1. European Perspectives on Blended Learning
Sloan-C Milwaukee
Anders Norberg
Education Strategist
Campus Skellefteå
+PhD student, Applied Educational Science
Umeå University

2. Spars pop moving along the coast

3. Question from C Graham: What about Europe and ”Blended Learning”?
BL - most cited papers & books (Halverson, L. R., Graham, C. R., Spring, K. J., & Drysdale, J. S. (2012, in press). An analysis of high impact scholarship and publication trends in blended learning. Distance Education, 33(3). Doi: /
BL – Dissertations & theses (Drysdale, J. S., Graham, C. R., Halverson, L. R., & Spring, K. J. (2013, in press). Analysis of research trends in dissertations and theses studying blended learning. Internet and Higher Education. )
…isn´t there more European BL research?
…is there BL at all at European universities? What is it called?
….and we found the questions interesting.

4. Chapter 17 ”Blended. Are you working in the kitchen
Chapter 17 ”Blended? Are you working in the kitchen? – European Perspectives on Blended Learning” Anders Norberg Isa Jahnke

5. …a small mixed methods study
/ online expert survey
Literature review
University website searches /frequency counts
…for constructing a first understanding on
Use of term ”Blended Learning” in Europe?
European contributions to BL research?
Hypotheses about transatlantic differences regarding ”Blended Learning” in research

6. ”Europe”? ”Blended Learning”?
Good question!
”Good luck with opening this can of vorms!”

7. ”Blended learning” translations

8. Difficulty 1: ”Europe”? EU member states, 28?
Bologna declaration 49 signatory countries?
…we have mostly looked on the UK, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, Balticum, France, Spain.

9. Difficulty 2: ”Blended Learning”?
Can BL be practiced without applying the term?
Can BL be researched without applying thr term?
Is ”blended” descriptive or normative or both?

10. We need for this a simple and broader work definition of BL:
Ongoing integration of new technology-enhanced teaching/learning with traditional and mainstream education practices ?

11. Maybe a descriptive/normative model?
Called BL
Blending online and F2F
”Blended”
Blend of media
”Hybrid”
…40 models identified (Dziuban)
”Mixed”
Blend of tools
Any change = ”blend”? X
Research
Practice
CSL
Flipped classroom
Using new combinations of tools, places, time modalities
CSCL
CSLW
TPACK
Using LMS in F2F class
ICT integration
Using x in F2F class
Not called BL

12. Blended Learning Practice when called BL
”Blended learning” is a common expression at most European university web sites, used for…
Categorizing courses in information to students
Discussing future development and strategies

13. Web search, European university web sites: ”Blended Learning”:
10 highest ranked European universities (Times 2012):
Average 208 mentions
(0-1250, median 57).
Three university websites omitted BL
b) Randomly chosen universities, one from each of 47 countries (using Wikipedia univ./country listings):
Average 186 mentions
(0-2490, median 11).
Six university websites omitted BL
Comparison: Suny.edu 807; ucf.edu 207; byu.edu 119

14. Survey: Three questions to experts
1) What is “blended” in blended learning for you? How do you use the term?
…about the term ”Blended Learning”, the BL discourse

15. 1. Quotes (about the term ”BL”):
"In the strictest sense, blended learning is where an instructor combines two methods in the delivery of instruction.“
"Simply put, at the nine universities I have worked for, blended learning has meant that you have some face-to-face teaching and you have resources available online. Nothing more complex than that. Consequently, almost every programme in the UK is like that these days.”
“...it….goes without saying that all learning is blended, but that does not get us anywhere.”

16. Quotes (about the term ”BL”)
“I never use the term – nor do I use the term e-learning any longer”
“I find ‘Blended learning’ to be a completely useless term.”
“I always emphasize that blended learning is NOT a didactical concept…”
“… many European researchers did not understand blended learning like I do. They mix many kinds of things in blended learning.”

17. Critique; Oliver & Trigwell (2005)
The term ”Blended” (in BL) should be abandoned or reconceived. It promotes dichotomies in learning.
The term ”Learning” (in BL) should be abandoned. The learner is not the subject of BL. It is about teaching. Give back the term ”learning” to its rightful owners!
There is no unblended learning. There is no ”blending” theory to build on – but there is a possibility to draw on variation theory instead.
MARTIN OLIVER, KEITH TRIGWELL (2005) Can 'Blended Learning' Be Redeemed?, E-Learning and Digital Media, 2(1),
…but are they hostile to blended learning practices / developments?
No?!

18. Sharpe et al.; The term ”Blended Learning” is a success factor!
“Use the term blended learning. Although difficult to define, the term ‘blended learning’ is finding acceptance among higher education staff. We suggest that the advantages of the term include its poor definition - which allows staff to negotiate their own meaning - the implication of the protection of face to face teaching, and the implication of designing for active learning.” p. 4
2006

19. Sharpe et al.; 3 UK meanings for ”Blended learning”
The provision of supplementary resources
Transformative course designs
A student-centered holistic view of technology and learning, including the use of the learners’ own technologies
From a student interview:
“To me its just learning, the fact that it’s online as opposed to in a classroom is irrelevant. It’s just another way of accessing it. It’s all just learning …. for me I just think of it as learning and I don’t use the term [e-learning].” (Creanor et al., 2006a, p.5)
Creanor, L., Gowan, D., Howalls, C. & Trinder, K. (2006a) The learner's voice: A focus on the learner experience [online]. Networked Learning Conference. Lancaster, UK. Available from [25 August 2006].

20. Special European BL terms?
”Blended e-Learning”
”Overblended Learning”
”B-Learning”
”Blended learning scenarios”
”Blended learning situations”
”Blended learning arrangements”…etc

21. Survey: Three questions to experts
2) Could you possibly recommend a favourite paper on blended learning, or an author, conference or other favourite resource?
…about the European contribution to BL research
…whether it is called BL or not

22. European contributions to BL research & theory
Mandl & Kopp 2006 Mandl, Heinz and Kopp, Birgitta (2006): Blended Learning: Forschungsfragen und Perspektiven. (Research report No. 182). LMU Munich: Chair of Education and Educational Psychology, Internet, ISSN
Kudrik, Lahn & Morch 2009 Kudrik, Y., Lahn, L., & Morch, A. (2009) A Case Study of Blended Learning in a Nordic Insurance Company: Three Issues for E-learning. Conference paper at The International Conference on E-Learning in the Workplace 2009, June 10th-12th, New York, NY, USA
Littlejohn & Pegler 2007 Littlejohn, A., Pegler, C. (2007). Preparing for blended e-learning. Routledge, London.
Derntl & Motschnig-Pitrik 2005 Derntl, M., & Motschnig-Pitrik, R. (2005). The role of structure, patterns, and people in blended learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 8, 111–130. Doi: /j.ihe-duc
Kerres & de Witt 2010 Kerres, M. & De Witt, C. (2003). A didactical framework for the design of blended learning arrangements. Journal of Educational Media, 28, 101–114.
…all use the ”BL” term
…all search for a deeper theoretical understanding
…all try to formulate applicable models

23. Heinze & Procter
Heinze, A., & Procter, C. (2006) Online Communication and Information Technology Education, Journal of Information Technology Education, Vol. 5, 2006
...point out 4 contributors to BL theory that don´t use/used the ”BL term themselves:
Vygotsky & ”Zone of Proximal Development”
Vygotsky, L. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Lave & Wenger & ”Community of Practice” Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity: Cambridge University Press.Lonchamp, J. (2010): CS in CSCL, Conference paper at ICL 2010m Hasselt Belgium, Sept 15-17
Laudraillard & ”Conversational Framework” Laudrillard, D. (2002). Rethinking university teaching: A framework for the effective use of educational technology(2nd ed.). London: Routledge/Falmer.
Salmon & ”E-moderating model” Salmon, G., (2000) E-Moderating: The key to Teaching and Learning online. Kogan Page Limited: London
..all concentrate on quality in the learning process

24. Survey: Three questions to experts
3) Do you have any feeling or hypothesis about the differences between North American and European research on blended learning? …explicit question about differences US/Canada – Europe?

25. 3. Hypotheses concerning differences ”Blended Learning” N America - Europe
“Since in Europe as well as in N. America people share the same technology to support the learning process, I suppose that there are no significant differences in this research.”
“No. I consider the diversity in blended learning is already very important among universities in the same country, and the main factor is the fact that blended learning is developed as a top-down learning methodology or as a complementary model that has developed after the f2f model in the organisation.”

26. Hypotheses concerning differences ”Blended Learning” N America - Europe
“The hypotheses on both sides of the Atlantic seem ill defined, and largely unhelpful in bringing about any meaningful change in education or learning. This could be because the area has become largely development-focused, lacking analytical rigour.”
“I always emphasize that Blended Learning is NOT a didactical concept”

27. Hypotheses concerning differences ”Blended Learning” N America - Europe
“I have not looked specifically at differences between European and North American research on blended learning. However, everything comes to the same point: How do academics understand the term "Pedagogy"”
“A major obstacle in the German research is firstly the gap between pedagogues in schools and researchers from the field of E-learning/Blended learning and the lack of reference between Higher education didactics and the area of E-learning/Blended learning. This seems to be different in the USA.”

28. Clue; Who is doing the research?
”Educational researchers” (Education as a science in own right)
”Researchers on education” (Education as a study object for discipline specialists)
”Researchers on educational practice and change” (Teachers making research on change in own courses)
”Research by educational developers and technologists”

29. A. ”Educational researchers”
Education as a science in its own right
Research in support of teacher education
Fighting with low scientific status
Europe, except the UK
Little interest in technology in education at all
…and even less in ”blended learning”
…often background in German ”Didaktik”

30. B. ”Researchers on education”
Sociologists, historians, psychologists, philosophers, computer scientists, etc
Education is a study object for the methods used in the expert science
…are safe in their own science
…don´t hesitate about ”blended learning”, that is what this new thing to study is called
Depends sometimes more on US research and discourse than on European concerning BL

31. C. ”Researchers on educational practice and change”
”Science of teaching and learning”
Teachers make research on own practices and implementations
Typical research: Case study
Uses ”Blended Learning” discourse frequently, relies often on N American literature / research

32. D. ”Research by educational developers and technologists”
In the US: Instructional technology / Instructional design, as science in its own right. (=B. Researchers on education?)
In Europe: Missing!? Some of this is done by computer science / Informatics researchers

33. Other clues to differences
”Education” on a scale between..
Different theoretical backgrounds/traditions? (Didaktik / Instructional technology/design?)
Education as a product on a market
Education as a society ”good”

35. ”Didaktik” (not ”didactics” = UK term for ”teaching methods”)
A discourse about ”everything” in education, pre-1900 often normative
Old in its roots, changing content and emphasis
Science from about 1900? Applied pedagogy?
Earlier part of 20th century: Behavioural science + statistics
Later part of 20th century: Cognitive science + qualitative methods

36. Didaktik What? When? Who? Why?...about education
Includes/relates to… curriculum theory, developmental psychology, education sociology, philosophy, history, policy studies, etc
…but traditionally very little about the ”how” of education
…only a practical teacher-related problem?
(explains the European DIY concept on education development?)

37. ”Fach-didaktik”/ ”subject didactics”
What strategies, tools, equipment, planning, etc is best used to teach module X in subject Y?
…very much focused on the HOW of education
More open to tool/media questions
Not very unlike TPACK

38. Didaktik vs Instructional Technology / Instructional design
What are the differences and similarities when compared to Didaktik, Fach-didaktik and Hochschule-didaktik?
How can these traditions communicate better in a global world?
…about ongoing integration of ICT tools and practices in mainstream educational practices, forming a new normality?

39. In short
European practitioners use BL terminology and rest on US research
European researchers on education are differently interested in BL (discourse/phenomenon), often following which kind of researchers they are
Researchers and teachers may have different relations in N America and in Europe
Some critique to ”BL” discourse and some additions to BL research comes from Europe
Critique concerns the ”too pragmatic” and ”not theory-connected” sides of BL.
Theoretical backgrounds can be important for understanding differences – and assets in further development of both research and practice?

40. Associated speculations if time allows

41. + = Oral transmission from classic sources Book printing
Blended learning, 1.0? 41

42. Blended learning 1.0, what happened? In a short perspective?
Education revolution?
Hype?
More learning?
Teacher role changes?
Teachers woriied about their jobs?
And in the longer perspective?
Spreading of ideas easier
Monopoly of Catholoc church ceases
Modern science step by step
Mass media, democracy, freedom of speech
Knowledge society
We often overestimate effects in the shorter perspective, and underestimate effects in the longer perspective? 42

43. ”Blended” in historical perspective
…one thing is how X is born, another thing what X will become?
Lecture + print = the present linear & textual knowledge ideal?
…but what about hypertext/hypermedia developments of knowledge? A new ideal?
The Gutenberg Parenthesis? (T. Pettitt)
…a Second Orality? (W. Ong)

44. Luciano Floridi on ”Digital Dualism”
“…we are probably the last generation to experience a clear difference between offline and online.”
“…we are constructing the new environment that will be inhabited by future generations.”
“As a consequence of such re-ontologization of our ordinary environment, we shall be living in an infosphere that will become increasingly synchronized (time), delocalised (space) and correlated (interactions).”
“…it is now actually happening in our kitchen.”

46. Q&A

47. Thanks for listening !

48. My own research interests
Dep: ”Applied Educational Science”, Umeå University
Research discipline: ”Pedagogical Work”
About BL and eductional logistics, educational access
A time & process perspective
Synchronous / asynchronous modalities
Agile frameworks for pacing asynchronicity
Hägerstrands ”time geography” applied on BL
Studying tendencies to ”normalization”
The weakening of digital dualism in education
Didaktik vs Instructional technology/design