1. Getting the balance of the blend right
Blended Learning Forum, Kensington Close Hotel, London, UK
Getting the balance of the blend right
Don Passey
Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning
Director of the Doctoral Programme in e-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning
Director of the Research Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning
Department of Educational Research
Lancaster University, UK

2. A little background
The Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University runs four doctoral programmes
These are largely or wholly online
I direct one of those programmes
The programme I direct recruits about 25 students (part-time professionals) each year
There are some 100 doctoral students on our programme
There are some 400 doctoral students on programmes across the Department
Online and blended environments are essential and vital to us!
What I will talk about in terms of blended learning is a case study example, where I am involved as a key stakeholder

3. Key points we must consider
Setting clear goals on what we want to achieve through using blended learning
Accommodating student needs, choice, and widening or inclusive participation
Focusing on the range and choice of pedagogies and learning
Integrating lifelong learning and intergenerational learning approaches
Orchestrating online and face-to-face components to create a cohesive learning experience
Understanding different combinations of face-to-face and virtual learning to drive results
We must integrate the key goals of doctoral study – higher order learning, ambition and original outcomes
Students will have different interests, professional or personal needs, and come from across the world
Pedagogies must support the learning that is needed, so technologies have to take second place
Peer involvement is crucial, as students will otherwise be very isolated
Face-to-face and online components have different purposes
The one needs to drive the other – the face-to-face needs to inculcate trust, sharing and ownership

4. Are we driven by ‘new’ ways of learning?
Some ‘new’ ways have been proposed:
Problem-based learning PBL
Authentic learning AL
Dialogic learning DL
Situated learning SL
Technology enhanced learning TEL
Networked learning NL
Computer supported collaborative learning CSCL
Mobile learning ML
We consider these rather than being driven by them

5. Forms and balance needed for our purposes
Ways of learning
Informational elements of TEL
Communication elements of TEL
Face-to-face
Online
Problem-based learning √
Authentic learning
Dialogic learning
Situated learning
Technology enhanced learning
Networked learning
Computer supported collaborative learning
Mobile learning
We look at how our needs for information, communication, face-to-face interaction and online provision match ways we can support learning – but, centrally, consider the learning needs of doctoral study

6. Relating teaching approaches and pedagogy
Type of interaction
Teacher
Tutor
Facilitator
Guide
Instruction √
Explanation and illustration
Direction
Demonstration
Discussion
Scaffolding
Questioning
Speculation
Consolidation
Summarising
Initiating and guiding exploration
Evaluating learners’ responses
We take different roles across the programme. A teacher mode is used when some specific topic content is covered, a tutor mode is used when working with a small group focused on a specific activity, a facilitator mode is used when monitoring research-based activities, or a guide mode is used when scaffolding a group around an issue that is raised

7. Using technologies in teaching?
Type of interaction
Video
Audio
Text
Discussion forum
Instruction √
Explanation and illustration
Direction
Demonstration
Discussion
Scaffolding
Questioning
Speculation
Consolidation
Summarising
Initiating and guiding exploration
Evaluating learners’ responses
Technologies we select come later – and need to be integrated to match the forms of interaction that we are mainly concerned with
Example image

8. Trends for the future? Trends and necessary future skills:
A shift away from transmission pedagogy
A greater balance between transmission and participative pedagogies
More of a focus on student-centred approaches
Concepts of social constructivism being integrated to greater extents
Student responsibilities being shifted
Forms of engagement and activity being widened
More individual responses and discussion being introduced
Greater emphasis on tutoring, guidance and facilitation
A greater range of tools being introduced and used
And the future? Certainly within our subject domain, education, there is a reasonable match between trends that are occurring and future skill needs. Is this, therefore, a model that we can take further, or is the context in which we are operating specifically limiting?

9. Thank you for your kind attention
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