Blended Learning

Kevin Hinde

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About you!

What do you want to achieve from today’s session?

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Aims and outcomes

Discuss issues associated with the current state of Blended Learning.

You will be able to– Define Blended learning.– Recognise the context for Blended Learning.– Reflect on your current blend of online and F2F

learning and consider some solutions.

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The talk

Context

Definitions

Where are we heading?

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Combining F2F and online delivery.

Web Enhanced Web Focused Web Driven

What is Blended Learning?

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“ a combination of face-to-face and online media, with "seat time" significantly reduced.”

Richard Voos (2004 - http://www.aln.org/publications/view/v2n1/blended1.htm)

What is Blended Learning?

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Context for blended learning solutions

Student Expectations– Technology and changes in learning styles.– The rising costs of HE – customers who also

need to work. Government Agenda

– Widening Participation: increased diversity– 50% target– Increased numbers of overseas students.– E-Learning Strategy

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Context for blended learning solutions

University Response– Meeting National and Regional Agendas– Declining Unit of Resource– Rising Numbers, Bigger class sizes –

Productivity Improvements.– Alternative income streams e.g collaborative

ventures, corporate learners, distance learners.– Investment in VLEs & staff training.

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VLE usage among the Region’s Universities

Staff Usage Durham – 67% Newcastle – 45-50% Teeside – 50% Sunderland – 33% Northumbria – 90%!

Substantial investments being made in VLE and integration.

Blended not Distance Learning

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Is there any evidence that Blended Learning is better than F2F?

Impossible to get any realistic comparison. Studies use different variables.

T Russell (1999) – No significant difference problem between distance education and F2F going back to 1928. Not the technology but the method of instruction. Didn’t include internet based learning.

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Is there any evidence that Blended Learning is better than F2F?

Lots of evidence that it improves the quality of the learning experience. (see http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk for some interesting discussion)

Twigg (2001) argues that we need to reverse the individualisation of faculty practice and the standardisation of the student learning experience. (http://www.centre.rpi.edu/PewSym/Mono4.html)

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Questions

Which of the following best describes the programme you lead?

1. Web Enhanced (complimentary with F2F).

2. Web Focused (Some Substitutability with F2F).

3. Web Driven (Largely substitutable for F2F).

4. Some mixture of the above.

5. Web? What’s the web?

13Pedagogical Enthusiasm for Online Learning

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93

1

2 8

6

4

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Pedagogical Enthusiasm for F2F Learning

Where would you place yourself on this grid?

14Pedagogical Enthusiasm for Online Learning

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93

1

2 8

6

4

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ICT Knowledge

Where would you place yourself on this grid?

ICT KnowledgeICT KnowledgeICT Knowledge

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ICT Knowledge

Pedagogical Enthusiasm for Online Learning

Pioneer

Diverted Potential

Traditionalist

Constrained

Optimist

Cautious Optimist

Technical Experimente

r

Unconvinced User

Pedagogical Experimente

r

Pragmatic Optimist

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More Questions

I believe that the web will become even more important for learning over the next two years.

1. Strongly agree

2. Slightly Agree

3. Neither Agree or Disagree

4. Slightly Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

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More Questions

I believe F2F will have to change as a result of online learning provision in the near future.

1. Strongly agree

2. Slightly Agree

3. Neither Agree or Disagree

4. Slightly Disagree

5. Strongly Disagree

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Can it be blended?

F2F mode (e.g. Lecture, seminar, workshop, dissertation)

List what you can switch from F2F to Online delivery.

How would you achieve at least the same learning outcomes? Could you increase the outcomes for the same cost?

What are the benefits and costs?

Work in groups of 3/4 and think about the following

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Have you learnt anything valuable today?

Summary