Blended Learning as a Transformative Design Approach

Blended Learning Described

The promise of blended learning is to combine the strengths of face-to-face and online learning. Considering the innovative nature of blended learning, any description of blended learning must reflect the transformational potential of the concept. It is crucial to emphasize that blended learning is not just a technological enhancement of more traditional approaches such as the lecture. In short, it is not simply layering on technological options to inherently deficient face-to-face educational practices.

From this perspective, the key assumptions of a blended learning design are:

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  Thoughtful integration of face-to-face and online learning

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  Fundamentally rethinking the course design to optimize student engagement

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  Restructuring and replacing traditional class contact hours (Garrison & Vaughan, 2007)

These assumptions reflect a new way of thinking about higher education. There are no arbitrary prescribed proportions of face-to-face and online experiences here. The defining feature is the purposeful focus to combine the best features of face-to-face and online collaboration to engage students in meaningful and worthwhile learning experiences. In essence, blended learning expands the range of educational possibilities and encourages educators to re-consider basic assumptions and approaches. As we shall see, blended learning represents a way of thinking and an approach that avoids traditional zero sum scenarios where more of one means less of another. The blending of face-to-face and online teaching and learning create the conditions where educators can have, concurrently, interaction with independence and effectiveness with efficiency.

While the conceptual understanding of blended learning may be relatively easy to grasp, the range of possibilities and practical design challenges are complex. The important distinguishing feature of blended learning concerns the pedagogical possibilities created for specific purposes through the creative integration of face-to-face and online learning.

Pedagogical Approaches

The focus of blended learning is not on the enabling technology. The true potential of blended learning is the educational possibilities that technology affords. Blending is about the effective integration, fusion even, of face-to-face and online learning depending on the educational need and purpose. As such, there is virtually an infinite range of possibilities. Notwithstanding this reality, we begin by providing three generic scenarios that provide a concrete vision of the possibilities of a blended learning design.