THE JOURNAL OF BLENDED ONLINE LEARNING http://blog.sapioinstitute.org (A research Blog of the Sapio Research Institute) Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:05:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 en Using Cognitive Apprenticeship to Provide Faculty Development in the Use of Blended Learning http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-cognitive-apprenticeship-to-provide-faculty-development-in-the-use-of-blended-learning/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-cognitive-apprenticeship-to-provide-faculty-development-in-the-use-of-blended-learning/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:05:47 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-cognitive-apprenticeship-to-provide-faculty-development-in-the-use-of-blended-learning/ This paper deals with one approach to increasing the use of blended education through faculty development based on the principles of cognitive apprenticeship. The first section reviews the current state of blended education, describes modes of faculty development, and enumerates the principles of cognitive apprenticeship. Next, it details one institution’s efforts to provide faculty development on the use of blended education using a cognitive apprenticeship approach. Finally, this paper presents research examining faculty participation in this effort in an attempt to provide guidance for future hybrid offerings that add blended instruction to the teaching repertoire of faculty. ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-cognitive-apprenticeship-to-provide-faculty-development-in-the-use-of-blended-learning/feed/ Access Strategy for Blended E-learning: An AIOU Case Study http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/access-strategy-for-blended-e-learning-an-aiou-case-study/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/access-strategy-for-blended-e-learning-an-aiou-case-study/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:03:26 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/access-strategy-for-blended-e-learning-an-aiou-case-study/ The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is growing in Distance Education Institutions (DEI). ICT has contributed to effective learning for rural/urban, male/female, ethnic, and remote student groups. In Pakistan, tertiary education is generally restricted to those who can afford it in urban areas. In addition, recent accessibility studies in Pakistan have identified that most students do have access to a range of ICT devices, but with limited Internet access due to problems related to the national ICT infrastructure. An ICT equipped DEI can, however, deliver tertiary education with high levels of interaction to females and underprivileged ethnic groups living in rural and remote areas. Therefore, DEIs need to uncover suitable education delivery models. Blended learning models with multiple access methods for content development and presentation, teacher student interaction, and e-assessment are needed. Blended e-learning is relatively cost effective, and can provide quality education to distant students.Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) initiated e-learning in Pakistan about a decade ago, and the program has been continuously evaluated. Owing to its success and cost effectiveness, AIOU planned a major organizational change to incorporate ICT-based blended learning. In the present paper, these ICT-based access models for blended learning are described with multiple accessibility options to provide content delivery over TV, radio, Internet, and video conference-based communications. Progress to date is also highlighted.

]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/access-strategy-for-blended-e-learning-an-aiou-case-study/feed/ Comparing Online Learning with Blended Learning in a Teacher Training Program http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/comparing-online-learning-with-blended-learning-in-a-teacher-training-program/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/comparing-online-learning-with-blended-learning-in-a-teacher-training-program/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:01:43 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/comparing-online-learning-with-blended-learning-in-a-teacher-training-program/ This paper describes the establishment and delivery of a Blended Learning Higher Diploma in Education, being a professional qualification for Primary School teachers in Ireland. This innovative course represents a major departure from the traditional mode of delivery of teacher training in Ireland. A careful analysis of student feedback and examination scores is therefore of crucial importance to inform further development of the course and to contribute to innovation in teacher training both in Ireland and internationally.The two primary modes of course delivery, that is an Entirely Online mode and a Blended Learning mode, were compared in terms of qualitative feedback from the students themselves and quantitative results from the formal assessment procedures. Across a range of questions that covered learning outcomes and learner outcome satisfaction, balance of delivery, tutor and peer engagement, workload, technology and perceived career benefit, student satisfaction was shown to be good across both modes of delivery. Some differences were noted in workload and student support; workload was perceived higher, but student support was more satisfactory in the purely online elements. There was a small but significant grade improvement for Blended Learning courses over Entirely Online courses. However, alternative hypotheses make it difficult to attribute this grade increase to the mode of course delivery.The mode of delivery of course content does not affect student satisfaction or the ability of students to perform well in formal assessment. It is therefore concluded that a blended learning educational system that includes online education is a highly appropriate mode for the training of primary school teachers.

]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/comparing-online-learning-with-blended-learning-in-a-teacher-training-program/feed/ Blended Program Development: Applying the Quality Matters and Community of Inquiry Frameworks to Ensure High Quality Design and Implementation http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/blended-program-development-applying-the-quality-matters-and-community-of-inquiry-frameworks-to-ensure-high-quality-design-and-implementation/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/blended-program-development-applying-the-quality-matters-and-community-of-inquiry-frameworks-to-ensure-high-quality-design-and-implementation/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:00:17 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/blended-program-development-applying-the-quality-matters-and-community-of-inquiry-frameworks-to-ensure-high-quality-design-and-implementation/ This paper describes how the Quality Matters (QM) and Community of Inquiry (CoI) frameworks can be applied at the program level to enhance curriculum development and maintain programmatic rigor when transforming traditional courses for the blended environment. The QM and CoI frameworks are summarized, and the application of these frameworks in the course design process is described. Explanations are provided of how the QM standards were applied to the design of individual courses to ensure the development of cognitive, social, and teaching presence in the transitioning of an entire master’s of educational leadership (EDL) program from face-to-face to blended delivery. The paper concludes with practical advice for others desiring to move into the blended arena. ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/blended-program-development-applying-the-quality-matters-and-community-of-inquiry-frameworks-to-ensure-high-quality-design-and-implementation/feed/ Increasing Access to Graduate Education: A Blended MSW Program http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/increasing-access-to-graduate-education-a-blended-msw-program/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/increasing-access-to-graduate-education-a-blended-msw-program/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:58:24 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/increasing-access-to-graduate-education-a-blended-msw-program/ Students who live in remote areas and have work and family responsibilities frequently face considerable challenges completing graduate education. Accredited programs in their professional field may be several hundred miles away, on campuses where traditional face-to-face programs are the primary - if not the only - options available. This means considerable windshield (driving) and seat (classroom) time that their situations make prohibitive. At the same time, new technological developments and continued research and experience have made quality online learning feasible in many fields. Nevertheless, there is still a strong bias to have adequate face-to-face elements in the preparation of professionals for whom face-to-face contact with clients will be the norm. This combination of student need, technological feasibility, and a professional bias toward face-to-face instruction provides the perfect environment for a “blended” program that combines the best features of face-to-face, videoconferencing, and online instruction. The Michigan State University Blended Statewide Clinical Master of Social Work (MSW) Program was developed to respond to the serious access issues facing students in areas of the state where accredited master’s programs are either too far away or do not provide flexibility in course load and scheduling. In this article, the program’s underlying assumptions are explained and the primary components of the Blended Program model are described in detail. It should be noted that this is not just a theoretical model – it has, in fact, been implemented, with the first cohort of students in the third year of the three-year MSW program. Results to date are presented. ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/increasing-access-to-graduate-education-a-blended-msw-program/feed/ Finding the Recipe for the Best Blend: The Evolution and Assessment of a Blended Master’s Degree Program http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/finding-the-recipe-for-the-best-blend-the-evolution-and-assessment-of-a-blended-master%e2%80%99s-degree-program/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/finding-the-recipe-for-the-best-blend-the-evolution-and-assessment-of-a-blended-master%e2%80%99s-degree-program/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:56:33 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/finding-the-recipe-for-the-best-blend-the-evolution-and-assessment-of-a-blended-master%e2%80%99s-degree-program/ A comprehensive analysis was conducted of West Virginia University’s Physical Education Teacher Education Master of Science program. This program is a blended learning hybrid model, which combines courses taught on site with courses taught through web-based distance education. The purpose of the study was to describe and assess the program. A description of the program is provided based on interviews conducted with the faculty. Assessment of the program was conducted primarily through an anonymous online survey of members of five graduating classes. Additionally, an analysis of standards-based exit portfolios completed by students in one recently graduating class and an analysis from an independent, external evaluator were utilized in the assessment. Results indicated that the graduates were meeting the relevant standards and associated outcomes, and that the blended program was largely responsible for their performance. In addition, two standards dealing with systematic inquiry were deemed the weakest of the program’s effects, and program modifications were undertaken to respond to those weaknesses. Graduates were highly positive about both face-to-face and online portions of the program and clearly resonated with the blended approach. Discussion includes observations about curriculum changes made since the program’s inception, the enhancement of the learning community through the blended approach, and technological issues that need to be addressed in order to maximize the effectiveness of a blended program. ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/finding-the-recipe-for-the-best-blend-the-evolution-and-assessment-of-a-blended-master%e2%80%99s-degree-program/feed/ Third Space: Blended Teaching and Learning http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/third-space-blended-teaching-and-learning/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/third-space-blended-teaching-and-learning/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:52:57 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/third-space-blended-teaching-and-learning/

This paper reports on a study that investigated how the blend of face-to-face and online instruction supports the development of Third Space in a content-area reading education course requiring field experiences with marginalized students. For this study, blended learning was defined as the combination of traditional and nontraditional face-to-face and authentic online learning activities to encourage student engagement and potentially transform student learning experiences and outcomes. Third Space is defined as a zone of transformation that is generated when teachers and students socialize together in and through language, integrating everyday and academic knowledge. A primary goal of the study was to provide Third Space content-area literacy learning opportunities for pre-service teachers through blended instruction that increased critically reflective interactions. In turn, pre-service teachers were to provide Third Space literacy learning opportunities with marginalized students in the field.This critical ethnographic study addressed the following central research question: How does a blend of face-to-face and online instruction support the development of Third Space in a content-area reading education course requiring field experiences with marginalized students? Subsidiary questions included: How did critically reflective interactions inform Third Space literacy learning opportunities provided for marginalized students in the field? What evidence of transformation in student learning experiences and outcomes was provided in final critical reflections? Data collected through ethnographic methods included observations, informal interviews, documents, and artifacts. Qualitative data were triangulated and thematically analyzed to answer the questions of the study. Findings indicate that blended teaching and learning that increased critically reflective interactions supported the development of Third Space teacher dispositions, praxis, and critical views of literacy.

]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/third-space-blended-teaching-and-learning/feed/ Advanced Technical Writing: Blending Virtual Communities http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/advanced-technical-writing-blending-virtual-communities/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/advanced-technical-writing-blending-virtual-communities/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:44 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/advanced-technical-writing-blending-virtual-communities/ A mixed-methodology research study was conducted to evaluate the use of virtual worlds in facilitating meaningful communication and in developing an online learning community that would enhance outcomes in advanced technical writing blended-learning courses. Students in this course wrote blogs, conducted research online, created manuals for students, produced online versions of their manuals, and conducted usability studies. The current study also examined the effect this pedagogical approach has on writing apprehension. Results indicate that, overall, students’ tendencies to avoid writing situations were significantly lowered. Analyses of the data informed creation of a partially online advanced technical-writing course. ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/advanced-technical-writing-blending-virtual-communities/feed/ Using a Blended Approach to Teach Research Methods: The Impact of Integrating Web-Based and In-Class Instruction http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-a-blended-approach-to-teach-research-methods-the-impact-of-integrating-web-based-and-in-class-instruction/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-a-blended-approach-to-teach-research-methods-the-impact-of-integrating-web-based-and-in-class-instruction/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:48:33 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-a-blended-approach-to-teach-research-methods-the-impact-of-integrating-web-based-and-in-class-instruction/ This study explored using a blended format (both in-class and online components) for teaching undergraduate research methods. A Traditional section met in-person twice weekly for 75 minutes (50 minute lecture with 25 minute group work). A Blended section had the same format for the first 4 weeks, but then switched to a single, 75-minute lecture per week with all group activity shifted to Web-based discussions and online homework sets. Comparisons of exam scores indicated no difference on the midterm but Blended students significantly outperformed those in the Traditional section on the final exam. Students in the Blended section also actively participated in online discussions and maintained close contact with the instructor. These results suggest the integration of online components may help improve student performance. ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-a-blended-approach-to-teach-research-methods-the-impact-of-integrating-web-based-and-in-class-instruction/feed/ Using Blended Learning to Ensure Consistency and Quality in Multiple Course Sections http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-blended-learning-to-ensure-consistency-and-quality-in-multiple-course-sections/ http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-blended-learning-to-ensure-consistency-and-quality-in-multiple-course-sections/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:46:23 +0000 admin http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-blended-learning-to-ensure-consistency-and-quality-in-multiple-course-sections/ The purpose of this paper is to provide stakeholders (academic administrators, instructional designers, instructors, and students) with one university’s experience with managing multiple sections of the same course, by using a series of instructional techniques that ensures consistent, high-quality, blended courses. Many universities are tasked with teaching multiple sections of foundational courses to large numbers of students. How do administrators and instructors ensure that each stakeholder’s needs and requirements are being met satisfactorily? This paper addresses the issues that arise when trying to satisfying the needs of all stakeholders, the role that blended learning plays, and the strengths and challenges of utilizing blended learning and future considerations. It develops a model that uses five strategies for ensuring course consistency, including personnel structure, communication, course design and consistency, assessment and evaluation, and technological and professional development support. Finally, this paper includes a just-in-time tool (Appendix A) that can be used by administrators to address the challenges of incorporating blended learning.  ]]> http://blog.sapioinstitute.org/2010/02/25/using-blended-learning-to-ensure-consistency-and-quality-in-multiple-course-sections/feed/