Introduction

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          Have you ever been to the beach in the summer or the pool on a nice day? Did you ever wonder how the lifeguards who are on duty train and learn the content for their profession? For many years, lifeguarding has been taught strictly face-to-face. However, with technology improving and continually evolving, there are innovative ways to teach this course that will improve the learners’ understanding of content and skills. Transforming traditional lifeguarding instruction by incorporating blended learning will empower students to take accountability of their personal learning experience. Currently, there is not extensive research on lifeguarding courses incorporating blended learning, but from the research written about blended learning, it seems like combining the two together could revamp the way lifeguarding is taught.

 

          This opportunity would allow the students to learn the content prior to coming to class. Giving the student opportunities to not only learn the material at their own pace but also leaving more time for the teacher to review the materials and offer more opportunities to practice skills during class. This paper will review the benefits of blended learning and why it will be beneficial to incorporate into every lifeguarding course. I believe that incorporating blended learning into current lifeguarding instruction is the most efficient way to prepare future lifeguards. 

 

Lifeguarding

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          Drowning is amongst the leading causes of death worldwide (Schwebel & et al., 2010). In the United States, over 1,000 children ages 0-18 are killed each year through drowning (Schwebel & et al., 2010). Many of those deaths are attributed to poor supervision. However, a small but alarming number of drowning deaths that occurred at public swimming areas were guarded by professional lifeguards. Lifeguards are trained to be proactive and take preventable measures to ensure the safety of patrons in and around the pool. They are able to provide vital information to patrons on how to prevent drowning and other injuries and also assist those in distress and provide emergency medical care when needed (Branche, 2018). It is also their responsibility to make sure that the patrons are able to experience leisure without worry. 

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          To become a certified lifeguard, American Red Cross requires all participants to perform a pre-test of three skills. This includes a 300-yard swim using freestyle and breaststroke, a two-minute tread without the use of hands, and a 20 yard swim to retrieve a 10-pound brick at the bottom of a 10-12 feet pool in less than one minute and forty seconds. This helps the instructor decide if the participants have the skills required to continue this course. Once participants have shown an adequate understanding of the skills in the pre-requisites, they are then tested on their knowledge of additional skills in and out of the pool. To become a certified lifeguard, most courses require a total of about 26 hours when instruction is completed face-to-face (American Red Cross, 2012).

 

Blended Learning

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          Nowadays, e-learning has become increasingly popular and one tool to implement this concept is through blended learning. Blended learning is also known as hybrid learning. It is a combination of traditional in-classroom and online instruction. Blended Learning is about leveraging digital content to provide students with skills and practice, while the teacher focuses on the depth and application of concepts to teach higher-order thinking skills (Kaur, 2013). Implementing blended learning needs a full dedication on the part of educational authorities and management of educational institutes if this program is to succeed (Lalima, 2017). A form of blended learning is when the teacher records lessons for the students to watch at home. Students then come to class prepared to apply the new skill with support from the teacher. Class time is no longer used for new instruction or retention of information; it is used for clarification and practice. This approach allows the students to then have an archive of all class content that can be reviewed and studied at any time. This archive of videos is also extremely beneficial for students who are absent, because teachers no longer have to catch them up during the next class. 

 

          López-Pérez et. al. (2011) reported 1431 students’ perceptions that participated in blended learning activities. They indicated that students had positive perceptions of blended learning by the end of their course. It was also observed that blended learning reduced drop-out rates and raised exam pass rates (López-Pérez & et al., 2011).Margolis, Porter, & Pitterle, (2017) found during their study of “Best Practices for Use of Blended Learning” that students established many benefits of blended learning. 

 

“The main benefits were receiving guidance on problem-solving activities, ensuring all students were at the same knowledge level prior to starting a course activity, reviewing course material at an increased frequency (ie, reviewing the material on off days of class), delivering course material in a variety of ways and formats, applying the material to practical and real-world situations, and increasing the flexibility students had with their schedule (Margolis & et al., 2017).” 

 

          This allows the students to switch from a passive learning environment to an active learning environment (Kaur, 2013). It puts students in a position that compels them to read, think, listen, and speak. Since students have such different learning styles it is important to offer them the ability to work at their own pace and access the information at any time. Nazarenko (2014), explains that with an electronic learning environment students are involved in a permanent learning activity so that the process of learning is constant and uninterrupted. Although the traditional classroom is still part of blended learning, it takes on a different role when used in this kind of instruction. 

The traditional classroom role during blended learning becomes an opportunity for teachers to dive deeper into the content of the course, allowing teachers to incorporate more skill sessions and scenarios. It is important for teachers at this time to create a positive atmosphere for successful learning and encourage students’ independence for more participation in the e-learning environment (Güzer & Caner, 2014). Thorne, (2003) describes blended learning as it represents an opportunity to integrate the innovative and technological advances offered by online learning with the interaction and participation offered in the best of traditional learning. By using a combination of face-to-face education and virtual learning, students have the ability to access knowledge from anywhere, at any given time, until they meet with their teacher in class (Köse, 2010). The content they learn at home can then be discussed and mastered in the following class. This allows the teacher to be more hands-on with their students and guide them towards mastery of content. 

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Lifeguarding Blended Learning

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          When it comes to Lifeguarding, some skills are easier to learn than others. Some students can pick up on the content instantly while others need more repetition, a variety of angles, and time to review the skill before they finally understand it. Through researchers’ experience, they found that many learners do not perform swimming lifesaving skills correctly during the learning process, although necessary tools are available (Eissa & Abdulazim, 2017). This is believed to be because using traditional teaching methods leaves minimal participation and application for learners. They are unable to achieve required educational goals due to limited time allocated for teaching (Eissa & Abdulazim, 2017).  By incorporating blended learning into the course, it allows students to see skills from different angles online prior to coming into class. The time between viewing new content and applying it in class allows students to process the information and formulate any questions they may need addressed by the teacher. The students are then able to review the skill multiple times so that they can acquire proper form when they practice the skills in class. 

When evaluating the curriculum of lifeguarding, there are many concepts that are taught outside of the classroom. Some of these concepts that could be taught through virtual learning are rules and regulations to becoming a lifeguard, how to be a professional lifeguard, facility safety and patron surveillance, injury prevention, victim assessment and breathing emergencies, water rescue skills, cardiac emergencies and using an AED, first aid, and  head, neck, and spinal injuries. By incorporating blended learning into the course it allows students to have self-paced learning time, resulting in a major reduction in classroom lecture time (Giannousi, 2014). The eLearning portion of this course is scenario based and will introduce the students to the skills that will later be practiced during the in-person skill session. 

What went well? 

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          Blended learning breaks down the traditional walls of teaching, and now with access to present-day technologies and resources can tailor the learning experience for each student (Giarla, 2018). Blended learning also offers flexible time frames that can be personalized to each person, allowing them to learn at their own pace. When it comes to Lifeguarding, Swimming and Physical Education classes watching how something is done, before trying it yourself, can actually be extremely beneficial (Das, 2019). For instance, video’s instead of face-to-face instruction can add life to blended learning content by making it effective and engaging. It increases learner engagement and participation by reducing cognitive overload and maximizing retention (Das, 2019). Videos provide a simpler and practical learning experience in a cost-efficient manner. By incorporating videos into a blended learning class, students can watch how a skill is performed on their own time and at their own pace. Then when they come into the classroom they have a chance to practice what they learned and ask questions if needed. This allows the teacher time to work one-on-one with students who may need more time figuring out how a skill is performed. While others can move on to the next skill once they have mastered the last task. 

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What could be improved? 

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          Blended learning models might not apply to all types of subjects and classrooms settings (Leboff, 2020). Unfortunately, swim classes are one of those subject matters that do not have much research surrounding blended learning. So, for those looking to implement blended learning into a pool setting, where technology is often not used, it is mostly trial and error at this point. Hopefully, after this year with COVID and hybrid teaching there will be more evidence and research to show benefits of blended learning in the pool area. 

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           Another area that could be improved is the implementation of blended learning in the classroom. Although many teachers this year were not taught how to properly implement blended learning into their classrooms or given time to figure out the best way to do so, many teachers were told this was the way they had to teach this year. When blended learning is implemented effectively students are more engaged, their learning increases, and they can deepen their level of understanding concepts (Horn & Staker, 2015). Research shows that when blended learning is not implemented properly, and more emphasis is placed on using technology, there are not many gains in education (Digital Learning Now, 2015). Blended learning can lose all effectiveness when educators are more focused on quickly implementing new technology, instead of working to elevate how the content is being taught (Leboff, 2020). When too much emphasis is placed on new technology, teachers’ lack technical skills or teachers disagree with the potential benefits of using technology, blended learning can have little to no benefit to students learning (Hesse, 2017). An appropriate balance must be struck between technology use, teacher support and availability. 

 

Importance of Implementation and Professional Development

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          With recent changes to education and having to teach classes virtually, it has shown educators how important it is to have a plan and make sure the plan is well executed in order for programs to be successful (Toporek, 2015). With technology ever changing, schools are put into a position to make changes to how lessons are taught in order to keep up with the current trends. Administrators often fall in love with new ideas, like implementing the use of technology to help students work at their own pace and on their own time (Horn & Staker, 2015). However, they often force teachers to implement it into current teaching practices, with little to no guidance on implementation, regardless of the true student outcome (Horn & Staker, 2015). Although these ideas may be extremely beneficial to students they need to be implemented properly to truly benefit the students. 

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          One study found that what teachers are taught, reflects the practices that can actually make a positive difference for student learning. That is the content of professional development matters, along with the way it is taught to the teachers (Darling-Hammond & et al., 2017). They also go further to say that even the best designed professional development may fail to produce outcomes if it is poorly implemented due to barriers such as inadequate resources, lack of shared vision, lack of planning time, and lack of fundamental knowledge (Darling-Hammond & et al., 2017). Many times this is how professional developments are run and so new teaching models, although powerful and beneficial, may fail when being implemented. 

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          Schools can not allow technology popularity to deter from the student goals. Classrooms should be designed to benefit students in their learning style and pace, regardless of the implementation level of technology. The purpose is not to chase an idea to prove that a blended classroom has been created, but to create a model that will benefit the school and it’s students (Toporek, 2015). 

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Lessons Learned 

 

          With any new implementation, there are always lessons to be learned. We all know that our students are all different and they all learn in different ways. Hilliard (2015) states that every participant or student may not learn best by the use of blended learning and that is why the great advantage of the mix of online and face-to-face training could build a more efficient way to offer participants a balanced approach to learning. In the Journal of Online Learning Research, Shand and Farrelly (2017), found that four themes impacted the learning outcomes of students when using blended learning in their classrooms. The four themes were organization and structure, transparency and support, community discourse and personalized learning. It was found that clear organization and structure lead to optimal learning conditions; transparency and support facilitate student understanding of course expectations; community and discourse helped students learn from their peers; and the opportunities for personalized learning provided students some choice in how, where, and what they learned (Shand & Farrelly, 2017).

 

          Experts have cited that teacher-led professional development or in-house sharing of best practices as being beneficial and cost efficient. Watson and et al. (2015), stated that by incorporating online professional development courses, to aid teachers in transitioning to a blended learning environment, teachers can experience personalized blended learning for themselves. Professional Development content should be targeted at helping teachers understand key challenges in the new model to design and implement solutions (Bailey & Martin, 2013). This will allow teachers to know what challenges may arise and need to be addressed prior to implementing blended learning into their curriculum. 

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Need for Future Study

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          Blended learning is a well-researched topic. There are many journal articles that focus on the benefits of blended learning as well as how to effectively implement blended learning into your classroom. However, future research should include studies specifically outlining how schools can create a model to provide personalization tailored to each individual student. Bocella, (2015) shows research on blended learning being used in the classroom environment from elementary level to a college level. Nevertheless, there are still research gaps lacking case studies on how to provide students with academic content specific to their needs, especially students who are gifted, special education and other accommodations. Additionally, there is global research available that addresses the development of collaborative blended learning models to enhance the learning achievement and thinking ability of students in Physical Education (Kingpum & et al., 2015). What is missing, however, is research on the role of blended learning in Lifeguarding and Physical Education classes within the United States. 

 

          Even with all this research, there are still many unanswered questions. For instance, can blended learning prepare students to actually save a life? Are students actually completing and comprehending what they learned prior to coming to class? What software programs or websites provide the most engagement and increased student learning? Although some of these questions are easily answered for some classrooms, the research is still inconclusive and hopefully, more research will be done in the next couple of years. 

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Conclusion

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          In conclusion, research shows that blended learning provides flexibility in learning for both students and teachers and enables both parties to become learners. Blended learning not only offers the teachers the ability to be more efficient in delivering content but also more effective. Transforming traditional lifeguarding instruction by incorporating blended learning will empower students to take accountability of their personal learning experience. Currently, there is not extensive research on lifeguarding courses incorporating blended learning, but from the research written about blended learning, it seems like combining the two together could revamp the way lifeguarding is taught. I believe that incorporating blended learning into current lifeguarding instruction is the most efficient way to prepare future lifeguards.  

References

 

American Red Cross. (2012). American Red Cross lifeguarding: instructors manual. American National Red Cross.

 

Bailey, J., & Martin, N., (2013). Blended learning implementation guide version 2.0. Digital learning now!, 56 & 60. Retrieved from http://digitallearningnow.com/site/uploads/2013/10/BLIG-2.0-Final-Paper.pdf

 

Boccella, K. (2015). In Spring City, Pa., Hybrid Learning Sends Test Scores Soaring. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved from http://www.govtech.com/education/In-Spring-City-Pa-Hybrid-Learning-Sends-Test-Scores-Soaring.html

 

Cable Impact Foundation. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.roadmap21.org/assets/Creating-Your-Roadmap-to-21st-Century-Learning-Environments1.pdf

 

Branche, C. M. (2018). Lifeguard effectiveness. The Science of Beach Lifeguarding, 29–35. doi: 10.4324/9781315371641-2

 

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., Gardner, M., & Espinoza, D. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Retrieved 2020, from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56b90cb101dbae64ff707585/t/5ade348e70a6ad624d417339/1524511888739/NO_LIF~1.PDF

 

Das, S. (2019). Using A Video Strategy In Blended Learning. Retrieved 2020, from https://elearningindustry.com/advantages-using-video-strategy-blended-learning

 

Digital Learning Now. (2015). Foundation for excellence in education, Blended learning implementation guide 3.0. Retrieved from http://digitallearningnow.com/site/uploads/2013/09/BLIG-3.0-FINAL.pdf

 

Eissa, A. A., & Abdulazim, B. S. (2017). Effect of Using E-Learning on Learning Swimming Lifesaving Skills for Faculty of Physical Education Students. Journal of Applied Sports Science, 7(1), 35–42. doi: 10.21608/jass.2017.84600

 

Giannousi, M., Vernadakis, N., Derri, V., Antoniou, P., & Kioumourtzoglou, E. (2014). A Comparison Of Student Knowledge Between Traditional And Blended Instruction In A Physical Education In Early Childhood Course. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 15(1). doi: 10.17718/tojde.99593

 

Giarla, A. (2018, October 17). The benefits of blended learning. Retrieved October 20, 2018, from https://www.teachthought.com/technology/the-benefits-of-blended-learning/

 

Güzer, B., & Caner, H. (2014). The Past, Present, and Future of Blended Learning: An in Depth Analysis of Literature. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 4596–4603. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.992

 

Hesse, Laura. (2017). The effects of blended learning on K-12th grade students. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/grp/116

 

Hilliard, A. T. (2015). Global blended learning practices for teaching and learning, leadership and professional development. Journal of International Education Research, 11(3), 179-188.  

 

Horn, M., B., & Staker, H. (2014). For blended learning, look beyond the technology. Blended learning is about more than technology, pp. Vol. 34, Issue 14, Pages 22, 28.

 

Kaur, M. (2013). Blended Learning - Its Challenges and Future. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 612–617. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.09.248

 

Kingpum, P., Ruangsuwan, C., & Chaicharoen, S. (2015). A Development of a Collaborative Blended Learning Model to Enhance Learning Achievement and Thinking Ability of Undergraduate Students at the Institute of Physical Education. Retrieved 2020, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1095281

 

Köse, U. (2010). A blended learning model supported with Web 2.0 technologies. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 2794–2802. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.417

 

Lalima, K. L. D. (2017). Blended learning: An innovative approach. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(1), 129-136. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.050116

 

Leboff, D. (2020). Why Blended Learning Is Key For Colleges In The COVID-19 Era. Retrieved 2020, from https://tophat.com/blog/blended-learning/

 

López-Pérez, M. V., Pérez-López, M. C., & Rodríguez-Ariza, L. (2011). Blended learning in higher education: Students’ perceptions and their relation to outcomes. Computers & Education, 56(3), 818–826. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.023

 

Margolis, A. R., Porter, A. L., & Pitterle, M. E. (2017). Best Practices for Use of Blended Learning, 81(3): 49. doi: 10.5688/ajpe81349

 

Nazarenko, A. L. (2014). Information Technologies in Education: Blended Learning (an Attempt of a Research Approach). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187704281405561X

 

Schwebel, D. C., Jones, H. N., Holder, E., & Marciani, F. (2010). Lifeguards: a forgotten aspect of drowning prevention. Journal of Injury and Violence Research, 2(1), 1–3. doi: 10.5249/jivr.v2i1.32

 

Shand, K., & Farrelly, S. (2017). Using Blended Teaching to Teach Blended Learning: Lessons Learned from Pre-Service Teachers in an Instructional Methods Course. Retrieved 2020, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148421.pdf

 

Thorne, K. (2003). Blended learning: How to integrate online and traditional learning. London: Kagan Page Limited. 

 

​Toporek, B. (2015). Chicago school designed with blended learning in mind. A Charter School designed For Ed Tech, pp. Vol. 34, Issue 27, Pages s20, s21, s22.

 

Watson, J., Powell, A., Staley, P., Patrick, S., Horn, M., Fetzer, L., Hibbard, L., Oglesby, J., Verma, S. (2015). Blended learning: the evolution of online and face to face education from 2008 - 2015. Promising practices in blended and online learning, 9-10. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED560788.pdf