Redesigning for the Blend

Jennifer Spink Strickland

Veronica Diaz

Objectives

• Recognize, formulate, and apply strategies for designing online for a Blended Format

• Write objectives• Create module structure• Identify easy & difficult to understand

navigation

Why Redesign?Why Redesign?

• Ensures your design facilitates your course

• Engage students in dynamic and vital communities

• Students take responsibility for content and learning

• Students learn through active participation and inquiryBlended Learning and Course Redesign in Higher Education: Dr. Randy Garrison, Dr. Norm Vaughan Assessing the Role of Teaching Presence from the Learner Perspective [http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/BlendedLearningandCo/39282]

Start Here

• Start with your objectives• Objectives affect the design and content of

your course • State objectives throughout your course• Objectives will give your course:

• Clarity• Direction• Clear sense of Accomplishment

Why Objectives?Why Objectives?• Clear statement of what students

will be able to do when they are finished with an instructional component

• Focuses on student performance

• Provides structure: A beginning, middle, and end

Meeting ObjectivesMeeting Objectives

Source: Blending In, March 2007

Writing Module ObjectivesWriting Module Objectives• What are the core concepts your students

must learn for each module? What do they need to know?

What do they need to be able to do?

What will they know as a result of my instruction?

• Objectives should be clearly stated and easy for students to understand

• Objectives should include content mastery skills and critical thinking skills

Why Modules?Why Modules?

• Easier to find course content

• Allows students to focus on content rather than form

• Content becomes manageable

• Prevents information overload

• “7 +/-2 rule”

Source: Blending In, March 2007

Modules DefinedModules Defined• Course content broken

down into “chunks”

• Course structure in a repetitive manner allowing for easy navigation

• Content organized in conceptually related blocks

• Consistent, logical, clear, common sense, apply past experience, let the content control the chunks

Source: Blending In, March 2007

ModuleModule Elements for BlendedElements for Blended

• Objectives• Mode or Presentation• Transitions or “The Blend”• Variety of Learning Activities• Building Community• Feedback• Assessment• Organization & Structure

SurvSurvival Strategiesival Strategies• No “one size fits all”• Start from a 30,000’ level• Consider chunking your course• Consider online components and face to

face components and how they connect• Be prepared for change• Try to gain some effective uses of classroom

time through online

Source: Inside Out, Upside Down (2002) Teaching with Technology Today