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
Active learning
Practice orientation
Feedback
Self-directed Learning
Digital Natives
Academic Challenge
International partners
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
Time and workload of students
Framing of activities
Tech Natives?
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