Page 83 - BLENDED LEARNING

Lessons learned
When deciding what part of a teacher training course to offer online, and what parts
face-to-face, we find it makes sense to offer the most practical/hands-on elements
of course content face-to-face. More theoretical discussions can easily take place
online, for example via asynchronous forum discussions. In fact, it has been argued
that online asynchronous forum discussions lead to more thoughtful contributions:
…asynchronous discussions allow for a higher level of cognitive questions that
encourage critical thinking. Learners have more time to process questions and
develop responses, and the learner’s cognitive level of response often matches
the cognitive level of the questions asked. Higher level cognitive and affective
questions encourage learners to interpret, analyse, evaluate, infer, explain and
self regulate.
(Walker, 2005)
We also learned that it makes sense to introduce the VLE either before or early in the
face-to-face component, rather than springing it on participants just before they are
going to start the online component. In other words, the introduction of the online
platform is scaffolded.
We learned that the use of a VLE in the face-to-face part works best as a repository,
or for sharing outputs that are created. It doesn’t make much sense to have
participants completing extra tasks at home in the VLE during our face-to-face
component, when we have a clearly separate 70-hour online component to follow.
One key question we have considered is whether the blended learning approach
for the Cert ICT is more beneficial to the learners than the fully online approach.
We have come to the conclusion that it is extremely difficult to make comparisons
between these two modes, because they are so different. Of major importance
are participants’ attitudes towards the blended versus online approach, as we
have seen above. Although the blended course participants claim that they would
have found the online component difficult or impossible without a previous face-
to-face component, the reality is that participants on our fully online component
have no such difficulty; indeed online participants have no face-to-face component
experience with which to compare. Feedback on the fully online version of the same
course is equally positive, and frequently includes surprise and praise for the very
supportive online group dynamic that is developed:
Interaction with colleagues was great overall. Initial fears about online interaction
were quickly dispelled.
Interaction with colleagues was excellent. Maybe ours was just a good group, but
it worked very well. I found everyone very helpful and supportive. Certainly some
‘friendships’ arose between participants, where interests, help, advice, experience
and support all played their parts. A virtual classroom also has an atmosphere.
At the same time the fully online participants were aware of some of the challenges
involved in online communication, for example when this involved pair work:

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