Reading Notes. Stein&Graham Cpt1: Blended learning and teaching

Jared Stein, J., & Graham, C. (2020). 'Chapter 1: Blended learning and teaching' in Essentials for blended learning: a standards-based guide. New York; London: Routledge. pp9 -

 “Research suggests blending can have a positive impact on efficiency, convenience, and learning outcomes.” Page 9

Online blended learning can often provide motivation to students, by giving them the feeling that they have a head start on course responsibilities. The case study on page 10, shows that by giving students access to information for them to choose to look at in their own time it can give time and space for personal reflection and planning before a task is carried out. I experienced this in my week 1 learning in which I read ahead, began planning the practice reflection task on last terms 3-week period. I then listened to the webinar and was able to adjust my first thoughts to match what was required of us. I found the whole process engaging and memorable and has deepened my learning on the subject.

The integration of blended online learning allows students to accomplish more and learn efficiently in a way which can be adapted and be flexible to individuals’ personal lifestyles.

“The most important aspect of the blend is the pedagogy, how you teach and how students learn during the online time to increase active learning, develop an engaged learning community, and promote learner autonomy. These pedagogical aspects are supported by the structural aspects of a blended course” page 11

Types of blended Learning - Combining onsite (face to face) and online experiences

-          Hybrid Learning – Blending a traditional onsite learning course with online learning experiences to replace time that students have onsite teaching in person.

-          Flipped Classroom – Lectures and presentations are online leaving time in the classroom for the ‘homework’ activities or more practical tasks.

-          Hyflex- Design a course fully online, and then allow students to opt to come into site to learn. This provides maximum flexibility for learners as they can pick and choose where to attend (Beatty, 2014).

The scholarship goes on to describe the positives and negatives of blended learning as apposed to just online or just online.

“students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course … face-to-face” (Yates, Bakia, Means, & Jones, 2009, p. xiv). Page 14

The report also compared blended courses with fully online courses and found that “instruction combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage … than did purely online instruction” (p. xv). More recent studies have added to the argument that blended learning can be more effective, especially in specific disciplines such as language learning (e.g. Zhang & Zhu, 2018).

This is something I can bring into my practice; giving some instruction online prior to face to face learning, combining it together.

Scholarship from Yates, Bakia, Means, & Jones (2009, p. xiv) argues that students that take purely online classes perform better overall than those same students on the same course just learning through face-to-face teaching. I agree though with the counter argument from Zhang & Zhu (2018) who take into consideration the type of subject being learnt. I feel that through personal experience and their scholarship that a combination of learning styles, face-to-face and online would be beneficial for creative courses. Scholarship continues to look at the positives and negatives of blended teaching.

Trending towards blending

Technology is simply a tool

Learning outcomes for a blended course are identical to those of onsite or online versions.

Weave Synchronous and Asynchronous Interactions

Interactions that happen in real time between learners is synchronous.

Interactions that happen between people in any place in any time is asynchronous. Eg. Forum

Flexibility is key to ensure students participate.

Blended learning is more inclusive: “A course that only uses one or the other may not be able to engage all of the learners in the way that a blend of the two can.” Page 20

Find the right online learning tools for your subject.

Common features of LMS (Learning Management Systems):

Big argument for online learning: These tools can be more authentic, showing how students will work in industry, once graduated.

References

Beatty, B. (2014). Hybrid courses with flexible participation: The HyFlex course design. In Kyei-Blankson, L., & Ntuli, E. Practical applications and experiences in K-20 blended learning environments (pp. 153–177). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Yates, B. A., Bakia, M., Means, B., & Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of evidence based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. US Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. Retrieved from http://edicswebed. gov/edics_files_web/03898/Att_ReferencesandGlossary.doc.

Zhang, W. & Zhu, C. (2018). Impact of Blended Learning on University Students’ Achievement of English as a Second Language. International Journal on E-Learning, 17(2), 251–273.