Collaborating for Blended Learning

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Collaborating for Blended Learning

• NERCOMP
• April 16, 2009

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Collaborating for Blended LearningAgenda

• Blended Learning at Simmons
• The Course
• The Partnership
• Collaborating for Blended Learning
• Revision Examples
• Reflections

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Blended Learning at Simmons

• Academic Technology hosts two Institutes
• Based on UW-M model

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My Motivation

• Left Dean of UNH position
• Wanted to learn new technologies
• I enjoy teaching
• Flexibility was appealing
• Academic Libraries especially appropriate for
  Blended Learning
• Never taken an online class

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The Partnership First Steps

• Attend Institute
• Use backward design to re-conceptualize course
• Outcomes come first
• What should be f2f and what BL
• Dont make it 1 ½ class

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The Partnership After the Institute

• Instructional Designer
• Provided experience in online teaching
• What works
• How to present information
• Rubrics
• We met 6 times over the summer
• Including support time or eLearning
• Also worked over e-mail

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The Partnership

• Relationship with instructional Designer
• I know the content
• She knows course design and eLearning
• We were partners

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Course Considerations

• Assignments
• Discussion questions
• Syllabus
• Rubrics

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Writing Discussion Prompts

• Write open-ended questions that elicit rich
  discussions
• BL discussions are crucial
• My discussion questions are better
• Discussion posts are an indication of thinking
  and learning
• Releasing control

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Creating and Writing Rubrics

• No experience with rubrics
• They are fun
• They make clear and reinforce objectives of the
  assignment
• Grading is easier
• Students know what is expected/how to do well.

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Developing the Online Syllabus

• Syllabus converted to
• Welcome Letter
• Modules
• Assignments
• Discussions
• Rubrics

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Before First Class

• Students did work before first class
• Welcome letter
• Student questionnaire to develop groups
• Scavenger Hunt to experience using eLearning and
  other technology
• Followed up with e-mail to track down students
  who had not gone to eLearning

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First Class (F2F)

• At first class
• Spent more time on
• Introductions
• Course expectations
• Presented content
• Had a technical support person available

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Reflections

• What have I learned
• I should have taken a course in eLearning
• Need to be very organized and set up systems from
  the beginning
• Planning is essential

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How Is It Going

• Students are engaged
• Students all have completed other classes
• Im getting (and using) suggestions
• Students are more successful in this course

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Student Perspective

• Shy students can contribute to class
  discussion/have time to form their thoughts
• They can feel isolated I might try an online
  ice breaker
• More flexibility than they expected
• Have multiple deadlines within a week not just
  one deadline
• They love their groups

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Related Student Quotes

• In response to your request for feedback, I offer
  kudos on your (and Rosie's) impressive
  organizational skills. I really appreciate the
  clearly stated expectations and instructions.
  Ditto for the two online lectures. You said in
  class you consider yourself an excellent
  communicator, and I heartily agree. It makes
  things much easier!
• I really like the fact that you are using rubrics
  to grade our assignments. It shows me exactly
  where my grade is coming from.

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Related Student Quotes

• From a group post - One interesting question came
  up the value of online courses versus face to
  face classes. The consensus seemed to be that
  many online courses offer a different experience
  (for example, more responsibility on the
  student), and provide new challenges. Faculty and
  students need to adapt, and if done properly,
  online courses can be very effective.