March 22, 2005 Prof. HUANG Ronghuai Knowledge Science and Engineering Institute, BNU

1. Designing Blended Learning Focused on Knowledge Category and Learning Activities——Case Studies from Beijing Normal University March 22, 2005 Prof. HUANG Ronghuai Knowledge Science and Engineering Institute, BNU

2. Content • What is Blended Learning? • Challenges Faced to Implement Blended Learning • Designing Blended Learning • Two Case Studies

3. Why Blended Learning? College Students China Modern DE • Till the end of 2003, China has approved CRTVU(Central Radio and TV University) and other 67 higher colleges and universities as pilots to develop modern distance education • 17 in Beijing (including CRTVU), 8 in Shanghai, 6 in Sichuan • More than 2.3 million students

4. What is Blended Learning? • Blended learning focuses on optimizing achievement of learning objectives by • applying the “right” learning technologies • to match the “right” personal learning style • to transfer the “right” skills • to the “right” person • at the “right” time. • Embedded in this definition are the following principles: • We are focusing on the learning objective rather than the method of delivery • Many different personal learning styles need to be supported to reach broad audiences • Each of us brings different knowledge into the learning experience • In many cases, the most effective learning strategy is “just-what-I-need, just-in-time”

5. Ingredients of the Blend • Synchronous physical formats: • Instructor-led Classrooms & Lectures • Hands-on Labs & Workshops • Field Trips • Synchronous online formats (Live eLearning): • eMeetings • Virtual Classrooms • Web Seminars and Broadcasts • Coaching • Instant Messaging • Self-paced, asynchronous formats: • Documents & Web Pages • Web/Computer-Based Training Modules • Assessments/Tests & Surveys • Simulations • Job Aids & Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) • Recorded live events • Online Learning Communities and Discussion Forums Dimensions of the Blend • Blending Offline and Online Learning • Blending Self-Paced and Live, Collaborative Learning • Blending Structured and Unstructured Learning • Blending Custom Content with Off-the-Shelf Content • Blending Work and Learning

6. Content • What is Blended Learning? • Challenges Faced to Implement Blended Learning • Designing Blended Learning • Two Case Studies

7. How to Design the Curriculum of Blended Learning? • Most college and university instructors have not acquired enough understanding of instructional activities based on blended learning. • So the urgent issue of carrying out blended learning is to put forward a series of curriculum design methods and ideas concerning blended learning, which are easy to use by teachers.

8. How to Design and Use the Online Resources? • Blended learning resources need to be integrated with learning activities (especially in normal classrooms) and embedded into online curriculum resources. • The flexibility of blended learning not only provides more choices for knowledge delivery and skill development, but it simultaneously brings more difficulties for resource development.

9. How to Promote the Level of Learning Strategy • Chinese students are often slow to take advantage of web-based learning methods and often fail to develop the learning skills that match this instructional organizing method. • Teachers and instructional designers must consider how to promote students’ self-regulated learning capability in the process of instructional design.

10. Content • What is Blended Learning? • Challenges Faced to Implement Blended Learning • Designing Blended Learning • Two Case Studies

11. Bi-Dimensional Taxonomy of Educational Objectives and Activity Design

12. 1. Pre-analysis The Design Procedures for Blended Learning 2. Design of Activity and Resource 3. Design of Assessment

13. Content • What is Blended Learning? • Challenges Faced to Implement Blended Learning • Designing Blended Learning • Two Case Studies

14. Case 1: Online Course “Introduction to Educational Technology” • one course of the master’s degree program • a typical blended learning curriculum • jointly produced by Beijing Normal University and University of Sheffield • May 2003 - May 2005

15. Pre-analysis • for in-service teachers to take from home. Learners of the curriculum come from K-12 schools. • e-learning is a suitable way for them to get credit hours • The course consists of seven relatively independent modules • The curriculum implementation and main learning activities will be put onto a web-based platform (WebCL) • The basic learning modes are discussion of key themes, case studies, and group learning.

16. Activity and Resource Design An example: The Basic Design Framework of "Instructional Design"

17. Assessment Design • The evaluation of the curriculum utilizes formative assessment in exploring specific records of learning process including learner e-portfolios.

18. Case 2: On-campus Curriculum“Multimedia Technology” • a compulsory course for junior undergraduate students majoring in Computer Science • a 18-week course • about 120 junior undergraduate students, • one lecturer with two tutors • I was involved in creating this course as part of a master’s program in the early 1990s which later become a compulsory course for undergraduate students.

19. Pre-analysis • many types of knowledge • students have already learned other relevant computer courses • lack a personal understanding of relevant learning strategies and self-regulated learning • group collaboration project was guided by tutors through WebCL • Except for the necessary textbooks, developed most of the other relevant e-learning resources and provided reference websites and bibliographies of the pioneers in multimedia technology

20. Activity Design The Sequence of Activities in "Multimedia Technology"

21. Lead-in Activity Classroom Lecture Activity

22. CL in Classroom

23. CL through WebCL

24. Evaluation • In general, the students thought that the blended learning activities offered them a full range of learning opportunities and resources that better matched reality. • Most students were favorable toward combining network-based and classroom instructional techniques. • they can learn how to communicate and collaborate with others to more effectively complete learning tasks. • the online learning resources provided by the platform helped push highly motivated students to expand their knowledge and dig deeper in an area. • The formative assessment of student e-portfolios helped reduce the all-too-common goal of simply learning for exams, so that students could really devote themselves in learning.

25. Conclusions • The two cases have reflected the conditions of blended learning. The procedures are also feasible and can suit different kinds of blended-learning courses. • the WebCL tool played an important function in their learning process because it provided an effective way to cooperate and communicate. • e-portfolios can play special roles in blended learning settings.

26. Thank you! Welcome to visit http://ksei.bnu.edu.cn/ and http://www.webcl.net.cn !