Options for Blended Learning at OTEN

Alison Cutler

15 December, 2003

This resource consists of:

A Recommendations document developed by the Options for Blended Learning team designed to inform blended learning at OTEN. The recommendations highlight key areas such as Learning Design, Student Support. Teacher/Developer Support, Technology and Business Processes and identify specific strategies to streamline/improve/mainstream blended learning at OTEN. This document is then being used to feed into management planning so that consideration of blended learning becomes a seamless part of our core business.
A comprehensive list of reading/research across the flexible learning spectrum, both national and international.
A poster we designed for use at the end of year LearnScope showcase which entertainingly and accurately sums up our project's peregrinations.

Recommendations to inform blended learning at OTEN:

Issue	Strategy	Who?
Learning Design at OTEN	Involve all stakeholders when planning learning materials projects Understand student cohort when considering existing and new learning products Create pathways and options for students to accommodate different learning styles Consider communication and collaboration needs of students in context of 200:1 student teacher ratio	Project team and eLearning Unit Project team Project Team Project Team
Supporting students to understand learning options	Assist students to make an informed choice re what and how they will study Ensure student can use technologies. Build student communities	Counselling/Course Info/teachers Project team and teacher
Support teachers and developers (on and off-site)	Awareness raising eg regular sessions Showcasing innovative projects and approaches Acknowledging good practice Inform staff of current learning design trends and developments.	Employee learning/eLearning Unit and other staff All Employee learning; RDDS and OLP managers
Technology	Consider current and new technologies and their application to business needs.	eLearning/RDDS
Changes to business processes	Review CAPP process and resources allocated especially at project design phase Encourage and support use of third party materials (eg TAFE Connect, AESHARNET, TAFE Frontiers, Toolboxes)	Educational Planning/ eLearning/ RDDS and OLP management

Reading/Research:

ANTA funded Blended Learning Project – Laurie Field:
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/yrk12focusareas/learntech/blended/index.php

“Flexibility through online learning: at a glance” Adelaide: NCVER, 2002
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/885.html (also available in the library)

Guthrie, Hugh “Online learning: research readings” Adelaide: NCVER, 2003
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/951.html

Cashion, Joan & Palmieri, Phoebe “The secret is the teacher: the learner’s view of online learning” Adelaide: NCVER, 2002
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/906.html (also available in the library)

One size doesn’t fit all: pedagogy in the online environment
Executive summary http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/proj/nr0F05e.htm?PHPSESSID=88e18d87cb0cacc41740cfe494a2298d
Volume 1 http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/965.html
Volume 2 http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/958.html

“Emerging futures: innovation in teaching and learning in VET” by John Mitchell & Associates
http://www.reframingthefuture.net/publications/Emerging_Futures.pdf

“Out of sight, but not out of mind! Reality of change in the daily working lives of VET practitioners” by Roger Harris & Michele Simons, Centre for Research in Education, Equity and Work, University of South Australia. Paper given at the sixth Australian VET Research Association (AVETRA) conference: ‘The changing face of VET’, Sydney, 9 – 11 April 2003
http://www.avetra.org.au/abstracts_and_papers_2003/refereed/Harris.pdf

“Virtually face-to-face: changes in the meaning of ‘online learning’” by Joan Cashion & Phoebe Palmieri. Paper given at the sixth Australian VET Research Association (AVETRA) conference: ‘The changing face of VET’, Sydney, 9 – 11 April 2003
http://www.avetra.org.au/abstracts_and_papers_2003/Palmieri-Cashion.pdf

Two articles on the Open University, UK and their blended learning approach:

E-learning at the Open University
http://www3.open.ac.uk/media/factsheets/Information%20about%20The%20Open%20University/E-learning%20&%20the%20OU%20factsheet.doc

“Lessons from the Open University: low-tech learning often works best” by John Daniels
http://www.dmaier.net/teaching/it5110/articles/delivery1.pdf

Blended learning in the corporate setting:

“Blended works: here’s proof” Trainingmag.com (online magazine)
http://www.trainingmag.com/training/search/search_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1526767

“Thomson Job Impact Study Confirms Blended Learning Yields Up to 163 Percent Increase in On-the-Job Performance” elearningmag (online magazine)
http://www.ltimagazine.com/ltimagazine/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=48123

Poster