Blended learning - flavour of the month or here to stay

• I have been writing a series of posts tracking my progress in working with a group of final year  students and trying to implement possibly what would be termed a constructivist (Brockbank and Magill, 2007)  approach to their learning. One of the concepts that I have been researching to support this approach has been blended learning - where sessions and or the entire syllabus is delivered by combining elements of online and face-to-face communication as to address the balance of new digital literacies and traditional literacy (Labbo, 2006). There is an expanding body of research (Zhao et al. 2005; US Department of Education, 2010) indicating advantages for blended learning over purely online learning or face to face experiences. Authors such as  Bransford, et al., (1999) and Dede (2006) argue that utilising such an approach can enhance the development of a community learning environment. 

• The reason for developing this type of community approach has its roots in my professional experience. Since working within the Higher Education I have noticed that much like the broader education system there is limited opportunities for students to work within teams and there is almost a competitive attitude to education (such as an overwhelming need to compare grades). On reflection within the professional environments that I have worked working as a member of team is crucial. I feel the education system has a responsibility to prepare students appropriately. Authors such as Shen et al (2007) argue that promoting learning within a community environment enhances the opportunity to collaboratively generate new knowledge, manage own learning and cooperate with others in the processes of negotiation and discussion by setting realistic problems. I will be engaging with a number of different tools to help promote this approach and intend to keep a log of my experiences of the course of the year.

• References

• Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L. and  Cocking R. R. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind,
  experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
  
  
  Brockbank, A. & Magill, I. (2007) Facilitating reflective learning in higher education, Second Edition (London, Open University Press.
  
  
  Dede, C., (2006). Online professional development for teachers: Emerging models and
  methods. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Education Publishing Group.
  
  
  Labbo, L.D. (2006). Literacy pedagogy and computer technologies: Toward solving the puzzle of current and future classroom practices. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 29(3), 199-209
  
  
  Shen, P. D., Lee, T. H.   and Tsai, C. W.  (2007). Applying Web-enabled problem-based learning and self-regulated learning to enhance computing skills of Taiwan’s vocational students: A quasi-experimental study of a short-term module. Electronic Journal of e-Learning 5 (2):147–56.
  
  
  U.S. Department of Education (2010) Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Policy and Program Studies Service
  
  
  Zhao, Y., J. Lei, B. Yan, C. Lai, and H. S. Tan. (2005). What makes the difference? A practical
  analysis of research on the effectiveness of distance education. Teachers College Record 107
  (8)
  
  

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