The proliferation of blended/hybrid initiatives and resources (through ELI and NGLC particularly) is heartening and furthering a delivery model that is reaching maturity. However, there is still much to be examined about what organizations promote as models for designed blended courses and how these models are enacted by practitioners. Research in this area tends to focus on learner traits, grades, faculty/learner levels of satisfaction, and/or levels of learner engagement (see Dzuiban, Hartman, and Moskal, 2004; Nagal, 2009). But blended learning is more than a simple "flip" of the classroom because it requires careful planning and cautious implementation and may even be transformative for instructor and learner.
This session presented the findings from three studies examining blended best practices, pedagogical practices, and learner preparedness. Presentation topics included findings from all three studies and the patterns present and absent across these areas. The session addressed mission directly by sharing a range of pedagogical strategies and best practices directly aligned with learner success through the axiomatic use of technology to support and facilitate learning.
Learning Objectives
During this ELI Online Seminar, participants
- Identified effective practices that relate to course priorities
- Adopted a layering strategy for organizing the blend
- Utilized a learner-centered approach in course components
- Identified needs of the blended learner
Resources
- Glazer, F. S. (Ed.) (2012). Blended learning: Across the disciplines, across the academy. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
- Inoue, Y. (Ed. ) (2010). Cases on online and blended learning technologies in higher education: Concepts and practices. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publications.
- McGee, P., & Reis, A. (2012). Blended Course Design: A Synthesis of Best Practices. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16 (4).
- Nagal, D. (2009). Meta-analysis: Is blended learning most effective? T.h.e. Journal, July 2009.
- Smart, J. A. (2010). Hybrid learning: The perils and promise of blending online and face-to-face instruction in higher education. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
- Stacey, E., & Gerbic, P. (Eds.) (2009). Effective blended learning practices: Evidence-based perspectives in ICT-facilitated education. Hershey, NH: Information Science Reference.
- Wang, F. U., Fong, J. & Kwan, R. C. (Eds.) (2011). Handbook of research on hybrid learning models: Advanced tools, technologies, and applications. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.