Blended and Online Learning Some Thoughts About Technology

Blended (Hybrid) Learning bringing together f2f classroom instruction with Web-based activity in which classroom time is partially replaced by the Web-based work recognizes shifting place and communication patterns that have occurred in our culture

Blended Learning potentially serves a broader spectrum of learning styles than either classroom or online alone allows classroom time to be spent on different types of activities accommodates the independent and the ‘social’ learner accommodates the working student may help solve the ‘too much content to cover for critical thinking activities’ problem

Doing What Each Does Best Online Components  allow students to complete ‘pre-work’ before class time  separate rote content focusing on lower-order thinking skills (which can be easily taught online) from critical thinking skills, which many instructors feel more comfortable addressing in the classroom

Doing What Each Does Best Online: students can be self-tested for grading purposes (or not) using online quizzes students can asynchronously participate in groups Web links, podcasts, visual materials, lecture notes, etc. can be put online for student review at any time some students will participate in online discussions who are reluctant to speak in class students have 24-hour synchronous and asynchronous opportunities for discussion

Doing What Each Does Best The Classroom a different use of class time – review of difficult concepts, rather than coverage of content time for active learning techniques, critical thinking, discussion, group work moves the role of the professor toward that of facilitator

Online Pedagogical Considerations clarity of course objectives is imperative; content must align with them; need to be purposeful provide a variety of activities; take advantage of available technologies incorporate ‘discipline thinking’ consider pacing don’t try to replicate the classroom timed release stability of technologies

Think about…. What lower-level activities can students complete online prior to class? What higher-level activities can students complete after f2f discussion?

What’s a Wiki a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and cross- links between internal pages on the fly excellent for online collaboration and tracking of contributions

The Intensive Teaching Wiki Can be found at:

References Davies, W. Martin, Issues in Educational Research, Vol 16, 2006 Intensive teaching formats: A review Burton, Suzan and Nesbit, Paul (2002) An analysis of student and faculty attitudes to intensive teaching Grant, David Bruce (2001) Using block courses for teaching logistics, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management Henebry, Kathleen (1997) The impact of class schedule on student performance in a financial management course, Journal of Education for Business Scott, P. A. and Conrad, C. (1991) A critique of intensive teaching and an agenda for research, Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research Daniel, E. L. (2000) A review of time-shortened courses across disciplines, College Student Journal