Blended Learning: What Does Research Say?

Agnieszka Palalas, Ed.D.

TESOL International Convention & English Language ExpoToronto, 25-28 March, 2015

Blended Learning Defined

“…the thoughtful fusion of face-to-face and online learning experiences”

(Garrison & Vaughan, 2008, p.5)

Thoughtful:• Linked to reinforce each other and create a unified course• Cohesive and meaningful• Built into the curriculum• Interplay of learning theories and models• Supported with a mesh-up of tools

Blended Learning RE-Defined 1 of 4

Recent perspectives - Tools

• relatively new tool , where most professors use Blackboard and Moodle to access video of lectures , tracking assignments , interact with professors and peers, and review other supporting materials

( TeachThought, 2014 )

Blended Learning RE-Defined 2 of 4

Recent perspectives – Location/Time + Delivery + Pedagogy

• leverage the Internet to afford students personalized learning experience

• increased student control over time, place, path, and/or pace

• at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location

• the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience

(Clayton Christensen Institute, 2014 )

Blended Learning RE-Defined 3 of 4

Recent perspectives in Language Teaching & Learning

• “in ELT ‘blended learning’ is the term most commonly used to refer to any combination of face-to-face teaching with computer technology (online and offline activities/materials)” (Tomlinson & Whittaker, 2013, p.12 )

• blended language learning (BLL) – combines f2f & CALL; e.g., independent self-study + CD-ROM, and f2f classroom (Stracke, 2007)

• “a language course which combines a face-to-face (F2F) classroom component with an appropriate use of technology. The term technology covers a wide range of recent technologies, such as the Internet, CD-ROMs and interactive whiteboards” (Sharma & Barrett, 2007, p.7)

Blended Learning RE-Defined 4 of 4

Purposeful MIX of:• Location & time (contexts)• Delivery methods• Pedagogical approaches• Tools > Materials > Artifacts• Roles of learners & teachers• Formal & informal learning

Blended learning is a purposeful mix of learning theories and models that use more than one delivery method and tool to accomplish the intended learning outcomes while ensuring an engaging learning experience. (Palalas, 2015 )

Blended Learning RE-Defined: Summary

• Focus shifts from delivery method to learning objectives• Mobile, social media and digital technology tools the new catalyst

= enabler• Innovative pedagogical approaches• Recognition of informal learning• New stakeholders and roles

>>> transformational redesign of teaching and learning

Benefits of Blending - Students

• Can result in significantly better learning than in a traditional classroom (Glazer, 2011)

• Maximized learning, learning-centered

• Engagement

• Reduced “seat-time”

• Creating time for students

• Personalized learning

• Self-regulated & socially-shared

• Developing skills at own pace

• Differentiated learning

• Focus on those who need teacher-led intervention

• Enhanced communication via multiple channels

• Flexibility• Increased access• Social interaction• Sense of community• 21st century skills• Interactive, social & in the “Cloud”• Mobile• Active learning• Collaboration• Situated learning

Benefits of Blending - Institution

• Innovative course design focusing on higher order learning

• Increase in structured out-of-class learning activities

• Provision of learning that goes beyond the school walls

• More students served at a lower cost per student

• The number of in-person classes decreased

• Ability to stretch resources and space

• Ongoing faculty PD

• Broader reach (global)

• Narrowing the digital divide

• Support course/program management

What Is the Right Blend?

DELIVERY METHOD:• Online + F2F classroom• Online + F2F classroom + Mobile • Online + Mobile

PEDAGOGY: • Flipped classroom• Formal + informal learning• Self-paced + structured • Multiple modalities • Mash-up of learning/teaching

approaches

What Are the Ingredients?

PEDAGOGY:

• Situated learning• Role plays• Story telling• Group discussion• Self-assessment• Recorded lectures• eBook co-creation• Individual student-generated artifacts

• Collaborative language artifacts• Multi-media presentation• Student recorded podcasts• Spaced repetition• Gamification

• CALL• MALL

What Are the Ingredients?

PLATFORMS & TOOLS:

• Discussion forums• DVD’s• Youtube• MOOC’s• Blogs• Wikis• Webquests• Field trips• Social media

• Digital storytelling tools• ePortfolios• Mobile apps• Simulations• Mind tools• Edu-games• Flash cards

What Are the Ingredients?

PLATFORMS & TOOLS:

• Discussion forums• DVD’s• Youtube• MOOC’s• Blogs• Wikis• Webquests• Field trips• Social media

• Digital storytelling tools• ePortfolios• Mobile apps• Simulations• Mind tools• Edu-games

Teacher’s Role?• Provide expert guidance and expertise

• Facilitate learning process and content selection

• Evaluate/assess and provide feedback

• Facilitate tool selection

• Provide tech support

• Promote collaboration and participation

• Enhance motivation and engagement

• Ensure teaching and social presence

• Promote cognitive presence

Best Practices for Blending (ELL) 1 of 2

• Maximise students exposure to English

• Explore various academic genres & opportunities for individual students to focus on genres relevant to them

• Increase student affective and cognitive involvement by providing choices of texts and tasks

• Provide opportunities for students to make discoveries on features and functions of English

• Maximize opportunities to communicate in English

Best Practices for Blending (ELL) 2 of 2

• Provide opportunities for students to seek ongoing feedback from peers and teachers on their communicative performance

• Provide opportunities for teachers to monitor the progress of students in ways which enable them to provide constructive criticism and responsive teaching when needed

(Tomlinson & Whittaker, 2013, p.12 )

What Are the Risks?

• Wrong ingredients• Wrong tools• No strategy• No skills• No resources

What Is the Right Technology?

Mobile• Personal, private and familiar

• Portable and flexible (fits into the lives of learners )

• Always‐on

• Just-in-time and on-demand

• Gateway to the network of learners and experts

• Interaction with context and real-life hands-on practice mediated by experts

• Access to resources and people

Mobile Tool Benefits

• Tool for student-generated artifacts • Accessibility for learners with special needs• Offers choice

• Powerful pocket computer

• Multimedia toolkit

• Connection to the network

(Palalas, 2013)

Blending Mobile Spaces

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Mobile-Assisted Language Learning

• Portable computing capabilities + multimedia + access to experts, peers, L2

speakers & resources

• Student-centered

• Contextual, situated

• Authentic (real-life or simulated)

• Collaborative, connected

• Personalized

• Active & meaningful

• Engaging & empowering

• Spaced & chunked up

Built-in Tools (Hardware & Software)

Audio and video player • podcasts

• audiobooks

• YouTube

Voice recorder• record and share

• record > replay > rehearse

• create mini-stories

• record > feedback

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Camera – photo and video capture communicative situations

record speech sample for evaluation

be creative, e.g., role-play, stand-up

comedy

Apps • task focused

• social networking tools

• OS tools

• …

Blended Learning: Podcasts for Taxi Drivers

(Kern, 2013)

MALL Tasks

• Interconnected

• Authentic communication challenges

• Co-learning: collaborative and individual

• Expert guidance

• Interaction: peers, L1 speakers, language experts

• Co-created multimedia artifacts

• Peer evaluation

• Evolving learning resource

• Aural focus but integrated all four language skills

Re-

• Replay/re-listen

• Record

• Rehearse

• Repeat

• Redo

• Remember

• Reflect

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Co-

• Communicate

• Collaborate

• Connect

• Create & co-create

• Construct

• Contextualize

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Minimal Pairs App• Practice pronunciation on the go

• Combine with in-class practice

• iPhone

• Android

Mobile Learning Example

Thank you!Dr. Agnieszka (Aga) PalalasAthabasca University

http://mobilearninginc.com/http://epluslearning.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/apalalasPresentations: http://www.slideshare.net/agaizaPublications: http://athabascau.academia.edu/apalalas

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References

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Clayton Christensen Institute. (2014) Retrieved from http://www.christenseninstitute.org/key-concepts/blended-learning-2/

Garrison, D., & Vaughan, N. (2008). Blended learning in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Glazer, F. (2011). New pedagogies and practices for teaching in higher education. Blended learning: Across the disciplines, across the academy. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Kern, N. (2013). Blended learning: Podcasts for taxi drivers. Blended Learning in English Language Teaching: Course Design and Implementation, 131.

Palalas, A. (2013). Blended Mobile Learning: Expanding Learning Spaces with Mobile Technologies. In Tsinakos, A, and Ally, M. (Eds.) Global Mobile Learning Implementations and Trends. pp. 86-104

Palalas, A. (2012). Design guidelines for a Mobile-Enabled Language Learning system supporting the development of ESP listening skills (Doctoral dissertation, Athabasca University). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10791/17

Palalas, A., & Hoven, D. (2013). Implications of using DBR to investigate the iterative design of a mobile-enabled language learning system. CALICO.

Sharma, P., & Barrett, B. (2007). Blended learning. Oxford: Macmillan.

Stracke, E (2007) A road to understanding: A qualitative study into why learners drop out of a blended language learning (BLL) environment. ReCALL 19/1: 57–78.

TeachThought (2014). Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/blended-learning-2/the-definition-of-blended-learning/

Tomlinson, B., & Whittaker, C. (Eds.). (2013). Blended Learning in English Language Teaching: Course Design and Implementation. British Council.