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Getting started with ICT blended learning.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

The emergence of web-based instructional delivery is rapidly expanding the continuum of learning environments, especially the "blended" courses that include both campus-based and online components. However, many campus-based instructors are rightly sceptical of wholesale shifts in course reconceptualization. This paper suggests gradual and simple changes to lighten the instructor's load and improve student learning.

Background

Technology, and especially Information and Communications Technology [ICT], has often been hailed as a catalyst for change. In this paper we outline a framework within which you can incorporate some helpful ICT in easy, well planned ways, drawing on practices and strategies known to be effective. We focus on technologies now widely available and suggest combining these with straightforward teaching and learning approaches. Our goal that you see how simple ICT, not alarmingly sophisticated tools, can suit current practice. We advocate taking small exploratory steps in common sense ways. We will mention a range of ideas we use on our Online Education and Training (OET) course for teachers of all levels, and build on what we have learned from the several thousand people across the world who have joined us there. (Please note that the term "online" teaching and learning is often used to mean using ICT in education.)

First, it is useful to place yourself somewhere along the range from distance education, at one end, which might be either all online with no face-to-face elements, or with limited but integral face-to-face elements, to fully campus based courses at the other end. If you are at the campus end and have not yet made a significant use of ICT then this paper may spur you to to try out a varying level of online activities along side your normal face-to-face teaching..

Blended courses (part face-to-face and part distance or online) are increasingly significant for traditional campus based institutions as flexibility becomes essential, and student numbers rise dramatically. There is are many typical teaching and learning activities that might usefully be transferred online. These tend to be: Information/Knowledge Dissemination; Discussion/Debate; Practical/Fieldwork; Assessment; Out of class work. For example, some staff may just wish to distribute administrative information (e.g. the learning outcomes, timetable, details of coursework etc) whilst others will want to distribute learning materials as well. Others may also want to use ICT to maintain contact with students or facilitate group work or assessment (either formative or summative). Whatever activity you wish to exploit in ICT, there is now software to do so. It may have been purchased by your institution, be freely available from another academic institution or downloadable from a website. An indication of where and why...

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