Designing your blended course
Richard Walker E-Learning Development Team
University of York
Design Pathway & Planning Tools
Session Outline
Design principles
- Defining course objectives
Planning pathway
- World Politics exemplar
Planning tools
- Walk-through of planning pathway
- Tools & guidance Summary of key steps
Blended Learning is not an ‘add-on’ to an existing teaching approach
It involves a “fundamental reconceptualisation & reorganization of the teaching and learning dynamic”
It is about “rethinking and redesigning the teaching & learning relationship”(Garrison & Kanuka, 2004)
Principles for BL course design
Reflection point 1: objectives for your course
For an existing course: How has the course worked to date?
Strengths & weaknesses of the current design?
Opportunities to ‘design in’ student activity
For an existing or new course: How might the introduction of online activity address
student learning and engagement with the targeted learning outcomes?
What are the implications for the way that the course is designed and delivered (i.e. impact on teaching & learning relationship)?
Blending Illustration: World Politics (2006) #1
Problems identified in a previous first year programme based on lectures and tutorials:
“Too many students did the minimum of reading, and tutorial discussions could then become based too much on opinion rather than informed by reading and empirical cases.
In the case of some students this could then set a pattern of low expectations of the amount and level of work expected of them.”
Blending Illustration: World Politics (2006) #2
ONLINE
Objectives: Encourage students to
explore politics through diverse cases
Promote independent research skills & collaborative learning
Activities: Individual reading of
primary electronic sources
Group research Collaborative writing of
case reports
CLASS-BASED
Objectives: Provide students with
theoretical approaches to understanding political issues
Engage students in evidence-based seminar discussion & debate
Activities: Weekly lectures 8 weekly seminars
Role of Online Tools
Targeted learning behaviour
Function Tool
Reference & revision Make available instructions, study guidance assignment shedule & updates
Course outlineAnnouncements
Sharing research & interacting on group writing task
Enable ready sharing of research and writing of group reports
Work group file exchange
Knowledge sharing to inform seminar discussion
Enable exchange & reading of case reports prior to seminars
Seminar group file exchange
Discovery learning Review of case study resources with links to a range of e-journals and websites
Electronic case resources
Benchmarking own work Making available examples of work nominated by tutors
Good reports
Develop awareness of plagiarism avoidance
Submitting work for plagiarism detection & discussing report
QuizzesSafe Assignment
Structure of the Course
Course Week Activity Method (online /class-based)
Week 1 Induction – intro to VLE, review of netiquette, entry survey
PC classroom
Week 2 Introduction – lecture on approach- seminar discussion- completion of referencing & plagiarism quizzes
Plenary lectureClass-basedOnline
Weeks 2/3 Group research & report writingUpload to seminar work space
OnlineOnline
Week 3 States lectureSeminar discussion on group reports
Plenary lectureClass-based
Weeks 3/4 Group research & report writingUpload to seminar work space
OnlineOnline
Structure of the Course Cont.
Course Week Activity Method (online /class-based)
Week 4 Governance lectureSeminar discussion on group reports
Plenary lectureClass-based
Weeks 4/5 Group research & report writingUpload to seminar work space
OnlineOnline
Week 5 Women & Development lectureSeminar discussion on group reports
Plenary lectureClass-based
Weeks 5/6 Group research & report writingUpload to seminar work space
OnlineOnline
Week 6 Causes of Armed Conflict lectureSeminar discussion on group reports
Plenary lectureClass-based
etc.
Reflection point 2
1. The rationale and drivers for a blended design how the course will be ‘sold’ to students?
suitability of the design to learner profile (competencies/aptitude/established learning culture)
2. The coherence of the blended design the ‘join’ between the face-to-face and online
learning activities and their relationship to the overall course objectives, including targeted learning outcomes & assessment plan
How would you approach the design of your blended course?Things to think about:
Learning, activity & tools framework – Part 1
Blended Learning Model
Targeted Learning Behaviour
Group / Individual Activity Output Tool
VLE Supplemented
Review of course notes and resources
Individual
or
Individual reflection on course concepts or space to raise queries (individual learning log)
Summary notes / questions
Blog
Group Share problems / discuss solutions
Peer support Forum
VLE Supplemented
Self-assessment
Individual Completion of short tests (open / closed questions)
Score / feedback & links to supporting materials
Assessment engine
VLE Content Dependent
Knowledge acquisition
Individual Self-paced learning activities – interactive tutorials and assessment activities with feedback
Guided walk-through of topicSummary of key points (concept map)
Learning units & assessment engine
VLE Assessment
Presentation of individual reports
Individual Completion of report template or portfolioSubmission of report
Completion of summative assessment activity
Blog, Wiki, File submission
Learning, activity & tools framework – Part 2
Blended Learning Model
Targeted Learning Behaviour
Group / Individual Activity Output Tool
VLE Communication
Sharing ideas / interaction on group research
Group Discussion / commentsExchanging resources (files & data sets)Decisions / conclusion
ReportsPresentations
ForumBlog
VLE Communication
Reflective summary
Individual or Group
Critique of research paper or key text (in preparation for seminar)End of unit report
Reflection on key lessons learned
BlogWiki
VLE Communication
Knowledge sharing
Group Extended discussion on theory – building on classReflections on work-based practice
Reflective contributions to shared discussion space
Blog WikiForum
VLE Collaboration
Shared summaries of research papers
Group Collaborative writing of topic summaries, referencing key papers / texts
Digestible summaries of complex themes (revision aid)
Wiki
Refining your plan
Define roles of instructor, tutors& students
Identify responsibilities for each role– Key actions & delivery phases
Highlight timing for release of resources– supporting & sustaining learning
Interventions– support, feedback & assessment
Recommended reading
Allan, B. (2007) Blended Learning: Tools for Teaching and Training. London. Facet Publishing, ISBN 978-1-85604-614-5
Garrison, D. R. & Kanuka, H. (2004). Blended Learning: Uncovering its Transformative Potential in Higher Education. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(2), 95-105.
Littlejohn, A.H. & Pegler, C. (2007) Planning for blended learning. Routledge, London ISBN 978-0-415-40361-0
Salmon, G. (2002) E-tivities. London. Kogan Page.
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