Designing your blended course Richard Walker E-Learning Development Team University of York Design Pathway & Planning Tools

Session Outline  Design principles - Defining course objectives  Planning pathway - World Politics exemplar  Planning tools - Walk-through of planning pathway - Tools & guidance  Summary of key steps

 Blended Learning is not an ‘add-on’ to an existing teaching approach  It involves a “fundamental reconceptualisation & reorganization of the teaching and learning dynamic”  It is about “rethinking and redesigning the teaching & learning relationship” (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004) Principles for BL course design

Reflection point 1: objectives for your course For an existing course:  How has the course worked to date?  Strengths & weaknesses of the current design?  Opportunities to ‘design in’ student activity For an existing or new course:  How might the introduction of online activity address student learning and engagement with the targeted learning outcomes?  What are the implications for the way that the course is designed and delivered (i.e. impact on teaching & learning relationship)?

Blending Illustration: World Politics (2006) #1 Problems identified in a previous first year programme based on lectures and tutorials: “Too many students did the minimum of reading, and tutorial discussions could then become based too much on opinion rather than informed by reading and empirical cases. In the case of some students this could then set a pattern of low expectations of the amount and level of work expected of them.”

Blending Illustration: World Politics (2006) #2 ONLINE Objectives:  Encourage students to explore politics through diverse cases  Promote independent research skills & collaborative learning Activities:  Individual reading of primary electronic sources  Group research  Collaborative writing of case reports CLASS-BASED Objectives:  Provide students with theoretical approaches to understanding political issues  Engage students in evidence-based seminar discussion & debate Activities:  Weekly lectures  8 weekly seminars

Role of Online Tools Targeted learning behaviour FunctionTool Reference & revisionMake available instructions, study guidance assignment shedule & updates Course outline Announcements Sharing research & interacting on group writing task Enable ready sharing of research and writing of group reports Work group file exchange Knowledge sharing to inform seminar discussion Enable exchange & reading of case reports prior to seminars Seminar group file exchange Discovery learningReview of case study resources with links to a range of e-journals and websites Electronic case resources Benchmarking own workMaking available examples of work nominated by tutors Good reports Develop awareness of plagiarism avoidance Submitting work for plagiarism detection & discussing report Quizzes Safe Assignment

Structure of the Course Course WeekActivityMethod (online / class-based) Week 1Induction – intro to VLE, review of netiquette, entry survey PC classroom Week 2Introduction – lecture on approach - seminar discussion - completion of referencing & plagiarism quizzes Plenary lecture Class-based Online Weeks 2/3Group research & report writing Upload to seminar work spaceOnline Week 3States lecture Seminar discussion on group reports Plenary lecture Class-based Weeks 3/4Group research & report writing Upload to seminar work space Online

Structure of the Course Cont. Course WeekActivityMethod (online / class-based) Week 4Governance lecture Seminar discussion on group reports Plenary lecture Class-based Weeks 4/5Group research & report writing Upload to seminar work space Online Week 5Women & Development lecture Seminar discussion on group reports Plenary lecture Class-based Weeks 5/6Group research & report writing Upload to seminar work space Online Week 6Causes of Armed Conflict lecture Seminar discussion on group reports Plenary lecture Class-based etc.

Reflection point 2 1.The rationale and drivers for a blended design  how the course will be ‘sold’ to students?  suitability of the design to learner profile (competencies/aptitude/established learning culture) 2.The coherence of the blended design  the ‘join’ between the face-to-face and online learning activities and their relationship to the overall course objectives, including targeted learning outcomes & assessment plan How would you approach the design of your blended course? Things to think about:

Learning, activity & tools framework – Part 1 Blended Learning Model Targeted Learning Behaviour Group / IndividualActivityOutputTool VLE Supplemented Review of course notes and resources Individual or Individual reflection on course concepts or space to raise queries (individual learning log) Summary notes / questions Blog GroupShare problems / discuss solutions Peer supportForum VLE Supplemented Self- assessment IndividualCompletion of short tests (open / closed questions) Score / feedback & links to supporting materials Assessment engine VLE Content Dependent Knowledge acquisition IndividualSelf-paced learning activities – interactive tutorials and assessment activities with feedback Guided walk- through of topic Summary of key points (concept map) Learning units & assessment engine VLE Assessment Presentation of individual reports IndividualCompletion of report template or portfolio Submission of report Completion of summative assessment activity Blog, Wiki, File submission

Learning, activity & tools framework – Part 2 Blended Learning Model Targeted Learning Behaviour Group / IndividualActivityOutputTool VLE Communication Sharing ideas / interaction on group research GroupDiscussion / comments Exchanging resources (files & data sets) Decisions / conclusion Reports Presentations Forum Blog VLE Communication Reflective summary Individual or Group Critique of research paper or key text (in preparation for seminar) End of unit report Reflection on key lessons learned Blog Wiki VLE Communication Knowledge sharing GroupExtended discussion on theory – building on class Reflections on work- based practice Reflective contributions to shared discussion space Blog Wiki Forum VLE Collaboration Shared summaries of research papers GroupCollaborative writing of topic summaries, referencing key papers / texts Digestible summaries of complex themes (revision aid) Wiki

Refining your plan  Define roles of instructor, tutors & students  Identify responsibilities for each role –Key actions & delivery phases  Highlight timing for release of resources –supporting & sustaining learning  Interventions –support, feedback & assessment

Recommended reading Allan, B. (2007) Blended Learning: Tools for Teaching and Training. London. Facet Publishing, ISBN Garrison, D. R. & Kanuka, H. (2004). Blended Learning: Uncovering its Transformative Potential in Higher Education. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(2), Littlejohn, A.H. & Pegler, C. (2007) Planning for blended learning. Routledge, London ISBN Salmon, G. (2002) E-tivities. London. Kogan Page.