By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D.
Over the last few years, we have had to teach within online, blended, and fully in-person classroom settings. While great strides have been made leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, it demonstrated how the future for K-20 education is within classroom settings that no longer are bound to only a physical classroom space. We've learned that it is possible for equitable and effective instruction can take place within any setting with the advances in online and blended learning classroom settings as well as EdTech integration taking place within fully in-person classrooms.
As a result, more than ever before, current and future educators will be expected to know how to navigate and provide effective instruction within each of these settings. This requires knowledge of research-based instructional strategies and the integration of EdTech tools that can be utilized interchangeably within in-person, online, and blended learning classroom settings synchronously and asynchronously. Now, our classrooms are a synthesis of in-person and digital spheres where learning has the opportunity to take place anywhere and anytime. As educators who have taught in each of these settings, we felt it was time to synthesize and put everything together for K-20 educators across the world.
This is how the concept of the Instruction Without Boundaries book was born. The need and yearning to deliver a playbook and guide to demonstrate how a series of instructional strategies integrated with EdTech can be used in each of these settings was a goal of mine (Matt) and co-authors Janelle McLaughlin and Shannon Moore. Each of us has taught within each of these settings and has coached K-20 teachers and school and district leaders on how to integrate technology with research-based strategies to amplify student learning. Additionally, we felt a great deal of capacity needed to continue to be built, developed, and refined. On top of this, we believe the future of teaching and learning takes place in classrooms without physical boundaries that are synthesized within physical and digital boundaries. Therefore, all current and future educators will need an understanding and ability to see and teach within any classroom setting.
We felt that creating opportunities for interchangeable instructional integrations with EdTech within the instructional categories of Classroom Routines, Engagement, Collaboration, Creativity, Innovation, and Assessment and Feedback. This is Instruction Without Boundaries! We hope you can take this journey with us to see a multitude of strategies and EdTech integrations in these instructional areas that are content and grade-level agnostic. The goal of the book is to provide strategies and EdTech integrations that span any classroom, setting, and content that can amplify teaching, learning, and equity. See for yourself how we can teach within any classroom setting!
Learn more about the book: www.InstructWithoutBoundaries.com
Purchase the Book: Amazon Paperback and Kindle
Matt Rhoads, Ed.D
Matthew Rhoads, Ed.D. is a practicing EdTech Integrationist and Coach, University Lecturer and Teacher Candidate Supervisor, Podcaster, Author, and Consultant from San Diego, CA. He is an innovator who has expertise in integrating research-based instructional strategies with EdTech tools to amplify student learning. Additionally, he has expertise in data literacy, Special Education, and navigating classrooms without boundaries For more information on Dr. Rhoads, check out his website at www.matthewrhoads.com.
Twitter: @mattrhoads1990