Page 105 - BLENDED LEARNING

and draw on what they know to name concepts, make informed suggestions, select
priorities and identify underlying structuring and beliefs. Our Module One preparation
course aims to introduce key aspects of language and English Language Teaching
(ELT) and point participants to areas suggested for their own research in order to
develop the knowledge base they will need to be successful in the exam. There is also
a thread on how they can most effectively approach the various task types.
There were a number of influencing factors in the establishment of the blended
learning training programme. When the Delta went modular in 2008, this transformed
our potential client base in two significant ways. First it opened up the possibilities for
a greater number of practising teachers to participate, as a shorter Module became
more manageable in terms of balancing work and study. Secondly it became possible
to deliver the course entirely online and meet a potential global demand as Module
One (and Three) no longer necessitate face-to-face elements. There existed a practical
(and financial) need to digitise our face-to-face course to make it accessible to this
global participant.

However, widening accessibility means that the teaching environment, length of
experience, depth of knowledge and level of awareness of current issues in ELT
vary between course participants even more than had previously been the case.
In addition, a large proportion of participants are not native speakers of English and
language competencies can vary as well as digital literacy. Pedagogically, the course
needs to reflect this diversity and offer support which can be tapped according to
a greater range of individual learning needs. The omniblended nature of this course
dictates that it is both flexible in terms of meeting participants’ learning needs as well
as providing appropriate individual support. As with every innovation (White, 1987:
211), the blended programme involved time, cost, changes in attitude and practices as
well as an increase in workloads. As Jones (1986) states: ‘It’s not so much the program,
more what you do with it’. In 2007, the year prior to the Delta going modular (and our
first year of online presence), it became clear that making our existing paper-based
resources available to participants and having upload facilities for assignments might
be convenient, but left all but the most curious and self-directed still in need of face-
to-face contact.

102 | Creating a blended Delta Module One Creating a blended Delta Module One | 103