http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_with_technology/blended-learning-best-practices.html
Source of Graphic: http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/webinar-recording-blended-learning-make-it-work-for-your-district/
Monday, February 6, 2012
Blended Learning and Good Teaching
Blended learning requires a lot of effort to ensure that students stay engaged and on task. In designing blended courses one needs to pay attention to principles of good teaching, keep the interaction going and recognize that students learn in various ways. The following link provides some more tips:
http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_with_technology/blended-learning-best-practices.html
Source of Graphic: http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/webinar-recording-blended-learning-make-it-work-for-your-district/
http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_with_technology/blended-learning-best-practices.html
Source of Graphic: http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/webinar-recording-blended-learning-make-it-work-for-your-district/
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I agree that delivering a blended learning course is quite challenging! Although, learning outcomes may be clearly articulated, the question should be asked whether the teaching strategy should in fact be blended or delivered strcikly face-to-face? Perhaps, further thought on developing a strategy as to what students may be more comforatble with may prove that some may prefer one over the other. Do students really want to continue learning beyond the face-to-face classroom?
ReplyDeleteI think that blended learning is good for the students however the selection of the tool is challenging. After to teach the course several time, the selection of the tool should be more clear
ReplyDeleteI think an essential take away when considering blended learning is to take your time. Unless you have a ton of resources at your disposal you may want to evolve your course slowly, trying one or two tools or approaches, seeing what works and getting comfortable with the tool before moving on to something else.
ReplyDeleteAn of course there is the danger of using too many different tools, like wikis, screen casts, blogs, etc and overwhelming the student. We must remember that while the capability to deliver information has grown exponentially, our ability to take it all in is where it was one hundred years ago. Take for instance the home page for this class - very cluttered - too overwhelming, don't know where to go, information overload, meltdown, frustration, loss of motivation, learning outcomes not achieved.
Si
As with most things involved in teaching, preparation is key. Blended learning is not only useful in delivering a course, but gets the student ready for the kind of environment they may have to deal with later on. Be it for futhering their education, work or otherwise. But if enough time and resoursces are available, then future application of the course becomes easier.I think that if departments take an active role in this, instead of leaving it up to individual teachers, it would make things a lot better. I agree with Simon when he says beware of overloading a course with too many tools.This must always be considered.
DeleteI agree here, there is a danger of information and task overload. I don't think the the online platform should be used as a means to simply add more content and workload. I do believe if used wisely and tools very carefully chosen, blended learning can be a success for both the student and the teacher.
Delete-Saheeda
Simon's comments are very insightful and practical. They obviously come after a considerable amount of experience and thought. Teachers need to be abreast with the use of technology in the classroom to enhance learning but must indeed be cognizant of the abuse/overuse of these teaching tools.
DeleteLike all course development the principles of good teaching must be applied when developing a blended course. My experience with such creation is very limited at the moment, but my observations so far is that much time is required and there is a significant challenge in deciding what will create the best balance for student engagement. I am finding that I must ensure that all decisions are aligned with my learning outcomes to help me to decide which tools are most appropriate and like Simon indicated to avoid "the danger of using too many tools." My decisions must foster active engagement and ensuring adequate opportunities for feedback is a must. I am sure that after the first course is developed and delivered what is most effective and whether good practice was applied will be clearer. I am sure the students will indicate if the experience was valuable or not.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Russ Penn
Blended learning certainly has it challenges and I think that one of the ways to mitigate some of the challenges is to get feedback from students as the course is being taught. It can be overwhelming and as I think about it "tools overload" is a valid issue that I must revise for my own blended course that I am developing. I think that there should be a balance, that LO's are correctly met with the right tools but overloading with way too much assignments, blogs, wikis, chats and forums can cause students to be confused and uninterested. So this is where the extra effort comes in - tweaking and also learning as I go along so that I can deliver an effective course to my students.
ReplyDeleteMy experience suggests that blended learning makes teaching and learning less labourious once the process is properly thought through before hand. The Learning Objectives must be clear and concise, the lecturer/teacher should be relatively competent/confident on the topic area and the class size must be manageable, relative to the facilities provided. The disposition of the teacher and learners is also a critical factor, prticularly during the period of transistion from traditional mode to the blended approach. Blended Learning is likely to become less work and more fun if approached with an open mind.
ReplyDeleteI believe that blended learning increases the modes of delivery of instruction as well as the variety of assessments that lecturers can use. Together with the challenges mentioned, I believe that the type and number of assessments must be carefully planned to ensure that students are engaged. Students should be assigned meaningful assessments that help them achieve the learning outcomes of the course. They should not be overwhelmed with too many different online assignments that achieve the same goal. Assessments should be a blend of the traditional face-to-face and online, so that academic integrity is maintained.
ReplyDeleteKeith
I concur that the principles of good teaching must be adhered to at all times. If not,students will become frustrated and demotivated as we are well aware.
ReplyDeleteBlended learning courses are a lot of work to prepare, but as with any new concepts, with practice it comes second nature. The issue is how well students will adapt to this approach to learning. For the student who is truly seeking to continue the learning process beyond the classroom (face to face), a blended learning course is the way to go; if fact one might even venture to say it is a “God send”.
ReplyDeleteB. Hector Penn
Indeed blended learning is difficult to organize and set up, like any other type of learning. However, I am of the view that like any other problem, breaking it [blended learning] down into smaller chunks and then iteratively working on those chunks, an organized and structured solution for a blended learning course can be had.
ReplyDeleteMarquitta
ReplyDeleteBlended learning is benefical to both the teacher and the learner. However, it is time consuming at the beginning but once it is developed the course actually go more smoothly.
S Le Gall
ReplyDeleteI idea of blended "course" is quite appealing. The challenge for me, is to figure out what aspects of the course are more suitable for f2f instruction, and the aspects which are not. The other challenge is to find relevant content outside the text-based medium...emphasis on the word "relevant" since some aspects of my discipline lend themselves more readily to visual/graphic presentation, while others do not. Having said that, however, the flexibility that blended learning offers is a huge advantage over the more traditional stye.
I can’t for the life of me understand why it is that the emphasis is always on the students (which is good) and little on the teachers/lecturers/educators. We are also overloaded with work and responsibilities and yet there doesn’t seem to exist an environment that encourages, facilitates or rewards improved teaching via blended courses. Lecturers must be given credit for developing blended courses as well as recognized for the time spent outside the classroom.
ReplyDeleteWhen we did our teaching philosophy, I noted that learning occurs all the time. Unknowingly at that time I didn’t realize that blended courses helped to support that idea. I think blended courses are great but this has to be put in context. If students are doing this for 8 to 10 disciplines at the same time, are we losing the uniqueness and value of blended learning due to overload? We are already all complaining and we are just doing two courses.
I think that regardless of how well planned the blended course may be if there is not appropriate support staff, then timely response and feedback to online activities may not occur. This makes me ponder as to whether we can execute this blended course and whether we can ensure that we account for hiccups such as technologically unexposed students?
I think all teaching/learning modes off-line, online or blended require effort to keep students engaged and on task.
ReplyDeleteBlended courses however have the unique requirement that the online and offline efforts need to be synchronized - staying in sync produces unique challenges to both staff and students.
All educators should aim for "Blended Learning".
ReplyDeleteHowever how practical and feasible it is to adopt it various for different lecturers as it is compounded by the number of course we are responsible for, technical and physical infrastructure,choice of the various aids for the course and opposition by members of staff whose goal is to create issues.
By Kevin Moze
ReplyDeleteWell said Shaun and Vidya. First class systems in the world today have implemented this blended learning approach. Their systems are in place ( an institution of sound delivery, a well oiled engine room) to effectively roll out a blended learning course. It is putting the cart before the horse. Its quite similar to implementing a policy of building big buildings and at the expense of simple safe and productive living.
Our school of dentistry is not sufficiently staffed to pay attention adequate attention to all of their duties and responsibilities.
We are clinicians.
We are teachers.
We are administrators.
We procure and justify the purchase of equipment.
We are responsible for research and publications
We are required to be on committees.
We can't live off of our salaries.
We have to go into private practice. We cannot fully concentrate on any one item in our job. This is the problem. And then this blended learning "institution" is suggested to us.
UWI lecturers are overworked. They cannot concentrate on any one major task at hand for any significant length of time as other duties are always knocking on your door. In london I worked in a radiology department of fifteen staff who all worked beautifully.
Each individual hard a different responsibility. The place excels so rapidly. In trinidad I work in a radiology unit with 1 member of staff and we are expected to compete at an international level.
It does not ad up at all. Lets wake up people.
I attempted a bit of blended learning with my class module which started mid-March. While I loved the concept of students expressing themselves and sharing ideas with each other. I find myself reluctant to read what they have posted on the discussion forum partly because I know they were all saying the same thing in different ways. Then they started asking open questions which were really directed at me. The entry would end with 'maybe we will have more clarifications on this in class'. I really would prefer if they would sort it out themselves. But maybe this is not the best attitude to adopt.
ReplyDelete