Implementing blended learning at faculty level

Supporting staff, and the ‘ripple effect’

Abstract

More and more Australian universities are mandating blended learning approaches, whether for efficiency reasons to reduce face-to-face classes or the need for scarce teaching spaces, to create more engaging learning environments by accessing the benefits online learning provides, or simply to keep up with competitors who have implemented such approaches. The challenges surrounding the adoption of online teaching approaches are not new. In the face of pressure to offer greater flexibility in their course offerings, Australian universities have, for a number of years, grappled with how to successfully embrace technology-supported learning in a way which engages both academic staff and their students. In this paper, we use an action research approach to describe how blended learning was introduced at a STEM faculty. We focus on how this has resulted in certain types of staff support provided. We also highlight the faster than expected diffusion of innovation that we have observed.