Blended Learning is no mystery. It isn't particularly new, although blended learning today probably involves more use of ICT than previously.
There are many definitions of blended learning.
Blended learning aims to join the best of classroom teaching and learning with the best of online teaching and learning. (Rochester Institute, 2004)
Blended learning systems combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction. (Wikipedia, 2010)
A method of educating at a distance that uses technology (high-tech, such as television and the Internet or low-tech, such as voice mail or conference calls) combined with traditional (or, stand-up) education or training’.(Smith, 2004)
However, what is clear is that there is not one single shared definition for the term. For this reason, NALA has adopted the following definition of blended learning:
Blended learning is about facilitating learning using a variety of approaches, best determined by the needs of the learner and the capability of the provider. It may or may not involve computers. It is simply a way of creatively matching different approaches to learners, content and contexts. (NALA, 2009)
Blended learning means creatively blending learning resources and media in different learning settings to offer diverse learning solutions and opportunities. In many ways, adult literacy tutors have probably already been practising blended learning for years - using authentic materials, going on field trips, study visits, agreeing non-classroom based projects – all these tasks and activities use blended learning approaches. Today, you might see your learners using mobile phones, smart phones even, using self service checkouts, shopping online, using skype to talk to relatives in Australia. If that's the world in which your learners live today, then it probably makes sense to start thinking of ways of blending these technologies and skills needs into provision. So blended learning approaches might use SMS to communicate with learners, use instant messaging to chat when they're outside the centre, devise projects to share photos on social media, email assignments, get people searching for information online, create folders with evidence on google docs and so on. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
To see some examples of how blended learning was used in conjunction with www.writeon.ie for 12 literacy learning centres in 2010, check out NALA's Blended Learning Report, available at http://www.nala.ie/publications/blended-learning-report-2011.
Happy blending!
Tom.
