Exploring the role of blended learning for teaching and learning effectiveness in institutions of higher learning: An empirical investigation

As the years progress there has been rapid growth in Blended Learning (BL) adoption, but only few research focused on adoption issues related to learners, academic staffs and management. Thus, research is needed to guide universities in strategically examining learners, academic staffs and management adoption of BL. Accordingly, this study develops a model to facilitate university policy makers in their decision making to assess students learning and academic staffs teaching outcome. Furthermore, this study explores on the factors that influence BL adoption in universities, through an empirical study from the perspectives of learners, academic staffs, and management. In particular, it examines the current BL practice adoption effectiveness in universities. Based on extensive review of prior studies, survey questionnaires was designed and distributed to convenience samples of 87 students, academic staffs, and management in 3 Malaysia universities to validate the developed model. Next, Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the survey data. Findings reveal that supportive factors, attitude, learning mode, satisfaction, course management, and ease of use positively predict the perception of learners and academic staffs’ to adopt BL. Similarly, findings suggest that the perception of management towards BL adoption is positively determined by the strategy, structure, and support factors. Moreover, findings reveal that the impact of BL on learners’ effectiveness is positively predicted by achievement, engagement, involvement, retention, and cognitive outcome. Additionally, findings suggest that the impact BL on academic staffs’ effectiveness is significantly influence by delivery, performance, evaluation, motivation. Theoretical implications from this study contribute to enhance teaching quality by enriching course management, improving learning content, and facilitate management policies towards effective BL adoption

COVID-19 Crisis: Exploring Community of Inquiry in Online Learning for Sub-Degree Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a tremendous impact on the pedagogy and learning experience of students in sub-degree education sector of Hong Kong. Online learning has become the “sole” solution to deal with student learning challenges during this chaotic period. In this study, we explore online learning for sub-degree students by using a community of inquiry (CoI). As such, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on survey data gathered from 287 sub-degree students from the business and engineering disciplines. Results indicated that the network speed for online education determines the perceived cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence of students, whereas gender and academic disciplines of students are not moderating factors that create a significant difference in perceived cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence of students. Our study findings for creating and sustaining a purposeful online learning community are highlighted

GRAND CHALLENGE No. 3: DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY Technology-Enabled Learning in Archaeology

Archaeology is traditionally a hands-on, in-person discipline when it comes to formal and informal instruction; however, more and more we are seeing the application of blended and online instruction and outreach implemented within our discipline. To this point, much of the movement in this direction has been related to a greater administrative emphasis on filling university classrooms, as well as the increasing importance of public outreach and engagement when it comes to presenting our research. More recently, we have all had to adjust our activities and interactions in reaction to physical distancing requirements during a pandemic. Whether in a physical classroom or online, archaeologists must learn to properly leverage digital technology in order to create enthusiastic, engaging, respectful, and accessible (from-place and in-place) learning environments. This article brings together scholars who are learning to do just that. We apply a usable and easily navigated framework for archaeologists to consider while in either formal or informal educational environments and provide examples of how digital technologies can be applied to satisfy the three “presences”—social/emotional, teaching, and cognitive—required for a successful “community of inquiry” experience in archaeology. Examples are drawn from our personal experiences in North America, Central America, and Europe

HBCU Students’ Experience With Remote and Blended Learning Amid Covid-19

AbstractLittle peer-reviewed literature existed on how the transition from face-to-face instruction to emergency remote teaching (ERT), online learning, and blended learning impacted the education of historically Black college and university (HBCU) students amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The gap in the literature was significant given the longstanding challenges HBCUs faced, which threatened their existence, and the disproportionate effect Covid-19 had on minority populations. This interpretive descriptive qualitative study explored the experiences of 10 HBCU students from six HBCUs across the United States using Garrison et al.\u27s community of inquiry framework to understand the participants\u27 perceptions of the teaching, social, and cognitive presences required to support ERT, online learning, and blended learning objectives. Four themes emerged: (a) the evidence of advancement from the early stages of ERT to a more stable online and blended learning environment; (b) the evolving perceptions of teaching, social, and cognitive presences in current online and blended learning; (c) the benefits and challenges of online and blended learning; and (d) the need for additional instructor training to maximize student learning and promote a sustainable teaching presence required for meaningful learning. Implications for social change include recommendations to help create a sustainable HBCU model through targeted faculty training to increase the teaching, social, and cognitive presences to boost student satisfaction and retention rates, attract a post millennial tech-savvy generation, and promote HBCU survivability in an unprecedented and highly competitive 21st-century post pandemic higher education recruitment era

Innovating Together: Employing a Faculty Learning Community to Support Blended Learning

abstract: As higher education embraces innovative educational models, support for the faculty members who must carry them out remains a vital ingredient for success. Despite this need, many institutions adopt innovations such as blended learning for all of the benefits afforded, with minimal consideration to meaningfully equip professors teaching these courses. “Faculty Learning Communities” (FLC’s) provide a powerful model of supporting and equipping faculty in their teaching practice. Nevertheless, ongoing and collaborative faculty development was historically unavailable to professors teaching undergraduate blended courses at Lancaster Bible College. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative action research study was to examine the ways that faculty perceived an FLC during the design and facilitation of a blended course. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework guided the design and facilitation of the FLC in fall 2018, as well as providing insight into measuring how learning communities formed during the FLC and while participants taught their courses. This FLC model blended learning for participants by occurring four times on campus, with online sessions following each in-person meeting. The faculty developer provided resources and support as faculty collaborated in designing their blended courses for the spring 2019 semester. Faculty perceptions of support were gathered in a focus group at the end of fall semester. During the spring 2019 semester, the faculty developer observed both on-campus and online sessions of the blended courses and led a second focus group about faculty perceptions of effectiveness and support. Qualitative data sets included video recordings of the FLC, focus groups, and class observations, field notes, and screenshots of online environments during the FLC and courses. Findings demonstrated substantial evidence of CoI measures of social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence were present in both the FLC and participants’ courses. These results affirmed the CoI framework provided a meaningful platform for faculty development. Additionally, participants perceived the FLC as supportive for their blended teaching practices, making direct mentions of support and indicating belief that broader institutional change be implemented toward this end to enhance faculty development opportunities. Limitations and implications of the study, as well as desired future research were explored.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 201

Blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning

This book on blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning highlights the focus on research conducted in several teaching and learning contexts where blended learning had been implemented and focused on the fostering of self-directed learning. Several authors have contributed to the book, and each chapter provides a unique perspective on blended learning and self-directed learning research. From each chapter, it becomes evident that coherence on the topics mentioned is established. One of the main aspects drawn in this book, and addressed by several authors in the book, is the use of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework when implementing teaching and learning strategies in blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning. This notion of focusing on the CoI framework is particularly evident in both theoretical and empirical dissemination presented in this book. What makes this book unique is the fact that researchers and peers in varied fields would benefit from the findings presented by each chapter, albeit theoretical, methodological or empirical in nature – this, in turn, provides opportunities for future research endeavours to further the narrative of how blended learning environments can be used to foster self-directed learning

Effective Online Instruction Through the Community of Inquiry Framework: An Exploratory Study in Kinesiology

Background: During the previous decade, online education has become an increasingly popular form of instruction in higher education and has displayed a greater growth rate. The proliferation of online course delivery demonstrates the undeniable impact that this teaching modality has on the realm of higher education including kinesiology. As educators in the field of kinesiology begin implementing online education in various forms, they face several challenges including technological issues and pedagogical concerns. However, online education currently receives very little attention in kinesiology literature, and discipline-specific online pedagogy is still quite rare. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine online kinesiology courses. The community of inquiry model (CoI; Garrison, Archer, & Anderson, 2000) serves as the theoretical framework for this study. The following research questions guide this study: (a) What are the instructors’ intentions toward successful online teaching? (b) How are the content components organized within the learning management system? and (c) What are students’ perceptions on their online learning experience? Method: This study adopted a multiple case study approach within a mixed-methods design in order to investigate online kinesiology courses. Six instructors and 79 students who were enrolled in the online courses participated in this study. Data were collected using the community of inquiry survey (Arbaugh et al., 2008), Learning Management System (LMS) analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Results: According to instructors’ CoI survey scores, the instructional intentions to the aspects of teaching and cognitive presence were high, whereas social presence remained at a low level. Across all six courses, instructors planned for different types of learning activities that initiated a diverse range of students’ engagement levels. According to the LMS analysis, the expository category represents the largest portion of these learning activities followed by the active learning and interactive learning. In terms of student survey results, students expressed a positive learning perception within their online learning experience. Discussion: This study provides initial evidence to support the need for training and mentoring of higher education professors in designing online instructional settings. It is important for instructors to recognize the value of students’ engagement within their online instructional settings, and design specific expository learning activities that lead to active and interactive learning

Understanding The Use and Impact of Social Media Features on The Educational Experiences of Higher-Education Students in Blended and Distance-Learning Environments

Students are increasingly expecting social media to be a component of their educational experiences both outside and inside of the classroom. The phenomenon of interest in this dissertation is understanding how the educational experiences of students are affected when social media are incorporated into online and blended course activities. Qualitative case studies are undertaken toward this end from a Human-Computer Interaction perspective by proposing 4 research questions: (1) How does the use of social media in blended-learning courses impact students\u27 educational experience? (2) How does the use of social media in online courses impact students\u27 educational experience? (3) How do specific features of social media impact student experiences inside the physical classroom? (4) How do specific features of social media impact student experiences outside of the physical classroom? This work is rooted in the theoretical foundations of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to conceptualize educational experience as defined by the intersection of social, cognitive, and teaching presences. Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST) is also integrated here to conceptualize social media features as technical objects defined through the relationship of functional affordances and symbolic expressions between students and social media. The findings are based on a total of 9 case studies (5 within a blended context and 4 within an online context) bound by students in Masters-level library science classes at Syracuse University. The results suggest that social presence is clearly the most salient type of presence in social media within blended course contexts, while cognitive and social presences are relatively salient in social media within online course contexts. Two main categories of affordances, timeliness and information curation, emerged as pertinent to students\u27 educational experiences in blended courses; while both of these, plus multimedia engagement, were identified as relevant to online courses. Technical objects (general features of social media) were identified which facilitate these affordances, and implications based on these are provided in respect to practice (for educators and information technology designers) and theory

An exploration of online interprofessional education facilitation

This thesis by publication explored the facilitation of Interprofessional Education (IPE) in the online environment. It described cognitive and behavioural outcomes associated with the facilitation experience, demonstrated the applicability of the Community of Inquiry framework to guide facilitation responses, and presented guidelines for educators developing and supporting a team of online IPE facilitators