scholarly journals “I have a voice!”: Designing empowering learning experiences for adult learners in a blended learning programme

2021 ◽  
pp. 103-119
Author(s):  
Zenobia Davidse
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences

USE OF BLENDED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION – SOME EXPERIENCES

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
R J Singh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Made In

This article reports on the use of blended learning in higher education. Blended learning has become popular in higher education in recent years. It is a move beyond traditional lecturing to incorporate face-to-face learning with e-learning, thereby creating a blend of learning experiences. The problem is that learning in higher education is complex and learning situations differ across contexts. Whilst there is face-to-face contact at some institutions, others offer distance learning or correspondence learning. In each context, the mode of learning may differ. The challenge is to cater for various learning opportunities through a series of learning interactions and to incorporate a blended approach. The aim of this study was to examine various ways of defining blended learning in different contexts. This was done through an examination of experiences of the use of blended learning in different higher education contexts. The study presents a case of blended learning in a postgraduate course. The experiences from all these cases are summarised and conclusions and recommendations are made in the context of blended learning in higher education in South Africa.

BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: AN APPROACH TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’S LEARNING EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE SCHOOL (LEOS)

2021 ◽  
pp. 121-134
Author(s):  
Sandhya Devi Coll ◽  
David Treagust
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Construction Of Knowledge ◽  
Life Long Learning ◽  
Collaboration And Communication

This paper reports on blended learning environment approach to help enhance students’ learning out comes in science during Learning Experiences Outside School (LEOS). This inquiry took the nature of an ethnographic case study (Lincoln & Guba 1985; Merriam, 1988), and sought to establish ways of enhancing students’ LEOS. The context of the inquiry was a private rural religious secondary school in New Zealand. The New Zealand Science Curriculum is based on a constructivist-based view of learning which provides opportunities for a number of possible learning experiences for science, including LEOS, to enrich student experiences, motivate them to learn science, encourage life-long learning, and provide exposure to future careers (Hofstein & Rosenfeld,1996; Tal, 2012). However, to make the most of these learning experiences outside the school, it is important that adequate preparation is done, before, during and after these visits. Sadly, the last two decades of research suggest that activities outside school such as field trips have not necessarily been used as a means to improveschool-basedlearning (Rennie & McClafferty, 1996). This inquiry utilised an integrated online learning model, using Moodle, as a means to increase student collaboration and communication where students become self-directed, negotiate their own goals, express meaningful ideas and display a strong sense of collective ownership (Scanlon, Jones & Waycott, 2005; Willett, 2007). The digital space provided by Moodle allows students significant autonomy which encourages social interactions and this promotes learning and social construction of knowledge (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989; Lewin, 2004).

scholarly journals Assistive Technologies and Environmental Design Concepts for Blended Learning and Teaching for Disabilities within 3D Virtual Worlds and Learning Environments

2012 ◽  
pp. 50-74
Author(s):  
Noha Saleeb ◽  
Georgios A. Dafoulas
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Educational Facilities ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Virtual Spaces ◽  
E Learning

3D Virtual Learning Environments (3D VLEs) are increasingly becoming prominent supporters of blended learning for all kinds of students including adult learners with or without disabilities. Due to the evidenced effect of architectural design of physical learning spaces on students’ learning and current lack of design codes for creating 3D virtual buildings, this case study aims at evaluating the suitability of the architectural design elements of existing educational facilities and learning spaces within 3D VLEs specifically for delivering blended e-learning for adult students with disabilities. This comprises capturing student contentment and satisfaction levels from different design elements of the 3D virtual spaces in an attempt to issue recommendations for the development of 3D educational facilities and hence initiate a framework for architectural design of 3D virtual spaces to augment accessibility, appeal and engagement for enhancing the e-learning experience of under-graduate, post-graduate and independent-study adult learners with disabilities within these virtual worlds.

Towards Blended Learning Designs Fostering Adults' Social Capital

2019 ◽  
pp. 55-80
Author(s):  
Celine Cocquyt ◽  
Anh Nguyet Diep ◽  
Chang Zhu ◽  
Maurice De Greef ◽  
Tom Vanwing
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Instructional Design ◽  
Adult Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Adult Educators ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Ubiquitous Presence ◽  
Practical Recommendations

In responding to the ubiquitous presence of information and communication technology (ICT) in the educational landscape, blended learning has been increasingly adopted in adult education. While adult educators and practitioners face challenges due to such pedagogical shifts in instructional design, they are also encouraged to underscore the emancipatory values of adult education to contribute to the global social exclusion combat. Thus, it is of particular significance to examine how different elements of the blended learning design can result in social outcomes for adult learners. By deconstructing the blended learning design into specific online and general supportive factors, the present chapter sheds more light on the question: How does learning in a blended environment contribute to adult learners' social capital? On top of that, practical recommendations for instructors are put forward.

Online Blended Learning Platform for Rural Adult Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 215-232
Author(s):  
Somprakash Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Arina Bardhan ◽  
Priyadarshini Dey ◽  
Sneha Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Platform

A Differentiated Approach to Mathematics

2021 ◽  
pp. 396-405
Author(s):  
Dora Andrikopoulos ◽  
Matina Katsiyianni
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Instructional Models ◽  
Learning Potential ◽  
Flexible Learning ◽  
Instructional Techniques ◽  
Learning Framework

How can classroom teachers maximize the learning potential of their students? How can teachers, at the same time, attend to their students' differences? Students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles are the main targets for successful and meaningful learning. This chapter discusses all the above-mentioned characteristics of learners and focuses on the different approaches and instructional models in a Mathematics classroom. Having in mind a flexible learning framework that accommodates the needs of today's learners, the authors discuss and present applicable classroom instructional techniques, techniques that offer unique opportunities to fully amalgamate pedagogy by modifying learning experiences in the three areas of content, process, and product. The reader of this chapter will also get the chance to be exposed to the i2Flex methodology, which is a type of blended learning and has been born and developed at ACS Athens, Greece.

“We Had a Blast!”

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Asunka
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Private University ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
African Context ◽  
Sub Saharan

As many important issues pertaining to blended learning within the Sub-Saharan African context remain unexplored, this study implemented a blended learning approach in a graduate level course at a private university in Ghana, with the objective of exploring adult learners' attitudes, experiences and behaviors towards this learning approach, as well as their perceptions towards blended learning in general. Forty-eight graduate students participated in the study as they engaged in a six-week long blended learning course. Qualitative research methods were used to gather data which were analysed using grounded theory coding techniques, descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings reveal high levels of student engagement and satisfaction with the learning processes, and an overwhelming endorsement of blended learning as a preferred mode of learning. Implications of these findings for further research and practice are discussed within the context of technology adoption and use in the Ghanaian and Sub-Saharan African higher education contexts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document