Blending for student engagement: Lessons learned for MOOCs and beyond

Abstract

The purpose of this ongoing, three-year action research study is to explore the digital challenges of student engagement in higher education within the experimental platform of blended learning. Research questions examine the role of digital innovation in supporting diverse learners, as well as building meaningful connections with technology for undergraduate teacher education students. Results from qualitative data collected through instructor journals and field notes and student mid-term and exit surveys during year one, indicate blended learning can be effective for modelling how to use technology to shift learners towards more active agency. The immediacy of the localised university classroom delivered a viable research setting for digital experimentation, while providing a significant lived experience for undergraduates to springboard their future technological practices with K-12 students. Four pedagogical opportunities for digital intentionality in virtual spaces emerged during data analysis and are shared as considerations for future innovation: (1) designing digital resources, (2) scaffolding student learning, (3) learner customisation, and (4) promoting the lived experience. Lessons learned could be effective in helping develop higher quality educational experiences for on-campus students, as well as scaffolding greater engagement in online formats involving more global populations (e.g., massive online open coursesMOOCs).

Blended learning and team teaching: Adapting pedagogy in response to the changing digital tertiary environment

“…This challenge of decreasing tertiary online retention rates is also prevalent in Australia (Edwards & McMilla, 2015) and has reportedly cost Australian universities more than $1.4 billion or an average of $36 million per institution (Hare, 2010). This exemplifies not only the need in changing pedagogy and approach in such a context, but highlights the benefits of the blended and flexible approaches on learning, which have proven to be more successful than purely online course offerings (McCarthy, 2010;Montgomery et al, 2015;Oblender, 2002). University students expect flexible, innovative and engaging learning experiences with technologies that they commonly use or will be expected to use in today's professional, academic and social environments (Spiliotopoulos, 2011).…”

“…Research in blended learning and results from this study suggest that both the face-to-face and online components need to be complementary and interdependent to be successful (Francis & Shannon, 2013;Montgomery et al, 2015). In such a context technology should be seamlessly integrated into the instructional design and teaching process (Torrisi-Steele & Drew, 2013;Turney, Robinson, Lee, & Soutar, 2009).…”

“…It is reasonable to suggest that this may be a result of the more recent introduction of the approach in educational spheres and slower adoption in tertiary contexts. However, with the leveraging of social networking (Rosenburg, 2006) and increase in the use of innovative learning technologies (Thorne, 2003), this approach will likely become an embedded part of the tertiary learning process Gedik et al, 2013;Montgomery et al, 2015), leading to a more sophisticated understanding. It still remains that a definition and frame of reference from the combined approach of blended learning and team teaching is required.…”

“…Educational developers and academics are looking to different techniques in delivering information to students. Utilising digital and online resources, and changing pedagogy in order to incorporate these effectively into course design, has become key in increasing student engagement and, subsequently, achievement (Australian Council for Educational Research, 2009;Montgomery, Hayward, Dunn, Carbonaro, & Amrhein, 2015).…”

Behavior and Intention in MOOCs Research

“…Furthermore, the five principles of effective teaching were found in MOOCs: student-faculty contact, student-student contact, active learning, prompt feedback and respect for students' diverse talents and ways of learning [14][15].…”