Blended Learning

Blended Learning Timothy Brannan, Ph.D. Instructional Technology Services, Inc. Professor, Central Michigan University tim.brannan@comcast.net (517) 214-1880

Blended Learning: Need I be afraid?

What is Blended Learning? • A blended learning approach combines face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities to form an integrated instructional approach. In the past, digital materials have served in a supplementary role, helping to support face-to-face instruction. • For example, a blended approach to a traditional, face-to-face course might mean that a class meets once per week instead of the usual three-session format. Learning activities that otherwise would have taken place during classroom time can be moved online. Student centered.

What Blended Learning is not… • A blend is not achieved simply because you are using many delivery methods for your content. • Rather, a blend is using the best delivery methodologies available for a specific objective, including online, classroom-based instruction, performance support, and self-study.

Why Blended Learning? • The goal of a blended approach is to join the best aspects of both face-to-face and online instruction. Classroom time can be used to engage students in advanced interactive experiences. Meanwhile, the online portion of the course can provide students with multimedia-rich content at any time of day; anywhere the student has internet access. This allows for an increase in scheduling flexibility for students.

Why Blended Learning? • Reduce instructional costs. • Maximize/Leverage technology. • Increase instructional value. Remediation, JIT/Refresher/Review. • Deliver education where, and when, it is needed. Students are Mobile.

How to Blend? • There are no rules in place to say specifically how to blend. The term “blended” encompasses a broad continuum, and can include any integration of face-to-face and online instructional content. The blend of face-to-face and online materials will vary depending on the content, the needs of the students, and the preferences of the instructor.

So how to Blend? • There are no set rules for creating a blended learning course; it is not as simple as selecting a percentage of content and assigning that piece to one of the instructional modes. Developing a new blended course or redesigning an old course into a blended format requires consideration of how to blend face to face and online materials in an integrated way. There are several factors that go into the decision of how to blend the two instructional mediums: • What is being taught? • What are the needs of the students? • What are the preferences of the course instructor?

Differences between f-2-f and Blended Learning • The degree to which the educator must plan the components of the learning environment. • The need to understand the impact that the technology has on the learning process. • The need to understand the impact that the technology has on the instruction process. • The adaptability of the technology to meet student needs.

Definition of Instruction Types: • Face-to-face Instruction • Face-to-face instruction is a course that is delivered at the same time and the same place with the instructor and student present. • Blended/Hybrid Instruction • Hybrid instruction is a course that uses both a face-to-face and an online component, often referred to as combination lecture/internet courses. • Online Instruction • Online instruction is a course which is delivered totally virtually via the worldwide web. The instructor and students interact at different times and from different locations.

Definition of Interactions: • Student-Instructor Interaction (Michael Moore) • Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. • Student-Student Interaction (Michael Moore) • Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. • Student-Content Interaction (Michael Moore) • Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. • Student-Technology Interaction (Hillman, et. all) • Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system.

Selecting a Blend: • Selection of activities should be based on course or unit learning objectives. • Structure and integration of the two modes of instruction are critically important. In fact, some research would seem to point to students valuing structure more highly than instructional content in a blended course. The integration of face-to-face and online components in a blended course is essential for student satisfaction with a course. In short, students must feel that a blended course is a unified instructional effort, not simply a collection of face-to-face and online materials or activities that have been thrown together.

Online Activities Course content Announcements Course information Quizzing Course communications Resource listing Exam & lesson preparatory materials Multimedia content Selecting a Blend: • In-Class / Face to Face Activities • Course Introduction • Collaborative small-group work • Advanced discussions • Project Presentations • Guest speakers • Question & answer sessions • Demonstrations & performances • Lab work • Role play & Debates

Considerations of a Blend: • Creating high-quality blended instruction can present considerable challenges. Foremost is the need for resources to create the online materials to be used in the courses. Materials development is a time and labor intensive process, just as it is in any instructional medium. In addition, blended instruction is likely to be a new concept to many students and teachers. Educators will need to be able to answer questions related to: • what blended instruction is • why blended instruction is employed • how best to leverage the advantages of a blended approach

Six Models of Blended Learning: • Face-to-face: Teacher present in classroom • Rotation: Rotate between in classroom and online learning • Flex: Online curricula with teachers to provide tutoring or on-site support • Online Lab: Online courses with online teachers • Self-Blend: Online course taken in the evenings or outside/after school • Online Driver: Face-to-face first, then online

What to consider for Blended Learning • Outcomes • Online Assessments • Learning Activities • Classroom Interaction • Technology • Evaluation

Blended Tools for the Classroom • Virtual Field Trips – Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, The Louvre • Webquests – www.questgarden.org, http://zunal.com • Blogs, Wikis, Podcasting • Digital Storytelling • Social Networking – Edmodo or Teacher Tube (Kahn Academy) • Educational Games – Jeopardy, Wii Fit • Interactive software – www.froguts.com

Virtual Field Trips • National Museum of Natural History • http://www.paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs • The Louvre • http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en

Webquests “An inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners’ time well, to focus on using information rather that looking for it, and to support learners’ thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation” According to Dodge, WebQuests contain the following six parts: • Introduction: The introduction provides an overview and background information of the lesson. It should be interesting and motivate the students to want to go on. • Task: The purpose of this section is to focus the students on what they are going to do as the culminating product or performance. • Process: This section outlines how the student will accomplish the task in a step-by-step fashion. Links to reviewed & on-line resources will be given along with links to Web pages. • Evaluation: This section describes the evaluation criteria that will be used to grade the student. • Conclusion: This section encourages reflection and brings closure to the WebQuest. • Resources: This section consists of Internet links that the teacher preselects.

Educational Games • PowerPoint Jeopardy • Nintendo Wii

Interactive Software www.froguts.com

Conclusion • Recognize that learning is largely a social activity – create communities of learners. • Integrate learning into life experiences. • Enable learning by doing. • Encourage learning by discovery. • Remember that individuals have different receptors for material. • Make it fun! • Build in assessment.

Blended Learning Online Learning Face-to-Face Instruction Student Centered Objectives/Assessment Motivation

Questions? “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” -Machiavelli, The Prince

Blended Learning