Getting the balance of the blend right Blended Learning Forum, Kensington Close Hotel, London, UK Getting the balance of the blend right Don Passey Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning Director of the Doctoral Programme in e-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning Director of the Research Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning Department of Educational Research Lancaster University, UK

A little background The Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University runs four doctoral programmes These are largely or wholly online I direct one of those programmes The programme I direct recruits about 25 students (part-time professionals) each year There are some 100 doctoral students on our programme There are some 400 doctoral students on programmes across the Department Online and blended environments are essential and vital to us! What I will talk about in terms of blended learning is a case study example, where I am involved as a key stakeholder

Key points we must consider Setting clear goals on what we want to achieve through using blended learning Accommodating student needs, choice, and widening or inclusive participation Focusing on the range and choice of pedagogies and learning Integrating lifelong learning and intergenerational learning approaches Orchestrating online and face-to-face components to create a cohesive learning experience Understanding different combinations of face-to-face and virtual learning to drive results We must integrate the key goals of doctoral study – higher order learning, ambition and original outcomes Students will have different interests, professional or personal needs, and come from across the world Pedagogies must support the learning that is needed, so technologies have to take second place Peer involvement is crucial, as students will otherwise be very isolated Face-to-face and online components have different purposes The one needs to drive the other – the face-to-face needs to inculcate trust, sharing and ownership

Are we driven by ‘new’ ways of learning? Some ‘new’ ways have been proposed: Problem-based learning PBL Authentic learning AL Dialogic learning DL Situated learning SL Technology enhanced learning TEL Networked learning NL Computer supported collaborative learning CSCL Mobile learning ML We consider these rather than being driven by them

Forms and balance needed for our purposes Ways of learning Informational elements of TEL Communication elements of TEL Face-to-face Online Problem-based learning √ Authentic learning   Dialogic learning Situated learning Technology enhanced learning Networked learning Computer supported collaborative learning Mobile learning We look at how our needs for information, communication, face-to-face interaction and online provision match ways we can support learning – but, centrally, consider the learning needs of doctoral study

Relating teaching approaches and pedagogy Type of interaction Teacher Tutor Facilitator Guide Instruction √   Explanation and illustration Direction Demonstration Discussion Scaffolding Questioning Speculation Consolidation Summarising Initiating and guiding exploration Evaluating learners’ responses We take different roles across the programme. A teacher mode is used when some specific topic content is covered, a tutor mode is used when working with a small group focused on a specific activity, a facilitator mode is used when monitoring research-based activities, or a guide mode is used when scaffolding a group around an issue that is raised

Using technologies in teaching? Type of interaction Video Audio Text Discussion forum Instruction √ Explanation and illustration Direction Demonstration Discussion Scaffolding Questioning Speculation Consolidation Summarising Initiating and guiding exploration Evaluating learners’ responses Technologies we select come later – and need to be integrated to match the forms of interaction that we are mainly concerned with Example image

Trends for the future? Trends and necessary future skills: A shift away from transmission pedagogy A greater balance between transmission and participative pedagogies More of a focus on student-centred approaches Concepts of social constructivism being integrated to greater extents Student responsibilities being shifted Forms of engagement and activity being widened More individual responses and discussion being introduced Greater emphasis on tutoring, guidance and facilitation A greater range of tools being introduced and used And the future? Certainly within our subject domain, education, there is a reasonable match between trends that are occurring and future skill needs. Is this, therefore, a model that we can take further, or is the context in which we are operating specifically limiting?

Thank you for your kind attention Contact: d.passey@lancaster.ac.uk