by Mark Davies
This year, The Hun School of Princeton offered computer programming classes to upper school students in a differentiated instruction, blended learning environment.
There are many models of online and blended learning. Some schools join a consortium, like Global Online Academy. This kind of membership gives students access to a whole catalog of courses that are taught, in most cases, entirely online. GOA’s model also requires faculty from member schools to participate as instructors, teaching a course online to students from other consortium schools. Other models, like Online School for Girls or Laurel Springs School, allow students to take a single course or attend school entirely online.
The benefits of online and blended learning are many, but one of the greatest appeals of this model is the opportunity to provide students with a learning experience that is not currently provided by their school. Not every school can provide a classes in multivariable calculus, app design, or neuropsychology,but most schools have at least some students with the interest and aptitude for these kinds of courses.
"The term blended learning is defined by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) as: “any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace; often used synonymously with Hybrid Learning.”
At Hun, it had been a challenge to consistently provide classes in computer programming, but with the blended learning opportunity provided as a CodeHS member school, we were able to accomplish this task, and we were able to do so while meeting a wide range of student ability.
CodeHS was started by a pair of Stanford University Computer Science majors in 2012, their senior year at Stanford. They based CodeHS on their experience as section leaders and teaching assistants for several Stanford’s introductory computer science classes. The curriculum is delivered entirely online. Students watch demonstration videos and complete programming activities in the online code editor that runs in Google Chrome. They are provided feedback by online tutors and graded on their work with the CodeHS gradebook feature. As the class teacher, I am also provided the same access to lessons and tutor support, and I am provided sample syllabi and other supporting materials. 
In addition to the course content from CodeHS, students worked on programming challenges with a small mechanical orb called Sphero. Sphero can be remotely controlled by an iOS or Android application, and it can also be programmed with any one of three programming apps; orbBasic, MacroLab, or Tickle. Programming the Sphero device provided an opportunity for students to actually use the introductory programming applications, concepts, and practices in a less abstract context.
Our programming class time was either spent working independently on CodeHS activities, reviewing CodeHS lessons with PearDeck as a whole group, or working in small groups on Sphero programming. Our once-per-cycle extended class time was perfect for Sphero related work. We often used the large room that was formerly our student activity center where students could spread out and work in pairs or small groups designing and completing Sphero challenge tasks and offering feedback to other groups on their activity designs. The final project for the semester involved students making those real world connections to computer science concepts through Sphero programming.
Truly differentiated learning was another benefit of the blended learning experience with CodeHS. Students who were motivated and capable could work ahead and extend their learning while getting valuable feedback and support from the online tutors - feedback and support they would not have otherwise gotten from a traditional classroom instruction model. Students who were not as inclined to work ahead and who generally worked “at pace” also had their needs met as we took the time in class to review lessons and activities as we completed them online. Also, there was considerable opportunity for peer support as students worked in class, sharing with each other insights and strategies for completing the programming challenges.
