The following post is taken from a presentation on blended or hybrid teaching and learning. The examples are linked to courses here at my uni that are unfortunately inaccessible for people outside (sorry about that). If you have any examples of hybrid or blended courses that you would like to share, please leave a link in the comments section below.
Blended Learning
It's not about technology; it's about time.
Why Blended Learning?
In many cases, "the flexibility of asynchronous, any time, any place, online interaction makes it more practical for students and instructors to interact online" (Bates & Poole, 2003, p. 119).
Definition: "Blended learning is not one thing. It comes in many shapes, flavors, and colors" (Picciano, 2006, p. 96).
It may be used to enhance the traditional lecture with electronic instructor notes additional readings, and images of charts, graphs, or other handouts.
It may combine e-learning with face-to-face instruction so that rather than meeting in a classroom three hours a week, a course meets two hours per week with the third hour consisting of an online threaded discussion.
"In the broadest sense, blended learning ... can be defined or conceptualized as a wide variety of technology/media integrated with conventional, face-to-face classroom activities" (Picciano, 2006, p. 96).
At the 2005 Sloan-C Workshop on Blended Learning, the following definition of blended learning adopted and since distributed:
- Courses that integrate online with traditional face-to- face class activities in a planned, pedagogically valuable manner; and
- Where a portion (institutionally defined) of face-to-face time is replaced by online activity*(P. 97).
Research:
Dziuban et al. (2001) found, given a strong design and support infrastructure:
- Blended courses had marginally higher course completion rates than fully online courses;
- Faculty considered that blended courses required more time to develop and administer than f2f courses but less time to deliver;
- Faculty considered that blended courses increased the amount and quality of interaction compared with standard f2f courses; and
- Faculty satisfaction with blended courses was higher compared with standard f2f teaching.
"While the research base on blended learning is not yet developed, its influence on higher education may be far greater in the years to come" (Picciano, 2006, p. 100).
Additionally, Picciano (2006) notes that "access and growth will improve in blended learning environments when carefully designed for pedagogically appropriate reasons" (p.100).
Examples:
EME 4401 -- Integrating Technology into the Elementary Curriculum
TSL 3526 -- ESOL Foundations: Language and Culture in Elementary Classrooms Blended Course
SITE Program
How Blended Learning can work for you:- Allows you to rethink class time.
- Allows for the potential of increased interaction with students in large classes.
- Allows for the extension of classroom conversations.
- Allows you to place lecture material online to leave more time for discussion and assignments in class.
- Allows you to create virtual workspaces for groups.
- It can be a healthy segue to developing courses for fully online delivery.
Remember:
- Building blended or any e-learning takes time.
- Technical and design support is critical.
- Student support is also critical.
Other Resources:
University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee site for Hybrid (Blended) Learning
Hybrid Learning: Maximizing Student Engagement -- article from Campus Technology
PEDAGOGY for Blended Instruction: A Primer -- Prepared by Philip Pecorino
Blended Learning Effective Practices -- aggregated by Keith Bourne
Notes:
Bates, A. W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education: Foundations for success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dziuban, C., Moskal, P., Juge, F., Truman-Davis, B., Sorg, S., & Hartman, J. (2001). Developing a Web-based instructional program in a metropolitan university. In B. Geibert & S. Harvey (Eds.). Web wise design: Lessons from the field. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
Picciano, A. G. (2006). Blended learning: Implications for growth and access. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10(3). Retrieved 27 February from http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/jaln/v10n3/pdf/v10n3_8picciano.pdf.
Keywords: blended learning, computing, educational technology, hybrid courses, learning, online learning, presentation, teaching
Comments