Introductions

Welcome to Blended and Hybrid Learning Design in Higher Education. My name is Neil Hughes. I am Professor of Languages and Digital Learning Technologies at the University of Nottingham in the UK. As I lead you through the course over the next five weeks, I will be drawing on both my knowledge of the field, and my experience as a university teacher who uses blended and hybrid learning in their own teaching practice

Of course, mine will not be the only voice you will hear. In addition to contributions from colleagues from the University of Nottingham and elsewhere in the East Midlands such as the Universities of Derby and Leicester, the course incorporates insights from some of the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners in the field of technology-enhanced teaching and learning. These include Stephen Downes, Diana Laurillard, Neil Selwyn, Russell Stannard and Norman Vaughan. To add additional texture to the course, there is a focus on blended and hybrid teaching practices at important global universities such as the University of Amsterdam in Holland and the University of Sydney in Australia. We will look at examples of both small and large group teaching, and explore whether there is anything we can learn from colleagues working in distance education that could enhance our students’ experience of blended and hybrid learning.

To all of those who have been so generous with their time and ideas, I would like to take this opportunity to extend the warmest thanks. I hope very much that you approve of the outcome.