Presentation of Blended Learning in an Arab Context: Lessons Learned and Unlearned (by Ahmad Majdoubeh, University of Jordan), Jordan OER Strategy Forum in Amman, Jordan, February 28, 2017

1. A H M A D Y. M A J D O U B E H
P R O F E S S O R & V P ( U J )
BLENDED LEARNING IN AN ARAB
CONTEXT: LESSONS LEARNED AND
UNLEARNED

2. AOU
• Commenced 2002. It has 8 branches in 8 Arab countries;
several centers. 31 thousand students, biggest branches
Kuwait and KSA. Four faculties.
• Dual accreditation, OU/UK and branch countries. Robust
QA system, EEs, ARs.
• Face-to-face tutorials (25%) and independent learning
(75%).
• Technologically supported in class, LMS, now embarking
on e-books. Physical and e-library.
• A good example for successes and challenges of the
system of BL in our region.

3. PREAMBLE
• Presentation based on both experience/practice in the
field, and research findings: 26 years in traditional
education, 6in open. My position as teacher &
administrator. Formal, degree-granting.
• In education: there are always lessons to learn and
“unlearn.” Continuous, dynamic, evolving process.
• Culture matters: cultural context affects transferability
across borders. Tailoring rather than importing
wholesale. Humanities perspective. Respect diversity.
Cultural and pedagogical divide.
• Importance of conviction and sense of direction.
Indecisiveness or loss of direction is damaging.

4. BLENDED LEARNING: WHY AND WHAT
• What counts is learning. All adjectives secondary.
• It is a negotiated position. Generally, traditional
education no longer cuts it; must evolve. E-learning
cannot fill the vacuum. Need for middle ground. Brick &
Click.
• It is a postmodern system relevant to the postmodern
world. Diversity of learning tools, methods, opportunities.
Client-oriented. Centrality of learners. Merging and
blending; hybridity.
• Varied definitions. Combining classroom and online-
learning. Best of both. Emphasis on the blend;
complementarity; not Velcro. “The magic is in mix.”

5. CHALLENGES 1
• A lot of skepticism/suspicion by stakeholders, especially
HE governing bodies, of nearly all modes of untraditional
learning (open, blended, distance). Do the job right. The
need for advocacy.
• Switch/transformation is not easy. Old habits die hard.
Students’ school learning habits. Tutors’ attitudes &
experience and know-how. Deceptive institutional
readiness. Unlearn. For students transitional foundation
programs. For tutors, training, development, involvement
in institutional strategic thinking and implementation.

6. CHALLENGES 2
• The blended learning system itself is difficult to
implement properly. Choice of relevant version. The
blending and complementarity. Double effort: class and
online. One mode could dominate another (others).
Need for system of sustainable advice and monitoring,
built-in or external.
• Negative overall “environmental” influence. Today’s Arab
world is a struggling world. Cross-sectorial influences;
KPI’s. Univ. rankings. Degree-driven, not learning driven.
Apathy. Discipline. “Who killed curiosity?” Simulacrum;
theory & practice. What makes our performance immune
or better?

7. CHALLENGES 3
• Mass, quantity challenge. Numbers count. We teach
large groups. Target audience affects. Mainly younger
students: age & experience. Bulge. Achilles’ heel. The
online is not developed in a way to individualize yet.
Students and tutors (especially part-timers). Need to
better manage tutorials, and to electronize the
“independent” component. Learn from MOOCs.
• Technology, essential, is often ahead of us. Time to
grasp, employ, and put in place. Synergy between
pedagogy content and IT device.

8. CHALLENGES 4
• Suspicion of private or “business” education providers.
Could shoulder part of the burden, outsourcing. Learning
providers. Need to bridge the gap.

9. SOLUTIONS 1
• Focus on first year preparation. A lot of emphasis on
study, learning skills, IT skills. Weaning students from
old habits and capitalizing on their strengths. Strengthen
orientation and academic advising. Nature of bachelor’s
degree.
• Ongoing training and development for tutors and the
support staff. Supported learning. Managing tutorials,
communication with learners, and support of
independent learning. Complementarity of efforts of all
involved. The overall institutional synergy. Coordination:
to be strengthened.

10. SOLUTIONS 2
• Close monitoring, and robust QA system. A rigorous,
sustainable system. Annual monitoring reports, and
follow up on their recommendations. Should not end in
drawers. Status of QA in institution.
• External auditing. Need for external opinion and
validation. AOU: EE’s, AR’s, dual accreditation. The OU
link. This is crucial.

11. EXAMPLE: E-BOOK PROJECT
• E-book for AR112: communication skills and literary
appreciation.
• Authored by tutors of Arabic. Usually most challenging:
very traditional and least global. They also filmed
introductions and readings. Pioneers; best practice.
• Done in collaboration with a business company. Broke
the barrier, and excellent working relationship.
• Energized the learning; motivated students;
decentralized the roles of tutors.

12. THANK YOU
AMAJDOUBEH@YAHOO.COM