You know Dr. Ruth, I hadn't thought about that, but you're absolutely right. I know many instructors, many nurses too that are just terrified of the computer. This is a good way to help ease them into it as well.
It is important, Theresa, for everyone to be met where they are in the learning process and for instructors to coach students along and for students themselves to coach each other along so that all the learning necessary can take place. The blended instructional design, when done well, provides a great balance of self-directed and class-directed progress.
If the program is truly hybrid the online portion will be archived giving the student the ability to communicate with the professor and other students at non-traditional times and locations. Which will result in more dynamic learning and mentoring by other students.
Hi Francis,
Yes, the self-paced and self-selected characteristics of this kind of approach are critical and also mean that the F2F or real time online meetings can be more about working together than passively listening.
I too agree with this response. The students open themselves to a whole world of different opportunities.
A couple of things came to mind after reading your queation. I belive that students are all different and this gives a very unique opportunity to people to work at a pace that they can do to maximize the information. I like to do a little reading and then research and then come back to it. It helps me. Freedom of schedule. It gives people the chance to do it when they can. With todays economy, it is tough for campanies to allow a valuable employee off to go to class, but on their own time at their own pace, is a great advantage.
Yes, Guy, the flexibility of this delivery mode allows many different learning needs to be addrssed as well as life challenges in scheduling. Do you think, however, that the blended learning modes of course delivery can also help make the learning more dynamic for students? If so, how?
I think it gives students amny different opportunities to learn material in ways that, in my opinion, make it easier to learn. BUT I also think it is the instructors role to steer the course in a way that students can find answers for themselves. I am not sure is I put on paper whe I am trying to say. Like right now you are sterring me to come up with a creative answer by looking at the material in the course work...but in other classes, an instructor can hint at places to look for answers so that the student wants to "look it up" for themselves and see. Right now I am giving my students information about historical figures - enough to certainly answer the questions but also maybe get them excited enough about looking a little further by the use of libraries, online, or even asking other students. Technology is allowing access to information at our finger tips that assist us in pushing the passion on them to make them WANT to learn. You can't teach passion, but you can help start the spark by showing the many ways they can find information and learn at the pace that they feel comfortable.
Hi Guy, yes, there are a variety of reasons why blended learning can either support or even hinder learning if it is not both planned well and facilitated well.
In the course, there are various ways identified in which technology and teaching methods can combine to create a dynamic learning experience for students. It is not the blended form in itself but how it is designed and what is intended for students.
In general, however, using various technolgy to mediate and deliver teaching and learning can create a more interactive and immediate experience for students. Can you see that in your own courses? How could a blended approach change the experience for the better for your students?
The biggest is Time: The students have the time to absorb what used to be classroom lecture in their own matter, at their own pace, in their own environment. I believe there is no such thing as a "universal student" so how can we have a classroom that meets all students needs. Online hybrid and blended learning offers the chance for individualized and group learning.
-Chris
I agree, Christopher, that blended instructional design can help with the huge challenge of meeting the needs of diverse students. I like your point about time - often time is not intentionally built into a course by the teacher, and this kind of approach can also provide opportunity for the time necessary for each student to truly process the information effectively. Do you think there are additional considerations that teachers should take into account in addition to the instructional design in order to facilitate students taking the time they need?
Yes, teachers need to realize that they may end up having students in various places in the course. They may have to provide additional information to those who are faster, or who "get" the concepts easier. They may need to provide additional "tutoring" to those struggling, and they may need to be available for private one-on-ones for those who need help.
I believe that it is possible to include "self-paced" with instructor led.
-Chris
So, in a technology-mediated or delivered environment, teachers can focus more on actually "teaching" and helping students succeed. Good points!
The online involvement does not allow the students to "hide" as easily as in the face-to-face sessions. They can become more responsible--it gives the normally shy or reserved student the opportunity to engage in such activities as class discussion, team projects, etc.
Yes indeed, James, the online environment increases accountability in a very immediate way. How do you use this to improve the instructional experience for your students?
Students often have questions pertaining to subject matter, but also like to expand on a certain topic, while linear learning was ok it sometimes didn't allow the time needed to expand on the answers the student was looking for. The Instructor might say, see me after class or wait till we get there. With blended learning the student can use the hyper links and travel as far as they needed to find the answer they were looking for. The student seems to always want the input of the Instructor for verification of the content they researched, which in turn may force the Instructor to do the added research and expand their knowledge also. In this type of learning it would seem that everyone is feeding off each others findings and everybodys knowledge is expanded. This being said the Instructor has to be humble enough to learn with the students. The Instructor has the experience to help the students digest what they have learned into terms they understand.
Yes, Ken, you describe the environment well. I particularly like your mention of adequate time to think, follow through, and learn. What successes have you noticed specifically with your students in this regard?
I think that blended learning allows the computer part to teach a knowledge based concept that doesn't require an instructor to parrot words, however the student can view and review the content over and again to get the most out of it instead of hearing it once and taking notes that they may not remember later.
The amount of time that I was able to implement this type of learning wasn’t enough time to form a valid opinion. The reasons were that I didn’t know this was blended learning. Also I was new @ teaching, and learning so many different things that I was not able to capitalize on the new learning. This style learning was not used in any other classroom except my automotive class. Now after starting to read about blended learning and using hyper links to understand the wording that is used that I don’t understand, I was able to comprehend what is trying to be accomplished in this style of learning.(Yes the light bulb went on). I look forward to expanding my knowledge when we implement the pilot program @ our facility. I can say this, while using this type of learning there wasn’t much success, and I blame this on it being more homework than actual being a part of a true hybrid program. Lets face it, automotive students are under the impression that it will be an easy credit, and councilors try to use it as a dumping ground because, they are uneducated as to the extent of the high level of technology used in today’s automotive field. Once the traditional educators are educated that we are no longer grease monkeys but highly skilled technicians then they can council the students on the commitment that will be needed to succeed in this field. Hybrid learning has a place in this field and upstanding how to implement and build on it should be exciting for student and educator
Great points, Ken. I understand your not knowing you were using blended methods. The same was true for me and I evolved as a blended learning instructor simply by designing instruction that worked best for the students. I also like your thoughts on 'raising the bar' for your field. In doing this, students will also begin to really value the learning thtat is taking place.
