Active Blended Learning

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the joint implementation of blended learning and active learning. The authors analysed 152 institutional websites containing definitions of these concepts. Blended learning is commonly, though arguably simplistically, viewed as the combination of face-to-face and online components. Active learning is often described as a pedagogical approach that engages students in higher-order thinking tasks, usually requiring collaboration with others. The authors systematically reviewed the literature on active blended learning (ABL). Health sciences is the most common field where empirical studies have been conducted. Most research used quantitative or mixed data and focused on the perspective of students. The tone of the discourse is predominantly positive, with an emphasis on the benefits of ABL. The chpater concludes by defining ABL as a pedagogical approach that combines sense-making activities with focused interactions in and outside the classroom. It puts forward a rationale and a framework for the implementation and scaling up of ABL in a higher education setting.

Enhancing Students’ Understanding of Social Media Marketing and the Use of Advertising and Public Relations Terminology Within IMC: A Participatory Action Research Project

“…The authors, between them, manage and teach undergraduate modules as part of the marketing communication curriculum across four undergraduate degrees in Fashion Marketing, Advertising and Digital, Marketing (top up), and Marketing, using Active Blended Learning principles (Armellini & Rodriguez, 2021). These modules include Introduction to Marketing Communications (Level 4), PR Management (Level 5), Integrated Marketing Communications (Level 5), Advertising (Level 6), Advertising Consultancy (Level 6), and Campaign Planning (Level 6).…”

“…This type of student activity and engagement is also referred to as active learning which contrasts with the more traditional lecture approach (Brennan, 2013). The U.K. university in which this research was undertaken is recognized as being the first university to adopt the Active Blended Learning framework as its standard approach to learning and teaching across the whole University which led to the building of a new campus with no lecture halls (Armellini & Rodriguez, 2021). The blended element here has a wider inference than online and face-to-face, as is sometimes made, but types of activities and approaches to assessment adjusted to context and the needs of the students.…”

Active Blended Learning Engineering Students: A Case Study

“…Currently, there are more and more publications devoted to combined application of AL and BL in engineering education that report its enhanced outcomes and other benefits for students and highlight the usefulness of this association for didactic and pedagogical practices [27,28]. A new active blended learning (ABL) platform has already become the normal mode of knowledge delivery at several universities based on the effective use of the BL and on making the strong and explicit links between online and offline AL activities.…”

“…In particular, several challenges of joint implementation of BL and AL are addressed in [27]. Following the analysing of 152 institutional websites containing definitions of these concepts and systematic review of the literature on ABL, the authors found their strong connection and dependence.…”

Adaptive learning through technology: a technical review and implementation

“…O'Dea and Stern, 2021) as well as pedagogical research (e.g. Armellini and Rodriguez, 2021) and institutions (i.e. Advance HE) advocating for a hybrid and/or blended approach to learning.…”