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3. User experience – feedback on the shortcomings of the original blend.
4. My belief on how to design a blended learning course in our context to provide
an optimal learning experience, which was supported by my somewhat limited
knowledge and previous experience.

These drivers influenced all the decisions that we took and helped ensure that the
final blend was suitable for, and therefore worked in, our context. This supports Shaw
and Igneri’s (2006: 3) belief that there is ‘…no single optimal mix. What configuration
is best can only be determined relative to whatever goals and constraints are
presented in a given situation’.

Conclusion
Numerous factors need to be taken into consideration when designing a blended
learning course and as Hofmann (2001: 3) rightly says ‘determining the right blend
isn’t easy or to be taken lightly’. Moreover the blend has to reflect the teaching and
learning environment and recognise its contextual limitations. The key contextual
factor we had to consider when designing our blend was post-project sustainability.
To that end the blend I believe can be deemed a success as it is still operational, and
equally if not more importantly it produced good results too, although unfortunately
I no longer have these to hand. With hindsight there are a couple of areas of the
blend that could be enhanced. Firstly, the learners should be allowed more options in
the self-study mode to develop their autonomy. Secondly, internet access should be
provided to ensure more constructivist and collaborative learning. Lastly, the learners
should be allowed to work in pairs at the computer as ‘when two or more learners
sit at a computer and discuss process and content in the target language, they
often engage in scaffold learning, helping each other improve their learning’ (Beatty,
2003: 99). Apart from these areas I believe our model was highly effective, is easily
replicable and inexpensive to maintain once established.

References

Acklam, R and Crace, A (2003) Going for Gold Intermediate Coursebook. Harlow:
Pearson Longman.

Beatty, K (2003) Teaching and Researching Computer-Assisted Language Learning.
Harlow: Pearson Education.

Beetham, H and Sharpe, R (2007) ‘An introduction to rethinking pedagogy for a
digital age’, in Beetham, H and Sharpe, R (eds) Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age.
Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 1–10.
Benson, P (2006) Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching
40: 21– 40.
Boyle, C and Mellor-Clark, S (2006) Campaign 3 Teacher’s Book. Oxford: Macmillan.

Dudeney, G and Hockly, N (2007) How to… Teach English with Technology. Harlow:
Pearson Education Limited.

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