Learning Technology
for Blended Learning
October 2005
Ed Garay
UIC Instructional Technology Lab
www.accc.uic.edu/itl
Academic Computing and Communications Center University of Illinois at Chicago
Teaching with Technology at UIC
Traditional face-to-face instruction
Web-enhanced teaching and learning
Advanced Web-enhanced classes
Online learning
The University of Illinois Online experience
Blended learning
traditional face-to-face instruction with an online component
Technology for Blended Learning
(1)
ACCC and the Instructional Technology
Lab commitment to UIC teaching and
learning with computer and Internet
technology, including Blended Learning
(2)
Blended Learning is
a lot easier
than
online-only program delivery, like UofI
Online. UIC is in good shape for both.
A typical scenario of Web-enhanced
for a traditional face-to-face class
Uses a Blackboard course site
Put the syllabus online, along with a couple of supplemental handouts
Post announcements and email your class
List a handful of related (external) links
Make available practice exams
Use the Blackboard Online Gradebook
A typical scenario for a blended class
Makes a much more elaborate use of
Blackboard
Put the syllabus online, supplemental documents and all/most lecture notes
Post announcements and email your class
Use discussion forums regularly for student-teacher communication and for student-led discussions and Web activities
A typical scenario for a blended class
Makes a much more elaborate use of
Blackboard
Run Blackboard Virtual Office Hours
Use groups for collaborative learning
Beam in guest speakers into class and/or host expert visitors on discussion forums Make available practice exams
Use the online gradebook extensively
A typical scenario for a blended class
Notes about class materials
Post them always in HTML and/or PDF
Avoid long, sequential content, especially with multimedia
under 15min audio enhanced presentations
under 5min video clips
intersperse assessments and other activities to retain learner’s attention and give them feedback
leverage campus computer labs and high
A typical scenario for a blended class
Notes about discussion forums
Use a generic forum for ‘end of class” Q&A consider allowing anonymous postings
Instructors and TAs regular participation Make discussion forum and Web activity
assignments an integral part of the grade
Offer individual and group assignments be clear about the assignments, minimum
number of meaningful postings/week, due dates
A typical scenario for a blended class
Notes about online assessments
Think of these as end-of-chapter open-book exercises (not “big grade” quizzes)
Offer many short (5 to 10min) weekly+ assessments, minimal or no grade
multiple attempts can be, at times, very beneficial
provide automatic feedback on all assessments
The primary goals should be student
self-assessment and to provide additional (easy) interactivity to the course
Learning Technology Tools
Instead of going through a set number of
learning technology systems and tools, it
is usually best to describe what one is
trying to accomplish (and why), and let
the Instructional Technology Lab
consultants identify the technology or
architected solution best suited to meet
the teaching and learning objectives.
Learning Technology Tools
Document creation
Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Word, PowerPoint
ITL’s help to make Web accessible content
Audio-enhanced presentations
Narrate presentations in PowerPoint
Convert for delivery via Impatica
Remember to break traditional hour-long face-to-face lectures into small 10 to 15-minute segments
Learning Technology Tools
Using video and audio content
video and audio can easily be digitized from tape and streamed over the network
video files are typically 20 to 50 times bigger than audio files
digital audio works well over traditional telephone/modem connections
video requires broadband or campus-like network bandwidth
Learning Technology Tools
Using video and audio content
Podcasts are audio-only programs, typically available for MP3 playback
Video authoring tools
Entry-level: Pinnacle Studio, iMovie, iDVD
Adv.: Premiere, Final Cut, DVD Studio, DVDit
Utilities: RealProducer, Camtasia, Cleaner
Audio authoring tools
Audacity, iTunes, RealProducer, SoundForge, Pinnacle Studio
Learning Technology Tools
Synchronous technology
For real-time class activities, collaborative learning, off-site instruction and to beam in guest speakers
Blackboard Learning System tools
Blackboard Virtual Office Hours
Web conferencing (i.e. ACCC e-Rooms)
ideal for computer-driven audio presentations
to teach from anywhere to anywhere
Learning Technology Tools
Synchronous technology
Videoconferencing over the Internet
ideal when both audio and video communication are essential
primarily used for room-to-room conferencing
not well suited for computer-driven presentations
Instant Messenger ubiquity
beyond plain-text keyboard chat
optional audio, video, application sharing
Learning Technology Tools
Blackboard Content System (new@uic)
Content management for Learning System WebDisks
a new service from ACCC to save, share and access files and folders over the Web
WebDisks are very easy to use
WebDisks are secure (authenticated, encrypted)
they can hold personal files and folders
individual files and/or folders can also be shared with others for collaboration
Learning Technology Tools
Miscellaneous
SafeAssignment plagiarism detection
Multilingual Blackboard course sites (spr06)
Blackboard voice discussion forums (pilot)
Wikis, Blogs and RSS
Wikis facilitate online collaboration
If you can see a Wiki, you can edit it easily
Blogs are Web logs (typically personal)
Blogs are simple to create, maintain, reflect on
