How can blended learning combine the strengths of online and in-person education to support deeper engagement, flexibility, and student success?
Introduction
Although blended learning is widely discussed, its meaning often differs between contexts and speakers. Here, we use it to describe an educational approach that combines traditional face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning activities and resources. It leverages technology to support the learning process beyond the classroom so that students can benefit from the ‘best of both worlds’: in-person interaction with teachers and peers, along with self-paced online learning. This approach has the potential to enhance learning effectiveness, accommodate individual needs, and improve student success.
While blended learning is not a new concept, it is an educational model that is gaining renewed attention in educational institutions. At the University of Twente, it is regarded as an instrument with the potential to support fundamental goals of our education, such as self-directed learning and student engagement (see Vision on Learning and Teaching).
Among the crucial aspects that are often neglected, we find students’ motivation and social connections in such environments. This emphasis has become even more pronounced since the COVID-19 pandemic, as researchers have observed a decline in students' motivation and social connections. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework offers insights into this aspect, serving as a social constructivist model for understanding teaching and learning processes in blended environments. This framework integrates the three key interconnected presences:
- Social presence: The ability for students to interact with others in a meaningful way.
- Cognitive presence: The extent to which the students can construct and confirm meaning through sustained interactions.
- Teaching presence: The design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social presence for meaningful learning.
Figure: Community of Inquiry framework
News & Events
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Foundational concepts
The foundational concept of blended learning is educational design. There are a lot of models that one can use to (re)design blended learning courses. See this SURF example with 10 models [also list it in the toolbox]. What they have in common is that most of them are based on Constructive alignment. etc.
Toolbox & Templates
Below, you’ll find a curated set of useful resources to help you develop effective blended learning courses. The different resources are categorised by the phases of the ADDIE model, a framework for designing and developing courses.
Additionally, we recommend that you take a look at our 'Teaching Topic' about Blended Learning.
Contact information
CELT offers support for teachers to develop blended learning for more active and connected learning experiences. Contact us to:
- Find out whether blended learning could benefit your course, module, or programme
- Evaluate and improve an existing blended learning course.
- Turn your course into a blended course.
- Organise a workshop on blended learning for your team.
