They’ve got a ticket to ride… on the information superhighway! Towards a blended learning approach for ALL students at Unisa Leonie Steyn & Alice Goodwin-Davey NADEOSA Conference, 23 August 2006

Introduction: get your tickets here! Blended learning can improve quality of education [Chance for 1 st class tickets] –Range of ways to enhance higher education –Active learning environments vs passive distance education –Global skills & information base [World wide travelers] Accommodate those without access Conclusion Roadmap to presentation

Introduction: “Get your tickets!” Blended Learning Gives more access to support higher education Provides up-to-date Resources Increases Interaction Builds Community Convenient & flexible

Meaning of Blended Learning Face-to-face learning vs elearning Enhancing Print-ODL –ODL  Cheaper for students –ODL  Ease of pace, place & time –ODL also has Drawbacks Blended mode can provide some f2f benefits. –Enhances learning –Increases community

Enhanced ODL Meaningful use of technology Not bells & whistles for appearance only Increases accessibility to learning Enhances learning experiences Increases flexibility & interaction

Increases accessibility to Learning More graphics, figures, charts, maps, photos Audio-visual materials easily available Unlimited resources: references, libraries, organisations, professional bodies Increases interaction with learning topics, with other learners, with experts in the field

Enhances learning experience Provides for wide diversity of students –Avoids stereotyping of distance learner –Allows diversity of learning style preferences –Accommodates different cultures & ways of learning Reading texts  seeing figures, photos  hearing voices  all at the same time More active learning & interaction

Interaction Interaction with content Interaction with lecturer Interaction with fellow learners Interaction with self Activities, additional resources, multi- media, online assessment Discussion forums & s Online portfolios & self assessment activities

Increases flexibility Asynchronous & real time Just-in-time learning on demand Web  “open” 24 / 7 Exposure to variety of views, perspectives; not only lecturer Convenient time & place

An example of Blended Learning Print-based course Very diverse student group Students needed more information & resources Provided learning site –Easily accessible content –Background knowledge

SBA704  2002

Learner Profile Sex% (n)Age% (n) First language % (n) Male29 (31)≤249.3 (10)English2.9 (3) Female71 (76) (14) Northern Sotho 16.3 (17) (16)South Sotho8.7 (9) (26)Tswana22.1 (24) (21)Xhosa19.3 (21) (15)Zulu12.5 (13) ≥504.7 (5)Other18.3 (20)

Professional background of learners 2002 (n=43) 2003 (n=64) Professional backgroundPercentageSignificance Current profession Unemployed20,521,9More than half of the learners are teachers with some kind of tertiary education. More than 20 per cent of learners in both years are unemployed and have little or no working experience. The diversity reflected in these factors should be taken into consideration by the planners of educational material. Nursing2,59,4 Teaching56,450,0 NGO0,03,1 Self-employed7,70,0 Government7,71,6 Other5,24,7

SBA704  one example Unisa now has an LMS Now, more tools are available Even more are coming in the near future. …watch this space!

The Way Unisa Blends Learning Management System  myUnisa Administrative support Learner support & access to services Teaching & learning support for students

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Home page for every module Features Home Schedule Discussion Forum Announcements Resources FAQs Class List Prescribed Books

Sample Chat Room text: Tinus van Rooy (11:22 AM SAST) : Alice, Johan: Please, this course is about assesment. Johan Dreyer (11:23 AM SAST) : Chris, Let's do a calendar Alice Goodwin-Davey (11:23 AM SAST) : Okay, does anyone have any more questions about this chat? We could also put up a Resources with "Guidelines for using Chat" Isaac Ntshoe (11:23 AM SAST) : Why are academics sceptical about assessment? Alice Goodwin-Davey (11:24 AM SAST) : Isaac, this is a good question. I think we will use this as a topic in your Discussion Forum. Alice Goodwin-Davey (11:34 AM SAST) : Let's close off the chat!

Continuum of tools used, depending upon:Continuum of tools used, depending upon: –Class size –Course demands –Student needs Announcements Schedule FAQs Resources Discussion Forums Welcome page Minimum presenceEven more…Additional features Online assessment Live Chat room Web pages In addition to print-based learning materials, study guides, tutorial letters, etc, plus other multi-media support

Accommodate those without access Online components optional: “Compelling, not compulsory” Summaries of discussion forums Print lists of additional resources Immediate feedback into print materials  QA Motivate for more student access

Superhighways for all!

Contact details Alice Goodwin-Davey & Leonie Steyn –Institute for Curriculum & Learning Development, Unisa &

Thank you!