Week 9 : Blended Learning

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”-Nelson Mandela

Our education system is undergoing rapid and aggressive changes and improvements. Are we ready for the changes required to survive with the global learning innovations invading the world of education today?

The term ‘blended learning’ that been used in the second wave of e-learning refers to a combination of various delivery modes. The first generation of e-learning or Web-based learning programs focused on presenting physical classroom-based instructional content over the Internet. The concept of blended learning is embedded in the idea that learning is a continuous process. (Singh, 2003).

Why is blended learning and open learning strategies becoming more significant in traditional on-campus higher education institutions? 

The changing demographic of students

Now the demographic factor for the students has changed. Today, the students’ population in HEIs include single and married, fulltime and part time, employed and unemployed, residential and non-residential students. These differences have influenced HEIs to offer flexibility in course offering. BL provides convenient and flexibility in teaching and learning activities when students are not limited to participate at a fixed time and location. Virtual classroom event is inclusive of remote audiences and, when followed up with recorded knowledge objects (ability to playback a recorded live event) can extend the reach to those who could not attend at a specific time. Singh (2003).  

Meet students’ lifestyles and fulfill different learning style

The emerging of Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) offer non-residential education services which may be more compatible with students’ lifestyles and needs. Blended learning connects people, activities and events through technology. Each student have their own preferred learning style. People learn differently and one approach could not fit all. BL could accommodate different learning style with various approaches. Students able to extend their learning hours after their face-to-face session through a variety of learning resources.

Reduce cost and save time

Internet is a tool to deliver online learning supports a greater range of learning styles and individual differences in learning at a minimum cost. (Azizan, 2010). A totally online, self-paced, media-rich, Web-based training content may be too expensive to produce (requiring multiple resources and skills), but combining virtual collaborative and coaching sessions with simpler self-paced materials, such as generic off-the-shelf WBT, documents, case studies, recorded e-learning events, text assignments, and PowerPoint presentations (requiring quicker turn-around time and lower skill to produce) may be just as effective or even more effective. (Singh, 2003). Through BL students from all over the country able to make group discussion and projects using the online. This able to save their travelling cost and reduce their study cost.

  

Outline your experiences of teaching, assessing and/or providing feedback in a blended or open mode.

In Malaysia, we try to adapt this new approach of learning not only in the higher education but in school system as well. As far what I can see through this new approach, students demonstrate positive perceptions towards learning. They being more attracted, motivated and increase their engagement in the learning process. Sometimes we will get surprise with what our student had found through the internet. They generate more new ideas and enhance communication among teacher and students and among themselves as well. There are some students that are passive in the class but active communicate with teacher via virtual learning.

Taking EDST 5124 this semester really open my eyes on how interesting and useful blended learning in learning process. It gives me more space and time to share my idea and generate new ideas through discussion in the physical class and virtual class. The face-to-face class, really help me in the discussion and social communication while the other part of using the technology help me much in finding information and sharing our finding with others to get a feedback and gain knowledge from others. I am looking forward to implement this approach to our education system especially in my class.

Where does your institution’s courses currently fit and can you predict future trends?

The revised strategy from National Higher Education Strategic Plan (PSPTN) 2007-2020 included the adoption of blended learning. Currently, public higher learning institutions in Malaysia are moving from solely e-learning into blended learning (Bunyarit, 2006) cited in  Haron (2011).

We still practice traditional university courses but most universities in Malaysia have been using online learning as the added learning tool. We had plenty of online distance education being offered by many higher educations in Malaysia. Some of the universities had already offered blended learning courses such as Open University Malaysia (www.oum.edu.my), Multimedia University (www.mmu.edu.my) and Tun Abdul Razak University (www.unitar.edu.my). The BL was implemented at UTP for the January 2008 semester by blending several learning deliveries.(www.utp.edu.my). Saemah Rahman (2011) in her study found that, Malaysia universities are ready to offered blended learning courses in terms of infrastructure, support from stake holders and government policy.  

Our institution will be predicted have a new trends when education system moving towards MOOCs. The secretary general II of Education Ministry, Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang, said the review on National Higher Education Strategic Plan (PSPTN) 2007-2020 would focus on Massive Open On-Line Courses (MOOCs) as it would help the government save more on its expenditure. He believe that this strategy will indirectly reduce the construction of new institutions of higher learning because students can access their online learning system from anywhere, hence reducing the migration of young people to the city.

Taylor’s University being the first private university offered
a course as
a
MOOC
 started
on
27
March
2013.

(http://linc.mit.edu/linc2013/proceedings/Session3/Session3Al-Atabi.pdf).

While University Putra Malaysia being the first public university introduce MOOC in their system that have been launch on 7^th April 2014. Some other university have begun their step towards MOOC. Ministry of Education, would consider allocating RM500 million under the 11^th Malaysia Plan for all the public universities to implement the MOOC. (http://www.upm.edu.my/berita/details/putramoocbi?LANG=en).

 Is this a useful tool in selecting technology?

I would say that ‘SECTIONS’, from Bates & Poole (2003) give a clear guideline for course designers decided the appropriate technology that should be used to achieve a certain outcomes. However, as a teacher, I think that it would be a good idea to have a section focused on parents and their concerns. Another one thing that also needs to be considered is the values and attitudes underlying the model. Of course the biggest consideration would be at how specific technologies can support the pedagogical aims that we have identified.

In what way could this table be a useful tool?

The experience and knowledge that educators acquire enhances their confidence to implement ICT as the medium of their teaching. Some tools needed to identify the level of engagement with blended learning to help us to focus and give appropriate training or guide to the right person at the right time. 

Reference:

1.       Azizan, Farahiza Zaihan (2010), Blended Learning in Higher Education in Institution in Malaysia, Proceedings of Regional Conference on Knowledge Integration in ICT 2010

2.       Eng, Ling Siew, Rahman, Saemah, Ariffin, Siti Rohayah, Leong, Lai Kim, Hamzah, Mohd Izham Mohd (2011) Perspective on Blended Learning in Malaysia Institute of Higher Education: Needs,Readiness and Future Challenge, World Applied Science Journal 14 (Special Issue of Innovation and Pedagogy for Diverse Learners): 51-57,2011.

3.       Haron, Haryani, Abbas, Wan Faezah, Abd Rahman, Nor Aini (2011) ,The Adoption of Blended Learning among Malaysian Academicians, The 3rd International Conference on e-Learning ICEL 2011, 23-24 November 2011, Bandung, Indonesia.

4.       http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/02/the-basics-of-blended-learning.html

5.       Singh, Harvey (2003) Building Effective Blended Learning Programs , November - December 2003 Issue of Educational Technology, Volume 43, Number 6, Pages 51-54.

6.       Yusof,Anuar Mohd, Daniel, Esther Gnanamalar Sarojini , Low, Wah Yun, and Aziz,Kamarulzaman Ab. (2011) ‘Teachers’ Perceptions on the Blended Learning Environment for Special Needs Learners in Malaysia: A Case study’,2011 2nd International Conference on Education and Management Technology IPEDR   vol.13 (2011) © (2011)IACSIT Press, Singapore.