Courses featured in the Blended Learning programme:

• Why blend?

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 1 hour, 30 minutes
  Additional activities: 3 hours, 35 minutes 

  On completing this course, teaching faculty will have a fuller understanding of the context in which they are operating and of their own role and needs.

   

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  Syllabus

  • • • • • Understand the broader context and benefits of the move towards technology enhanced and online learning on-campus (including an overview of the research evidence)
        • • Define ‘blended learning’ in the context of their university, department and course
        • • Identify some common benefits and opportunities provided by blended learning approaches
        • • Identify some common problems and challenges with blended learning (e.g.: unfocused combination of online and face-to-face teaching methods; choosing the most appropriate blended approach)
        • • Reflect on their own experience of online and blended teaching to date and use this information to create a plan for getting the most out of the remaining courses in the programme

  Author: Professor Mark Brown 
  Director of the National Institute for Digital Learning at Dublin City University

• Approaches to blended learning

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 2 hours
  Additional activities: 3 hours

  On completing this course, teaching faculty will have a detailed understanding of the broad range of blended learning approaches and consider which would suit their own practice.

   

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  Syllabus 

  • Explain the principles of a range of blended learning models and approaches (e.g.: flipped classroom, student choice in the classroom, discussion forums)

  • Use case studies from others’ teaching to illustrate how these approaches work in practice, and the opportunities and challenges associated with each

  • Evaluate each approach in relation to their own particular teaching context, in order to identify those that are likely to be most suitable for their needs

  • This course will be informed throughout by case studies by practitioners of blended learning

  Author: Leah Holroyd 
  University of Canberra

  Reviewer: Neil Currant  
  Oxford Brookes University

• Innovating with blended learning: First steps

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 2 hours
  Additional activities: 4 hours, 20 minutes

  On completing this course, teaching faculty will be able to take first steps towards integrating blended learning approaches into their practice, and will understand how the principles of course design apply in a blended context.

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  Syllabus

  • Identify potential changes and how to implement them

  • Identify different tools, technologies and resources to support blended approaches/course design

  • Understand the benefits of the university’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)/ Learning Management System (LMS)

  • Understand how video can be used effectively, and create short videos to explain and introduce concepts

  Author: Matthew Newcombe  
  University of Exeter

  Reviewer: Dr Amanda Jefferies  
  University of Hertfordshire

• Developing and implementing a whole-course approach to blended learning

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 1 hour, 50 minutes
  Additional activities: 3 hours, 40 minutes

  On completing this course, teaching faculty will know how to adapt their existing teaching and communication practices across an entire course or programme in order to improve their students’ experiences and success on their blended course.

   

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  Syllabus

  • Understand the importance of creating a learning-centred environment for students and teachers

  • Explain how their role and experience as a teacher will change in the blended environment

  • Identify frameworks and design tools for use in a blended approach (including online spaces, 3E Framework, online resources)

  • Prepare students to succeed in this new environment by providing guidance and orientation

  • Understand the stages involved in a technical and ‘reality’ check prior to ‘going live’ with the full blended course or programme

  • Monitor and review the course or programme

  Author: Professor Keith Smyth   
  University of the Highlands and Islands

  Reviewer: Professor Barney Dalgarno  
  Charles Sturt University

• Redesigning assessment for blending learning

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 1 hour, 40 minutes
  Additional activities: 4 hours, 45 minutes

  On completing this course, teaching faculty will understand the range of individual and group/cohort assessment models available in a blended context, and be able to consider changes to their assessment approach as part of their blended learning teaching practice.

   

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  Syllabus 

  • Outline the range of online assessment methods available to them including:

  1. Formative assessment models giving immediate feedback to students

  2. Summative assessment models giving feedback at the end of a learning cycle

  3. Assessment of graduate attributes

  • Understand the range of technologies that can be used in assessment

  • Understand the implications of student assessment workload

  • Evaluate these online assessments in relation to their own plans and needs

  Author: Dr Angélica Rísquez  
  University of Limerick

  Reviewer: Neil Currant  
  Oxford Brookes University

• Evaluating and refining your blended course

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 2 hours
  Additional activities: 3 hours, 35 minutes

  On completing the course, teaching faculty will be able to measure the effectiveness of the blended learning approaches they have adopted and identify ways of improving and enhancing their blended approach.

   

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  Syllabus 

  • Outline the sources of data (both online and offline) that they can use to gather feedback in order to increase their understanding of class processes and evaluate the effectiveness of their blended approach

  • Use this data to make further modifications and improvements with the aim of supporting student success and improving retention

  • Understand the use of tools to create evaluation methods

  • Apply analytics to improve the success of the blended approach and to understand issues of data protection

  Author: Bryan Fletcher  
  Director of Publishing, Epigeum

  Reviewer: Dr Amanda Jefferies  
  University of Hertfordshire

• Building a sustainable blended learning culture

  Overview

  Publication date: June 2016
  Core activities: 1 hour, 30 minutes 
  Additional activities: 3 hours, 50 minutes

  On completing this course, university leaders and managers will understand the steps they can take to put their blended learning strategy into practice and to encourage a sustained approach.  

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  Syllabus 

  • Gather evidence to evaluate the institution’s current blended learning practice and culture, and assess this in relation to the overall blended learning strategy

  • Use the above information to identify priorities and action plans

  • Identify some of the challenges inherent in seeking to change embedded practices/cultures – and employ a range of change management strategies to mitigate these – including:

  1. Using different types of influence

  2. Identifying and working with ‘change leaders’ in each department and creating communities of practice

  3. Using this programme to expand the skills sets of teaching faculty

  • Develop a network of ‘experts’ in each department to lead/inspire colleagues and to quickly deal with issues and identify risks

  • Identify and understand the resources required to implement a sustained blended approach and possible frameworks to aid implementation

  Author: Matthew Newcombe  
  University of Exeter

  Reviewer: Professor Rhona Sharpe  
  Oxford Brookes University