An Innovative Ecosystem in Higher Education-Blended Learning

An innovative approach in educational technology where physical and virtual environment are blended to support learning in university courses. Blended learning has potential to improve learning but there are also challenges, especially in responding to the complexity of two environments and embedding it as a legitimate learning environment. Blended learning is widely applied in academic institutions. The term blended learning ecosystem is introduced to describe blended learning constituents and the evolving relations between them. Owing to the newness of the blended learning concept in higher education, little is known about what makes a successful blended learning experience and this paper provides an overview of success factors that are starting to emerge from the literature, research and our practice. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the basic concepts, needs, benefits and challenges from faculty perspective of blended learning in higher education. It also offers some suggestions for future research.

Introduction:

Online learning is pervading higher education, compelling educators to confront existing assumptionsof teaching and learning in higher education. Indeed, leaders of higher education are challenged toposition their institutions to meet the connectivity demands of prospective students and meet growingexpectations and demands for higher quality learning experiences and outcomes. Given the increasingevidence that Internet information and communication technologies are transforming much of society,there is little reason to believe that it will not be the defining transformative innovation for higher education in the 21st century.

There has been recently a substantial growth in interest and activity in the development of“technology-based solutions” to provide effective teaching and learning in highereducation and an increasing number of universities consider offering ‘blended’ learningopportunities. Changing the educational offering through technology requires employingeffective strategies and implementation plans.

Blended Learning concept has been used for almost 20 years and its meaning has been constantly changing during this period. It was first used in the corporate world to refer a course designed to allow worker to both continue in the workplace and study. In this case the training was delivered via (for example) self-study manuals, videos, and the web. Blended learning was in part adopted as a cost-saving measure in corporate training.

Blended Learning in education, three definitions:

1) Combination of face-to-face and online teaching-The integrated combination of traditional learning with web based on-line approaches. The delivery of the online part of the course usually through learning technologies, typically involving a Virtual Learning Environment and comprising the use of synchronous and asynchronous electronic tools, such us, respectively, chat and bulletin boards.

2) A combination of technologies-The combination of media and tools employed in an e-learning environment. It could describe a purely distance learning course, where no face-to-face lessons occur.

3) Combination of methodologies-The combination of a number of pedagogic approaches, irrespective of the learning technology used. A course that combines transmission and constructivist approaches would fit into this category.

A further possible conceptualization of Blended Learning is as a combination of real world plus in world, where teachers delivers face-to-face lessons and then arranges to meet his or her students for a follow-up class in a virtual world such as second life.

Research suggests three primary reasons for adoptinga blended approach to instruction: (1) improved learning effectiveness, (2) increased access and convenience and (3) greater cost effectiveness (Graham, 2006). Most often, educators adopt blended learningapproaches to explore gains and tradeoffs in comparisonwith strictly traditional settings or entirely distributedenvironments.

 

Blended learning is both simple and complex. At its simplest, blended learning is the thoughtful

Integration of classroom face-to-face learning experiences with online learning experiences. There isconsiderable intuitive appeal to the concept of integrating the strengths of synchronous (face-to-face) andasynchronous (text-based Internet) learning activities. At the same time, there is considerable complexityin its implementation with the challenge of virtually limitless design possibilities and applicability to so many contexts.

 

To begin, it is important to distinguish blended learning from other forms of learning that incorporateonline opportunities. First, blended learning is distinguished from that of enhanced classroom or fullyonline learning experiences (see Fig. 1). However, it is not clear as to how much, or how little, online learning is inherent to blended learning. In fact, this is only a rough, indirect measure that may bemisleading. The real test of blended learning is the effective integration of the two main components(face-to-face and Internet technology) such that we are not just adding on to the existing dominantapproach or method. This holds true whether it be a face-to-face or a fully Internet-based learningexperience. A blended learning design represents a significant departure from either of these approaches.

 

It represents a fundamental re-conceptualization and reorganization of the teaching and learning dynamic,starting with various specific contextual needs and contingencies (e.g., discipline, developmental level,and resources). In this respect, no two blended learning designs are identical. This introduces the greatcomplexity of blended learning.

Review of Literature:

Dziuban, C. et.al (2004) describes the benefits of combined face-to-face instruction and online learning, including the potential to increase learning outcomes, lowering attrition rates, and high satisfaction among the majority of faculty and students.

 

Garrison, D.R et.al (2004) suggested a framework which explores how integrating onlinelearning into traditional college classrooms could be transformative foruniversities. Blended learning represents an opportunity to support deep learning. The authors build on earlier work using community of inquiry model to support why institutions should invest in transforming learning. The paper outlines whatcolleges and universities need to do to move forward blended learning.

 

O’Toole, J.M et.al (2003) learned whether the provision of course materials on the Internet had a positive effect on student achievement of course outcomes.The authors found that those students who attended lecture and read web materials performed better on the quiz than did those students who only attended lecture or only used the web.

 

Wingard, R.G. (2004) assessed the impact of Web-based enhancements on teaching and learning activities taking place in traditional classrooms. The study aims to identify changes in the classroom perceived by faculty to impact teaching and learning and to explore the insights of technologically-experienced faculty. Higher levels of interaction and comfort among course participants were reported. Faculty reported increased efficiency and convenience of making updated material available on the web. Increases were also reported in continuity between classes and student participation.

 

Wu, D. et.al (2004) used asynchronous online discussions which occurred in both face-to-facecourses and online courses to evaluate whether students perceived increasedlearning through discussions. The survey was distributed to 116 students. Resultsdo show students perceive increased learning. Results vary but indicate thatfaculty could further enhance the student perceptions with further pedagogicaltechniques and strategies.

 

Rovai, A.P et.al (2004) examined the effect of traditional classroom, blended, and fully online course formats on sense of community. The research hypothesis was that sense of community would be strongest in the blended course due to the greater range of opportunities for student interaction with peers and professors. Results indicated that blended courses did, in fact, produce a greater sense of community than either traditional or fully online course. This finding is attributed to the fact that blended learning courses allow professors to think less about delivering instruction and instead focus on producing learning and reaching out to students.

 

Boyle, T. et.al (2003) concluded the way to improve student success rates in learning to program. The project team introduced a number of changes in module organization, tutorial support and online resources. The blend represents a mixture of traditional and novel elements, with the novel elements more marked in the online developments. Results demonstrated marked improvements in pass rates. Evaluation of the students’ use of the new environment indicated a generally positive evaluation of the main elements of the blend and widespread use of the new online features.

 

Cameron, B. (2003) compared students’ performance on simulation-based courses and static graphic representational teaching of the same courses content in an onlinelearning environment. Results indicate that interactive learning tools, such assimulation, have the potential to increase student motivation and learning in anonline environment.

 

Objective:

To study the acceptance of blended learning in higher education

To study the significance and the impact of blended learning in higher education

 

 

Ingredients of the Blend :

Blended learning is not new. However, in the past, the ingredients for blended learning were limited to physical classroom formats (lectures, labs, etc.), books or handouts. Today organizations have myriad learning approaches to choose from, including but not limited to:

 

Synchronous physical formats:

Instructor-led Classrooms & Lectures

Hands-on Labs & Workshops

Field Trips

 

Synchronous online formats (Live e-Learning):

E-Meetings

Virtual Classrooms

Web Seminars and Broadcasts

Coaching

Instant Messaging

 

Self-paced, asynchronous formats:

Documents & Web Pages

Web/Computer-Based Training Modules

Assessments/Tests & Surveys

Simulations

Job Aids & Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS)

Recorded live events

Online Learning Communities and Discussion Forums

 

Why blend?

There are many reasons why an instructor, trainer, or learner might pick blendedlearning over other learning options. Osguthorpe and Graham (2003) identified sixreasons why one might choose to design or use a blended learning system:

 (1) Pedagogical Richness

(2) Access to knowledge

(3) Social Interaction

 (4) Personal Agency

 (5) Cost Effectiveness

 (6) Ease of Revision. 

It is rarely acknowledged that a blended learning environment can also mix theleast effective elements of both worlds if it is not designed well. Beyond this generalstatement, Graham et al. (Graham, Allen, &Ure, 2003, in press) found thatoverwhelmingly people chose BL for three reasons: (1) Improved pedagogy, (2) Increased access/flexibility, and (3) Increased cost effectiveness.

 

Improved Pedagogy- One of the most commonly citedreason for blending is more effective pedagogical practices. It is no secret that mostcurrent teaching and learning practice in both higher education and corporate trainingsettings is still focused on transmissive rather than interactive strategies. In highereducation, 83% of instructors use the lecture as the predominant teaching strategy (U.S.Department of Education, 2001). Similarly, distance education often suffers frommaking large amounts of information available for students to absorb independently (Waddoups & Howell, 2002). Some have seen blended learning approaches increase thelevel of active learning strategies, peer-to-peer learning strategies, and learner centeredstrategies used (Collis, 2003; Hartman, Dziuban, & Moskal, 1999; Morgan, 2002; Smelser, 2002). There are many examples of this in this handbook including the model used by IBM (Lewis & Orton, this volume) where learners go through three phases(Phase 1) online self-paced learning to acquire background information, (Phase 2) F2Flearning lab focused on active learning and application experiences instead of lecture, and(Phase 3) online learning and support for transferring the learning to the workplaceenvironment. Using a similar strategy, a BYU accounting professor uses online modulesto help students acquire the tool skills and technical information and then uses preciousF2F class time to focus on application, case studies, and develop decision making skills(Cottrell & Robison, 2003). It is interesting to note such overlaps in blended learningmodels between the corporate training world and higher education.

 

Increased Access/Flexibility- Access to learning is one of the key factorsinfluencing the growth of distributed learning environments (Bonk, Olson, Wisher, &Orvis, 2002). Learner flexibility and convenience is also ofgrowing importance as more mature learners with outside commitments (such as work and family) seek additional education. Many learners want the convenience offered by adistributed environment, and, at the same time, do not want to sacrifice the socialinteraction and human touch they are used to in a F2F classroom. University of Central Florida’s M courses (Dziuban, Hartmann, Juge, Moskal, & Sorg, this volume) are also good examples of this and also theUniversity of Phoenix model allows for F2F socializing in orientations as well aspresentation experiences at the beginning and ending of a course with online learningexperiences in between.

 

 

Increased Cost Effectiveness- Cost effectiveness is a third major goal for BLsystems in both higher education and corporate institutions. Blended learning systemsprovide an opportunity for reaching a large, globally dispersed audience in a short periodof time with consistent, semi-personal content delivery. Bersin and Associates (2003)have done an exemplary job of documenting corporate cases that have effectively usedblended learning to provide a large return on investment (ROI). 

 

In higher education there is also interest in finding solutions that are costeffective. The Center for Academic Transformation with support from the PEWCharitable Trust recently completed a three year grant program designed to helpuniversities explore ways of using technology to simultaneously achieve qualityenhancements and cost savings.

 

The Benefits of Blending

The concept of Blended Learning is rooted in the idea that learning is not just a one-time event –but that learning is a continuous process. Blending provides various benefits over using anysingle learning delivery type alone:

 

Improved Learning Effectiveness

Recent studies at the University of Tennessee and Stanford give us evidence that a blended learning strategy actually improves learning outcomes by providing a better match between how a learner wants to learn and the learning program that is offered.

 

Extending the Reach

A single delivery mode inevitably limits the reach of a learning program or critical knowledge transfer in some form or fashion. For example, a physical classroom-training program limits access to only those who can participate at a fixed time and location, whereas a virtual classroom event is inclusive of a remote audience, and when followed up with recorded knowledge objects (ability to playback a recorded live event), can extend the reach to those who could not attend at a specific time.

 

Optimizing Development Cost and Time

Combining different delivery modes has the potential to balance out and optimize the learning program development and deployment cost and time. A hundred percent online, self-paced, media-rich, Web-based training content may be too expensive to produce (requiring multiple resources and skills), but combining virtual collaborative learning forums and coaching sessions with simpler self-paced materials such as generic off-the-shelf WBT, documents, case studies, recorded live eLearning events, text assignments, and PowerPoint presentations (requiring quicker turn-around time and lower skill to produce), may be just as effective or more effective.

 

Optimizing Business Results

Organizations report exceptional results from their initial blended learning initiatives. Learning objectives can be obtained in 50 % less class time than traditional strategies. Travel costs and time have been reduced by up to 85%. Acceleration of mission-critical knowledge to channels and customers can have a profound impact on the organization’s top line. 

 

Challenges 

 

From a faculty perspective, the key challenges of teaching in a blended format are: (a) the time commitment, (b) lack of support for course redesign, (c) difficulty in acquiring new teaching and technology skills, and (d) the risk factors associated with this type of course (Voos, 2003; Dziuban&Moskal,2001;Garnham&Kaleta,2002). 

 

Time commitment-The increased time commitment involved in a blended course is regarded as the number one challenge by faculty (Dziuban & Moskal, 2001). Johnson (2002) stated that planning and developing a large enrollment, blended course takes two to three times the amount of time required to develop a similar course in a traditional format. Faculty, at the University of Central Florida, who are considered "web veterans," overwhelmingly indicate that a course with online components requires more time in both the development and weekly administrative duties than a similar course delivered face-to-face (Dziuban&Moskal).Despite this increase in workload, all the faculty members involved in a blended learning pilot program at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee stated that they will teach these types of courses again, as they believe their time was wisely invested in improving the learning environment for both students and themselves (Garnham & Kaleta,2002). 

 

Professional development support-To ensure a successful blended learning experience for students there must be faculty support for course redesign and learning new teaching and technology skills. The course redesign support involves assistance in deciding what course objectives can best be achieved through online learning activities, what can best be accomplished in the classroom and how to integrate these two learning environments (Dziuban et al., 2004). Faculty indicated that they needed to acquire new teaching skills such as how to foster online learning communities, facilitate online discussion forums and address and manage students' online learning problems (Aycock et al., 2002). 

 

In terms of technology, many faculties initially needed to overcome their own fears and resistance through "hands-on" experience with various tools and applications. In addition, faculties are also challenged to provide "front line" technical support for their students. Faculty at both the University of Central Florida (Dziuban&Moskal, 2001) and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Aycock et al., 2002) are adamant that to overcome these support issues there must be an institutional professional development program for the development phase of a blended learning course and ongoing institutional support during the initial delivery phase (Voos, 2003). 

 

Risk factors- The major risk factors identified by faculty who have taught blended courses include; fear of losing control over the course, lower student evaluations, and an uneasiness about how this type of learning model fits into the university culture of teaching, research, and service (Dziuban&Moskal, 2001; Voos, 2003).

 

Conclusion:

Learning environments have affordances that facilitateor constrain different types of interactions and activities.Faculty and learners will take advantageof the opportunities in their learning environmentsbased on their expectations, goals, and understanding ofthe learning possibilities within the environment.Ultimately, the success or failure of blended approaches hinges on widespread faculty adoption of effective practices.In a matter of a fewshort years, higher education institutions can be transformed in a manner consistent with their values andmitigating the fiscal and pedagogical challenges and deficiencies currently challenging the quality of theclassroom experience. The academic benefit, evidence, and competitive advantages are clear; only thewill and commitment remains. Blended learning can begin the necessary process of redefining highereducation institutions as being learning centered and facilitating a higher learning experience.

 

Organizations are rapidly discovering that blended learning is not only more time and costeffective, but provides a more natural way to learn and work. Organizations that are in theforefront of this next generation of learning will have more productive staffs, be more agile inimplementing change, and be more successful in achieving their goals. To paraphrase JackWelch, legendary chairman of General Electric, the ability of an organization to learn, and rapidlyconvert that learning into action, is the ultimate source of competitive advantage. Organizationsmust look beyond the traditional boundaries of classroom instruction by augmenting their currentbest practices with new advances in learning and collaboration technologies to maximize results.More importantly, organizations must seek to empower every individual in the organization tobecome an active participant in the learning and collaboration process.

 

References:

 

Boyle, T., Bradley, C., Chalk, P., Jones, R., & Pickard, P. (2003, October),“Usingblended learning to improve student success rates in learning to program”,Journal of Educational Media, 28(2-3), 165-178.

 

Cameron, B. (2003),“The effectiveness of simulation in a hybrid and online networking course”,Tech. Trends,Vol. 47(5), p-18-21.

 

Charles R. Graham, “Blended Learning Systems: Definition, Current Trends, And Future Directions”, Brigham Young University, USA.

 

D. Randy Garrison, Heather Kanuka, (2004), “Blended learning: Uncovering its transformative potential in higher education”, Internet and Higher Education 7 (2004) 95–105.

 

Dziuban, C., Hartman, J., &Moskal, P, (2004, March 30), Blended learning, ECAR Research Bulletin.

 

Graham, C. R. (2006),“Blended learning systems: definition, current trends, and future directions”,Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs, edited by C. J. Bonk and C. R. Graham, pp. 3–21, SanFrancisco, CA: Pfeiffer Publishing.

 

Garrison, D.R &Kanuta, H. (2004), “Blended learning: Uncovering itstransformative potential in higher education”,The Internet and HigherEducation, Vol. 7(2), p- 95-105.

 

Harvi Singh and Chris Reed, “Achieving Success with Blended Learning-AWhite Paper”, Centra Software.

 

O’Toole, J.M., & Absalom, D.J, (2003, October), “The impact of blended learning onstudent outcomes: is there room on the horse for two?”, Journal of Educational Media, Vol. 28(2-3), p-179-190.

 

Rovai, A.P., & Jordan, H.M. (2004, August), “Blended learning and sense ofcommunity: A comparative analysis with traditional and fully online graduate courses”, International Review of Research in Open and DistanceLearning, Vol.5 (2).

 

Wingard, R.G. (2004),“ Classroom teaching changes in web-enhanced courses: Amulti-institutional study”, Educause Quarterly, Vol. 1, p-26-35.

 

Wu, D. & Hiltz, S. R. (2004), “Predicting learning from asynchronous online Discussions”, Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, Vol.8 (2), p-139-151.

 

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