PGC1.3 Blended Learning & e-Environments

PGC Session 1.3

Blended Learning
and e-Environments

Tony Reeves
UCA Learning Technologist

Objectives of this session

• Investigate ways in which
technology can support learning

• Consider how you might
incorporate inclusive, online
activities into your teaching
practice

What is an ‘e-Environment’?

• A place accessed by computer
where learning can occur?
• A ‘virtual’ space where interaction
can take place?
• A room full of computers..?

• Personal learning environment

What is ‘blended learning’?

• An approach to learning and teaching which
“combines and aligns learning undertaken in
face-to-face sessions with learning opportunities
created online” University of Wolverhampton

• Using technology to
– increase learning opportunities

Some theories of learning

Deep / surface learning (Marton & Saljo, 1979)

understanding (deep) memorising (surface)
making sense (deep) strategic (surface)

A deep learner: articulate, autonomous but collaborative with high
meta-cognitive control and the generic skills of learning…they
have developed a certain kind of learner identity (Simms, 2006)

“In learning with and through [technology], young people are also
learning how to learn” (Buckingham 2008: 17)


Behaviourism

• learner is a passive respondent to stimuli
• learning is defined as a change in behaviour

e.g. using computer testing to teach processes, then
providing positive feedback for correct answers

e.g. using technology to give students individual and
personalised data about their performance (stimulus) can
provide the ‘response’ of a more dedicated student


Experiential

1. Concrete experience 2. Forming abstract concepts
3. Observing and reflecting 4. Testing in new situations

http://www.ldu.leeds.ac.uk/ldu/sddu_multimedia/images/kolb_cycle.gif


Experiential

1. Choose a cake recipe and
think of ways to improve on it
2. Make changes by adding new
ingredients to the mixture
3. Bake the cake and taste it
4. Make notes on which of their
changes was successful and
amend the recipe


Experiential

1. Choose a unit in which you want to
make a change
2. Make changes by introducing a
technology-based activity, e.g. a blog
3. Run the unit and monitor the ways in
which students are using the blog
4. Evaluate the success of the changes
and update the unit plan for the next
cohort


Cognitivism

‘mind’ has to make sense of information
‘mind’ make sense of information
Not only how the mind stores and retrieves knowledge but also
Not only how the stores and knowledge but also
how it incorporates and integrates new knowledge
how incorporates new knowledge

The goal of instruction: to communicate or transfer knowledge to
learners in the most efficient, effective manner possible
(Bednar et al., in Anglin, 1995)

e.g. when teaching a tutor how to use a piece of technology I would
reduce the process to a series of simple steps. It is also important
to consider their ‘schema’ – or way of acquiring knowledge


Constructivism
Learning is a ‘joint enterprise’ between learner & teacher with
Learning is ‘joint enterprise’ between learner & teacher with
the learner ‘constructing’ new meanings
the ‘constructing’ meanings
how meaning and understanding grows out of social
how meaning and understanding of social
encounters1 (social constructivism)
encounters1 (social constructivism)

Teacher as ‘facilitator’ whose role is to foster, not control, learning.
Social Constructivism views each learner as a unique individual with
unique needs & backgrounds (Wertsch, 1997)
Learning is based on social negotiation – e.g. asking students to
work in groups and contribute to a group blog. Students acquire
knowledge through online interaction with each other and their tutor.
1, 2: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm

Over to you…

‘Making learning possible implies that the
teacher must know something about student
learning’ (Laurillard, 2002: 13)

1. When you have to use a new piece of technology, how
do you prefer to learn?
2. How do you use technology in your teaching practice?
3. What do you know about the ways in which your
students are using social and online technologies to
learn, both at university and prior to arriving?

How to introduce technology?
5-stage model of e-Learning
(Salmon, 2000)

How to introduce technology?
Conversational framework (Laurillard, 2002)

Live discussion board
Peer group activities with feedback from staff
Discursive
Discursive Tutorials via webcam

Changing content during academic year
Adaptive
Adaptive Simple site, easy to maintain
Develops students’ transferable & core skills

Fun & games space, interactive tasks
Interactive
Interactive Links to external sites
Students can contribute content

Discussion forum
Reflective Providing Powerpoints for previous sessions
Providing course materials and resources

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive
Adaptive Interactive
Interactive Reflective

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive

Film Production, UCA Farnham

• Students work in small
groups (5 – 6)

• Use a group blog to
record their research
and development while
planning a short film

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive

Film Production, UCA Farnham

• Tutor can easily assess each member’s contributions

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive

Activities supported by group blogs

• Graphic Media: students
create a pitch for a Graphic
Design agency

• Photography & Fine Art:
students collaborate to plan
an exhibition

• Postgraduate: students plan
a group presentation

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive

Unit blog

• Fashion: work
experience blog

• Postgraduate: as a
means for students to
contribute and discuss
content around a
weekly theme

Adaptive

Individual blogs

• Graphic Communication:

Students record their
research and creative
development on a private
blog that is only visible to
them and their tutor

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive

Postgraduate, UCA Epsom

• Students continue
the discussion from
the lesson and
share resources
• Can help increase
retention for less
confident students

Adaptive
Interactive

Prezi

• Fashion: Students work
in groups over several
weeks to brainstorm
ideas around trends

• These are then printed
out and brought together
in class

Adaptive
Adaptive Reflective

Fashion, UCA Epsom

• Tutor records each lecture
in advance
• Video uploaded onto
myUCA
• Students watch video
before the lecture
• Lecture focuses on
discussion

Interactive

Formative tests, Interior Architecture

• Tests help tutors
diagnose areas of
difficulty
• Tests help to reinforce
students’ knowledge

Discursive
Discursive Adaptive

Fashion, UCA Rochester

• Students work
in groups to
build a body of
research
around a topic

Over to you…

Choose a lesson that you teach or in which you have
participated as a student. Plan an activity for students’ home
work/self study that uses technology to enable students to
continue to learn between lessons.

The activity can last several weeks. Explain:

1.what you would ask the students to do
2.how you will manage your time and monitor students’ progress
3.how you will evaluate students’ learning and provide them with
feedback on their progress
4.how the theories of learning have informed the design of your
activity

PGC1.3 Blended Learning & e-Environments

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