Blended learning, which is a combination of face-to-face and online delivery methods, can influence students' perceptions of the learning environment and, subsequently, their study experiences, learning outcomes, and ultimate academic achievement (Poon, 2013; Garrison and Kanuka, 2004). The blended mode of course delivery also poses a challenge to instructors because it requires them to move towards a constructivist approach to learning and teaching (Redmond, 2011).
Situated within action research, a framework that utilizes self-reflective enquiry in order to improve one’s own practices (Carr and Kemmis, 1986), this interactive session will showcase a third year special topics course in Women and Gender Studies, which was designed in a format that reduced face-to-face class time to 50 percent. Participants will hear reflections and lessons learned from the course instructor, students and instructional design facilitator who provided support to the instructor through the development process. We will consider the role of the instructor and the impact of blended course design on student learning. The aim of the session is to underline the importance of understanding students' perceptions of the blended learning environment as an important factor influencing their learning success (Entwistle, McCune and Hounsell, 2002) and enabling agency, and to provide participants with concrete tips that they can implement in their own blended and online projects to help students overcome challenges and succeed.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify benefits of, impediments to, and effective practices associated with designing and teaching a blended course
- Recognize anxieties that students may face when learning in the blended environment for the first time
- Reflect on how they might adapt some effective blended learning practices in their own teaching context.
