The blending of blended learning

An experiential approach to academic staff development

Abstract

Along with the increasing emphasis placed on blended learning approaches in higher education, has come a need to engage and support staff in developing knowledge and skills for designing and managing blended learning curricula. This paper describes one strategy for such support: an elective course within an existing Graduate Certificate in Higher Education program. Staff have the opportunity to complete this course as part of a formal program of study or as a one-off professional development opportunity. The course specifically aims to support staff in developing an understanding of the philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings of blended learning design, as well as in gaining skills in designing curricula from a blended learning perspective using information and communication technologies (ICTs) for teaching, learning and assessment purposes. Itself designed in blended learning mode, this course attempts to embody good practice in blended learning, and here we present an initial evaluation of the course from this perspective.