# Blended Learning in K-12/Introduction

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## Introduction

While teachers have always used a variety of teaching methods and media,
blended learning includes the recent availability of digital learning
technologies and Internet-based tools that facilitate communication,
interaction, and collaborative learning. Neither e-learning nor the
traditional classroom are ideal for all types of learning. Blended
learning offers the opportunity to incorporate the \'best of both
worlds\' to improve teaching and learning, to take \"advantage of the
strengths of both learning environments and be more successful in
avoiding their weaknesses.\" (Node, 2003) Evidence from a study
conducted by Alfred P. Rovai and Hope M. Jordan \"suggest that blended
courses produce a stronger sense of community among students than either
traditional or fully online courses\" (Rovai and Jordan, 2004).

The subheadings in this chapter will provide more information about
blended learning, beginning with What is \"Blended
Learning\"?. This
section will discuss what prominent authors in the field are saying
about what blended learning really is. While most authorities in the
field agree on blended learning\'s usefulness, each author has a
slightly different opinion about what makes a class \"blended\". Quotes
will be used from these researchers, explaining their definitions in
detail.

Blended learning has taken many forms since it was first created several
years ago. As blended learning evolved, its name and meaning also
changed. It has been called hybrid learning, mixed mode learning, and
several other names. The second subheading in Chapter One,  The many
names of Blended
Learning,
will discuss the countless names of blended learning, review each
meaning, and look at how it has evolved into the term we know today.

Finally, Chapter One will examine Why is Blended Learning
Important?.
Research from many educational areas will be used to show the merits of
using blended learning instead of just traditional or e-learning
environments.
