This document discusses the University of Northampton's adoption of Active Blended Learning (ABL) as its standard pedagogical approach. ABL combines face-to-face and online learning, with students completing pre- and post-session tasks. While ABL will not replace campus-based teaching, it aims to develop students' independent learning, digital skills, and employability. The document outlines challenges to implementing ABL at scale, such as changing faculty views on teaching, workloads, and developing digital fluency across campus. It proposes addressing these through evidence, support initiatives like training and resources, and ensuring faculty have agency in the transition.

1. Active Blended Learning as a
Lever for Large Scale Pedagogic
Change in a 21st Century
University
Prof Alejandro Armellini
Ale.Armellini@northampton.ac.uk
@alejandroa
Dean of Learning and Teaching
University of Northampton
Karin Johnstone
Karin.Johnstone@northampton.ac.uk
Learning Development Tutor
University of Northampton
Vicky Brown
Vicky.brown@northampton.ac.uk
@VickyBrownLTM
Learning Technology Manager
University of Northampton

2. NORTHAMPTON

3. NORTHAMPTON

5. Missions
Transforming lives + Inspiring change
Enabling transformational learning
through inspirational teaching

6. “An embedded approach to the involvement of
students in research, scholarship and
professional practice with strengths in
community-based research and scholarship and
sector-leading work in social enterprise”
TEF Panel statement of findings UKPRN: 10007138

8. Active Blended Learning (ABL)
A course follows an ABL methodology if it:
 Is taught through student-centred activities to develop knowledge and
understanding, independent learning & digital fluency.
 Has a core, collaborative face-to-face component, explicitly linked to
learning activity outside the classroom, typically online.
 Helps to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability
skills.
Source: ILT website

9. Task 1
What are the dimensions of a sound pedagogic
“blend” in blended learning?
2 minutes

10. Dimensions of the blend
Face-to-face
+
Online

11. F2F
Online

12. Dimensions
Face to face Online
Online teaching Independent learning
Individual Group-based
Synchronous Asynchronous
“Purely academic” Employability-focused
Campus Mobile
Tutor-assessed Peer-assessed
…
…

13. F2F
Online
BLEND

14. F2F
Online
ACTIVE
BLEND

15. Pre-session
cognitive exposure
to content
F2F session:
analysis, discussion,
reflection & goal
setting
Post-session online
work: consolidation
& evaluation
17@alejandroa

16. Pre-session
cognitive
exposure to
content
?
F2F session:
analysis,
discussion,
reflection &
goal setting
Post-session
online work:
consolidation
& evaluation
18@alejandroa

17. Pre-session
cognitive
exposure to
content
Pre-session
asynchronous
online tasks
F2F session:
analysis,
discussion,
reflection &
goal setting
Post-session
online work:
consolidation
& evaluation
19@alejandroa

18. Digital
resources
Tasks for
sense-making
Analysis,
discussion,
reflection &
goal setting
Consolidation
& action
planning
ONLINE & F2F ONLINE &
F2F
FACE TO FACE,
SMALL GROUPS

20. A course is not taught in ABL if:
It makes regular use of non-interactive lectures, or
The VLE (or LMS) is primarily a content repository, or
Online activity is merely an add-on to the face-to-face
sessions, or
There is no evidence of systematic enhancement.

21. To be clear:
 ABL is not online teaching. Northampton will not become an online
learning university.
 We will continue to be a campus-based university, on a brand new
campus.
 We value face-to-face teaching as much as students do.

22. ABL is our new normal
ABL is not something we do in addition to our regular
teaching: it is our standard approach to learning and
teaching at Northampton.

23. ABL is our new normal
Does ABL mean that we expect students to work hard?
YES

24. Scaling up ABL
Our approach is
Explicit
Deliberate
Evidence-based

25. Designing for ABL: October 2017

26. Focus so far: design for effective ABL…
…but does teaching practice do it justice?

27. Design
Teaching practice

28. Design Poor Good
Teaching practice
Poor
Good

29. Excellent
learning
experience
Design Poor Good
Teaching practice
Poor
Good

30. Outstanding
teaching
despite the
design
Excellent
learning
experience
What a
waste!
Design Poor Good
Teaching practice
Poor
Good

31. Context: pedagogic transformation & campus move

32. Task 2: more challenges
Nature of the challenge Key strands How addressed
1. Pedagogic a. Views on teaching
2. Workload and space a. Timetabling
3. Digital fluency
4. ...add more
5 minutes

33. Task: more challenges
Nature of the challenge Key strands How addressed
1. Pedagogic a. Views on teaching
b. Knowledge about teaching in HE – not
just experience
c. Large cohorts
d. The PSRB argument
e. Contact time
Evidence
Support
Agency
2. Workload and space a. Timetabling
b. Where’s my office?
c. “ABL means more work”
3. Digital fluency Don’t stop at the “literacy” stage!
4. Communication Information overload v consultation and
engagement to find shared ground

34. Challenges (1): pedagogic
•Views on teaching
•Knowledge about teaching
in HE (not just experience)
•Large cohorts
•The PSRB argument
•Contact time
CC College.Library https://www.flickr.com/photos/collegelibrary/8596552756

35. Challenges (2): workload & space
• Timetabling
• Where’s my office??
• “ABL means more work”
By NASA - http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-
6/html/iss006e45283.html, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9008767

36. Challenges (3): digital fluency – staff and students
Source: https://goo.gl/YHZu1n

37. Digital transformation
Non-literacy
Digital
literacy
Digital
competence
Digital
fluency
Images by Juan P. Armellini, used by permission

38. Digital transformation
Non-literacy
Digital
literacy
Digital
competence
Digital
fluency
Images by Juan P. Armellini, used by permission

39. Digital literacy
• I know about
some useful
tools that can
enhance my
teaching & can
use them with
support
Digital
competence
• I can decide
when, why and
how to enhance
my teaching by
using a range of
tools largely
autonomously
Digital fluency
• I take informed,
decisions and
calculated risks
for institutional
benefit,
transformation
and growth

40. Digital literacy
• My knowledge
and
understanding
Digital
competence
• My practice
Digital fluency
• The practices
of others

41. Challenges (4): communication
Provision of information
(overload?)
vs
A deliberate attempt to
consult, engage and find
shared ground
By Jorge Franganillo - Flickr: Information overload, CC BY 2.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19644586

42. Evidence
Support
Agency

43. www.northampton.ac.uk/ilt/
Evidence

44. Support
• Needs-driven, HEA-accredited CPD
scheme
• Not dependent on a PGCert
• Leading to professional recognition
• Designed for capacity building
• Prominent role of peer observation
• Embedded in the PDR process
• Interacts with QA & QE
• CAIeRO (Carpe Diem) as key component
• Fully engages professional services as
providers and beneficiaries
• Extraordinary team of Learning Designers
& Learning Technologists
CCAlanHodgsonhttp://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/52/24/2522474_999a3d05.jpg

45. Agency

46. Evidence-based change
Research
• Evidence
Practice
• Support & Agency
Evaluation
• Impact assessment
Policy
• Ongoing review

47. Evidence-based change
Research
Practice
Impact
assessment
Policy

49. Thank you
Prof Alejandro Armellini
Ale.Armellini@northampton.ac.uk
@alejandroa
Dean of Learning and Teaching
University of Northampton
Karin Johnstone
Karin.Johnstone@northampton.ac.uk
Learning Development Tutor
University of Northampton
Vicky Brown
Vicky.brown@northampton.ac.uk
@VickyBrownLTM
Learning Technology Manager
University of Northampton