Perspectives on the Benefits of Blended Learning in a Multimode Delivery Environment Professor Larry Lazofson, DeVry University Columbus October 6 – 7, 2011 © 2011 DeVry Educational Development Corp. All rights reserved.

Overview Background: What Brought Us Here Blended Learning: A Multimode Environment Blended Learning Implements a Supporting eLearning Environment Benefits of the Blended Approach to Learning Screen Shots of eLearning Environment Summary: What to Take Away From This Presentation

Background: What Brought Us Here Over the past couple of decades, consider the substantial advances we’ve seen in connectivity and software technologies Businesses across many industries have leveraged these technological advances to build and deploy highly integrated, collaborative, web-based tools Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications Software products supporting simultaneous oversight of multiple projects among remotely deployed project teams Web-based applications supporting online banking, stock trading, travel reservations, real estate research for end-user customers Academia is similarly embracing the use of web-based technology in course management systems analogous to these business applications (as an example, DeVry University uses eCollege for its eLearning platform, but there are other commercially available products)

What Brought Us Here (continued) However, this is not about the technology – the point is how an eLearning platform enables us to create a rich, robust, engaging learning environment…

Blended Learning: a Multimode Environment Blended learning courses are delivered via: professor-led active learning sessions in the classroom, and complementary online activities worked independently by the student outside of the classroom (at DeVry University, the online component of the blended course is hosted in eCollege) What is active learning? It would not simply entail walking through PowerPoint slides and delivering a “one-way” lecture, such as I’m doing now! Active learning seeks to engage students in an interactive, collaborative classroom experience to: solve a problem and present a solution to the class discuss or debate an issue or case with a group of classmates review and explain a short video conduct an in-class demonstration, project or exercise participate in any classroom activity that is hands-on, applied, or in some way merges visual, auditory and experiential learning to get students actively involved in the learning process

Blended Learning: a Multimode Environment (continued) And by augmenting in-class active learning activities with independently worked online assignments out of class, the learning continues beyond and between classroom meetings…

Blended Learning Implements a Supporting eLearning Environment The course management system offers the convenience and flexibility of 24/7 online access to a central repository of course materials: course notes, diagrams and supporting documentation video clips (can be viewed repeatedly) online lab and homework exercises a utility for anytime online submittals of assignments an online grade book managing student scores asynchronous online “threaded” discussions supporting in-depth, freewheeling dialogue on issues and questions pertinent to course topics For some courses, quizzes may be delivered in the online environment For most courses, final grades aggregate not only from exams but are also comprised of threaded discussions, online assignments and other graded exercises

Blended Learning Implements a Supporting eLearning Environment (continued) Blended learning and its supporting tools have continued to evolve and improve as this methodology has been implemented at many educational institutions…

Benefits of the Blended Approach to Learning To help students better grasp and comprehend complex concepts, the blended approach merges active learning activities in the classroom, conducted under the professor’s guidance, with independently worked online activities that support continued learning beyond and between classroom meetings The blended learning environment challenges students to “take greater ownership” in their educational growth and maintain a higher level of engagement in the learning process Having worked in the blended learning environment in their college coursework, students will likely be better prepared when encountering similar collaborative tools, technologies and methods implemented in business organizations

eCollege Screen: Course Welcome

eCollege Screen: Week 1 Items

eCollege Screen: Setting Up the Grade Book

eCollege Screen: Document Sharing

eCollege Screen: Starting a Threaded Discussion

eCollege Screen: Mastery Module (Homework Problem)

Summary: What to Take Away From This Presentation Blended learning is comprised of two complementary components: In-class active learning activities Out-of-class independently worked assignments that can be conveniently hosted in an online environment Benefits include a dynamic learning environment with a greater degree of student engagement and possibly greater preparation for working with contemporary tools and processes implemented in the world of business