1. Does learning take place differently in online and blended learning environments?

2. The questions we have to continuously ask ourselves are:
Can this be done in the regular classroom with appropriate designs?
If it is specific to blended or online learning, is the learning process fundamentally different in noticeable ways?

3. A few quotes…
Ally, M. (From Anderson)    The delivery mode of the material (online or f2f) is not what determines student success – it depends on the content and the instructional strategies used in a particular mode (p.15)
Gunawardena, McIsaac  “Little research has been done to examine what happens in the learning process when students interact with various technologies.” p378

4. A few quotes…
Ally, M. (From Anderson) Since working memory has limited capacity, information should be organized or chunked in pieces of appropriate size to facilitate processing. According to Miller (1956), because humans have limited short-term memory capacity, information should be grouped into meaningful sequences, such as five to nine (i.e., 7 ± 2), meaningful units (p.22)
Global Ed Conference - Mark Nichols (CBL) stated that one of the bonuses of their Challenge Based Learning framework is that it allows learners to slow down and spend more time on critical and creative thinking. This is a bonus for online learning as well, so long as it is designed well. All participants have a chance to think about the answers before hearing it blurted out, all participants can engage in the learning at their own pace, allowing often for answers that are more thoughtful, and introverts can participate at the same rate or in a way that is safe for them.

5. A video!
Six Advantages of Online Learning:
Back to our original questions
Can we accomplish the 6 advantages outlined by Anant Agarwal, in the video in a traditional classroom?
Does learning take place differently with regards to these advantages?

6. Theories Behind Learning:
The theories outlined in our readings Constructivist, Connectivist, Cognitivist, Behaviourist, can all be applied to the f2f classroom if the course is designed accordingly.
Is it feasible? That’s another question.

7. Chat Blast
You will have 2 minutes to write anything you can think about in response to the questions we pose into the chat window. At the end of the 2 minutes, we will look over some of the responses and discuss them quickly.

8. Question 1 – Face to Face
What strategies can be used that would allow students to participate equally, move at their own pace, and interact with peers while still remaining within the constraints of a face-to-face classroom?

9. Question 2 – Blended Learning
What authentic online tasks might create a buy-in to the online portions of the course, and how is this learning tracked?

10. Question 3 – Online Learning
How do we compensate for the lack of visual cues and social presence that are present in a face-to-face classroom?

11. Any comments? Questions?
Discussion
Any comments? Questions?

12. Final Thoughts

13. Sources
Anderson, T. (2008). In Anderson T. (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: AU Press, Athabasca University.
Gunawardena, C. N., & McIsaac, M. S. (1996). Section 14: Distance education. Handbook of research for educational communications and technology: A project of the association for educational communications and technology (pp ). New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan
Wall Street Journal. (October 9, 2013). Six advantages of online learning [Video file]. Retrieved from