too reliant on

technology.

2) Students

The students that were interviewed have positive attitudes towards blended learning.

Each of them stated that they enjoy using technology on a regular basis. They like the idea of

having the opportunity to work on their assignments in their own environment and on their own

time. Each of them explained that they constantly have their phones with them, so even if they

are not near a computer they would still be able to access materials or communicate with their

teachers. The use of their phones and computers is a constant in their lives, so the students

seemed excited about blended learning.

Knowledge and Skills in Relation to the Innovation

1) Teachers

The classroom teacher states a strong confidence in the use of technology. She is a

google certified educator. She believes that she uses technology in her classroom in a manner

that enhances student learning and that her students are capable of navigating learning using

technology. Knowledge and skill is also improving, credited to the Covid-19 pandemic, for the

pararo in the use of technology. He is confident in using google meets and monitoring online

lessons and assignments.

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2) Students

The students interviewed shared different levels of confidence in their skills in relation to

blended learning. One student stated a medium level of confidence due to the fact that she is

confident in using technology, but she does not fully understand what blended learning means

or entails. Another student is very confident in their ability to use technology in the blended

learning environment because he knows he can rely on his teachers. He stated that if he

needed assistance, he knows that his teachers will help him anyway they can.

Concerns about the Innovation

1) Teachers

Time and support were stated as the greatest concerns about the innovation. The

participants of the interviews stated that support would be necessary for this innovation to be

successful. A great deal of time would be needed to individualize instruction and navigate the

online platform. A concern is that this would increase students’ and teachers’ dependency on

technology.

2) Students

The students did not state many concerns regarding blended learning. The one concern

that was mentioned by a student was regarding being able to find the correct information. The

student stated that they may have a hard time finding what they are looking for online when they

are on their own.

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Adopters’ Support Needs

1) Teachers

In order for blended learning to be implemented successfully, technology supports would

have to be in place to assist teachers. For this particular class, the technology would have to

contain a “read to” feature. It was suggested that a checklist type tool would be helpful for

teachers learning how to navigate blended learning. A support class or online tutorial were also

suggested as support tools that would be helpful in adopting this innovation.

2) Students

The support need mentioned by the students is the classroom teachers. A student

stated that in order to get his work done successfully, he would need the support of his teacher.

He explained that even if he is not face to face with his teachers, he will still need their

assistance and support.

Social and Organizational Factors

1) Teachers

Monetary issues were the greatest factors discussed by interview participants. In order

for this innovation to be successful, they stated that money needs to be available at county and

state levels to provide the technology needed to support this innovation. In the district that

Pantherland is located, the teachers stated that they are in a stagnant place. The funds are not

readily available to support this type of learning. With that being said, they believe that the

students, teachers, local and state communities would support this innovation.

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2) Students

The students interviewed struggled to answer this question. They are likely not aware of

all of the social and organizational factors that contribute to the school setting. One student

stated that support should be offered by the school.

Barriers to the Innovation

1) Teachers

A barrier stated by the teachers was the amount of time teachers would need to plan

individualized lessons. There are so many ways in which students learn and the support

needed from each student by one teacher may be overwhelming, preventing blended learning

from truly being successful. There simply are not enough teachers or resources to provide

completely individualized instruction for every student.

2) Students

The answers to the interview questions regarding barriers were very limited. These

limitations were likely due to not being familiar with the term and what obstacles or barriers

could exist. The students all stated that they did not see a barrier to blended learning.

Enablers of the Innovation

1) Teachers

A few enablers of the innovation as stated by the teachers were a professional

development course, view some examples, and more technology in the building. In order to

implement blended learning successfully, the teachers would need a course to define the

learning model and be trained on the best way to implement. The teachers also stated that they

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would like to see a few examples of blended learning. It would be beneficial to see what worked

well for other schools and what did not work, as well as have a better understanding of what it

looks like once carried out. A blended learning environment could be successful at their school

if they had more technology readily available. If the school had more resources, they could

better support students and their individual needs while learning.

2) Students

When asked about what would make students successful in a blended learning

environment, students stated both the use of technology and their teachers. One student said

that he would use technology, mostly his phone, to be successful. Another student stated that

the teacher helping when needed would make her successful.

Five Representative Quotes

1) Teachers

● Teacher 1: “As an educator, I really like the idea of blended learning. I believe that it will

help students with intellectual disabilities receive individualized education in some ways

while helping students receive the content.”

● Teacher 2: “I’m more open to it than I was before the pandemic, if we didn’t have the

online presence we have now, just think how far the students would be behind. They

would have lost a whole year of their education, but we should be cautious of getting too

dependent on it as students & teachers alike.”

● Teacher 1: “As a teacher, just the unknown can be scary when implementing a new idea

into the classroom or instruction. I believe that for educators there may need to be more

support for implementing blended learning within a classroom.”

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2) Students

● Student 1: “I just like using technology because it’s my favorite thing to be on.”

● Student 2: “It makes me happy. I can do stuff on my own and by myself.”

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3. Technology Integration Plan

Summary of Problem the Proposed Innovation Will Solve

At Pantherland High School, the introduction of Innovation: Blended Learning will help

teachers to better educate students. It will require students to become more comfortable with

technology as well as require them to take ownership of their own learning. They will establish

practices that will help them to become successful students and citizens.

Goal(s)

The goal(s) for the current action plan is/are as follows:

(a) Pantherland High School will incorporate technology into student learning and introduce a

blended learning environment.

(b) Students will take ownership of their learning and establish practices to be successful and

responsible students and citizens.

Step 1: Establish an Immediate Need

Action steps or strategies. In order for teachers, students, and stakeholders to agree

to start implementing blended learning, there should be an immediate need established. A staff

meeting will be held to provide information to teachers on why blended learning is effective and

why it should be implemented in the coming school year. Then a series of smaller meetings will

be held, and teachers will be divided into their content areas. These will be to inform teachers

on what blended learning looks like in the everyday classroom as well as provide tips on how to

best implement it in their specific area. Also, students and stakeholders will attend an

informational meeting describing the benefits of blended learning.

Rationale. Before implementing blended learning into Pantherland High School, the

staff, parents, and stakeholders need to see that there is a need for blended learning. With the

recent events that took place during the year 2020, schools and companies across the country

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were forced to perform from home. Students were required to take on more responsibility for

their own learning, and many companies asked their employees to complete their job from

home. Blended learning is a shift from a traditional teacher focused classroom to a more

student focused classroom, and the student is taking more control of their own learning. The

purpose of the various meetings is to inform, and to get everyone involved to ‘buy in’ to blended

learning and see its benefits.

Key actors and resources.

● Administration
● Teachers
● Parents
● Students
● Stakeholders
● Meeting Space
● Devices to present materials

Timeline. This step will take 1 week. This would provide enough time for all the

necessary informative meetings to take place.

Step 2: Form a Leadership Team.

Action steps or strategies. A leadership team will be formed after everyone has had

time to process the information about blended learning and what it looks like in and out of the

classroom. The team will consist of an administrator, teacher, parent, student, and stakeholder.

These people will be the Early Adopters of blended learning, and will be “the individual(s) to

check with” (Rogers, 2003). Leaders will be chosen based on their integrity, passion, and

technology abilities.

Rationale. Choosing a leadership team is a crucial decision that will affect the diffusion

of blended learning at Pantherland. The leaders are critical to helping carry out a vision and

setting the tone for the people around them. There is so much more to being a leader of

blended learning than simply understanding technology; it is also being able to work with others.

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Administrators, as well as formal and informal teacher leaders, all add to the mix of leadership.

They have the power to improve student leaders in their hands, which they have distributed

amongst themselves (Gura, 2018).

Key actors and resources.

● Change Agents
○ Administrative leader
○ Teacher Leader
○ Student Leader
○ Parent Leader
○ Stakeholder leader
● Meeting Space

Timeline. This step will take 1 week. This is enough time for all the participants to

process the information about blended learning and make a decision on whether or not to be a

leader.

Step 3: Create a strategic plan.

Action steps or strategies. Utilizing the information collected from the teacher and

student interviews, an implementation plan will be developed addressing specific areas of

need. These needs will be addressed by following stages 1, 2, and 4 of Rogers’ 5 stage

process for the diffusion of an innovation. In stage 1, knowledge, we will expose the potential

adopters to blended learning and help them to understand its purpose. In stage 2, persuasion,

we will convey the benefits of blended learning in detail by invoking relative advantage, showing

blended learning to be better than the current learning environment. In stage 4, implementation,

we will assist the adopters and show them how blended learning is a useful tool for both the

teachers and the students. We will do this by creating goals, assisting with attainment of these

goals, providing proper training for teachers, and administering training on useful technology

tools.

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Rationale. Schools must adopt a new way for learning, especially including the use of

technology, in order to prepare students for the future. In order for teachers to fully understand

the integration of technology, training for the teachers is required. This training must include

helping the teachers understand the technology tools themselves and how each tool can be

utilized to teach content, enabling the students to learn a difficult content more readily (Ertmer &

Leftwich, 2010).

Learner centered instruction is more important than ever (Reigeluth & Duffy, 2014). With

this need so eminent, teachers crave guidance. Teachers do not feel prepared unless we give

them the action steps, resources and training necessary to feel confident in the implementation

of the innovation. According to Tate et. al (2014), “For people to effectively embrace a change

initiative, it is important to elucidate a deeper understanding of the words that frame the

language of change and properly set the stage on which a change initiative is launched.”

Key actors and resources.

● Change agents (leadership team members)

● Intended adopters (teachers and students)
● Data collection from interviews
● Access to technology tools
● Time for training on technology tools

Timeline. Step one in the planning process will take one week to ensure the intended

adopters are knowledgeable enough about blended learning and to understand its purpose.

Step two will take one to two weeks. This step will be thorough showing how blended learning is

more effective than the traditional learning format. Step three will be ongoing throughout the

school year with the change agents assisting the intended adopters with the full implementation.

Step 4: Communicate.

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Action steps or strategies. At all times during the communication phase, opinion

leaders and change agents will use the Stages of Concern component of the Concerns-Based

Adoption Model (CBAM) to inform and assist the intended adopters (Hall, 1979). In the

information stage, we will clearly communicate the observable benefits of blended learning. For

the consequence component, all lines of communication will be open to address any concerns

with how the innovation will impact student learning and how to make it most effective. We will

communicate with the teacher, paraprofessional, and students through face-to-face meetings,

Google Meet, and via e-mails.

Rationale. Rogers (1995) lists communication channels as one of the four main

elements of diffusion. Developing and maintaining a good rapport with the teacher is dire. As

Ford (1999) stated, “Communication is the catalyst and driver of change.” In order for teachers

to fully understand the integration of technology, training for the teachers is required. This

training must include helping the teachers understand the technology tools themselves and how

each tool can be utilized to teach content, enabling the students to learn a difficult content more

readily.

Change communication consists of information sharing, fostering participation, vision

creation, providing social support during the change process and evaluating the change

implementation. Even when there is open communication, the change process can be messy. In

order for the innovation to be successful, the change agent must communicate effectively with

stakeholders.

Key actors and resources.

● Change agents (leadership team members)

● Intended adopters (teachers and students)
● Time and meeting space for face-to-face conferences
● Technology device for Google Meet and E-mail

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Timeline. Communication between the change agents and intended adopters should be

continuous throughout the first year of implementation. Frequent communication (1-3x wkly) will

be essential in the initial stages of implementation.

Step 5: Identify and develop a plan to overcome obstacles.

Action steps or strategies. Surveys will be used to rate student and teacher

understanding of blended learning and their interest in implementing the innovation. From there

obstacles can be identified and a plan can be developed to address the issues. Interviews will

also be conducted with teachers and students to determine expected obstacles. From here a

plan will be developed to account for and overcome the anticipated obstacles. Since it is

impossible to plan for all obstacles, there will be flexibility in the plans designed to overcome

obstacles. Teachers, especially, will be encouraged to remember that rigidity in the plan is

counterproductive to its success.

Rationale. Planning for possible obstacles is a key factor in the success of the diffusion

of any innovation. Time must be spent anticipating possible issues and plans must be created.

However, it is impossible to plan for all possible challenges and to be prepared for every issue.

Change agents often take a formulaic approach to change and this can be problematic; change

can be too difficult to fully predict so it can be impossible to have a complete plan for

overcoming obstacles. However, the lack of planning and preparation in how to overcome

obstacles will lead to problems (Judge & Terrell, 2013). Therefore, obstacles will be identified

and plans will be developed to overcome them, and change agents will be encouraged to have

flexibility when approaching obstacles.

Key actors and resources.

● Change agents (leadership team members)

● Intended adopters (teachers and students)
● Time to create, conduct, and analyze interviews and surveys
● Interview protocols and surveys

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● Devices and/or space to complete survey and interviews

Timeline. The total timeline should be approximately six weeks. One week to plan and

prepare surveys and interviews, two weeks to complete the surveys and interviews and a final

week to review and analyze the data. Then the team would have two weeks to create a

strategic plan to overcome potential obstacles.

Step 6: Establish a reward system for meeting goals.

Action steps or strategies. Short-term goals will be created for both the teachers and

students that reflect the main goals for the diffusion of blended learning. Then, a reward plan

will be developed to acknowledge these wins. The reward system will consist of positive

feedback and recognition. For example, students who demonstrate responsibility by attending

to their digital work and maintaining their face-to-face attendance could be spot light as a

student of the week either at the classroom level or the school level. The school web-master

could also recognize these students on the school webpage. This same concept can be applied

to teachers, and those demonstrating best practices in blended learning could receive a

school-wide recognition and can become a valuable resource for teachers who may be

struggling or not complying with blended learning.

Rationale. For change that may take a long time, rewarding short-term goals can

motivate those involved in change to stay the course (Kotter, 2007). Therefore, creating

opportunities to recognize exemplar adopters may provide the needed motivation to continue

the implementation of blended learning. Rogers (2003) states that change agents must

motivate their clients to achieve their goals. So when developing the action plan, the change

agents need to know how to motivate and plan opportunities to motivate the intended adopters.

In this case, both the teachers and the students need to have opportunities to meet short-term

goals and the accomplishment of these goals needs to be celebrated.

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Key actors and resources. Administrators and school staff

● Intended adopters (teachers and students)

● School webmaster and necessary technology

Timeline. The reward system should be ongoing throughout the first year.

Step 7: Continue to develop and adapt the plan.

Action steps or strategies. Using results from surveys, interviews, and assessments

(both informal & formal), school leadership & change agents will continue to evaluate how staff

& students utilize and develop the blended learning implementation plan. Using this data with a

committed plan to be communicative & flexible will allow adjustments to be made that

addresses the needs of all staff and students. The staff will continue to be trained on a regularly

scheduled basis and armed with a “tool belt” and a variety of strategies & resources to use with

their students. Additionally, collaboration between all of the teachers will be encouraged and

cultivated through planned meeting times, coordinated planning periods, and regular

observations & staff development driven by school leadership & experts in blended learning.

Rationale. After the initial stages of change and positive results start to return, there is

often a combination of the change initiators and the change resistors in a school community that

create a premature victory celebration (Kotter, 2007). In everyone’s enthusiasm over signs of

progress, the initiators and resistors both declare victory and together, overreact to cause a halt

to the change as old habits creep back in. It is critical in the early stages and steps of the

implementation for all staff to understand the change process and as a result, increase the

collective capacity for change. “Building group capacity is difficult because it involves working

together in new ways” (Fullan, Cuttress, & Kilcher, 2005), including consistent & routine

assessments, evaluation, development, and collaboration that was only sporadically scheduled

before and with no tangible outcomes. Having the staff collectively provide feedback on what is

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productive and what is not will cultivate ownership and collaboration within and between

departments.

Key actors and resources.

● Change agents (leadership team members)

● Intended adopters (teachers and students)
● Instructors and Presenters for Staff Development
● Time to create, conduct, and analyze interviews and surveys
● Interview protocols and surveys
● Devices and/or space to complete survey and interviews

Timeline. Continued development and adjustments to the plan should start after the

initial implementation begins and should be continuous throughout the entire implementation.

Surveys, interviews, assessments, and training should be regularly scheduled to occur monthly

with collaborations between staff/team members occurring bi-weekly during coordinated

planning period & scheduled staff developments.

Step 8: Sustainability plan (culture).

Action steps or strategies. It is imperative that the school leadership and change

agents create and sustain a dedicated plan to the blended learning implementation and

curriculum. Regularly scheduled assessments, surveys/interviews, and staff developments must

be carefully crafted to always address obstacles and the needs of the school community. As

student’s and staff’s needs change, the blended learning plan must adapt and be individualized

to what best serves each student, therefore it is imperative that the collaborative culture first

created in the implementation be continued. School leadership will continue to provide

consistent semester updates regarding positive student growth and change, reiterating how the

plan has positively impacted the student’s achievements, while continuing to raise the standard

and expectation among the staff.

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SPECIAL LEARNING

Rationale. “Developing a culture for learning involves a set of strategies designed for

people to learn from each other and become collectively committed to improvement” (Fullan,

Cuttress, & Kilcher, 2005). This is especially critical in maintaining, developing, and continuing

the positive growth and improvement first seen by the implementation. As months and years go

by, it’s easy for staff members to declare victory, but it’s changing the mindset and actions while

cultivating an ever evolving environment of growth and positive change so that there is never

“an end” to the plan that is key. Consistent communication and collaboration within the entire

school community is also imperative as “broad stakeholder ownership of the process is

important for building commitment, reducing resistance, and enhancing sustainability”

(Reigeluth & Duffy, 2014). Any transformative process should use a combination of adopting

others' ideas and adapting them for the entire school community.

Key actors and resources.

● Change agents (leadership team members)

● Intended adopters (teachers and students)
● Instructors and Presenters for Staff Development
● Time to create, conduct, and analyze interviews and surveys
● Interview protocols and surveys
● Devices and/or space to complete survey and interviews

Timeline. Ongoing from the onset and continuous.

Years 3-5: Plan for Sustainability

Monitoring and evaluation are meant to influence decision-making, including decisions to

improve, redirect, or discontinue the intervention or implementation. Situation Monitoring

measures change in a condition or lack of change while Performance Monitoring measures

progress in achieving specific objectives and results in relation to the implementation plan.

Leadership must continue the dedication and activities of those before them by reassessing and

creating new objectives for growth each and every school year. If we only look at the initial goals

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and benchmarks that were created upon the initial implementation, it would be easy to have the

opinion that the job has been done and no further action is required. However, sufficient

monitoring of the plan to reassess and create new goals from year to year is imperative to

continue sustained development of the plan.

Additionally, school leaders will create yearly evaluations through staff & student

surveys, interviews, and assessments in an attempt to determine the worth or significance of the

implementation. Each Spring, change agents and the school leaders will create an evaluation

report that will contain the following:

a) Findings and Evidence that include the description and measurement

b) Conclusions that assess and analysis the findings

c) Recommendations of what should be done

d) Lessons learned from the current year, in the totality of the implementation plan, and

how those lessons will affect the plan and development of such for the next year

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Summary Table

Action Rationale Key Actors Resources Timeline

Steps/Strategies

Step 1: Establish an An immediate need should be -Administration -meeting space 1 week

immediate need established and explained to -Teachers -devices to
Pantherland High School before -Parents present
trying to implement blended -Students
learning. -Stakeholders

Step 2: Form a A leadership team will be -Administrative -meeting space 1 week

leadership team formed and these people will be Leader
the early adopters of blended -Teacher Leader
learning. -Student Leader
-Parent Leader
-Stakeholder
Leader
(Change Agents)

Step 3: Create a Utilizing the information -Change Agents 1 year

Strategic Plan collected from the teacher and -Intended
student interviews, an Adopters:
implementation plan will be -Teachers
developed addressing specific -Students
areas of need.

Step 4: At all times during the -Change Agents 1 year

Communicate communication phase, opinion -Intended
leaders and change agents will Adopters:
use the Stages of Concern -Teachers
component of the -Students
Concerns-Based Adoption
Model (CBAM).

Step 5: Inorder to plan for obstacles, -Change agents -surveys 6 weeks

Identify and plan for potential obstacles must first be -Intended -interview
obstacles identified. From there a flexible adopters: protocol
plan can be created to help the -Teachers -time
intended adopters overcome -Students -devices/space
obstacles as they arise.

Step 6: Rewarding short-term goals can -Administrators -technology 1 year

Establish reward motivate people to stay the -Intended -time
system course when implementing a adopters:
new innovation. -Teachers
-Students
-Webmaster

Step 7: Continue to After the initial stages of change -Change Agents -surveys Continued
develop and adapt and positive results start to -Intended -interview development &
the plan return, there is often a Adopters: protocol adjustment to
combination of the change -Teachers -time the plan should
start after the
initiators and the change -Students -devices/space
initial
resistors in a school community -Instructors and implementation
that create a premature victory Presenters
celebration (Kotter, 2007).

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SPECIAL LEARNING

Step 8: Develop & “Developing a culture for -Change Agents -surveys Ongoing after
cultivate culture for learning involves a set of -Intended -interview initial
learning and strategies designed for people Adopters: -protocol implementation
expanding plan to learn from each other and -Teachers -time
become collectively committed -Students -devices/space
to improvement” (Fullan, -Instructors and
Cuttress, & Kilcher, 2005). Presenters

Plan for Both monitoring and evaluation -Administration - surveys Ongoing after
Sustainability are meant to influence -Teachers - interview first year of plan
decision-making, including -Parents -protocol implementation.
decisions to improve, redirect, or -Students -time Years 2 and on.
discontinue the intervention or -Stakeholders -devices/space
implementation.

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SPECIAL LEARNING

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