Exploring Online & Blended Modes of Education in the

African contextBrenda Mallinson

Moodle MOOC 4

June 14, 2014

Outline

Converging HE environment

Delivery mode continua

Enhanced environment variables

Visual representation / positioning

Concluding Remarks

The emerging Networked School environment

Layer Examples & Notes

Institutional Strategy Size and shape influenced by online / blended / face-to-face / distance delivery mix, market opportunities and constraints

Programme Design Articulation between courses, fostering graduate attributes.Ensure congruence and alignment and identify where Ed Tech can support this layer.

Curriculum Design Course design enabled by appropriate learning technologies

Learning Design Integrating educational technology effectively in lesson planning and teaching and learning interactions e.g. ALL course materials could be online, but assignments, assessment & activities can be on- or off-line

Academic Staff Prof Dev Seminars, workshops, conferences, show & tell, mentoring and training

Student Digital Literacies Computer and information literacy

Student and Academic Support

Helpdesks, support documentation, application training; Guides; just-in-time support; planned student/staff support - e.g. short 1-2 hr sessions;

Software Applications Institutional LMS, multimedia content, classroom response systems, simulations, interactive tutorials, communication tools, social media

Access Device Smartphone, tablets, laptops, PCs NB: If and how to provide? Personal and/or lab usage

Network Wired and wireless networks; Refer to Institutional ICT plan: Infrastructure & access

Physical Lecture theatres, seminar rooms, labs, social learning spaces, libraries; Refer to Institutional plan - ensure integration of all known Ed Tech needs.

Educational Technology Stack (adapted from Marquard, S. 2013)

Continuum of educational provision

From purely face-to-face (contact) tuition through to education solely at a distance.

As for face-to-face education, there are many variations of distance provision.

DE delivery using the WWWTypes of e-learning using the World Wide Web (WWW) are commonly referred to as:

web-supported, web-dependent, and fully online.

These can also be represented using a continuum:

An expanded definition of e-learning includes the use of ALL digital resources, systems, hardware devices, and electronic communication in the support of education

Moving to a second dimension

No digital support Digitally Supported Internet-supported Internet-dependent Fully online

OfflineOnline

Face to face (F2F) Mixed Mode Distance Education

On Campus Off campus

Spatial or geographic distribution of teachers and learners

Extent of ICT support

A

D

C

B

Fully Offline

Internet Supported

Internet Dependent

Fully Online

Campus-based Hybrid / Blended Remote

E

Digitally Supported

Mode of Delivery O

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On

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B

Characterising Modes of Delivery

Structural Aspects Teaching and Learning Elements to be aligned

Pedagogical Approach(Young & Chamberlin 2006)

Course Title / sub-discipline & level

Objectives Independent Learning(low level of mediation)

ranging to

Interactive learning(high level of mediation)

Target Audience Course materials

Location of Target Audience

Learning Support

Expected level of learning support required

Level of interaction / engagement

Size of Annual Enrolments Assessment

Transactional Distance

• programme structure• instructional dialogue• learner autonomy

Making the most of the changed environment

• Dimensions– Spatial separation (geographically distributed)– Determining extent of digital ICT support– Temporal (asynchronous & synchronous)

• Human Dimension – Establish an online presence - lecturer, tutors, learners– Promote engagement & interaction – Define appropriate level of mediation– Class size - small virtual groups

Course flow• Synchronous flow: students do all of their work at the same time

as everybody else. • Asynchronous flow: students do everything at their own pace and

have no deadlines to consider. • *Semi-synchronous flow: students do some parts of the course at

their own pace and do other parts of the course on a fixed schedule. – Instructors release course materials on a fixed schedule, student can work on it

anytime after– Live events, such as live Q&A sessions with the instructors, happen at a fixed date

and time. Students can also watch archived versions.– Assessments are due by a fixed deadline.

*Google CourseBuilder- https://code.google.com/p/course-builder/wiki/CourseFlow

Anderson, T. (2008:61)The Theory and Practice of Online Learning

Athabasca University Press. (2nd Ed.)

A Model of Online Learning

Collaborativeand

CommunityModes of

OnlineLearning

Third dimension: level of interaction

Laurillard (2002) • meaningful learning requires active student

engagement including interactions between students and content, students and other students, students and faculty and, when appropriate, students and workplaces and/or communities

• Made more difficult by large class size

B

Concluding Remarks• Blended mode

– An infinite number of ways to blend

• Influencing factors– Learner demographics– Class size– Pedagogical approach

• Dimensions– Spatial separation (geographic)– Temporal (asynchronous & semi/synchronous)– Determining extent of digital support (ICTs)

Re-examine core

assumptions for the

changing environment

A Final Thought:

‘Good teaching may overcome a poor choice of technology but technology will

never save bad teaching’

Tony Bates, 2012

Thank You

Brenda Mallinsonbrendam@saide.org.za

SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/brenda6

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