How To Shake Up Your Teaching Routine with the Station Rotation Model

Are you looking for a new way to provide small group instruction with your larger-sized class? Or do you just want something new and exciting in your classroom?

Station rotation may be a great option for you! This classroom management tool is useful whether your students are physically in the classroom or are learning from home. 

Many teachers assume that station rotation can only be used in elementary lesson plans, but it can be adapted for every grade level. It helps engage students in the learning process, which is useful no matter what subject or age you are teaching. 

This article will outline what the station rotation model is, the various types of stations you can use, and what benefits the station rotation model has. You’ll also find some practical tips for implementing this model in your classroom. Read on to find out more.

What is the station rotation model?

The station rotation model is a series of various learning modalities that students rotate through on a fixed schedule. 

Put another way, students spend a set amount of time, like 15 minutes, at each station before rotating to the next one. Each station will focus on a particular skill or concept. Students get hands-on experience trying to solve a puzzle or do an activity, like a word game. 

There is a connection between the station rotation model and the blended learning model. Since 2020, schools have been adopting hybrid schedules (largely due to the pandemic) and embracing technology in the classroom.  

Some teachers may opt to have one of their stations be an online learning session. This option brings technology into their classroom and blends the learning experience. 

Each classroom, teacher and student has different resources and skills. Technology-based stations may be more difficult for some teachers to set up than others. That’s okay! You can do whatever is best for your classroom and students. Blended station rotation is merely one option of many.

Different station rotations for all grade levels

If you teach in a high school classroom, you may be thinking, ‘How can this work for my students?’ While it may not seem quite as obvious how to adopt this method outside of an elementary school classroom, it is still possible. 

There are many creative ways to give differentiated instruction that engages students regardless of how advanced they are. This model leans into the idea that one size does not fit all. Station rotation allows you to cater to different learning styles and preferences. 

For example, all of your stations can work together to teach one concept. But each station allows the students to experience it in a different way. 

The different station rotations can provide visual, auditory and sensory experiences that help all students understand the concept more deeply. 

Adjusting the time spent at each station may help make it more age-appropriate for your classroom. Most experts recommend spending about 10-15 minutes per station, but this isn’t a hard and fast rule. You can do whatever works best for your students. 

There are three main ways that stations are set up. We’ll share those with you, and hopefully it’ll spark some ideas on how you can use this method in your next lesson plan!

Teacher-led station

This style prioritizes teachers engaging with small groups of students to further explain the lesson and clear up any misunderstandings.

If you have multiple teachers or teaching assistants in your classroom, you may be able to have multiple teacher-led stations that cover different concepts. 

If it’s just you teaching in your classroom, a teacher-led station can be just one of your rotations. This station will give you dedicated time to check in with each student and evaluate their level of understanding. 

It can also give you an opportunity to discuss a student’s personal application of the lesson to real life. This space allows teachers to build connections with individual students and understand what explanations, support, or models they need to be successful.

Not every approach works for all students, so teacher-led stations give you the feedback you need to personalize your content. It can help you see where you need to adapt the lessons for the variety of learning styles in your learning community. 

There are many templates for teacher-led stations online if you need some more ideas or guidance.

Offline station

Offline stations are a time to put the screens down and focus on hands-on collaboration. It also gives students an opportunity to flex their problem-solving skills. 

These stations provide learning experiences through books, manipulatives, journals and more. They often encourage students to individually reflect on the lesson or illustrate it in some way. 

Students are given quite a bit of agency in this approach. They are allowed the freedom to explore the concept on their own and answer any questions they have. They can further explore certain areas of the topic that interest them. 

This agency often improves engagement and motivation over time, which enriches the learning environment of the classroom as a whole. 

Examples of this type of station could be a collaborative group project where students design a sustainable city or an individual journal in which students reflect on the story from language arts.

Online station

Online stations are just one way that you might choose to use technology in the classroom. 

The biggest benefit to online stations is they allow students to work at their own pace, spending more time on concepts that they don’t understand and breezing through ones that they do. 

Teachers are able to provide a more dynamic approach to their content, catering it to meet each student’s needs. Online programs are often driven by individual data with the exercises adapted to a student’s understanding. 

Using technology-based stations can also allow group discussions and projects when the class isn’t together in person. Meetings can be carried out via video conferencing or students can message back and forth with ideas. 

It’s important that there are safeguards put in place if you choose to use online station rotations. These safeguards will help keep students on task and learning. Some options for this include using timers or setting boundaries for when and where screens are used in the classrooms. 

Each student’s familiarity and skills with technology are different. So it’s important to make sure that each student has the tools and support they need to be successful if you choose to use a new form of technology in your lesson plan. 

If you have the resources available to you to set up technology-based learning but aren't sure what games to use, don’t worry. There are lots of tips online for picking great learning games. Many of the options are even free!

The benefits of the station rotation model

There are various benefits that you may experience after implementing the station rotation model. Each classroom is unique, so it won’t be the same for everyone. But here are a few of the most common benefits. 

This model often increases the amount of collaborative learning between students. The ability to collaborate well with others is a skill that will serve students well throughout their educational and vocational journeys. Not to mention, it carries into personal relationships and social skills. 

Teachers are also able to personalize their lessons a lot more with the station rotation model. You will be able to focus more intently on individual learners' needs and learning styles. 

And in a time when class sizes are continuing to grow, it helps you have more time to focus your attention on smaller groups of students. While other stations are assisting your students in learning independently, you have the ability to check in with every student in your class. 

The station rotation models also give students hands-on experience. This time deepens their understanding of the concepts and gets them excited about learning more. 

Implementing the station rotation model

Adding the station rotation model to your lesson plan can help your students gain a deeper understanding of the concept while giving you the opportunity to check in with your students. There are many ways to implement the station rotation model, and you can create stations that are individualized to your students. 

Another resource that can assist you in personalizing your students’ learning experience is Prodigy. Prodigy is a game-based learning platform that provides standards-aligned, adaptive skill practice in math and English. It also helps you:

• Differentiate instruction for every student
• Engage students with learning that prioritizes motivation
• Unlock insights and identify learning gaps with student reports
• Easily supplement other learning materials and teaching strategies (including using it as a station rotation!)

And the best bit, it's all available at no cost to teachers and schools.

 

Rotate your classroom with Station Rotation Model

Imagine a classroom where the students can spend their class time passing an engaging online course, collaborating on creative projects with their peers, and getting on-time support from a teacher. No rows of desks lined up facing a wall, no boring instruction. Seems unbelievable? Blended learning and virtual station rotation model lessons make it possible!

Station Rotation model definition

One of the most popular blended learning models is the Station Rotation model. It transfers a traditional theory-based classroom into a virtually enriched, hands-on workshop. Unlike other blended learning models, the Station Rotation model takes place within the physical classroom or training room.

During the classroom, students rotate on a fixed schedule among various modalities, which usually include 3 learning stations: 1) online learning; 2) face-to-face instruction; 3) group projects. For example, a learner may complete an assignment online, then participate in a group activity, and, finally, engage in teacher-led instruction. Students tend to be grouped by learning styles, skills, or needs.

The Station Rotation model is most traditionally utilized in schools, however, it can be effective within an organization too.

Before diving into the Station Rotation model, discover what blended learning means first.

Benefits of the Station Rotation model

Here are the benefits of the station rotation model:

• Personalized learning experiences.
  By working in small groups at a station, the teacher or trainer is able to pay closer attention to and support individual learners. It enables the trainer to create dynamic lesson plans that better address individuals’ or groups’ specific learning needs. By incorporating a 1-to-1 station, the learner can also benefit from direct, personal instruction from the trainer.
• Variety in learning methods improves knowledge retention.
  By rotating through varied learning stations, learners benefit from repetition and increased engagement with the subject matter – helping them beat the forgetting curve.
• Collaborative learning improves learning.
  A lot of research has shown that group work, collaborative learning, and a collective thinking approach ultimately lead to deeper learning.

Limitations of the Station Rotation model

It’s also worth considering the challenges of the station rotation model:

• Lacks the agency of other blended learning models.
  One of the drawbacks of the station rotation model is that learners are moved through the stations after a fixed time; for some this time may not be enough for them to grasp the learning at their own pace. Other blended models, such as the flipped classroom, enable students to learn at their own pace, in their own time, outside of the classroom.
• Requires investment in e-learning technology.
  One of the stations in this Rotation model is online learning. This requires an initial investment from the organization or school — both in devices and e-learning programs or tools. However, the benefits of incorporating e-learning into this model and organizing station rotation lessons can far outweigh the initial outlay.
• The Station Rotation model doesn’t work for all subjects.
  Some practitioners have found this model doesn’t work well in situations where learners must progress on a specific topic week by week – such as mathematics.

Implementing a Station Rotation Model

A Station Rotation classroom can’t be implemented on a whim. It’s a model you need to spend time planning, but once you do it’s simple to implement. Mindmaps are a good way of visualizing each station and the activities at each station. Here’s an example:

Remember to also think about how you will also provide instructions for each station and how long each station should take.

Limit your groups to no larger than 10 learners, but consider if you want to group them by skills, learning styles, or mixed abilities.

You should also consider the physical elements of the Rotation model – how will learners move between each station. Will they physically move, or is a new station a new set of instructions at the same location?

The role of e-learning in the Station Rotation model

The most difficult part while integrating a blended learning Station Rotation model is to create an interactive, well-designed, and didactically sound online course. However, with the help of user-friendly, low-cost, cloud-based authoring tools like Easygenerator, creating the e-learning station of your Rotation model needn’t be difficult, time-consuming, or expensive.

Using a cloud-based system enables you to also take advantage of learners’ own devices – all they need is an internet connection to access the online learning station – thus removing any device or access costs.

The e-learning station can be utilized in a number of ways. For example:

• Quizzes to assess their knowledge
• Research tasks
• Interactive activities and scenarios
• Reading and digesting learning content

There is a multitude of benefits to incorporating an e-learning station into your classroom. Chiefly, e-learning is more engaging. It’s interactive and fun and allows your students or employees to learn while doing it. It also makes tracking your learnes’ performance incredibly easy, as well as provides valuable data on how they’ve interacted with the learning content. And of course, as Millenials become a dominant sector of your workforce, these digital methods will be more natural and comfortable for your learners.

 

Implementing Blended Learning

Blended Learning is a form of learning where traditional and online learning are merged to impart knowledge by increasing learner engagement (refer to the previous blog for more). There are various forms of blended learning. Each type has its distinct functions and characteristics that make it compatible with different learning situations. 

But like every teaching methodology, blended learning also requires certain strategies for implementation. Moreover, these blended learning strategies are responsible for the successful implementation and usability of course content. Some important strategies that can be employed while bringing blended learning into practice have been listed in this article. 

Blended Learning Strategies

1. Employ Multiple Instructional Material

Instructions play a significant role in learning. Clear and effective instructions make the concepts clearer and promote longer retention. Moreover, the delivery of instructions determines the effectiveness of the teaching methodology used. Therefore, a teacher must focus on delivering the right instructions in the classroom.

In a blended learning classroom, a single form of instructional material cannot serve every purpose. Thus, teachers should use multiple instructional materials and engage students in activities like group discussion, group/individual activities, presentations, games, etc. Additionally, online resources can supplement traditional lessons to promote better retention.

2. Technology to Reinforce Learning

The Internet and evolving technology open gateways to discoveries and experiences. Augmented reality lets users experience nearly everything in real-time. Moreover, technology is also useful in education. The evolving e-learning modules incorporate all types of media so that the lessons become more interactive and engaging for the learners.

In a blended learning classroom, e-learning and the traditional lecturing method of teaching go hand-in-hand. Hence, teachers are free to use online resources, including social media to engage learners and to maximize the learning outcomes. Mobile applications, games, social media groups, videos, and other digital teaching-learning tools serve as tools for the reinforcement of learning.     

3. Experiment with Teaching Techniques 

A teacher not only teaches but also acts as a facilitator in the classroom. A good teaching methodology caters to the learning needs of the learners and produces good learning outcomes. Additionally, the aims and objectives of the course and the level of understanding of the learners also contribute to the successful execution of the teaching-learning process. Thus, teachers must be careful while opting for a specific method of teaching.

Moreover, in a blended learning classroom, technology-based learning works in concert with traditional learning. This allows teachers to experiment with varied teaching methodologies. Thus, a teacher must explore the gamut of possibilities and experiment with different teaching techniques to see what works best for the learners.

The Flipped Classroom method can serve as a good teaching technique as it allows more discussions and project work in a class.

4. Old is Gold

The adage, Old is Gold, is befitting for the teaching-learning methods as well. Although the use of new methodologies is important, the traditional teaching method holds a significant position in the process.

A blended learning classroom is the assimilation of traditional teaching and eLearning. It allows learners to not only learn but also experience learning at the same time with the help of technology. Moreover, it is an undeniable fact that discussions are an irreplaceable part of a classroom. They allow learners to explore the depths of a topic and initiate better learning. Therefore, the use of eLearning to supplement traditional learning works in favor of the teachers as well as learners.

5. Add Variety to Assessments

Assessments are not only for recording scores; they also help track learners’ progress in various aspects of learning. Assessments require learners to recapitulate through the lesson before they exhibit their learning in a test. Additionally, the learners retain more as they go through the lessons repeatedly to prepare for an assessment test.

However, a single form of assessment test is not enough to measure the overall learning progress. As a result, assessment tests must contain a variety of question types. They can include digital quizzes, essays, peer-assessed assignments, presentations, and others, along with traditional pen and paper tests.

6. Digital Connection for Group Work

In the contemporary age with the growing use of the Internet, social media has a great influence on us. People around the world spend hours on social media applications. These applications fulfill the human need to connect by allowing us to communicate across borders.

A blended learning classroom takes advantage of technology along with the traditional teaching method to impart knowledge. Thus, it engages learners even outside the classroom. Teachers can hold discussions over a topic or give group assignments to be done through discussion in a social media group. In addition to learning, such activities develop the communication skills of the learners. Moreover, it helps develop online collaboration habits required for effective communication as the learners start looking for jobs.

Case Study

Blended Learning is already a practiced methodology in many educational institutions. The University of Waterloo presents a good example of this. The University provides many courses that employ blended learning. The courses require that learners prepare the concepts through online modules before learning them in a traditional classroom setting. For instance, the course OPTOM 245L (Diseases of the Eye 1 Laboratory) uses online presentations to teach lab procedures to the learners without performing them in an actual lab.

Similarly, the course PHARM 224 (Pharmokinetic Fundamentals) makes the students work independently on foundational concepts of the course and with an instructor in a group tutorial for problem-solving. Thus, the class time is reduced and the learners explore learning through online activities and presentations.

In a world where technology, information, and communication work effectively in a mesh, isolating education from advancing technology is the most disregardful idea. Blended learning is the only means to pace education with the changing environment for nurturing the minds of tomorrow. The application of Blended Learning strategies widens the scope of education, broadens the perspective of acquiring education, and produces a resourceful work population for the future. The advancement in the implementation of these strategies is deemed to shape the future of education and, in this way, the workforce.

 

Adaptive Learning as a New-Age Teaching Methodology

Adaptive Learning is a technologically-driven personalized learning experience. This model incorporates algorithms, assessments, and feedback to tailor unique learning paths and course sequencing to suit various learning styles.

Traditional teaching presents a rigid course material to fit all the students. Adaptive Learning makes use of frequent assessments, exchanges feedback with learners, and opens alternative learning paths that help students gain content mastery before moving onto other steps of learning. 

Case Study

Let us say a group of 5 students are undertaking a module which includes sections such as Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, Statistics and Language skills. If the teacher applies conventional methodology, he will hand out course material and then evaluate the students through tests. The learning outcomes are understandably poor. The teacher finds that among the 5, one is especially conversant in language skills while being weak in statistics. He may find still others who are well versed in all the sections of the module.

Yet the common evaluation generates an average result for all five, which is as good as false data. Going by this data, some students fail in select sections, some excel in all, while others move on with insufficient depth of knowledge in a section where they had begun to show promise. 

Problems with the Case Study

The concerns regarding with the aforementioned case study are evident. 

1. Sample Size: While monitoring a small group of 5 students, the teacher is able to alter the course depending on the areas which each student seems to struggle with. This option however limits itself to a small sample size. The teacher cannot single-handedly design unique learning pathways for say, a batch of 100 students.
2. Inequitable teaching outcome: This method only pools the knowledge shared in the classroom to a handful of average students, while the high-performing students and those who fall behind get left out of the equation.
3. False data: A “one-fits-all” evaluation technique for learners with differing abilities generates false data, leading to failing the term or causing drop-outs. 

Adaptive Learning as a Ready Solution

Adaptive Learning addresses all these problems. It offers interactive systems that measure performances of each student. Additionally, based on similarity of demographic or ability, they offer customized learning paths and course materials.

Students communicate with programs, provide feedback, and complete quizzes – all of which helps the system learn or adapt to their unique learning style. This also presents content in a set sequence, adjusting to the students’ learning path and pace. Adaptive learning systems take on the task of restructuring the course sequence from the teacher. Consequently, we can apply it to a greater sample size with ease.

Traditional classroom teaching does not rule out certain drawbacks such as failure to clear assignments and drop-outs, which Adaptive Learning does help with.

School systems have been infamous for “teaching to the middle”, where there are no provisions to encourage excellent performers with more challenging material, or support lagging students with customized content. This leads to failing the classes or dropping out of the system. 

This methodology ensures that students gain mastery over individual topics before moving on to the next. It also generates assessments based on the performance of the learners, caters to the under-performers, and bolsters the excellent students, with more complex tasks.

Benefits of Adaptive Learning

Adaptive Learning has three-fold advantages for students, teachers, and institutions as illustrated by the chart:

 Challenges of Adaptive Learning

1. Costly and Time-consuming: Adaptive Learning systems come at a steep cost to institutions. However, in most cases, it is a one-time investment. It also requires content-mapping and objective designing to support diverse learning styles and stages of mastery. This is a strenuous and time-consuming task.
2. Not suited for some courses: Adaptive Learning is typically unsuited for courses that demand high-level critical thinking and evaluation.
3. Not immediately effective: System algorithms need time to adapt to students’ learning needs by way of prolonged feedback and interaction. Systems also collect course materials over time before suggesting learning paths, so Adaptive Learning cannot be effective immediately.

Adaptive Course Samples

The great thing about Adaptive Learning system is that it can be applied to all levels of learning. Let’s look at some popular adaptive platforms and find out about sample course-ware. 

• Quizalize is an adaptive platform which breaks down difficult concepts into fun, interactive quizzes. It promotes gamification in learning, and even allows for tracking students’ progress.
• Fulcrum Labs incorporates A.I to model a personal instructor for every learner who signs up. This platform takes the help of Artificial Intelligence, not only to track progress but also to make predictions about weak points and errors. It extends beyond academic subjects and helps students to cultivate real-world skills as well
• Elevate supports adult learning while entertaining learners at the same time. The platform includes a host of games, quizzes and alternate learning arcs to help adults improve upon math, reading, writing and speaking abilities. An added advantage of Elevate is that it is backed by significant research.

Taking a tour through these websites and looking at their course descriptions reveals how Adaptive Learning encourages students to choose their own path in online learning. In all these platforms we see how systems depend heavily on feedback, interaction and adaptation to learners and instructors as is the essential feature of this model.

In conclusion, Adaptive Learning though uniquely tailored for all learning needs, has its own limitations as well. By implementing it correctly, teachers hold the capability to maximize its benefits. We shall explain the different kinds of Adaptive Learning in this (placeholder) article.

 

eLearning Styles: An Introduction

As our previous blog described, eLearning uses various electronic resources and technology to deliver lessons/courses. It is one of the best ways to address the learning needs of a large group of learners at the same time. But different learners have different eLearning styles. This is so because every learner follows a distinct pattern of learning.

Our brains combine several methods to process information for faster and easier knowledge acquisition. The many ways in which the brain registers information include visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social, and solitary learning.

Traditional learning typically uses the linguistic and logical teaching styles, and the range of techniques is limited. However, e-learning offers a wider range of techniques depending on the eLearning styles the learners follow. Educators must know different eLearning styles before beginning to design or teach a lesson/course. The various eLearning styles are as follows:

1. Visual/Spatial Learning

Visual learning entirely constitutes the use of images, visuals, and spatial perception. These traits are native to modern classrooms. Also, the use of images, diagrams, and visual representations promotes learning and better retention. The use of such multimedia in the form of animated videos, images, and illustrations in an e-lesson is an example of visual/spatial learning.

Moreover, visual learners comprise more than 50% of the class. Thus, educators must pay special attention to include visual cues in instruction. This will help maximize learning outcomes.

2. Verbal/Linguistic Learning

Verbal/Linguistic Learning involves the use of words in speech and writing. Linguistic learners express themselves through words and have an extensive vocabulary. This means communication and interpersonal connections are important for such learners. Therefore, interactive learning or group learning is the best method of learning.

Moreover, language learning is the priority of linguistic learners. Consequently, reading, vocabulary games, poems, rhymes, tongue twisters, and other such activities are useful for assisting learning.

3. Aural/Auditory Learning

Aural/Auditory learning involves the use of sounds, rhythms, music, rhymes, recordings, and other forms of audio. Auditory learners make use of sounds to learn and remember things. The tone, pitch, and volume of the voice are the means of expression for such learners. Although they are good listeners, aural learners often initiate discussions as they love to talk.

Furthermore, sound is also a distraction for such learners. Thus, the lessons and activities must contain content that completely engages learners. Some of the best practices for teaching such types of learners include discussion and initiating conversations. Also, using beats, songs, and rhymes helps in the reinforcement of information.

4. Physical/Kinesthetic Learning

Kinesthetic learners are physical learners that usually learn by doing. This means that they use physical objects like diagrams or even their own body to learn. Such learners possess excellent motor memory and usually perform well in art and drama. Also, they are quick to react with their high energy levels and great eye-hand coordination.

Furthermore, the physical eLearning style is an amalgamation of different eLearning styles. Learners gather information in various ways as they touch, feel, and manipulate objects around them. In this way, the learners involve directly in the process of learning.

5. Social/Interpersonal Learning

Social/Interpersonal learning is a style that involves learning through social interactions. This eLearning style entirely depends on communication. Learners communicate with the people around them verbally and non-verbally. Also, social learners tend to be good mentors and counselors.

The educators using the social eLearning style to teach must use activities that involve all learners. Also, frequent breaks and feedback allow informal discussions to reinforce learning. So, activities like drama, speech, debates, and so on are excellent ways to impart education to such students.

6. Solitary/Intrapersonal Learning

Solitary or Intrapersonal learning includes the self-study method. Solitary learners are usually introverts that enjoy quiet and peaceful moments with their thoughts. They are good at focusing and are aware of their feelings and thoughts.

Moreover, learners who prefer solitary eLearning styles assess their goals and accomplishments and experience high levels of motivation. Therefore, the eLearning lesson/course should include topics of personal interest and connect to familiar subjects. Assigning tasks individually can also yield better learning outcomes.

7. Logical/Mathematical Learning

Logical/Mathematical eLearning styles use logic and reason as the basis for learning. Logical learners possess phenomenal logical and reasoning skills. They are known for their inclination towards math, science, and reasoning. Moreover, learners with this style of learning possess great analytical and problem-solving abilities.

While teaching such students, educators must present different perspectives on a topic and include strategic games that emphasize organizational skills.

 

To sum up, there are several eLearning styles that different learners follow. A teacher must possess good knowledge of these styles to design and deliver effective eLearning lessons/courses. Teachers should also focus on creating effective assessments that employ gamification. Such strategies help achieve the maximum learning outcomes with effective teacher instructions.