International Consultant Kate Meloney Conducted a Training at IITU

Doctoral student in International Education Policy Kate Meloney conducted a training on blended learning for teachers of schools participating in a joint project of the Akelius Foundation, UNICEF and the International Information Technology University on March 28 to 30, 2022.

Keith Meloney leads research and evaluation at the Center for Transforming Teaching and Learning at the University of Maryland. She studies digital literacy, disinformation syndrome, digital pedagogy, online learning, and digital development. During the training, she introduced teachers to the best practices of blended learning and formative assessment.

Blended learning is a combination of traditional forms of classroom learning and elements of online learning using information technology and digital resources. It is used as part of a literacy course for foreign children aged 5 to 17. This course is available on the Akelius platform and contains five levels: A0, A1, A1.1, A2 (basic) and B1 (intermediate). Children have been studying this course since September 2021 in 9 pilot schools in Kazakhstan.

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During the training, Kate Meloney spoke about class management and lesson planning, shared communication strategies and methods of formative assessment. Thanks to her presentation, educators learned how Bloom's taxonomy, flipped learning, SAMR model, universal design of learning (UDL), Technological Pedagogical content knowledge model framework (TPACK, Technological Pedagogical Content knowledge) and some other techniques are applied in practice. Kate Meloney also explained what the RISE feedback model is, introduced some common misconceptions about formative assessment, commented on the impact of trauma on the learning process, and gave a number of tips for teachers.

In particular, the discussion raised the issue that students often find online learning to be impersonal, isolating, and non-interactive. Therefore, in her speech, Kate Meloney paid special attention to the models of the learning process such as online, blended learning, and community of learning (CoI). According to her, the components of this model are the social and cognitive presence and the presence of the teacher.

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“Social presence is one aspect of the online learning process. It involves open communication, self-expression, and group cohesion. It is the ability to perceive yourself and other participants in online learning as real, which is important for the effectiveness of learning on an online platform,” Kate Meloney said.

Summing up, the speaker noted the importance of social presence: it affects academic performance, ensures greater involvement, creates a safe and inclusive learning environment, and develops 21st century skills and a generative culture.