Week 05: Quality assurance in blended learning

Quality in a  blended learning (BL)  environment is still something to define in precise terms. We have some standards or criteria for F2F and also  online courses, but not something specific for BL. Questions here are: ¿How to assess each part of course? (F2F and online). ¿How do we assess integration of both parts?.

Article says  online course evaluation criteria provide good guidance to BL courses. That is a good point. But some differences arise.By example, in an online course, communication is based on electronic media. In BL, communication is online  but also F2F.

 Article also discusess pertinence of standard based BL course evaluation. Main focus of these criteria is on course design but not on results. It could be that a course is very well designed but not producing good or desired results. Standards can lead also to a mechanistic view of teaching, to a check list approach. As article says,  standards are rarely linked to supporting theory.

A list of very useful links are provided in article, with diverse approaches to BL course quality evaluation. They provide a good starting point for teaching practice. Also, more research is needed. As an emerging field, much work is still to be done in BL. 

Week 04: Blended content and assignment

Content in a blended environment follows principles of this mode of learning. A blended environment can take advantage of content both in F2F as online. As content is widely available in online formats, F2F can be focused on reviewing and reflecting on it, in a direct dialogue with studentes. F2F is a very rich communication channel and gives blended learning a distinctive feature, not present in pure online settings.

According to text reviewed, first rule for blended learning is to integrate both environments, online and F2F, and not making two separate courses. Content has to fit, not duplicate.

Second idea is to have a uniform approach to course content, which can be first to introduce unit of learning, present content, then activities and assessment. Main idea here is to have order. Article cites Kaminsky and Currie saying that

Uniform approach to presenting the units of study not only makes sense, but helps reinforce learning. A common mode of organization is a hierarchical module—sections—lessons—supportive activities approach. Within each learning activity, uniformity also helps to guide students through the content

In addition to order, a learning approach is also needed, and it goes beyond a given environment (F2F, blended, online). In a student-centric approach, we ask what the student has to do to reach learning objectives. Based on Dee Fink, article presents a very interesting framework, based on three activities: getting information & ideas, experience and reflective dialogue. In each of these stages, online and F2F resources and activities can be used. For example, in reflective stage, a blog could be used for a written message, but F2F discussion and reflection  makes a very important contribution.

I liked also the idea, presented by the article, that technology extends classroom walls and thins structure of courses. It is not only vast information resources that can be accessed, but also experts and other people connected with class´ theme. As more connections are added to class, both in resources and personas, a more rich learning environment is created

Week 03: Assessment in blended learning environments

Assessment in blended an F2F environments has same goal: evaluate student attainment of course's curricular aim. Evaluation methods can also be the same, as multiple-choice, portfolio, essay questions, research reports and others. Assessment, in both environments, should be directed to real-problem solving, connecting learning to student's context. This unit's article refers to transfer of learning to new contexts, as a way to give meaning and construct student's knowlege. 

Evaluation in blended environments can benefit from taking online and F2F methods.  Some activities are better evaluated online, others are offline. A quizz can be placed online, a student's presentation offline. This way best of each environment can be used, optimizing assessment and therefore learning.

Special attention, both  online as in F2F, has to be placed in informal assessment. Online tools, as  quizzes, are well suited for this purpose. Tools as Google Drive makes possible for a teacher to review and feedback student's documents. Digital tools allows for sharing and interactivity, pillars of informal assessment.

Week 02: Blended learning interactions

a) Interactions are a must for a course. Basic interaction is teacher-students (T2S), but students-students (S2S) are also important. ¿What kind of S2S interactions?. It dependes on the type of course (online, blended, F2F) and the subject matter. In a Math class, it could be collaborative exercise or problem-solving. In a History class, it could be a discussion forum or a project.

 b) A blended learning course offers a very good opportunity for interaction, because it combines different learning environments, F2F and online. An example is an online activity that can also be discussed F2F.Also, an online activity with F2F feedback. A good example of that is a course in "Managerial competences", in my institution blended Business Management bachelor's program. Students make online tests about managerial skills, and then instructor interviews each student about results. In this case, F2F communication is best channel to provide feedback.

 c) ¿How much learner control of learning process?. This question assumes, correctly, that learning has to be learner-centered. The point is how and how much control has to be on the side of learner. Four learning environments, presented in the article, are very good guides on how teacher can interact with studentes in learner-centered environments.

 d) My final point is about information management. "How to make sense of information when is fragmented and distribuited and not organized and coherent (like in a textook)". This is related to personal learning envirnoments (PLE), so part of learning process is to have students constructing interactions with resources and persons who have information. A way for that is to have more flexible courses, where students can establish, at least in part, what direction they want for their learning. ¿Textbooks can be discarded?. Maybe not. In some cases, it is not neccesary that students go to diverse sources. Some other times all what the student need is a procedure, and that can be found in a single source.