Blended Workbook by Michael B. Horn & Heather Staker Summary

The Blended Workbook is a practical guide for designing blended learning programs in K-12 education. Co-authored by Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker, it provides hands-on exercises, case studies, and frameworks to help educators transition from traditional classrooms to student-centric models. The workbook complements Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools, offering step-by-step modules for rallying stakeholders, budgeting, culture-building, and selecting blended learning models.

This book is ideal for K-12 educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking actionable strategies to implement blended learning. It’s particularly valuable for school leaders forming innovation teams, curriculum designers reimagining physical/virtual spaces, and teachers aiming to personalize instruction. The workbook’s exercises and templates cater to both beginners and those refining existing programs.

Yes, for its actionable tools and real-world insights. Unlike theoretical guides, it includes 50+ case studies, worksheets for budget planning, and modules for overcoming implementation hurdles. Educators praise its focus on “discovery-driven planning” to test ideas cheaply and adapt quickly. However, it requires commitment—the 352-page workbook demands hands-on engagement.

Key ideas include:

• Rallying Cry: Identifying a focused problem to solve through blended learning.
• Student Motivation: Designing intrinsic and extrinsic incentives.
• Culture Building: Aligning staff mindsets with innovation goals.
• Discovery-Driven Planning: Testing assumptions before scaling.

The book applies Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory to education, arguing that blended learning can transform “monolithic, factory-model systems” into flexible formats. It guides schools to start small (e.g., labs or afterschool programs), prove effectiveness, then gradually replace traditional structures—avoiding backlash from abrupt overhauls.

• Staffing: Assigning a dedicated innovation team.
• Space Design: Optimizing physical classrooms and digital platforms.
• Budgeting: Redirecting costs from textbooks to tech infrastructure.
• Piloting: Using “small bets” to test models like Station Rotation or Flipped Classroom.

Yes, it analyzes 50+ case studies, including successes and failures. Examples span rural districts using blended learning to expand course access and urban schools personalizing for English learners. Each case ties to workbook exercises, like redesigning a school’s schedule or evaluating EdTech tools.

It advocates “jobs to be done” theory, urging schools to design around students’ emotional/academic needs. Modules help educators map student journeys, create flexible pacing, and integrate choice—such as letting students pick project topics or learning modalities (videos, apps, peer groups).

• “Improving schools does not need to be a matter of guesswork.” (Staker) – Emphasizes using theory-driven experimentation.
• “Blended learning is a catalyst for decimating old constructs about who gets what.” (Horn) – Highlights equity through tech-enabled personalization.

Some note its intensive time requirement—completing all modules takes months. Others argue it underestimates systemic barriers like outdated policies or underfunded broadband access. However, most praise its balance of ambition and practicality.

While Disrupting Class explains why education needs innovation, The Blended Workbook focuses on how. It translates Christensen’s theories into checklists, surveys, and budgets, making it a tactical sequel. For example, it expands on “disruptive innovation” with a 10-step implementation plan.

As schools adopt AI tutors and hybrid post-pandemic models, the workbook’s frameworks help navigate new tools. Its emphasis on iterative testing aligns with agile development trends, while modules on equity address persistent opportunity gaps.

• Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools (same authors).
• Disrupting Class by Clayton Christensen and Michael Horn.
• The End of Average by Todd Rose for student-centric design principles.