WP3: Expert Training Course- Stat February 2009

Marianne Riis & Heilyn Camacho, AAU

Course setting -1In general the COMBLE project aims at developing new

and innovative models for the use of blended learning in

different educational settings (vocational training,

enterprises, universities and other public bodies). The

goal is to improve the quality of blended learning by

providing administrators, teachers/trainers and learners

with knowledge, training and consulting with regard to

organizational, pedagogical, technical and pedagogical

factors, which may have an impact on the quality of

blended learning.

Course setting - 2The Blended Learning Expert Training Course will be

piloted and certified by Aalborg University (AAU).

Following the pilot, the 3 other COMBLE lead partners

will implement and test the course in their national

settings with their application partners.

The pilot course will be delivered exclusively online

combining Moodle ™, Second Life ™ and different web

2.0 technologies. The subsequent national test courses

may include f2f sessions/seminars.

Wp3 – a conceptual course“Blended learning is the effective combination of

different modes of delivery, models of teachingand styles of Learning” (Proctor. 2003:3)

No compulsory pedagogical strategy

– various strategies could be used, but …

The PBL concept has been chosen

AAU facilitators

Teaching-Learning environment

Target groupEducational staff (teachers, trainers,

Instructional designers) – people who want to

learn how to design, implement and teach

BL courses from a PBL perspective.

• The purpose of the pilot is to educate trainers who afterwards will be able to conduct and thereby spread the course locally. 

Pedagogical strategy -PBLCharacteristics of PBL in general:

• Social-constructivist foundation

• Ill-structures, complex problems drawn from real life (professional practice) provide the focal points and act as stimuli for the course, curriculum or program

• Learning is student (participant)-centered

• Instructor takes the role of a supervisor, coach or facilitator

• Responsibility of the learning process is mutual both between learners and between learners/instructor

• Learning is usually realized in small groups of students who analyze study, discuss and propose solutions to open-ended problems.

• Learner assessment is enhanced by self- and peer assessment

• Different approaches of PBL can be identified with distinctions in problem type and varying degrees of self-direction by the students

Pedagogical strategy – AAU model• Problem Oriented Project Pedagogy (POPP) as

organizing principle• Problem orientation indicates an open frame, where

participants formulate problems (as opposed to pre-defined problems set by the instructor or textbook)

• Project pedagogy indicates that participants are expected to work on long-term open-ended projects (as opposed to short-term, narrow assignments)

• Learning is realized in a community of learners organized in small interdependent groups

Why PBL?Working in groups with real life problems is

believed to motivate learners, who ideally will

learn:• problem solving • critical thinking• project management • negotiation and conflict resolution • analytical and methodological skills

All pertinent skills in lifelong learning!

Pedagogical strategy - an example

Theoretical foundation – Kolb.1984Experiential Learning:1. Learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of an

outcome.

2. Learning is a continous process grounded in experience.

3. The process of learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposed modes of adaptation to the world.

4. Learning is a holistic process of adaptation to the world.

5. Learning involves transactions between the person and the environment.

6. Learning is the process of creating knowledge.

(Kolb.1984:25-38)

Kolb’s model as design modelTogether with colleague Roger Fry, David A. Kolb

started exploring the potentials of experiential learning

in the 1970′ies, and Kolb further developed their ideas

in his 1984 book Experiential Learning: Experience

as Source of Learning and development. Besides

exploring foundations (Dewey, Lewin and Piaget in

particular) for experiential learning, Kolb presented a

model of 4 particular activities, which together

constitute an optimal learning process.

Kolb’s model

Course outline - 20.04-31.05 2009

Activities and ICT tools

Course objective• The main objective of the course is to provide

the participants with a combination of conceptual, theoretical and practical strategies with regards to designing, implementing and teaching/training courses of various duration in blended modality using different ICT tools in an overall PBL approach.

Specific objectives – learning goalsThe participants are expected to be able to:• Identify characteristics and attributes of Blended Learning and

of Problem Based Learning – with special focus on the Aalborg model (project and problem orientation) PBBL

• Discuss the advantages and challenges of PBBL integrated with different ICT tools

• Align goals and objectives of PBBL with local standards of learning

• Design a PBBL course/learning unit in a local setting anticipating different ICT tools

• Collaborate in an international context• Reflect upon and evaluate both personal and peer activity

General contentBlended Learning

• Definition(s)

• Advantages/challenges

• Why? When? Where? (different modes)

• Best practice examples

• Pedagogical strategies & learning theory

Problem Based Learning – as overall pedagogical strategy

• Definition(s) - models

• Implication of epistemological paradigm shift – advantages/challenges

• Best practice examples

• Roles (facilitators/participants)

Conceptualizing PBBL (The Mini-project)

ICT Tools (incl. Web 2.0)

Expected workload• The course is designed to equate 5 ECTS

points = 137,5 work hours.• In order to pass the course, the learner needs

to demonstrate satisfactory, active participation in both synchronous and asynchronous activities.

• Note that 2-3 weekly synchronous activities will take place in SL between 20:00-22:00 CET.