Blended Learning in a Creative Writing Program

Author(s):  
Chris Morgan ◽  
Janie Conway-Herron

This case study reports on the results of a two-year pilot study in blended learning in an undergraduate creative writing program at Southern Cross University in Australia. It documents the development and implementation of a blended delivery model that dispenses with outdated divisions between face-to-face and distance modes of delivery, creating a converged, blended learning experience for all students. Findings from the pilot provided important data in relation to student satisfaction, pedagogical considerations, institutional constraints, teaching technologies, faculty workload issues, and costs associated with blended learning. These findings will contribute to a University-wide move to converged, blended learning in 2009.

F1000Research ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 898
Author(s):  
Roslyn Gleadow ◽  
Barbara Macfarlan

Making material available through learning management systems is standard practice in most universities, but this is generally seen as an adjunct to the ‘real’ teaching, that takes place in face-to-face classes. Lecture attendance is poor, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to engage students, both in the material being taught and campus life. This paper describes the redevelopment of a large course in scientific practice and communication that is compulsory for all science students studying at our Melbourne and Malaysian campuses, or by distance education. Working with an educational designer, a blended learning methodology was developed, converting the environment provided by the learning management system into a teaching space, rather than a filing system. To ensure focus, topics are clustered into themes with a ‘question of the week’, a pre-class stimulus and follow up activities. The content of the course did not change, but by restructuring the delivery using educationally relevant design techniques, the content was contextualised resulting in an integrated learning experience. Students are more engaged intellectually, and lecture attendance has improved. The approach we describe here is a simple and effective approach to bringing this university’s teaching and learning into the 21st century.


F1000Research ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roslyn Gleadow ◽  
Barbara Macfarlan ◽  
Melissa Honeydew

Making material available through learning management systems is standard practice in most universities, but this is generally seen as an adjunct to the ‘real’ teaching, that takes place in face-to-face classes. Lecture attendance is poor, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to engage students, both in the material being taught and campus life. This paper describes the redevelopment of a large course in scientific practice and communication that is compulsory for all science students studying at our Melbourne and Malaysian campuses, or by distance education. Working with an educational designer, a blended learning methodology was developed, converting the environment provided by the learning management system into a teaching space, rather than a filing system. To ensure focus, topics are clustered into themes with a ‘question of the week’, a pre-class stimulus and follow up activities. The content of the course did not change, but by restructuring the delivery using educationally relevant design techniques, the content was contextualised resulting in an integrated learning experience. Students are more engaged intellectually, and lecture attendance has improved. The approach we describe here is a simple and effective approach to bringing this university’s teaching and learning into the 21st century.


Curationis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tennyson Mgutshini

Educational discourse has long portrayed online, or e-based, learning and all non-campus-based learning options as second best to traditional face-to-face options. Critically much of the research and debate in this area of study has focused on evidence relating to student performance, attrition and retention with little consideration of the total learning experience, which values both the traditional learning outcome measures side-by-side with student-centered factors, such as students’ satisfaction with their learning experience. The objective of this study was to present a synchronous head-to-head comparison between online and campus-based students’ experiences of an undergraduate course. This paper reports on a qualitative comparative cross-sectional study, which used multiple data collection approaches to assess student learning and student satisfaction of 61 students who completed a semester of an undergraduate course. Of the 61 students, 34 were enrolled purely as online students, whilst the remaining 27 students studied the same material entirely through the traditional face-to-face medium. Methods included a standardised student satisfaction survey and an ‘achievement of learning outcomes’ measurement tool. Students on the online cohort performed better in areas where ‘self-direction’ in learning was indicated, for example self-directed problem-based tasks within the course. Online students gave less positive self-assessments of their perceived content mastery than their campus-based counterparts, despite performing just as well in both summative and formative assignments. A multi-factorial comparison shows online students to have comparable educational success and that, in terms of student satisfaction, online learners reported more satisfaction with their learning experience than their campus-based counterparts.


Author(s):  
Nancy El-Farargy

Supervisory training for clinical psychologists is often a pre-requisite for practitioners taking on their first graduate trainee and for seasoned practitioners who require refresher training as evidence for continuing professional development. This case study outlines some supervisory models available within the literature and discusses a blended learning model of supervisor training specifically tailored for seasoned clinical psychology supervisors – with the deliverable being an online course to supplement a face-to-face delivery of supervisory training. In managing the work, a project management methodology is journeyed through, and covers the main context of the case, the e-strategy employed, an overview of the technology used, and the content of both the online and face-to-face components. Success factors surrounding the processes used are discussed, and implications of transition phases are outlined. In implementing an online component of blended learning, such information may support other project managers who may wish to benefit from and replicate any of the processes and tools used.


Author(s):  
Marva Mirabolghasemi ◽  
Noorminshah A. Iahad

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) model has been used for exploring various aspects of blended learning courses using technology such as Course Management Systems (CMSs). However, there is a lack of research literature evaluating CoI in environments where students use an educational social network in addition to a CMS and face to face teaching and learning. This study investigates a learning experience in blended learning that combines the usage of a CMS, Edmodo, which is an educational Social Network Site (SNS) and face to face teaching and learning. The results have shown a significant relationship and prediction of overall learning experience in relation to teaching, cognitive and social presence in blended learning. Moreover, social presence is the most significant factor to predict the overall learning experience of students.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatih Saltan

The aim of this study was to investigate the learning experience of students studying pedagogic formation in blended design with regard to attendance, self confidence, and attitudes toward both Pedagogic Formation Program (PFP) and the teaching profession. In order to achieve this aim, a qualitative case study approach was carried out. The participants of this study consisted of 154 graduated Faculty of Arts and Sciences students who were enrolled in the first blended PFP in Turkey. A qualitative case study was conducted. Data were obtained through an open-ended questionnaire (n=154) and focus group interviews (n=8). The qualitative data were analyzed by using content analysis techniques. Overall, the results indicated that blended PFP was highly promising regarding professional development, self-confidence, accessibility and eliminating some disadvantages of distance education. Specifically, inherent problems of online education continued to take place in blended design but a balanced blended approach could minimize these weaknesses. Participants indicated that face-to-face sections were more applied, authentic and effective than the online part. On the other hand, most of the participants preferred to attend the online lessons regularly.  It was mainly because of availability concerns, travelling, and comfort of their home.


Author(s):  
Kalliopi Benetos ◽  
Daniel Peraya

This case study presents a blended learning study program offered as a continuing education certificate of advanced studies for post-secondary educators and training professionals in the private, non-governmental, and public sectors. This accredited certificate program is unique in that it allows participants to propose and develop their own practical pedagogical projects. Another distinguishing characteristic is that it is offered in blended learning mode, i.e., alternating face-to-face phases with tutored distance learning phases. The pedagogical team includes one professor and one coordinator who supervise the entire program, as well as external instructors who provide individually tailored consulting on participants’ projects. During their studies, participants experience first-hand, the techno-pedagogical solutions proposed through their implementation within the program.


Author(s):  
Karen García ◽  
Renata Suzuki

This blended learning classroom (BLC) case study identifies and describes successful procedures and methodologies that widen the use of online tools in virtual environments. It provides a systematic and organized access to the plethora of free social software available online for the development of collaborative learning activities. The goal of this particular BLC professional development activity was to offer a face-to-face group of English teachers in Venezuela the opportunity to meet members of an international community of practice (CoP) and together review a packaged learning course material online. Blended technology, the mix and match of available tools, served to display the wide use of resources and each person’s skills. By exploring online tools, participants gained an opportunity for learning about both educational theory and the use of technology. The experience described here shows a prototype of future pathways towards educational content use and development.


2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-62
Author(s):  
Corey H. Brouse ◽  
Kelly R. McKnight ◽  
Charles E. Basch ◽  
Michael LeBlanc

In order to gain a better understanding of the ways in which an instructor could enhance an on-line learning experience, we surveyed 96 students enrolled in on-line Health Promotion and Wellness courses. Almost all respondents felt that sending e-mailed reminders and posting announcements on the course was very important or important for enhancing the on-line learning experience. There was a mixed response in the ratings for how important it was for an on-line instructor to host on-line office hours and the weakest ratings were for rating importance of having asynchronous time with an on-line instructor. Not surprisingly, most students used the library for research purposes less often or as often for their on-line courses than for their face-to-face courses. However, the majority of students used the Internet for resources more often or as often. Interestingly, half of the respondents felt that they interacted more with classmates in their on-line course. The amount of time spent preparing assignments in a face-to-face versus an on-line course was split.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Ommi Alfina ◽  

This research aims to (1) find out the results of the implementation of Learning Management System (LMS)-Google Classroom in the online learning process for Informatics Engineering students, Universitas Potensi Utama during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) learn about students' responses to online learning using LMS-Google Classroom. This research is based on the transformation of the course process from face-to-face learning to remote learning (PJJ) by relying on technology as a substitute for learning media, known as distance learning and online learning. This research was conducted using case study methods. This research was conducted on informatics engineering students in multimedia courses. Sampling techniques using purposive sampling methods. The results showed that the application of LMS-Google Classroom to online learning for Informatics Engineering students during the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive effect, especially in terms of absorption related to understanding lecture materials. Based on the results of student questionnaire calculations, it was obtained that as many as 23% of students find it difficult to attend lectures using LMS-Google Classroom which is reviewed in terms of technological efficiency and material understanding level. Meanwhile, 77% of students are happy and enthusiastic about gaining a new learning experience after using LMS-Google Classroom to participate in multimedia lectures. It can be concluded that the implementation of LMS-Google Classroom in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the solutions that can be used so that the lecture process can continue. However, it is necessary to provide assistance and control over student activities to keep students motivated in following the lecture process in the context of online learning.


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