Cite this guide: Smith, B., & Brame, C. (2014). Blended and Online Learning. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blended-and-online-learning/. Online courses are those in which at least 80 percent of course content is delivered online. Blended (sometimes called hybrid) instruction has between 30 and 80 percent of the course content delivered online with some
face-to-face interaction. Blended and online courses not only change how content is delivered, they also redefine traditional educational roles and provide different opportunities for learning. As described by Palloff and Pratt (2013): The online classroom is a potentially powerful teaching and learning arena in which new practices and new relationships can make significant contributions to learning. In order to harness the power this creates in education, instructors must be trained not only to use technology but also to shift the ways in which they organize and deliver material. Making this shift can increase the potential for learners to take charge of their own learning process and facilitate the development of a sense of community among them. (p.30) This teaching guide presents research on the learning possibilities offered through online and blended learning, as well as effective practices for facilitating online courses. Platform-specific resources and activities can also be found at the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching’s BOLD website.
What does the research say about blended and online learning?Online learning is one of the fastest growing trends in educational uses of technology. A recent survey (Allen & Seaman, 2013) of more than 2,800 colleges and universities reported the following:
In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education released a meta-analysis and review of empirical studies focused on online learning in K-12 schools and higher education from 1996-2008. Their findings revealed that “students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction” (p. xvi). In addition, they reported that blended instruction combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage than purely online instruction (Means, Toyama, Murphy, Bakia & Jones, 2010). Although these results suggest that blended learning environments can provide a learning advantage when compared to purely face-to-face instruction, the researchers emphasized the findings “do not demonstrate that online learning is superior as a medium…It was the combination of elements in the treatment conditions (which was likely to have included additional learning time and materials as well as additional opportunities for collaboration) that produced the observed learning advantages” (p. xviii, original emphasis). In other words, it’s important for the instructor to create an interactive, supportive, and collaborative learning environment for students to reap the potential benefits afforded by online learning. Specific tips for facilitating an effective blended or online class can be found in the good practices section of this teaching guide. What are elements that can make blended and online learning successful?As noted above, the research suggests that when facilitated effectively, online education can not only match, but also surpass traditional face-to-face learning (Means et al., 2010). Here are some of the potential benefits of online education:
What are good practices to use?Designing Your Online Course
As you design your course, it’s important to develop as comprehensive a picture as possible of the specific students who will be enrolling in the class (Angelino, Williams & Natvig, 2007). Gaining a sense of their prior knowledge and technology competency will help you to know what supports they will need and tailor your instruction accordingly. A few ways to gain these insights include asking students to complete an online survey, concept inventory, or pre-assessment. In addition, students can reflect on their prior knowledge and experiences through an online discussion or blog post.
Organizing Course Content
Facilitating Online Learning
Resources
This teaching guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. What is one of the more significant challenges to technology use that teachers face?Common challenges and concerns teachers experience when integrating technology and digital media in the classroom include: Students misusing technology. Teacher knowledge and professional development. Keeping students safe online.
Which of the following are most often challenges faced by educators wishing to integrate technology into their classroom?EDU 222. What are the 4 Cs that identifies the underlying processes that students need to use technology skills in 21st century life as articulated by p21?The Partnership for 21st Century Skills presented the 4Cs of critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity plus innovation, as the super skills in the 21st century because they are foundational essentials for success in college, university, career, and life outside educational ...
What professional communication role develops materials for instructional purposes?Instructional designers are paramount in the process of learning. They are tasked with redesigning courses, developing entire courses or curriculums and creating training materials, such as teaching manuals and student guides.
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