Who’s using a blended approach and what’s the impact?

Examples and Evidence

Because blended learning is such a broad church, it's hard to find examples that will match your situation exactly.

What's evident from the available research is that the basic model for blended learning (combining f2f sessions with online resources and/or a virtual community) is gaining traction in higher education and schools, especially in the US.

It’s also true to say that education providers and organisations are starting to migrate from e-learning to blended.

There's a wide range of approaches within the broad definition of blended

learning. 30% to 79% offers a wide spectrum of choice.

Traditional (0%)

Web Facilitated (1 to 29%)

Blended or Hybrid

(30 to 79%)

Online or Flipped (80+%)

Delivered entirely face-to-face. Any resources or handouts are printed.

The majority is taught face-to-face, with resources made available online, or where the syllabus or assignments are posted online.

Substantial proportion of the content is delivered online, typically via online discussion groups alongside face-to-face sessions, for practicals and group work.

A course where most or all of the content is delivered online.

Blending In: The Extent and Promise of Blended Education in the United States (Allen, 2007)

There are a limited number of evaluation reports on blended learning. The research

available is, in the main, either academic papers or commercial think pieces.

(Innosight, 2012) (FSG, 2012) (Kineo, year) (Blackboard, 2009)

Key themes and issues arising ■ Blended learning is the younger sibling to e-learning and

online learning.

■ Blended learning has a higher acceptance and a higher

perceived value (because it’s closer to face-to-face learning)

than e-learning.

■ The pedagogy that best suits blended learning is still evolving.

It’s not about bolting on something digital.

■ ‘Social learning’ (and social enterprise applications) are on the

rise - where learners work collaborative on projects online.

Key themes and issues arising ■ Blended learning delivery is often defined by 'bricks and

mortar' - how accessible a building and its resources/classes

are to learners.

■ There is no single approach or strategy that works for all -

blended needs to be ‘blended’ into learning and training.

■ Having either informal communities of practice or formal

communities of learning combined with online resources

seems to be the favoured digital blend, especially in HE.

■ Establishing a culture that supports innovation and change is

an important step in successful blended learning