THE CHALLENGES OF BLENDED LEARNING IN A CANADIAN COLLEGE SETTING

http://www.wiredlearningconsultants.com/

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

LITERATUREON BLENDED

LEARNING

Blended learning :

emerging delivery method for postsecondary education

potential to provide rich learning experiences and environments

provide students with essential 21st century skills

Garrison & Vaughan, 2008; So & Bonk, 2010

Gives students:

some control over their learning pace and timing

choice, flexibility, and self-directedness in their learning

Cranton, 1992; Cross, 1981; Knowles, Holton, &

Swanson, 2005; McIntosh & Varoglu, 2005.

LITERATURE ON BLENDED

LEARNING

blended or online learning is not widely applied by institutions nor readily accepted by students and faculty in North America .

a critical response to 1:1 laptop initiatives points out that the use of technology in education has focused more on replacing existing modes of learning versus transforming them.

STUDY DETAILS

investigated the outcomes of two college course delivered in western Canada

traditionally a laptop, classroom-based program

course presented in a blended learning format

lessons were partially in class and out of class

tools used: LMS, blogs, wiki, online resources, communication

METHODOLOGY

Case study

46 college students

marketing diploma

4th and last semester

Data Collected

online survey (QuestionPro): end of term survey; quant and qual data; frequencies, descriptive and crosstab stats @SPSS; open text themes reviewed

LMS statistics (log in and hits); individual and aggregated stats; visual analytics (SNAPP)

grades: final and online communication; descriptive stats

Research objectives

• to examine the interaction of students with learning, information and communication tools

• to discover student perceptions of and recommendations for blended learning environments

• to determine the impact of blended learning on student productivity and grades

RESULTSN=31

Criteria Details %

Age range 18-22 70.97

Student status Full-time college student 83.87

School term 4th and final, 2 year marketing diploma

Hours/week attend school

• < 10 •11-20• 21-30• >31

• 13.79• 44.83• 24.14• 17.2

Hours/week study 1 - 10 majority

Hours work Part-time, 11 – 20 hours 70.97

Perceived technology skills

Good to expert Majority

Readiness for blended Yes 56.67

RESULTS

Learner Trait Frequency Percentage

Hands-on learner 20 20.41%

Visual learner 16 16.33%

Social learner 15 15.31%

Independent learner 7 7.14%

Extraverted 9 9.18%

Communicator 8 8.16%

Thinker/reflector 8 8.16%

Introverted 5 5.10%

Reader 5 5.10%

Auditory learner 5 5.10%

RESULTS

Criteria Details %

Taken previous blended or online

• No• 1• 3 - 5

• 64.52• 19.35• 16.13

LMS tools previously used • Assignment drop box• Discussion board• Email messaging

• 20.93• 18.60• 18.60

Final Grade 46 to 86% Average = 71.77%

Grade for blogs and online discussion

0 to 9/10 Average 5.14/10

Time spent of 2 required hours for online segment

• 0 hours• I – 2 hours

• 22.58• 51.64

Blended took more time No 70%

Take another blended course

• Yes• No• Don’t know

• 37.93• 51.72• 10.35

RESULTS

Response Percentage

Low quality 28.57%

Medium quality 25.00%

Neither low nor high quality 14.29%

Good quality 21.43%

High quality 10.71%Response Percentage

Less 53.57%

About the same 28.57%

More 17.86%

RESULTS

data crosstabluations to determine significant relationships between data variables

SPSS using chi-square tests

significant values were less than .05

significant findings outlined in conclusions, next

CONCLUSIONS

dichotomy between participants’ perception and rating of the blended learning course (50/50)

not understand blended and online learning as a delivery mode; newness of a delivery mode

online discussion board was underutilized

interacting online was not a preference for some student

students did not see a need for online communication

CONCLUSIONS

Reasons for resistance:

timing of the course in their program

personal learning style

lack of blended learning experience

might have preferred a more traditional style of delivering classes

confused on what should be included in a blended course and its design

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly half of the participants

saw the blended course as favourable

would take another blended course

learn about the same or more in a blended course compared to traditional

found it useful, good quality

took less study time, and

should be developed as a future mode of delivery

RECOMMENDATIONS

blended learning not preferred by all students

give students choice when using learning technologies and engaging online

intentional design: draw on the strengths of learning in physical and virtual classroom

more social and hands-on learners might need richer assignments (explore, discuss, question and create) with technologies in more structured ways both in class and after class

understand the learner, their context and past learning experience