Blended Learning
Timothy Brannan, Ph.D.
Instructional Technology Services, Inc.
Professor, Central Michigan University
tim.brannan@comcast.net
(517) 214-1880
Blended Learning:
Need I be afraid?
Blended Learning Continuum
What is Blended Learning?
A blended learning approach combines face-to-face
classroom methods with computer-mediated activities
to form an integrated instructional approach. In the
past, digital materials have served in a
supplementary role, helping to support face-to-face
instruction.
For example, a blended approach to a traditional,
face-to-face course might mean that a class meets
once per week instead of the usual three-session
format. Learning activities that otherwise would have
taken place during classroom time can be moved
online. Student centered.
What Blended Learning is
not…
A blend is not achieved simply because
you are using many delivery methods
for your content.
Rather, a blend is using the best
delivery methodologies available for a
specific objective, including online,
classroom-based instruction,
performance support, and self-study.
Why Blended Learning?
The goal of a blended approach is to join the
best aspects of both face-to-face and online
instruction. Classroom time can be used to
engage students in advanced interactive
experiences. Meanwhile, the online portion
of the course can provide students with
multimedia-rich content at any time of day;
anywhere the student has internet access.
This allows for an increase in scheduling
flexibility for students.
Why Blended Learning?
Reduce instructional costs.
Maximize/Leverage technology.
Increase instructional value.
Remediation, JIT/Refresher/Review.
Deliver education where, and when, it is
needed. Students are Mobile.
How to Blend?
There are no rules in place to say specifically
how to blend. The term “blended”
encompasses a broad continuum, and can
include any integration of face-to-face and
online instructional content. The blend of
face-to-face and online materials will vary
depending on the content, the needs of the
students, and the preferences of the
instructor.
So how to Blend?
There are no set rules for creating a blended
learning course; it is not as simple as selecting a
percentage of content and assigning that piece to
one of the instructional modes. Developing a new
blended course or redesigning an old course into
a blended format requires consideration of how to
blend face to face and online materials in an
integrated way. There are several factors that go
into the decision of how to blend the two
instructional mediums:



What is being taught?
What are the needs of the students?
What are the preferences of the course instructor?
Differences between f-2-f
and Blended Learning
The degree to which the educator must plan
the components of the learning environment.
The need to understand the impact that the
technology has on the learning process.
The need to understand the impact that the
technology has on the instruction process.
The adaptability of the technology to
meet student needs.
Definition of Instruction Types:
Face-to-face Instruction

Face-to-face instruction is a course that is delivered at
the same time and the same place with the instructor
and student present.
Blended/Hybrid Instruction

Hybrid instruction is a course that uses both a face-toface and an online component, often referred to as
combination lecture/internet courses.
Online Instruction

Online instruction is a course which is delivered totally
virtually via the worldwide web. The instructor and
students interact at different times and from different
locations.
Selecting a Blend:
Selection of activities should be based on course or
unit learning objectives.
Structure and integration of the two modes of
instruction are critically important. In fact, some
research would seem to point to students valuing
structure more highly than instructional content in a
blended course. The integration of face-to-face and
online components in a blended course is essential
for student satisfaction with a course. In short,
students must feel that a blended course is a unified
instructional effort, not simply a collection of face-toface and online materials or activities that have been
thrown together.
Selecting a Blend:
In-Class / Face to
Face Activities









Course Introduction
Collaborative small-group
work
Advanced discussions
Project Presentations
Guest speakers
Question & answer
sessions
Demonstrations &
performances
Lab work
Role play & Debates
Online Activities








Course content
Announcements
Course information
Quizzing
Course communications
Resource listing
Exam & lesson
preparatory materials
Multimedia content
Considerations of a Blend:
Creating high-quality blended instruction can
present considerable challenges. Foremost is the
need for resources to create the online materials to
be used in the courses. Materials development is a
time and labor intensive process, just as it is in any
instructional medium. In addition, blended instruction
is likely to be a new concept to many students and
teachers. Educators will need to be able to answer
questions related to:



what blended instruction is
why blended instruction is employed
how best to leverage the advantages of a blended
approach
Six Models of Blended Learning:
Face-to-face: Teacher present in classroom
Rotation: Rotate between in classroom and online
learning
Flex: Online curricula with teachers to provide
tutoring or on-site support
Online Lab: Online courses with online teachers
Self-Blend: Online course taken in the evenings or
outside/after school
Online Driver: Face-to-face first, then online
What to consider for
Blended Learning
Outcomes
Online Assessments
Learning Activities
Classroom Interaction
Technology
Evaluation
Blended Tools for the
Classroom
Virtual Field Trips – Chicago Museum of
Science and Industry, The Louvre
Webquests – www.questgarden.org,
http://zunal.com
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasting
Digital Storytelling
Social Networking – Edmodo or Teacher
Tube (Kahn Academy)
Educational Games – Jeopardy, Wii Fit
Interactive software – www.froguts.com
Virtual Field Trips
National Museum of Natural History
 http://www.paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs
The Louvre
 http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLoca
le=en
Webquests
“An inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is
drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners’ time well, to focus on
using information rather that looking for it, and to support learners’ thinking at the
levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation”
According to Dodge, WebQuests contain the following six parts:
Introduction: The introduction provides an overview and background
information of the lesson. It should be interesting and motivate the students
to want to go on.
Task: The purpose of this section is to focus the students on what they are
going to do as the culminating product or performance.
Process: This section outlines how the student will accomplish the task in a
step-by-step fashion. Links to reviewed & on-line resources will be given
along with links to Web pages.
Evaluation: This section describes the evaluation criteria that will be
used to grade the student.
Conclusion: This section encourages reflection and brings closure
to the WebQuest.
Resources: This section consists of Internet links that the teacher
Educational Games
PowerPoint Jeopardy
Nintendo Wii
Interactive Software
www.froguts.com
What is a
MOOC?
What is a MOOC?
Massive
Open
Online
Course
What is a MOOC?
Massive
Large scale participation
Open
Content is open source
Online
Accessed via the web
Course
Learning, collaboration, discussions occur
What is a MOOC?
Information is Everywhere!
Let’s create organized access for the general population.
“Tool for democratizing education.” (Lewin, 2012)
New York Times YouTube video: Welcome to the Brave New World
of MOOCs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqQNvmQH_YM)
What is a MOOC?
Description
Start Date
End Date
Connect/Collabor
ate
Engage in
Learning Process
Assignments
Work at Own
Pace
Cost to Take
Course
Typical MOOC
Traditional
School
The
History
Of
MOOCS
The History of MOOCS
Four-Year in-state degree costs average ~$89,000.
(Dunn, 2012)
First MOOC – 2008 from University of Manitoba, 25 paying
students and 2,300 nonpaying online students (Tamburri,
2012)
2012 – ’ Year of the MOOC’ by New York Times (Bady, 2013)
Coursera and Udacity 1 year old and millions enrolled (Bady,
2013)
Currently, some providers like Udacity act as headhunters
for employment supplying names of top students. Others,
ensure transfer credits are a possibility. (Tamburri, 2012)
Who Offers
MOOCs?
Who Offers MOOCs?
Universities
Video Library
Websites
Private
Companies
Who Offers MOOCs?
Udacity
KhanAcademy
Coursera
First funding
received from
Google and Bill &
Melinda Gates
Foundation
Partnership with 10
US Institutions and
about 79 Global
Institutions
EdX
Students can earn
credit through San
Jose State is
accredited by the
Western Association
of Schools and
Colleges (WASC)
Partnership
between Harvard,
MIT, and a dozen
other Universities
Resources
Resources
Bady, A. (May, 2013). The MOOC Moment and the End of Reform. The New Inquiry.
Retrieved from http://thenewinquiry.com/blogs/zunguzungu/the-mooc-momentand-the-end-of-reform/ on October 20, 2013.
Cormier, D. (December, 2010). What is a MOOC? YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3gMGqcZQc on October 10, 2013.
Dunn, J. (December, 2012). A Quick Guide to the History of MOOCs. Edudemic.
Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/a-quick-guide-to-the-history-of-moocs/
on October 20, 2013)
Lewin, T. (March, 2012). Instruction for Masses Knocks Down Campus Walls. The
New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/education/moocs-large-courses-open-to-alltopple-campus-walls.html?_r=4&hpw& on October 10, 2013.
Mooc.ca. (Updated October 20, 2013). Retrieved from http://www.mooc.ca/ on
October 20, 2013.
Tamburri, R. (November, 2012). All About MOOCs. University Affairs. Retrieved from
http://www.universityaffairs.ca/all-about-moocs.aspx on October 20, 2013.
Blended Learning
Online
Learning
Face-to-Face
Instruction
Student Centered
Motivation
Objectives/
Assessment
Conclusion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Recognize that learning is largely a social
activity – create communities of learners.
Integrate learning into life experiences.
Enable learning by doing.
Encourage learning by discovery.
Remember that individuals have different
receptors for material.
Make it fun!
Build in assessment.
Questions?
“There is nothing more difficult to take
in hand, more perilous to conduct, or
more uncertain in its success, than to
take the lead in the introduction of a
new order of things.”
-Machiavelli, The Prince