Transcript USING A BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH TO TEACH …

WHAT IS BLENDED LEARNING?
 Blended learning refers to courses that combine face-to-
face classroom instruction with online learning
 It is also referred to as a form of enhanced classroom online
instruction
 Also referred to as mixed mode learning or hybrid learning
 Blended learning is not simply “bolted on” to an existing
face-to-face learning programme but constitutes a redesign
of the teaching and learning relationship
WHY BLENDED LEARNING?
 Fully on-line environment VS face-to-face interaction. Best of both
worlds
 Blended learning offers a great learning opportunity for lecturers
 Lecturers not very amenable to change. Blended learning offers them an
opportunity to keep up with the advancements in education in a nonthreatening manner by still allowing them that familiar face-to-face interaction
(De Zure 2002).
 (Broad et al. 2000) argue that limited research has been done into blended
learning in undergraduate studies -recommend that serious examination of the
students’ experiences of the blended learning.
 Blended learning also brings new operational benefits to the institution
RATIONALE FOR THIS STUDY
 HEQF call for curriculum transformation, the Durban University
of Technology (DUT) initiated a curriculum renewal project
identifying e-learning as one of it’s main strategic goals and
objectives
 As part of this curriculum renewal project, the DUT set out
objectives regarding the enhancement of teaching, learning and
assessment for alignment with the HEQF. The objectives
significant to this study are as follows:
 To create a student-centred teaching and learning environment
built around the notion of ‘learning how to learn.’
 Apply a diversity of teaching strategies in delivering academic
programmes or modules
 Linked to the idea that students as lifelong learners need to take
responsibility for their own learning, promote and support elearning or blended learning in academic programmes
PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY
 To investigate the impact of integrating a face-to-face and an online
teaching approach in Accounting Education for undergraduate student
teachers
 The intention was not just to build technical skills but to extend and
enrich educational experiences across the curriculum. Hence the
intention was not to simply offer e-learning as an educational extra, but
rather to incorporate my everyday educational practices in a
meaningful way using blended learning.
CONTEXT OF THIS STUDY
o Pioneers online training for lecturers-
Blackboard
o School of Education Initiative-WEB
CT and Life Skills
PROCEDURE –REDESIGNING THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS
 Individual activities
 Multiple choice questions
 Activities reinforcing Accounting procedures, skills and online
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exercises
Participative co-operative activities
Tutorial exercises and answers
Past examination papers with model answers
Articles for discussion using the discussion tool
General- study guides, module descriptors
Safe Assignment-check for plagirism
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
o Profile of respondents-purposeful sampling-55 4th year Accounting
Education student teachers-exposed to a blended learning
environment for 18 months
o Instrument- questionnaire
o Pilot study- 5 people-check questionnaire for ambiguity and confusion
o Systematic scaling technique-Likert Scale
RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 84% of the sample indicated that blended learning had improved their
performance in Accounting Education
 76% indicated that blended learning had motivated them to learn
 71% agreed that blended learning increased their independence in the learning
process
 87% strongly agreed that blended learning had assisted them in acquiring a
deeper understanding of Accounting Education concepts and procedures
 95% of the students was effective in that it provided them with additional
learning material that was readily available through hyperlinks especially for
discussion and assignments
 90.9% were in agreement that the immediate feedback on online assessments
motivated them to complete the assessments and progress through the levels
 67.2% responded positively that blended learning allowed more interaction with
the lecturer than in face-to-face lecture based sessions
RESULTS OF STUDY CONTINUED
 84% of the students were convinced that blended learning promoted
discussion with other students
 Finally 89.09 % of the total sample were in agreement that blended
learning made their learning more convenient as it gave them more
flexibility
COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS
 Blackboard has really assisted me in improving my performance but access to
the computer labs is a problem
 Sometimes the computers are offline and we have to submit an assignment or
do
 research and this becomes a problem
 Sometimes when we use the weblinks on the online classroom that is linked to
videoclips, we cannot use this as there is no speakers in the computer labs
 When assignments are due or we are going to write tests, there are not enough
computers for all the students
 Sometimes we have difficulty using the safe assignment tool and endnote as we
have not had training in this
 I really like blackboard because I can do the tutorial exercises and get the
answers to compare immediately, I do not have to wait for the lecturer
 It is convenient because we can send the lecturer messages if we have a
problem and she can discuss this with us online especially before a test
 I am happy because I do not live on campus but I can still discuss things with
the lecturer and other students and I have information. Before I had to come to
the campus to get the information
Discussion and Conclusions
 The results indicate that blended learning has contributed to an improvement
in student’s performance in Accounting education and were thus motivated to
learn
 This is in keeping with studies by (Ford 1992) who said that motivated students
are characterised by their greater involvement in the class subject and by
greater perseverance in carrying out assignments. The researcher is assuming
that if students’ performance has improved, then maybe their motivation to
learn Accounting Education will also increase. However there is no conclusive
evidence from the results that this will necessarily occur. However one can be
hopeful.
 Similarly, (Cooner 2010) is of the opinion that blended learning improves
students’ learning experience in developing their capacity for reflection by
providing them with a higher level of independence in the learning process.
This study provides the results that blended learning increased students’
independence in the learning process. This is very significant in the sense that
it could assist students in determining their own learning goals and plans, stay
on task, track their own progress and build on successes and adjust to failures.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
 Perhaps more significant is the contribution from studies undertaken by
(Meyer 2003) who states that a blended learning environment provides a
platform where students can confront questionable ideas and faulty thinking in
more objective and reflective ways than might be possible in a totally face-toface learning environment. Maybe by acquiring a deeper understanding of the
concepts and procedures in Accounting Education, students will be able to
apply this to real world situations. This will further enhance knowledge
deepening and increase the ability of the students to add value to society and
the economy.
 Studies by (Garrison and Anderson 2003) agree with these findings that
blended learning has the capabilities to facilitate the open communication and
limitless access to information on the internet thus providing for free and open
dialogue, critical debate, negotiation and agreement-the hallmark of higher
education. Blended learning allows students to access a range of quality
hardware and software. The results of this study will contribute further to the
body of knowledge that exists on the wealth of information that is available
online. Hopefully the resources available online in the blended learning
environment will equip the Accounting Education students with the
capabilities of taking up new technologies so as to support their professional
development.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
 Traditional educational practices despite its merits and advantages cannot
provide students with feedback at the pace that online assessments do. This
prompts students to attempt more of the assessments and in so doing the
student is engaging with the content and acquiring not only content
knowledge but technological capabilities.
 Hopefully this encouraging result will empower more lecturers in the School of
Education to equip themselves to be prepared to provide technologysupported learning opportunities for their students so that they can teach the
necessary subject matter content through interactive computer simulations,
digital and open educational resources which are only a few of the resources
that will enable lecturers to provide previously unimaginable opportunities for
conceptual understanding.
 . (Garrison and Kanuka 2004) support these results by offering that the
combination of face-to-face and online learning can result in a transformative
learning experience for students. This is because students can benefit from
being connected to a learning community regardless of whether they are apart
or together. Capturing ideas in a variety of ways to share with others for
AREAS OF CONCERN
 Whilst this study has shown the positive benefit of using blended learning in
Accounting Education, students have cited areas of concern especially the issue
of inadequate facilities. This concern has been raised with the departments
concerned and measures are being put into place to address this concern
 Another problem is the use of the safe assignment tool and end note which I
will address in the training of the students
FINAL COMMENT
 Blended learning has opened a whole new world for myself and my
students. We still have a lot to learn with regard to the technology and
its implications in education. We need to move beyond Blackboard but
we are taking it step at a time
 Not only has it contributed to my development as a teacher educator but
it has also contributed to my development as a lifelong learner
THANK YOU
ANITA HIRALAAL
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF
TECHNOLOGY