A guide to establishing hybrid learning courses: Employing information technology to create a new learning experience, and a case study

Hybrid learning, or blended learning, has become an interesting learning delivery method in recent years. Many universities have sought to develop their own hybrid learning courses as another option for students and instructors who prefer to replace some portion of traditional face-to-face meeting time with online instruction. This paper provides some pragmatic guidance for establishing hybrid learning courses in universities. The authors focus on the use of information technology, as well as the development and the design of the course content. The paper also illustrates a case study of hybrid learning courses at NJIT. The research results showed no significant difference between the performance of the students who took a course in hybrid mode versus the performance of those who took the identical course in distance learning mode. Some positive feedback in terms of perceived benefit from the hybrid course instruction and course materials was obtained from the students. The student learning styles were also investigated. The results demonstrated that the majority of students who participated in the hybrid learning course are active/sensing/sequential/visual learners. Most of them preferred visual presentations to verbal explanations. The research results also revealed the difference between learning styles of students with high performance, and those with low performance.     

Developing a university course for online delivery based on learning objects: from ideals to compromises

A course instructor and his assistant at Athabasca University investigated whether the process of transferring interoperable learning objects from online repositories facilitated course production, both pedagogically and economically. They examined the efficiency of the objects‐assembly method from several perspectives while developing an online university course based on learning objects for this, one of Canada's leading online and distance education institutions. The two researchers examined issues that confronted them as they gathered, assessed, repaired, assembled and created learning objects. When their search for suitable objects appeared fruitless, they questioned assumptions made by theoreticians and visionaries about pedagogical and economic efficiencies associated with the objects‐assembly metaphor and production. They highlighted this metaphor's failure to guide their course design based on learning objects in a climate of uncertainty and explained the nature of the compromise that eventually compelled them to acquire a proprietary online delivery system.     

Design principles for the blend in blended learning: a collective case study

This paper reports on a collective case study of three blended courses taught by different instructors in a higher education institution, with the purpose of identifying the different types of blend and how the blend supports student learning. Based on the instructors’ and students’ interviews, and document analysis of course outlines, two major principles, consolidation and extension, differentiating the design of the three courses, are identified. The consolidation principle emphasises designing different types of activities for students to think again, so that their knowledge can be consolidated. The extension principle emphasises the extension of the space of learning and catering the diverse needs of students. There are also design principles commonly found, with the emphases on student autonomy, interaction and feedback, and the awareness of student diversity. The findings contribute to the design of blended learning, especially on how the face-to-face and online components can be combined.     

Learning objects and learning content management systems in engineering education: implications of new trends

Learning objects and learning content management systems are considered to be ‘the next wave in engineering education’. The results of experiments with these new trends in ICT in engineering education are described in this paper. The prospects were examined and the concepts of reusability of content for teachers and for personalized education using learning objects delivered on demand to students were put to the test. The hurdles that need to be overcome and the benefits of using learning objects and learning content management systems are discussed. This paper is concluded with a discussion of the findings for future developments in engineering education.     

Motivation in a computer-supported collaborative learning scenario and its impact on learning activities and knowledge acquisition

Addressing a drawback in current research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), this study investigated the influence of motivation on learning activities and knowledge acquisition during CSCL. Participants’ (N = 200 university students) task was to develop a handout for which they had first an individual preparing phase followed by a computer-supported collaborative learning phase immediately afterwards. It was hypothesized that in both phases current motivation (in terms of expectancy and value components) influences both learning activities and knowledge acquisition in a positive way. According to main results, only goal orientations (before learning) were associated with knowledge acquisition respectively observed learning activities during the collaborative phase. Expectancy and value components of current motivation related neither to observed learning activities nor to knowledge acquisition during collaborative learning but were in part associated with learning activities and knowledge acquisition during individual learning. The discussion addresses several possible explanations for these unexpected results.     

Tool-mediated authentic learning in an educational technology course: a designed-based innovation

This design-based research project is concerned with the design, development and deployment of interactive technological learning environments to support contemporary education. The use of technologies in education often replicates instructivist positions and practices. However, the use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (C), authentic learning (A), and educational technologies as tools (T) to mediate learning provides an integrated CAT framework to design and use learning experiences that transform not only individuals but also their world view. The work reports on the design, redesign, and evaluation of an honors course on the use of information communication technologies in teaching and learning. Analyses identified a number of design principles useful in conceiving learning tasks to support the theoretical framework. The CAT framework fosters the use of learning mediation through the use of educational tools that support collective knowledge construction of individuals and their communities, rather than replicate the use of technology for instruction.     

The differential effects of prior knowledge on learning: A study of two consecutive courses in earth sciences

We studied the occurrence and nature of learningin a university first year Introduction toGeomorphology course, and its relations with priorknowledge taught in a prerequisite course, and withthe prior knowledge in the to be learned subjects. Tendimensions of knowledge were tapped before and afterthe course by conventional and cognitive structuremeasures that were derived by the concept mappingmethodology. The fine-grain analysis of learningoutcomes yielded the following results: (a) studentsacquired only a small portion of the content in thecourse Introduction to Geomorphology, (b) the priorgeological and geomorphological knowledge did notaffect the learning of the new geomorphologicalcontents, (c) the minor effects appeared within ratherthan across knowledge dimensions, and they affectedmainly the learning of smaller knowledge units, and(d) concept definition cannot be considereda valid probe of knowledge. The differential effects of prior knowledge question thecentral, global and undifferentiated role that schematheories ascribe to prior knowledge in futurelearning. They call for greater reference to theexposed dimensions of knowledge by suggestingadditional factors to be considered in the sequencingof courses, as well as to the acquisition of complexknowledge with partial meaning of the basic knowledgeunits, and the use of new cognitive structure probesof knowledge.     

Seeking optimal confusion: a review on epistemic emotion management in interactive digital learning environments

Emotions play a significant part in students’ learning experiences within complex educational environments. However, the impact of emotional experiences on effective learning is not straightforward. For example, being confused during learning may be perceived as an adverse event. There is, however, considerable research evidence suggesting that confusion can also be a productive aspect of a student's learning processes. Despite this, research also suggests that when confusion is persistent it can become harmful, promoting learner frustration or boredom. Key challenges for the design of interactive digital learning environments (IDLEs) are to detect and assess students’ emotions and to tailor the environment accordingly. In this paper we examine, from a review of the literature, the implications of learners’ confusion that can occur in IDLEs. Strategies for managing students’ confusion will then be discussed and examples of features enhancing learning in IDLEs will be suggested.     

Dialogic understanding of teachers' online transformative learning: A qualitative case study of teacher discussions in a graduate-level online course

Teachers are expected to implement new educational technologies and adapt to new teaching environments. However, it involves a complex learning process that can lead to their perspective transformation. We have developed and taught a discussion-based online course to facilitate teachers' transformative learning. This qualitative case study examines teachers' perspective transformation in our course to understand the nature of effective online teacher-to-teacher discussions. Based on a theoretical framework that integrates Mezirow's transformative learning model and Bakhtin's dialogism, this paper builds on previous literature on teacher-to-teacher discussions as well as providing a fresh perspective to inform the current globalized teacher education context.