The AVI CHAI Foundation has released “Online/Blended Learning State of the Field Survey Summary Findings Report” by Anne Deeter. This quantitative report provides a field-wide update on new developments in the use of online/blended learning in Jewish day schools since the 2012 “Online Learning: State of the Field Survey.”

This report is the second “State of the Field” report on Jewish day school online/blended learning recently released by The AVI CHAI Foundation. The previous report, “Moving Forward: An Interim Report of Select AVI CHAI Blended Learning Initiatives in Jewish Day Schools,” by Dr. Leslie Siskin, is a qualitative analysis charting the progress of day schools involved in some of AVI CHAI’s funded initiatives in this area.

Both reports indicate rapid growth in the field and continued interest and acceleration. In 2013-14, as much as 79 percent of day schools report some type of online or blended learning, compared to 23 percent in 2011-12.

Key findings include:

• Providing differentiated learning environments continues to stand out as the most common perceived benefit in utilizing blended/online modes of instruction – and is a way to meet the individual learning needs of students.
• Most schools are still utilizing these modalities as supplements to traditional instruction. Only one-fifth (21%) of the 79% of schools reporting the use of some type of online/blended learning have moved beyond online lessons and supplemental online enrichment to deliver hybrid courses, flipped classrooms, or fully online courses.
• It is still too early to demonstrate cost savings results. Personalized learning via blended and online modalities is relatively new, and the full effect may take time. More and more evidence shows that the educational goals are being met, and small cost savings trends are in sight.