Blended Learning: Key to Skills, Content, and Language Learning Success

Blended Learning: Key to Skills, Content, and Language Learning Success

Eric M. Brewster

Overview

Principles and Fundamentals of (e-) Learning and (e-)Teaching

Challenges and Design for Curriculum Integration

MuSSS English 1 & 2 - A Blended Learning Model

Building Communities of Practice: A Case Study

Experience and Observations

Final Thoughts

Dr. Eric M. Brewster

Three Principles of Teaching and Learning

"The acquisition of knowledge is a dynamic and interactive process in which

the learner seeks, discovers and applies learning in real world, problem-

solving situations.“

"Self-access by definition is an individual path to knowledge, the discovery

of one’s own limitations, and the chance to break through individual

barriers.“

“The goal of teaching is to enable learning to take place.”

-Laurillard (1993). Rethinking University Teaching.

Seven Principles – Best Practices

Encourage student-faculty contact

Encourage contact among students

Encourage active learning

Give prompt feedback

Emphasize time on task

Communicate high expectations

Respect diverse talents and ways of learning (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)


Fundamentals of Teaching and Learning

LEARNERS

SKILLS

CONTENT

Learning

Learning

Learning

LANGUAGE in context by doing

for life Brewster (1995, 2)


Thoughts on New Technologies

Support for learning in a more effective way than

conventional classroom instruction

Support for learning complex content and skills

Promote and support communities of practice and

participatory, collaborative models of education

Blended Learning among top 10 trends in education and

training

Blended Learning to overtake other models of instruction

(Mean, Toyama, Murphy & Baki, 2013, 3-8)

The Current Situation at JKU

20,000 students – campus, commuters

Increasing numbers of students working

full or part time

Numerous single parents and care givers

Cannot leave jobs or families several days

a week to attend F2F classes

Regional orientation


Working Students at JKU

82% employed

19% 1>10 hrs./wk

35% 11>35 hrs./wk

27% 36>45 hrs./wk. with a rising tendency

50% to support themselves and their education

40% to improve their lifestyle/standard of living

(Batinic, Jodlbauer & Felbinger, 2009)


Need for Individualization

Increasing heterogenity and diversity of

students

Age of students increasing

Alternative educational paths

Language nouveau differences

Reasons for taking up studies

The Challenges – in and outside of the Classroom

Use social and communication skills

Use IT skills

Use language skills

Use content knowledge

Work at a distance; work in a team

SAL

Work across “cultures”


The Goal


SAL Interaction

Reflection

MuSSS Multimedia Studies Service in Social and Economic Sciences

MuSSS: “bring the campus to the student”

Core courses – Social and Economic Sciences

blended learning mode

F2F – regional centers

Online – MOODLE and Adobe Connect


The Solution: MuSSS

Courses with no or reduced F2F attendance

Condensed F2F phases

Courses on weekends and during summer months

Blended Learning emphasis and course design

Multimedia support

Regional centers

Half-semester modules


Development History

Pilotphase 2008

Currently 60 % of Curriculum in Business,

Economics, and Social Sciences offered as

MuSSS courses

English First module WS 09/10

First summer courses 2010

First year long course 2015


MuSSS Curriculum for English

Module English 1 :

Communicative Skills

Business English 1

6 ECTS (150 hrs.)

Module English 2

Intercultural Skills and Language Development

Business English 2

6 ECTS (150 hrs.)


Strategies

Optimize learning environment

Promote willingness to learn English

Promote positive Teacher-Learner attitudes

Awareness of problems in English learning

Increase self-access and confidence

Group size

Limit numbers to 24 per course


Das Blended Learning Concept 1+1+1= 1

F2F

Self-study Online

BLENDED LEARNING

Intensive work with English in blocked course

meetings

Weekly chat sessions

1/3 more contact than in traditional courses

Self-access, self-study tasks, portfolio

Implementation

F2F

Online chats

Self-study- on and off line

Design and Support

F2F

Self-study Online

Moodle

Adobe Connect©

KuSSS

Email

Telephone

----------------------------

TellMeMore©

Emmerson, Business Vocabulary Builder,

Macmillian, 2009

MuSSS Module Design

25 hrs. F2F and Online Chat

25 hrs. SAL with TMM

25 hrs. Homework, Preparation, Learning Plan


F

L

E

X

I

B

L

E

Placement and Self-evaluation

GERS Self-assessment grid

Learning plan

Placement Test TMM

Individual Supervision


Weekly Chat Sessions

Agenda

Sign-on and system check

Discussion Questions on Identity and Nationality

Tasks for March 23

Sign-off

Chat Example

Chat Example

Evaluation 1

Weekly chats useful for practice of learned

material/content/language (14/15)

Problems seen with slow connections and waiting on

others less versed in technology (1/15)

4/15 expressed chat as help to overcome shyness

Problems overcome by activities, reshuffling in group

work, F2F community.


Evaluation Engl. 2

Ranking from S2014 course, n= 7

F2F and Chats = 1

Self-access tasks (homework, research) = 2

Online exam = 3

Positive feedback on all components

Feeling of contribution of all parts to learning

Feedback highly valued


Community and Place

Learners and Instructors

Goals and Requirements

Attitudes

Community Building Activities

Sense of Place

Success Factors


Academic Writing C1

Specialization in Social and Economic Sciences,

Law

Weekly, F2F, online (set time, asynchronous forum),

ECTS 3

Focus on Process Writing

Research

Feedback

Supervision


Task Topics Discussed in Blog

Writing status quo

Finding a topic

Writing a proposal

Developing a thesis statement

Outlining

Finding and evaluating resources

Referencing

Drafting

Mechanics

Paper to poster


Evaluation AW

AW Forum blog-Peer Review-F2F feedback

n= 18 from 20

Solutions and language skills development

(14/18)

Interaction (14/18)

Feedback (12/18)

Reflection (9/18)


Project Achievements

400+ learners enrolled since WS 2009

2 regional centers established

Summer Schools 2010, 2014-present

Evaluations 2010 – 2011 – 2014– 2015 to present

ESIS (European Language Label) certification and award 2013

Year long program implemented 2015


Lessons Learned

Different (e-)Learner and (e-)Teacher demands

Effective course design - Blended Learning

Profit for learners: topics, technology, time on task

Balance and discipline

Awareness of principles and parameters


Speaking for Themselves

R.W., June 21, Chat 14:

“interest raising to continue on my own. All components

build a solid base. Nothing can substitute use to learn a

language in a sustainable way.”

G.G., June 21, Chat 14:

“amount of things to do, workload adds to effectiveness,

process of recognition, revision, recycling”


Speaking for Themselves

"Only the classroom is not enough."


Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

F2F and online demand a redefinition of roles for learners and

teachers.

ICT promotes communicative capabilities, key skills, and

content understanding.

Self-directed learning is the goal; the path, however, is free to

choose.


References

Batinic, B., Jodlbauer, S., and Felbinger, G. (2009). Erhebung zur Studiensituation an der JKU - 2008. (unpublished project survey report) Linz: University of Linz.

Brewster, E. (1995). Vocationally Oriented Language Learning: Problems, Possibilities, Perspectives. Vienna: Braumüller Verlag.

Chickering, A. and Gamson, Z. (Eds.). (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. In: AAHE Bulletin, 38(7), 3-7.

Laurillard, D. (1993/2002).Rethinking University Education, London: Routledge.

Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R. and Baki, M. (2013, March). The Effectiveness of Online and Blended Learning: A Meta Analysis of the Empirical Literature. In: Teachers College Record, Volume 115, 1-47.


Contact Dr. Eric M. Brewster

Department of Business Languages and Intercultural Communication

Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria

[email protected]
