Skip to 0 minutes and 17 seconds Hello, my name is Neil Hughes and I’m the academic lead for blended learning design in higher education. Blended learning and its multiple variants dominate the teaching and learning landscape in higher education, and not just because universities have invested heavily in education technology and need some bang for their buck. It’s a lure for many educators is that it offers a tantalising prospect of teaching and learning that combines the best of both worlds. So why take this course and what will you get from it?
Skip to 0 minutes and 52 seconds By the end, I very much hope that you will have gained knowledge and critical understanding of current conceptualisations and variants of blended learning, and understanding of what it means to think of blended learning as a complex social practice, awareness of the spatial and temporal dimensions of blended learning, awareness of the range of digital platforms, apps and tools that can be used to enhance learning in higher education. An introduction to some of the most important learning design frameworks and principles and understanding of what it means to treat the online dimension of blended learning as a rhetorical space. Awareness of the institutional context of higher education and how it impacts on learning design.
Skip to 1 minute and 42 seconds Practical advice and insights from some of the leading voices in blended and online learning, such as Norman Vaughan, Neil Selwyn and Diana Laurillard, as well as from each other. Advice about where you can go for support, to deepen your knowledge and skills in the field of blended learning. Oh yes, one more thing. I’ve woven literature, film and music into the course narrative. I’m hoping that by doing so I’ll be able to shed light on some of the more difficult concepts addressed in the course, add some narrative drive, spark your interest and ultimately to make the learning journey we’re going on together a little more enjoyable.
