Thirty five years ago I completed a Master’s degree in educational technology with a specialization in computer applications in education. For younger readers, this was before the introduction of the microcomputer. I used mainframe computers, teletype machines and slide projectors to teach a senior physics lesson and to research computer-assisted learning.
Despite my enthusiasm and my belief at the time that technology could enhance the learning experience, deep down I knew the educational community was far from adopting such innovations. There was not enough dissatisfaction with what was the current approach to teaching, nor was there sufficient recognition of the importance for students to be fully engaged in the learning process. This was certainly the case in higher education where the lecture was the undisputed teaching model. Educators viewed technology as an evil that would dehumanize the educational process. Students would have to learn from machines – the ultimate form of sterile, behaviorist educational design. The consensus was that teachers would be unemployed and education as we knew it would be destroyed. Sadly, at the time, this was not considered hyperbole. Educators were not ready to question their assumptions about learning and approaches to teaching.
Since my early experiences with educational technology, two things have changed. Firstly, with the proliferation of communications technologies and the Internet, there is the realization that society has evolved and technology is at the center of this change; or, at least, a grudging acceptance that the clock cannot be turned back. I will not attempt to list the advances in technology and how they have changed society. The one thing I will say, however, is that ironically higher education has been most resistant to technological advances. Yes, technology has to a degree transformed administration and research; but communications technology has had only marginally influenced teaching and learning, the one area that has resisted mightily the advances of communications technology – until now.
The second significant factor for change within higher education is a growing discontent with the quality of the educational experience. The deficiencies of the traditional classroom lecture have been exposed as a result of growing class sizes and have been targeted by the students themselves. These are the students who go home and connect with their friends on the Internet. The Internet and chat rooms have displaced the telephone as the first medium of communication. In this virtual world they share music, video, games, and gossip, not only with one person, but with a group of friends. The students have created communities where they feel welcomed and connected. Their ability to access, communicate and express themselves is limited only by their imagination. Community for young people entering higher education today is very different from the traditional classroom lecture hall, where ironically, students are most often superficially connected and the experience subtly isolating.
As a result of not wanting to be labeled a “techie”, I completed a doctorate in adult and higher education. I was determined to never be seduced by technology and, conversely, to ensure that innovation be driven by sound educational theory and outcomes. This time has arrived; questions about, and dissatisfaction with, conventional classroom methods have compelled educational institutions to take a hard look at their approaches to teaching and learning. As a result, it is becoming clear to all concerned that solving educational problems will be disruptive and require technological innovation. Although innovation is required, it is essential that we carefully examine the traditional values and approaches of face-to-face learning experiences.
Educational institutions must address changing expectations associated with regard to the quality of the learning experience and the wave of technological innovations. Educators are questioning traditional approaches and whether they are achieving the high levels of learning promised. There is growing evidence and sentiment that the lecture is not effective in providing a deep and meaningful learning experience. Those who have grown-up with interactive technology are beginning to reject the traditional lecture. Students are questioning the information transmission approach of large lectures. Students are demanding a relevant and engaging learning experience, with increasing tuition costs.
It is past the time for educational institutions recognize the untenable position of holding on to past practices that are incongruent with the needs and demands of a knowledge society. In higher education the leaders have the challenge to position their institutions for the 21st century. They must provide students with an opportunity to engage their professors and peers in critical and creative reflection and discourse – the conventional ideals of higher education. The past is the future if we examine the ideals of higher education and recognize the need to critically examine current practices in higher education and the potential of communications technology to support intense, varied and continuous engagement in the learning process. There is the opportunity to revisit and regain the ideals of higher education with the adoption of approaches where dialogue and debate are valued. The premise of this book is that the greatest possibility of recapturing the ideals of higher education is through blended learning redesigns. Blended learning provides us with a “back to the future” scenario.
Administration, faculty and students in higher education know there has to be change. Most recognize that the convergence of the classroom and communications technology has the potential to transform higher education for the better. However, blended learning is more than enhancing lectures. It represents the transformation of how we approach teaching and learning. It is a complete rethinking and redesign of the educational environment and learning experience. Blended learning is a coherent design approach that openly assesses and integrates the strengths of face-to-face and online learning to address worthwhile educational goals. When blended learning is well understood and implemented, higher education will be transformed in a way not seen since the expansion of higher education in the late 1940s. The challenge now is to gain a deep understanding of the need, potential, and strategies of blended learning to approach the ideals of higher education.
The purpose in this course and in our book is to explore the concept of blended learning in a comprehensive yet coherent manner. To borrow from the European ODL Liaison Committee (2004), the challenge is to “create order in the confused ‘panacea concept’ of ‘blended learning’ by distinguishing between innovative and merely substitutive use of ICT [information and communication technology] …” Several key points are recognized in this statement. The first is the need for order. The second point is the recognition of the complexity of a deceivingly simple concept. Thirdly, blended learning is fundamentally different and is not simply an add-on to the dominant approach. These particular challenges shape the content of this course and the book we use to guide our learning activities.
