This paper presents a study grounded in the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework using qualitative content analysis and focus group interviews in an effort to identify aspects of learning presence in a blended learning course. Research has suggested that the CoI framework may need additional emphasis based on the roles of strategic learners in online environments. Consequently, this qualitative study investigated the extent to which learning presence, the fourth presence of the CoI framework, manifested itself in a blended mode of delivery. The specific focus was on learning presence and how it precipitated in a blended-learning environment. Findings from the study indicated that a lack of self-regulation skills, such as time-management, coordination, and management of tasks, influenced the learning presence and required a stronger teaching presence. We concluded that self-regulation skills are supportive of effective learning in a blended learning environment.

Emerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services. Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.

Extensive research has been done on the implementation of cooperative learning (CL) in a face-to-face classroom. However, only a few studies could be found on the implementation of CL in a blended learning environment. The implementation of CL in such an environment is a challenging goal for facilitators. It requires a commitment to change and the willingness to take risks, it takes time and requires planning. This article reports on research done to develop a holistic blended learning (BL) design model. The development of the model was based on a synthesis of a number of pedagogical models, which focus specifically on the integration of technology. The model was then used as a tool to design a module with the integration of CL in a BL environment. It was evident from the findings of the qualitative data that the students' intrinsic motivation (IM) improved after implementing the CL–BL module design.

Although the theoretical underpinnings and analytical framework for needs-based health workforce planning are well developed and tested, its uptake in national planning processes is still limited. Towards the development of open-access needs-based planning model for national workforce planning, we conducted a systematic scoping review of analytical applications of needs-based health workforce models. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses—extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist, a systematic scoping review was conducted. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature published in English was undertaken across several databases. Papers retrieved were assessed against predefined inclusion criteria, critically appraised, extracted and synthesized. Twenty-five papers were included, which showed increasing uptake of the needs-based health workforce modelling, with 84% of the studies published within the last decade (2010–20). Three countries (Canada, Australia and England) accounted for 48% of the publications included whilst four studies (16%) were based on low-and-middle-income countries. Only three of the studies were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the studies (36%) reported analytical applications for specific disease areas/programs at sub-national levels; 20% focused on the health system need for particular categories of health workers, and only two (8%) reported the analytical application of the needs-based health workforce approach at the level of a national health system across several disease areas/programs. Amongst the studies that conducted long-term projections, the time horizon of the projection was an average of 17 years, ranging from 3 to 33 years. Most of these studies had a minimum time horizon of 10 years. Across the studies, we synthesized six typical methodological considerations for advancing needs-based health workforce modelling. As countries aspire to align health workforce investments with population health needs, the need for some level of methodological harmonization, open-access needs-based models and guidelines for policy-oriented country-level use is not only imperative but urgent.

No abstract