Blended Learning

1. Blended Learning “Blended Learning is not this year's fad; rather it is a return to solid application of learning.” Kettleborough (2002)

2. What is blended/hybrid? Hybrid Courses: Lessons Learned From Three Institutions (Northeastern University, Boston; University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee; University of California at Los Angeles). New Media Centers Summer Conference, 2004, Vancouver, British Columbia. Accessed Nov. 14, 2006 from www.cicd.neu.edu/downloads/NMC2004.ppt “Hybrid courses are: “NOT traditional “distance education” courses “Not entirely online “NOT simply traditional classes with a Web site “Online time replaces some classroom time “NOT just transferring information to the Web “Involves an extensive course redesign “NOT all alike “Many different formats and schedules are possible” “Not an add-on” (Garrison, 2006) A “shared pedagogical approach” (Hartman, 2006) Cochise College: 1/3-1/3 model

3. Why blended? Digital natives vs. digital immigrants (Prensky, 2001) Andragogy (Knowles, 1984) 73% part-time Average age: 30 Families, job, distance student access/convenience Best of both worlds

4. Do students really benefit? The Pew Grant Program for Course Redesign 30 higher education institutions, 1999-2003 Fairfield University second-year genetics class 88% vs. 79% on key concepts  University of Massachusetts, Amherst, intro biology 73% vs. 61% on exams Attendance also improved: 89.9% vs. 67% University of Wisconsin, Madison 640.8 vs. 633.9 for total course score University of Iowa, chemistry course: common exam 24.7 vs. 19.2 Researchers at the University of Central Florida have observed, during six years of analysis, that students enrolled in hybrid courses consistently obtain grades of A, B, or C at a rate of up to six percent higher than that of students in comparable face-to-face or fully online courses (Dziuban et al. 2001). Researchers at the University of Central Florida have observed, during six years of analysis, that students enrolled in hybrid courses consistently obtain grades of A, B, or C at a rate of up to six percent higher than that of students in comparable face-to-face or fully online courses (Dziuban et al. 2001).

5. Why the benefits? Reduces f2f “first exposure” time (Lorenzetti, 2004) Students take more responsibility for their own learning greater interactivity shy students become more engaged immediate feedback enhances learning instructors can focus on conceptually difficult material adds to constructivism and social networking enhanced technology expertise Better caters to differences in learning styles and paces of learning Bates, 2003; Brown, 2004; Gray, 1999; Howell, Williams and Linday, 2003; Lorenzetti, 2004; Marsh et al., 2003; Martyn, 2003; Miller, Jones, Packham, & Thomas, 2004; Murphy, 2002-2003; Prewitt, 1998

6. These results only apply if… Course is redesigned Misconception among new online instructors: they can just “move the class online” (Miller & King, 2003) Asynchronous vs. synchronous learning—paradigm shift Andragogy—paradigm shift Sinn (2004), blended instructors: “must rethink the entire teaching and learning processes” Garnham and Kaleta (2002) regarding blended classes: “instructors must reexamine their course goals and objectives, design online learning activities to meet those goals and objectives, and effectively integrate the online activities with the face-to-face meetings.”

7. How are blended learning classes orchestrated? From: Northern Virginia Community College. (2006). (accessed Nov. 10, 2006 from http://conference.merlot.org/2006/MICO6/MIC06Thursday/IlluminateHybrid.ppt)