Blending learning for the human services
Neil Ballantyne
Director
Learning Designs
Blended learning
“Blended learning is the thoughtful fusion of face-to-face and online learning
experiences…such that the strengths of each are blended into a unique learning
experience congruent with the context and intended educational purpose.”
(Garrison & Vaughan, 2008, p5)
What’s in the human services blend?
1. Social science knowledgedeclarative knowledge – knowing about
2. Clinical practice knowledgefunctioning knowledge – know how
3. Direct practice experiencethe practicum or placement
The first is the most likely candidate for online delivery
The second two are usually delivered F2F
Moving beyond technoscepticism
• The human services literature includes a strong element of techno-scepticism and resistance to technology use in teaching and in practice.
• Sometimes presented in the form of a manifesto for resistance rather than a reasoned academic discussion of evidence
• See in particular: Kreuger & Stretch (2009); Kreuger & Stretch (2000a); Kreuger & Stretch, (2000b), and for a more recent example Vodde et al. (2010)
• However, social work is engaging with the emerging network society (Ballantyne & LaMendola, 2011); and the use of distance learning is increasing (e.g. Oliaro & Trotter, 2010; Vernon et al. 2009; Wilke & Vinton, 2006)
Distance education in social work: current and emerging trends
Survey by US Council of SW Education• 41% of BSW and 52% of MSW are delivering distance
courses• Further 18% of BSW and 19% of MSW are considering
delivery• 72% of BSW and 56% of MSW are using Internet/web
delivery• 63% of BSW and 76% of MSW delivery is blended• 14.5% of BSW and 20% BSW delivering practice
courses(Vernon et al., 2009)
A comparison of on-campus and distance social work education
• @Monash University, Australia• Different demographics
– Off-campus students were older, had children, working in social services, lived at a distance
• Both groups satisfied with programmes of study• Distance students more satisfied with access to staff• Distance students less satisfied with distance as a
mode of study• No significant difference in grades
(Oliaro & Trotter, 2010)
Evaluation of first web-based advanced MSW programme
• @Florida State University, USA• Demographic difference
– Distance students older and had more work experience
• No significant difference in satisfaction or grades
• Distance students score slightly lower in relation to some Fieldwork Educator ratings
(Wilke & Vinton, 2006)
Human service educators are beginning to harness new ways ofteaching practice skills
Learning practice skills online
• Some exceptions to the rule that clinical practice skills ought to be taught F2F
• Social work students in Canada and Scotland use multimedia case studies in a blended problem-based learning environment (Ballantyne & Knowles, 2007)
• Social work students – one group F2F and one online – develop social work interview skills and video record interviews for assessment (Ouellette et al., 2006)
• Social work students use web-based environment to learn skills in couples therapy (Shibusawa et al., 2006)
• Online course as part of online MSW teaches clinical skills online (Siebert & Spaulding-Givens, 2006)
We need new kinds of interactive learning…
(Anderson, T. , 2008)
…new ways of conceptualising interactivity
(Garrison & Anderson, 2003)
…and new ways of imagining community & presence
The limitations of the practicum
• The supply of quality placements• The training and experience of practice educators• Timely access to the right learning opportunities
A thought experiment…the virtual practicum?
• It’s the year 2020• For one hour each week practicum students (as as an
adjunct to their live practicum experience) engage in an immersive VR simulation
• They work with real and simulated actors in virtual scenarios linked to key learning outcomes
• Different cultures can be represented• Skills are practiced and can be assessed• The avatars pass the Turing Test• Would this be an educationally toxic experience?
Image Credits
Slide 8
By: iriss.org.uk
CC License: Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) |
URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/openlx/5950636723/
Slide 10
By: Tadeeej
CC License: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tadeeej/3228729514/
Slide 13
By: iriss.org.uk
CC License: Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)
URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/openlx/3697928772/
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