Strategies for Blended Learning by bronwynannh
Last week we explored some strategies which encourage flexibility in the classroom. Basically these strategies are just examples of good practice in learning and teaching, and rely on your creativity as a teacher.  To choose and use appropriate strategies to ensure inclusiveness in the learning environment, you need to be in tune with your students. The Gallery of Strategies for online learning, on the Australian Flexible framework site, is worth a look - lots of ideas there. We discussed the use of case studies, and also techniques for getting students to really focus on the task at hand, for example, "drawing blind" which helps students in drawing class to "really see" the objects they are asked to draw.

You were asked to use a Blended Learning template to design some strategies in four categories as listed. Note: strategies for the Activities and Communication categories should include strategies for Interaction - student-student, student-teacher, student-content.

  1. Content.
  2. Activities.
  3. Communication - synchronous and asynchronous.
  4. Assessment.
For example, you may decide to present content online in topics as I have done for this course using WikiEducator. Activites are listed for each topic, and communication is both asynchronous (independent) - email and blogs - and synchronous (real time) - face-to-face workshops and online using web conferencing.

Barbara Ker spoke to the f2f class about video assessments for Veterinary Nursing programmes. You can listen to a recording of her presentation - coming soon. The School of Veterinary Nursing has produced a very valuable set of guidelines for video assessments.  One thing which intrigued me was the ethical clause instructing students to only engage in scheduled procedures and medication regimes. I believe this is to forewarn against unethical practices, and I had visions desperate students pulling cats and dogs off the street so they could complete their assessments on time. The school has to think of everything which might get in the way of a strategy ending in successful outcomes.

In the web conference, Jennifer Hamlin described how online learning is designed for distance students, and the recording included a demo of how Moodle is being used. The programmes are based on unit standards. There is a mix of block courses, practical work in block courses and in Veterinary clinics, online self-paced learning (on Moodle in exe packages), a synchronous online discussion forums, and regular web conferences (real time). Students video the skills they need to demonstrate for assessment, and some are during procedures in vet clinics and others are in the field (e.g., Rural Animal Technology).

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