Case Studies of ICT-Enhanced Blended Learning and Implications for Professional Development

Author(s):  
Gail Wilson

This chapter draws on a collective case study of six faculty members working in ICT-enhanced blended learning environments at a large regional university in Australia. The chapter identifies seven dimensions of the blended learning environments created by each teacher, with a particular focus on four of these dimensions – the teacher, the online, the resource-based learning and the institutional support dimension. The research showed how individual faculty members worked to blend their courses through their overall approaches to course planning, their focus on combining the strengths of both the face-toface and the online learning environments, and their eagerness to shift their pedagogical approaches to accommodate the best features of both the face-to-face and the online environments. The chapter makes recommendations for professional development for teachers that is effective in preparing them for creating and working in blended learning environments and suggests areas for future research in the area of blended learning.

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 188-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avinash Kumar

The purpose of this article is to evaluate how effective and efficient e-learning and blended learning is when compared with traditional face-to-face learning in orthodontic education. This article also provides a comparison between face-to-face learning, e-learning, and blended learning. An open PubMed literature search was done from 1980 to 2015, and a total of 23 relevant key articles were reviewed. Information emerging from studies in orthodontic education has indicated that e-learning classes are at least as good as and/or better than face-to-face classroom learning. Till date, only one study stated that the face-to-face conventional learning is better than e-learning. Two studies stated that blended approach using both traditional face-to-face learning and e-learning is the best method. In one study, the advantages of e-learning observed in the theoretical fields of orthodontics were not achieved in learning practical procedures for manual skills. Few studies found improvements in the efficiency of learning with e-learning program. Studies performed through questionnaires showed that student’s attitude and acceptance toward the use of e-learning was positive and favorable; however, blended learning was always rated high. Future research should be based on experiences of both faculty and student on a large scale for implementation of e-learning and blended learning in academic institutions. There is also need to provide professional development for faculty who will be teaching both in the physical and virtual environments.


Author(s):  
Rosy Jan

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is a software system designed to facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses. The system can often track the learners' progress, which can be monitored by both teachers and learners. While often thought of as primarily tools for distance education, they are most often used to supplement the face-to-face classroom as well as blended learning. Plethora of research conducted on VLEs has reported positive impacts from various contexts. Keeping in view the benefits, the work has been initiated to review concept, features and issues of virtual learning environments. Some of the most used OSS VLEs are discussed. Further it determines the suitability of a VLE for higher education. The chapter also explore and identify the recent contributions to the concept by analyzing ongoing virtual learning initiatives and projects by different organizations and information centres to stimulate future Research and development trend in the field.


Author(s):  
Rosy Jan

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is a software system designed to facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses. The system can often track the learners' progress, which can be monitored by both teachers and learners. While often thought of as primarily tools for distance education, they are most often used to supplement the face-to-face classroom as well as blended learning. Plethora of research conducted on VLEs has reported positive impacts from various contexts. Keeping in view the benefits, the work has been initiated to review concept, features and issues of virtual learning environments. Some of the most used OSS VLEs are discussed. Further it determines the suitability of a VLE for higher education. The chapter also explore and identify the recent contributions to the concept by analyzing ongoing virtual learning initiatives and projects by different organizations and information centres to stimulate future Research and development trend in the field.


IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522110182
Author(s):  
Evans F Wema

This article reviews literature on the use of virtual learning environments by highlighting their potential and the challenges of introducing the same in Tanzania. It introduces the concept of virtual learning environments by demonstrating their applications to support teaching and learning. The article discusses the use of virtual learning environments in teaching information literacy courses by highlighting the success of using such tools in facilitating the teaching of information literacy courses to library users. In this review, special emphasis is placed on attempts by Tanzanian institutions of higher learning to introduce web-based teaching of information literacy and the challenges faced. The review reveals the need for Tanzanian institutions of higher learning to develop virtual learning environments to facilitate the teaching of information literacy courses to students and faculty so as to reach many of those who may not manage to attend the face-to-face information literacy sessions that are offered by librarians on a regular basis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 11-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emine Cabı ◽  
Yasemin Gülbahar

This study is conducted to develop a scale for assessing the effectiveness of blended learning environments based on the features of both face-to-face and online learning environments and provide suggestions for stakeholders. In the process of scale development, data gathered from 314 students were analyzed. The reliability and validity results for collected data were found to be acceptable since they were between or above the expected value. Based on the analysis it is found that the scale is composed of 55 items having a structure of 4 factors. Hence, it can be concluded that "Effectiveness of Blended Learning Environments Scale" is found as reliable and valid, and can measure what it aims to measure. Blended Learning Environment Scale, which was developed and analyzed for reliability and validity throughout this study, is expected to facilitate the further research studies that focused on blended learning environments.


2014 ◽  
pp. 673-688
Author(s):  
Charalambos Mouzakis ◽  
Haralampos Tsaknakis ◽  
Chrysanthi Tziortzioti

This chapter explores the underlying theoretical principles that provided the basis for the design and implementation of a professional development program for informatics teachers in Greece. A blended learning model was adopted combining live workshop meetings, face-to-face in-lab training sessions and online videoconferencing sessions. The framework of constructivism and experiential learning was used as a theoretical rationale for the combination of face-to-face activities with online learning experiences. It is shown that a blended learning design based on the principles of constructivism and experiential learning pedagogy can provide vital tools for the creation of an active environment for informatics teachers' professional development. Also, it appears that a promising direction for further investigation, in terms of improving the learning outcome based on the same theoretical principles, is the more detailed design of the sequence of learning activities and a closer look at the development of communities of practice among teachers.


Author(s):  
Daniel Kelvin Bullock

The use of blended learning environments is rapidly expanding in education. This chapter examines a teacher's enactment of the New Tech Network educational model, which utilizes a blended learning environment, and the teaching strategies she used to engage students and gauge student achievement. Detailed teacher interviews, classroom observations, and analyses of student assignments were the sources of data for the study. The findings centered on the integration of culturally relevant pedagogy and authentic instruction within this learning environment and the implications of this integration. Recommendations for future research include a more expansive study of the use of blended learning in social studies and different means of integrating culturally relevant pedagogy and authentic instruction into blended learning.


Author(s):  
Kamini Jaipal-Jamani ◽  
Candace Figg

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) has been identified as an effective digital teaching strategy to foster 21st century learning. The inclusion of digital game-based learning in instruction is challenging for educators to structure in higher education learning environments, often because of the lack of coherence with curriculum. Gamification is a recent DGBL strategy that enables the instructor to incorporate the motivational and engagement elements of games in ways that can be adapted to curriculum requirements. Gamification, supported with digital technologies such as web-based tools and learning management systems, offers the instructor the benefits of both face-to-face traditional instruction and online learning. An example of how blended learning in higher education incorporates gamification is presented. Study findings indicate that the blended gamified learning environment motivated learners and promoted cognitive, skill, and attitude development.


Author(s):  
Mark B. Russell ◽  
Irene M. Y. Woon ◽  
Stylianos Hatzipanagos

Blended Learning should be a deliberately-designed and pedagogically-informed endeavour. Blended Learning integrates (blends) face-to-face learning environments with online learning environments so that learning can occur anyplace and anytime and can transcend the physical boundaries of traditional face-to-face settings. Moving towards successful blended learning does not happen by chance. It requires educational leadership and a supportive change management strategy. Such a strategy should include a vision for innovation, plans for diffusing the innovations and the provision of advice and guidance to faculty and administrators. The chapter offers examples of what is possible through the genre of ‘Cluster Scenarios' and explores some implications for adopting a blended learning strategy for faculty and administrators.


Author(s):  
Yih-Ruey Juang

Much research has shown that the blended learning can effectively enhance the motivation, communication skills, and learning achievement compared with teaching in a single form. However, a crucial issue in blended learning is how to integrate each blended format, media and experience into a coherent learning model, and then to keep interaction between teacher and students either in or outside the classroom. This study introduces a highly interactive strategy for blended learning that incorporates web-based and face-to-face learning environments into a semester course through answering the warm-up questions before class, interactive teaching in class, and review and exercise after class. By the empirical study in a ‘Data Structure’ class, most students made progress in learning achievement and gain more motivation and interaction within the class.


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