2 Uses for Blendspace in the Classroom

Whether or not you embrace or endorse the flipped classroom concept, many of the ideas in the model apply to a variety of classrooms.  Presenting information to students outside of class is beneficial.  Teachers need ways to package content for students to preview/review outside of class and discuss/practice inside of class.  Luckily, many new education startups have focused on this need.  One of these startups is Blendspace.

If you are unfamiliar with Blendspace, it is a web app that specializes in packaged lesson creation.  There are many of these type of web apps available, but I have found Blendspace to be one of the most friendly to use and to have the lowest learning curve.

The Platform

Platform Home

After signing up, you will be directed to the main platform.  From the screenshot, you can see that the interface is very minimal.  Along the top is account information and notifications.  Along the left side, you have Lessons, Classes, and Gallery.  

Lessons

Lessons are the lesson packages that you have created or that you have imported from other platform users.  To create your own lesson, you simply click the New Lesson button and the platform will load the lesson editor.

Lesson Editor

The editor is a drag-and-drop interface.  Using the icons on the right, you can search for content from providers such as YouTube, Flickr, Educreations, and Gooru.  Additionally, you can upload your own videos and files.  Then, the content is simply dragged onto the tiles on the left.  To preview the lesson package, there is a Play button on the top toolbar.  

Once the lesson is finished, you press the blue Share button and then select the classes you want to share with, the privacy settings you prefer, and how you would like to share.  My favorite feature is the ability to create a QR code to share.  When a QR code is created, anyone can scan and view the lesson without having a Blendspace account or joining a class.  The lesson will simply load in the device's browser.

Sharing Options

Classes

If you wish, you are able to create classes to organize your lessons.  Once you create a class, a class code is provided that students can use to sign into Blendspace.  Personally, I prefer to either create a QR code or embed the lesson on a webpage rather than worry with numeric codes and sign ups.

Classes Tab

Gallery

Lastly, Blendspace offers a gallery of lesson packages created by other users.  The lessons are searchable by keyword only (not by grade level or any other factor, which is limiting).  The lessons are free for use.  You just choose a lesson, and there is a copy option which provides you with an exact copy of the lesson.

Gallery

Uses for Blendspace in the Classroom

1.  To present content for students outside of the classroom or as enrichment.

While some teachers might be tempted to create lessons and have students view them in class as a whole class activity, I think this is a poor use of the tool.  Blendspace is best utilized to gather background and in-depth content on a topic for students to preview or review as an out-of-class task.

For instance, you might want students to investigate Shakespeare's background and details about Elizabethan England before reading Romeo and Juliet.  You could quickly create a Blendspace with this content and provide it to the students to preview before reading the play.

Alternatively, the Blendspace lessons could be used as an enrichment activity.  For instance, while students are reading Romeo and Juliet and working on an activity, those who finish early could go scan a QR code and get additional information about the play and its history.

2.  As a platform for students to teach peers.

As educators, we know that students will remember more information if they teach it to others.  Blendspace provides an easy platform for students to create lessons and teach each other.  For instance, you could group students and assign each group to research a theme in Romeo and Juliet and create a lesson.  Then, the students could view another group's lesson.  After the viewing, the 2 groups could quiz each other and engage in a discussion.