Best Practice Guidance for Blended Learning Approaches

March 2008

Marion Waite e-learning Task Force Manager

What does blended learning mean to you?

Overview of presentation

• Terms of reference• Strategies & examples of effective

implementation- what works & why• NHS & Higher Education political drivers• Local provision of CPD blended learning• Examples of effective and collaborative practice• The learner & educator perspective of blended

learning• Building on current developments

Blended Learning

• Prominent global mechanism for CPD education

• Formal and informal learning

• Preferred by learners and teachers

• Combination of face-to-face teaching and online-learning

• Ideal blend makes the best of all approaches

E-learning

• ‘learning facilitated and supported through the use of information and communications technology' (JISC)

• “Learning that is enabled and supported through technology” (NESC)

• An aspect of blended learning

Successful implementation

• Strategic leadership

• Collaborative working

• Evaluation of impact of technology on the learner

What works?• NHSU?

– Lack of focus– Needs of customers– Low student numbers

• UK e-university?– CPD & PG provision– Low student numbers– Narrow view of e-learning

• E-college Wales?– Largest Europe Online

learning project– CPD provision– High student numbers– Staff development– Learner evaluation– Flexible delivery

• LDSA?– Needs of learners– Needs of employers– Flexible delivery

• E-China?– Collaborative global expertise– Critical mass of learners

E-portfolios

• Mandatory aspect of GP training

• Associated with life-long learning

• Personal learning space for every learner (Dfes, 2005)

• Promotes reflection• Records competencies• Academic, personal and

work-based achievements

NHS drivers

• Commitment to CPD• KSF• Revalidation • Supporting Best in E-

learning across the NHS (DH, 2005)

• Core Learning Unit Programmes

• E-LFH• E-Ksf• ESR• MLE for NHS

Professionals• NLMs

Higher Education e-learning strategy

•Widening participation•Non-traditional learners•Flexible learning strategies

Local Provision

• Scoping exercise Jan-March 2008

• 16 potential CPD providers

• 13 participated• Blended learning

– Pedagologically effective– Flexibility– Preferred by Learners– Traditional teaching &

online learning via VLE

• Not universal– Rapid area of development

• Additional technologies– Mobile learning & web 2.0

tools– CD ROMs & Videos– Skype, Podcasts– Lectures, audio feedback– MP3 files downloadable to

mobile phones– Blogs- discussion of case

histories– WIKIs– E portfolios– Online assessment & self-

assessment

Examples of effective practice

• Two HEFCE funded CETL (Portsmouth, Coventry)– http://www.cipel.ac.uk/– http://www.expert.port.ac.uk/

• Oxford Brookes University– OCSLD– http://

www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd

• Thames Valley University & Hertfordshire Universities– Specialist blended learning

units– http://

www.blended.tvu.ac.uk/bl/index.asp

– http://perseus.herts.ac.uk/uhinfo/info/blu/blu/blu_home.cfm

Examples of collaborative practice

• Pharmacy School Portsmouth University– RSPGB CPD

competencies

• University of Winchester & OU– PG Cert in HealthCare

Management

• Bedford University– Social Care Institute

• Thames Valley BLU– Core skills training-infection

control

• PEP Project– Portsmouth University– Portsmouth & Isle of Wight

Trusts– South Central SHA

librarians

• Digital repositories– http://www.cipel.ac.uk/– http://www.bournemouth.ac

.uk/hsc/wessexbay.html

• North West SHA– NMP– Partnership of local HEIs– Develop blended learning

What works?

Learners

“Like the use of technology, freedom flexibility to suit complex lives ‘

“Some NHS learners are up & running but for some a big shock “

“Those who have been exposed, appreciate benefits especially the flexibility if in paid employment- extra communication “

What works?

Teachers

“Have identified product ‘champions’- who see enormous potential for future development “.

“Employ a lot of Lecturer Practitioners in CPD who prefer to deliver face-to-face teaching & peer assisted learning”

“Positive experience, good use of time from blended approach. Tutors enabled to travel to learner venues for face-to-face teaching.

“Innovative approach to teaching, good use of time, influenced by professional (HPC) requirements

What can we build upon?

• Access to technology in home & workplace• Scaffolding learners with time & support• Collaborative working

– Development of CPD programmes– Sharing and development of resources & expertise– Identify ‘champions’ from all sectors– Explore new ways of delivering CPD– How does the blend work in the practice setting?– Support to trial new technologies– Showcase examples of current effective practice– Continue to evaluate the learner perspective