Abstract
The recent COVID pandemic illustrated a shift in both the type and ways that a range of digital technologies and learning designs have been employed in online teaching across the tertiary context. Of relevance, were the use of blended approaches that integrated online delivery (virtual) while students also attended classes in person. This chapter investigates the affordances, opportunities, and challenges that arose while two academics utilised blended synchronous learning (BSL) within a graduate arts class in Semester One, 2022. Wang's (2008) generic ICT model and the core components of pedagogy, social interaction, and technology were used to observe, interpret, and understand how two lecturers employed digital technologies in their practice. Using a collaborative self-study methodology (Samaras, 2011), via an online collaboration and regular Zoom meetings, emergent themes related to the opportunities and challenges that existed are presented, with consideration given to future adaption of BLS delivery within the tertiary teaching environment.
TopIntroduction
The COVID pandemic has seen the widespread adoption of online learning which is often termed emergency remote learning (Hodges et al., 2020). More recently, in response to the gradual opening and easing of work-from-home directives, hybrid forms of in person and online learning have gained prominence in Universities including Blended Synchronous Learning (BSL) which involves simultaneous, synchronous online and in person learning and teaching (Bower et al., 2015).
Setting the Scene
This chapter focuses on research that examined the delivery of a semester-long Arts Education subject at an Australian university in 2022. All the students previously completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline and many of them were also practicing teachers in schools and early childhood settings across a range of geographical contexts. There was a large international cohort, mostly from China, so the subject was designed to be inclusive of teachers and arts practitioners from a range of contexts who have an interest in arts education but not necessarily extensive experience, qualifications, or teacher registration.
Unlike what seems to be typical of BSL classes (Lakhal et al., 2021), we had a large cohort of 65 students with (90%) online, largely offshore in China and with English as an additional language. There were only a small number of in person, face-to-face students (10%). This meant that the tendency to ignore the online students (Lakhal et al., 2021; Wang & Huang, 2018) was not viable and we had to genuinely engage the online students. We could have opted to run the subject fully online but given the University was encouraging students to return to campus, it was felt necessary to make use of our specialist arts spaces, so we chose to deliver this subject in BSL mode with simultaneous online and face-to-face students.
In previous iterations of the subject, we had a much smaller cohort of 35 students. As the subject was focused on arts engagement, it underwent a major reconfiguration having been taught fully online in 2021 due to COVID related restrictions. For us, 2022 and introduction of BSL delivery was a brave new world. The two co-researchers/lecturers had only had a limited previous experience (one semester) running BSL classes. Previous delivery only involved a small number of online students who participated passively, usually watching a live stream of the seminar via Zoom (Wang & Huang, 2018).
In 2022, our institution provided us with financial support for a BSL support person and we were fortunate to employ a casual tutor to fulfil this role who had previously taught and marked in the subject, and had significant subject expertise. This support person had a PhD and extensive research experience in engagement and the arts across community settings. There were four other arts education lecturers across a range of artforms (music, drama, and visual art) who delivered the subject, all of whom had undertaken research in engagement or related areas such as motivation. This subject engaged a technician whose specific role aided with the use of technology and was also a qualified music teacher. The subject was well resourced with a breadth of skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced lecturers, combined with ongoing, additional technical support. Despite these factors, the data and discussion that is presented in this chapter illustrates that these assumed positive features did not always result in sustained, smooth learning and teaching experiences, where the technology always functioned reliably.
To further understand this experience for those involved, the following research questions are examined in relation to the BSL experience within this subject delivery:
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How can the reflections and experiences from this experience be used to inform teaching and learning within the BSL environment?
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What are the benefits and challenges of BSL delivery in a post-graduate arts education subject?
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How can the use of digitally mediated self-study research inform teaching practice?
Key Terms in this Chapter
Online Learning: Teaching remotely using technology for distance education and blended delivery.
Information Communications and Technology (ICT): A collection of technology-based tools and resources used for the creation, transmission, and storage of information.
Arts Education: The interconnection and collaborative delivery of arts-based practice involving authentic engagement, creation, and interaction, across subject areas such as Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts and Media Arts.
Digital Technology: The use of digital tools, software, and online or personal equipment (devices) to facilitate learning, communication, teaching, and resource creation.
Blended Synchronous Learning (BSL): Synchronous online and in person learning and teaching that occurs simultaneously ( Bower et al, 2015 ).
COVID-19 Pandemic: A severe respiratory virus that has caused a global outbreak declared as a pandemic on the 11 March 2020 by the World Health Organisation.
Learning Design: The intersection of teaching and learning practice, resources and content, and digital technologies.