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?

Blended Learning Continuum

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? 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. 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. Blackboard Course Management System The Blackboard Course Management System is the web-based course management tool that enables online instruction in any of its delivery modes; web-enhanced, hybrid, or online. Student-Instructor Interaction Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material or some other expert acting as the instructor. Student-Student Interaction Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. Moore presents this interaction as inter-learner interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in-group settings, with or without the real-time presence of an instructor. Student-Content Interaction Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. Moore stipulates there cannot be education without this interaction. Student-Technology Interaction Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system. This is the interaction Hillman, et al presents as learner-interface. The learner-interface interaction provides access to instruction, and this access permits students to participate in the other interactions

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. 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. 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. Blackboard Course Management System The Blackboard Course Management System is the web-based course management tool that enables online instruction in any of its delivery modes; web-enhanced, hybrid, or online. Student-Instructor Interaction Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material or some other expert acting as the instructor. Student-Student Interaction Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. Moore presents this interaction as inter-learner interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in-group settings, with or without the real-time presence of an instructor. Student-Content Interaction Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. Moore stipulates there cannot be education without this interaction. Student-Technology Interaction Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system. This is the interaction Hillman, et al presents as learner-interface. The learner-interface interaction provides access to instruction, and this access permits students to participate in the other interactions

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. Student-Instructor Interaction Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material or some other expert acting as the instructor. Student-Student Interaction Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. Moore presents this interaction as inter-learner interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in-group settings, with or without the real-time presence of an instructor. Student-Content Interaction Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. Moore stipulates there cannot be education without this interaction. Student-Technology Interaction Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system. This is the interaction Hillman, et al presents as learner-interface. The learner-interface interaction provides access to instruction, and this access permits students to participate in the other interactions

Selecting a Blend: Online Activities Course content Announcements Course information Quizzing Course communications Resource listing Exam & lesson preparatory materials Multimedia content  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 Student-Instructor Interaction Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material or some other expert acting as the instructor. Student-Student Interaction Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. Moore presents this interaction as inter-learner interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in-group settings, with or without the real-time presence of an instructor. Student-Content Interaction Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. Moore stipulates there cannot be education without this interaction. Student-Technology Interaction Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system. This is the interaction Hillman, et al presents as learner-interface. The learner-interface interaction provides access to instruction, and this access permits students to participate in the other interactions

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     Student-Instructor Interaction Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material or some other expert acting as the instructor. Student-Student Interaction Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. Moore presents this interaction as inter-learner interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in-group settings, with or without the real-time presence of an instructor. Student-Content Interaction Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. Moore stipulates there cannot be education without this interaction. Student-Technology Interaction Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system. This is the interaction Hillman, et al presents as learner-interface. The learner-interface interaction provides access to instruction, and this access permits students to participate in the other interactions

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    Student-Instructor Interaction Student-instructor interactions are those interactions between the student and the instructor. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material or some other expert acting as the instructor. Student-Student Interaction Student-student interactions are those interactions between students in a course. Moore presents this interaction as inter-learner interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in-group settings, with or without the real-time presence of an instructor. Student-Content Interaction Student-content interactions are those interactions between the students and course content. Moore presents this interaction as interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. Moore stipulates there cannot be education without this interaction. Student-Technology Interaction Student-technology interactions are those interactions between the students and the course management system. This is the interaction Hillman, et al presents as learner-interface. The learner-interface interaction provides access to instruction, and this access permits students to participate in the other interactions

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

What is a MOOC? This is another option for an Overview slides using transitions. 22

What is a MOOC? Massive Open Online Course This is another option for an Overview slide.

What is a MOOC? Massive Large scale participation Open Content is open source Online Accessed via the web Course Learning, collaboration, discussions occur This is another option for an Overview slide.

What is a MOOC? Information is Everywhere! Let’s create organized access for the general population. “Tool for democratizing education.” (Lewin, 2012) New York Times YouTube video: Welcome to the Brave New World of MOOCs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqQNvmQH_YM) 25

What is a MOOC? Description Typical MOOC Traditional School Start Date End Date Connect/Collaborate Engage in Learning Process Assignments Work at Own Pace Cost to Take Course Choose Own Learning Path in Course 26

The History Of MOOCS 27

Four-Year in-state degree costs average ~$89,000. (Dunn, 2012) The History of MOOCS Four-Year in-state degree costs average ~$89,000. (Dunn, 2012) First MOOC – 2008 from University of Manitoba, 25 paying students and 2,300 nonpaying online students (Tamburri, 2012) 2012 – ’ Year of the MOOC’ by New York Times (Bady, 2013) Coursera and Udacity 1 year old and millions enrolled (Bady, 2013) Currently, some providers like Udacity act as headhunters for employment supplying names of top students. Others, ensure transfer credits are a possibility. (Tamburri, 2012) 28

Who Offers MOOCs? 29

Who Offers MOOCs? Universities Video Library Websites Private Companies 30

Udacity KhanAcademy EdX Coursera Who Offers MOOCs? Students can earn credit through San Jose State is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Udacity First funding received from Google and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation KhanAcademy Partnership between Harvard, MIT, and a dozen other Universities EdX Partnership with 10 US Institutions and about 79 Global Institutions Coursera

Resources 32

Resources Bady, A. (May, 2013). The MOOC Moment and the End of Reform. The New Inquiry. Retrieved from http://thenewinquiry.com/blogs/zunguzungu/the-mooc-moment-and-the-end-of-reform/ on October 20, 2013. Cormier, D. (December, 2010). What is a MOOC? YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3gMGqcZQc on October 10, 2013. Dunn, J. (December, 2012). A Quick Guide to the History of MOOCs. Edudemic. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/a-quick-guide-to-the-history-of-moocs/ on October 20, 2013) Lewin, T. (March, 2012). Instruction for Masses Knocks Down Campus Walls. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/education/moocs-large-courses-open-to-all-topple-campus-walls.html?_r=4&hpw& on October 10, 2013. Mooc.ca. (Updated October 20, 2013). Retrieved from http://www.mooc.ca/ on October 20, 2013. Tamburri, R. (November, 2012). All About MOOCs. University Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.universityaffairs.ca/all-about-moocs.aspx on October 20, 2013.

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

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.

-Machiavelli, The Prince 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