Blended Learning

Published by Julie Kragerup Sørensen on

What is Blended Learning?

 

Blended Learning is the combination of ordinary classroom teaching, and online, technology-driven teaching.

The ambition is that by 2023, the far majority of all courses at CBS is taught in a blended way. Meaning that Blended Learning is going to be the normal way of teaching at CBS.

Blended Learning is not a pedagogy. However, by taking advantage of online tools and environments, Blended Learning can be a way of reinforcing the pedagogical principles at CBS.

Get an introduction to Blended Learning at CBS. Associate Professor Till Winkler shares his thoughts about his practices and experiences in this video.

Why blended learning?

 

There will never be a "one-size fits all" model in Blended Learning at CBS. It all depends on your course subject, learning objectives, class size and your own personal preference.

Here are some of the reasons for applying Blended Learning: 

 

Interaction

Students are often working alone. Online environments offers new opportunities for students to interact with both their peers and teachers - even when they are outside the classroom. For example, students can be asked to engage in an online discussion forum or do a collaborative writing exercise in a 365-document. Or they can be asked to solve a quiz while watching a mini video lecture in order to check their own progression.

Active learning

Students are often passive receivers rather than active participators in learning. Blended learning provides opportunities for design and organization of activities that promote students to be actively involved. For example, students are able to do online tasks before or in between classes. Or they will show up for classes that requires active participation, since most lecturing is now replaced with video-based mini-lectures online as part of students' preparation for class.

Practice orientation

Students at CBS are eager to learn about real-life business. Blended learning offers more practice oriented teaching, e.g. by online simulation games and video cases/interviews with practitioners. Practice-orientation may also arise from a "flipped classroom"-concept, allowing lectures to take place online, while the on-site part offers students to do case work.

Feedback

Students get limited feedback on their performance during the semester. Our LMS (Learn/moodle) provides new opportunities for tracking our students' performance and thereby giving them continuous feedback to enhance learning. The peergrade-tool also makes it possible to facilitate peer feedback sessions online.

Self-directed Learning

Students have a growing focus on customized learning experiences. Blended learning can support the creation of different learning experiences which aim to address different learning needs and interests in personalized journeys through the curriculum, e.g. by offering additional online tasks or ressources in between classes.

Digital Natives

Most of our students has grown up in the digital age and are used to dealing with technologies. By introducing learning technologies as part of a blended learning experience, we meet students preferences, Moreover, we help them develop digital competencies, that are required in their coming working life, e.g. participating in virtual teams and virtual workplaces.

Academic Challenge

Not all students are academically challenged to their full extent. Blended learning is a way to offer students resources and activities specifically designed to organize and offer learning in addition to the time they spend on campus and thereby provide new opportunities for academic challenge.

International partners

Blended learning provides new opportunities to reach out and collaborate more closely with international partners through shared online project rooms, group work and dialogue fora, which prepare students for an international work environment and support CBS’ aim of having a global mindset and a global engagement

 

Entrepreneurship & global strategy

In the course Entrepreneurship and Global Strategy Christina Lubinski combines lectures on campus and online modules. Two of the lectures on campus are replaced with online modules for students to be done at student’s own time.

Christina provides her online modules through Learn in order to communicate course information, provide students with readings, videos, assignments and quizzes. 

In Christina’s course it is required that students pass an individual, written sit-in exam at CBS. Christina has divided the four-hour exam into two; a multiple-choice test and a written assignment. 

 

Fraud Examination

Kim Klarskov is organizing the elective course Fraud Examination in a blended learning format. He provides a combination of lectures in class at CBS and online lectures on learn. The number of lectures at campus are substantially reduced and replaced with online video lectures, multiple choice questions and home assignments for students.  

Kim uses learn as a tool to provide students with course information, articles, PowerPoints and student activities like videos, quizzes and Q&A. Kim’s course requires that students complete and pass two out of four home assignments before they are allowed to go to the exam. 

 

Supplier Relationsship

In Kim Sundtoft Hald's course Supplier Relationship at Graduate Diploma (HD) the blended learning format appears in the combination of in class workshops at CBS and online learning activities on Learn.  

Kim uses learn as a tool to give provide students with course information, learning materials and video lectures and to facilitate online discussions and quizzing activities. In Kim’s course students are only allowed access to the exam if they have completed and passed eight online quizzes. 

 

Perspectives on consumer behavior

In the course Perspectives on a Consumer Behavior Thyra Uth Thomsen is focusing on the interaction between online sessions and on campus work. Five out of seven sessions are organized in a blended learning format. In these five sessions Thyra combines online preparation and in-class work. 

Thyra is using learn to provide students with course information, syllabus, readings, short online video lectures and assignments. As part of students' online preparation before coming to class, students must also provide each other with peer feedback through the online tool "peergrade". 

 

Managing Enterprise Architecture and teachnology

In the course Managing Enterprise Architecture and Technology Till Winkler organizes his teaching as blended learning. Till uses Learn as a tool to give students access to course information, syllabuls, readings, short online video lectures, polls, quizzes, assignments and peer feedback assignments.

In addition, Till has implemented case-based exercises in class. In the end of Till’s course, students must pass an oral exam based on a written product. 

 

perspectives in Strategic Brand management

In the course Perspectives in Strategic Brand Management, Sylvia von Wallpach uses a blended learning format. In the lectures Sylvia combines online lectures and online materials with in-class discussions and workshops with case-based work.

Sylvia supports her teaching with the use of learn. She provides students with online materials such as course information, readings, lecture videos, assignments and quizzes. In Sylvia’s course students also use the online platform peergrade for  peer feedback assignments. 

How to get started

If you are interested in transforming your teaching into a blended format, these four questions are beneficial to consider:

What post-course competencies do my students struggle most with?

It is these competencies you should consider when supporting blended learning. E.g. you can work with students’ analytical skills or abilities to reflect upon own learning with a digital peer-reviewing tool, support groupwork and collaboration skills with online work documents and forums or spark creativity with digital student creations.

In which teaching and learning activities are my students most passive?

Research has proven numerous of times that humans learn most effectively by being active in the learning process – this means that you will strengthen your learning environment by transforming your passive activities to active. E.g. breaking a long lecture up into smaller bits with peer-discussion breaks or group work activities in between. Use polling systems, quizzes or digital discussion boards to sum up the activity and provide collective feedback or be bold and ‘Flip’ you teaching entirely.

 

 

Where are ‘the low hanging fruits’?

Course development is a challenging task and it takes time, so it is a good idea to do it one step at a time and let the transformation be a process. Are there parts of your teaching that fits the online medium more than others? Some technologies even allow for more learning to take place or facilitate a specific kind of learning activity that might not be possible without the technology. Proper change takes time – teaching is just like research – to excel you must try new things and change accordingly to results.

 

 

How can I offer my students interactivity and feedback on their learning?

Interactive teaching styles promote an atmosphere of attention and participation. As you well know, telling is not teaching and listening is not learning. When you plan on going blended remember to give your students problems to think about and discuss in pairs or groups. Use the digital tools to let them make their voices heard – in short writings on Padlet, MindMeister or in short video hand ins. Let them review and share thoughts and ideas as feedback in group discussions or as opponent groups/panels - eg. In Peergrade.io or in discussion fora on CBS Learn.

 

 

 

Further considerations

Here are some further considerations that are relevant to take into account when applying Blended Learning.

 

 

Alignment and design

Be aware to design your course with a meaningful connection between the online and face-to-face learning activities. Alignment and bonding between the different activities will strengthen the students’ potential for deep learning.

Time and workload of students

Be aware of the amount of time it takes students to complete course activities. If more time is spent out of class doing course work, then you might cut down class face-to-face time or cut out other course assignments. Blended learning is not an excuse to load on extra work on students but a way of being more efficient with the time spent.

Framing of activities

Online learning will require more autonomous studying from students and they may need additional support in the form of clear guidelines, expectations for participation, and deadlines throughout the course. Explain your rationale for using blended learning and describe the learning benefits.

Tech Natives?

Students ability to use technology may vary and studies show that even though students are used to technology outside of their formal education, they are not necessarily experts in the tools you use in formal educational settings. Be prepared to support students in using technology and perhaps start your course with a low-stakes online assignment to get students acclimated.
Contact

For further information on Blended Learning - or - support in getting started, do not hesitate to contact Teaching & Learning. You will find our contact information here

 

Categories: Digital Tools

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