Blended Learning: How Can Sri Lankan Rural Masses Benefit?

(This article also appeared in the Daily News on 2006-07-25. Please follow this link if you wish to read it: http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/07/25/fea20.asp)

In an article, which appeared in the January issue of this newsletter, we discussed about e-Learning and what it takes to implement. The term “e-Learning” is now being increasingly replaced by a new term called “blended learning’. Is it just another buzz word or an old wine in a new bottle? Let us verify.

The purpose of this article therefore is to review what blended learning is and verify its relevance in today’s context and how blended leaning could help achieve sound learning outcomes and help Sri Lanka in disseminating knowledge and skills to a larger cross section of its population. While one should not be carried away by different new terms (buzz words) that appear in literature from time to time, it is important to know what these new terms are trying to define and also to know any other terms that try to define more or less the same thing. In fact, another term used along with blended learning to mean more or less the same thing is hybrid learning.

Definition and Scope

Blended learning is defined as a combination of multiple approaches to pedagogy or teaching. Blended learning is achieved through the combination if virtual and physical resources. In other words, it is a blend between e-Learning and traditional delivery methods such as face-to-face meetings (traditional class rooms), printed learning material, etc. Examples include learning situations where both technology-based materials and traditional print materials are used for achieving set learning objectives. Most learners are quite familiar with how their teachers use different delivery methods to achieve certain learning outcomes, e.g. lectures, discussion groups, drills and practices, role plays, audio/video clips, computer-based tutorials, etc. Therefore, it can be said that blended learning is a new name for an old concept or metaphorically, it is a situation where an old friend getting a new name.

Blended learning, when properly designed, can assist and cater to a large cross section of learners in achieving their learning goals by accommodating different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning. All students do not learn in just the same way; therefore, it is important to provide different methods, media and approaches to learn the same content by different students. The learners when they have a choice would choose the method that will suit them best in terms of preference, accessibility, affordability, etc. Different approaches in delivery are necessary also due to different learning contexts (traditional learning, distance learning or multimode learning, etc.), learner types (auditory learners, visual learners, etc.) and leaning tasks (facts, concepts, principles, procedures, etc.).

Factors Influencing the Blend

The factors that influence the blend of methods and techonologies used to achieve desired learning objectives include the following: learning context, type of learners, learning task, availability and accessibility of technology, learners’ attitudes towards using technology for learning, availability of time for learning, level of language and subject matter proficiency, pace at which learning goals are to be achieved, the pedagogical approaches and instructional strategies used.

The actual making of the ‘blend’ therefore should be based on proper study and evaluation of the learning situation. The study that needs to be carried out in such a situation is called Instructional Design. A typical instructional design process includes five stages; Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The educationists use the acronym ADDIE to refer to this five-stage process. The most critcal of these stages is the first stage, Analysis. Analysis or the Instructional Analysis serves as the basis for design of instructions and their delivery. The analysis stage typically consists of three components; analysis of learning context, analysis of learner, and analysis of the learning task (task analysis). The selection of the type of instruction and the mode of its delivery should be primarily based on the findings of the instructional analysis. For example, analyses of the learning context and the types of learners will provide information on gaps in knowledge of the learners, learners’ concerns, learners’ background including learners’ preferred styles of learning, learners’ performance levels, language proficiency, learners’ attitudes, learners’ access to and attitude towards technology, learners’ time constriants, learners’ age groups, etc. All these findings have implications on the design and delivery of instructions. For example, if most of the learners are either auditory or visual learners, the design of instruction should include audio and video components.

On the other hand, if the learners are adults who work full time or part-time, face-to-face delivery of instruction is not suitable as the main mode of delivery. In this case the design and delivery of instruction should be made to suit a distance learning environment. Here again, the question arises as to what type of distance learning is affordable to the learner. Does the learner have access to information and communication technology (ICT) where instructions can be delivered in the form of CD ROMs or online through the Internet. If the learners have no access to ICT, then the option will be to provide the learners with print material specially designed for distance learning. If the analysis shows that a good part of the learners have access to ICT, then the delivery of learning content should be made through both ICT and print material. This is just an example of blending different methods of delivery of instruction to suit different types of learners and learning contexts.

The Learning Process

Blended learning has a role to play even when the learners are more or less homogeneous. The discussion of blended teaching and learning methods become relevant when implementation of different steps in the learning process is considered. The different steps that a learner has to go through in order to accomplish a learning task successfully are known as Events of Instruction. Gagne has identified nine events of instruction. They are mentioned here in order to explain how these events can be accomplished using different types of delivery. Delivery types can be face-to-face, online, CD-ROM based, asynchronous discussion forums, synchronous seminars, etc. depending on what the particular event of instruction demands and what the findings of the instructional analysis are. The nine events of instruction are: 1. Gaining attention, 2. Informing the learner of the objective, 3. Stimulating learner’s attention, 4. Stimulating recall of prior knowledge, 5. Providing learning guidance, 6. Eliciting performance, 7. Providing feedback, 8. Assessing performance, and 9. Enhancing retention and transfer.

Due to limited space, it is not possible to discuss here all the events of instruction and explain how different approaches or media could be used to achieve each event of instruction. Let us look at a few events as examples. Let us consider the first event of instruction, gaining attention. The purpose of this event is for learners to focus their attention on the learning task. This event can be accomplished in different ways, i.e. using the traditional methods or media-based methods. We have all experienced this event when our teachers said, “Please open your text books to page 15 and look at question number 1”. On the other hand, in a media-based lesson, the learners attention may be gained in a number of ways; using sounds, graphics (either static or animated), a change in text (bolding, italicizing , colouring, etc.) on the screen. A major concern of the instructional designer at this stage is to include sufficient stimulation in this event to draw leaners’ attention to the learning task. Gaining attention is one event that can be similar across all learning outcomes (learning tasks). The actual selection of method to achieve this event greatly depends on the findings of the instructional analysis.

The Learning Task

The type of learning task, i.e. whether it is a fact, principle or a procedure that is being learnt, too has a bearing on the methods of delivery that can be used. Let us consider the event of instruction involving providing feedback (# 7). Providing feedback in a fact learning situation is relatively easy. The feedback required in this situation is just to say whether the answer is correct or not. This can be achieved through a table of answers at the back of a book, a direct response from a teacher or tutor to say the answer is correct or not, a computer-based tutorial which checks learner’s response against a stored answer and gives feedback saying whether the answer is correct or not, etc. The feedback given through a computer is suitable in situations where a feedback cannot be given by a human tutor. This may be due to the distance between the student and the tutor or due to the size of the student population where it is impossible to give individual feedbacks by human tutors. In situations that involve learning tasks such as problem solving, the feedback may not be one direct answer. In face-to-face situations, method of feedback would be to provide several possible reasons by the human tutor so that learner can attempt various possible alternatives and select the right one to suit the given situation. Also, in a traditional learning setting, feedback can be arranged to be obtained from the co-learners. If the learners do not have the opportunity to meet one another physically, necessary feedback could be provided through a compter-mediated discussion forum where learners and the tutor will be able to review and comment on individual learner’s work. Also, intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), if implemented, can evaluate the learner input and suggest possible routes for consideration of the learner in solving the problem or task. It is the instructional designer’s task therfore to select the appropriate mix of media to ensure effective learning under given learning contexts, types of learners and the learning tasks, etc.

In summary, blended learning (also sometimes called hybrid learning) is the term used to describe learning or training events or activities where e-learning, in its various forms, is combined with more traditional forms of training such as “class room” training. Blended learning can be delivered in a variety of ways. A common model is delivery of “theory” content to the learner prior to actual attendance at a training course or programme to put the “theory” into practice. This can be a very efficient and effective method of delivery, particularly if the learners are unable to attend traditional classroom type sessions. This mixture of methods reflects the hybrid nature of teaching and learning. A significant advantage of a blended programme is the ability to cater to individual needs. An individual could receive additional information and training through extra e-learning programmes whilst still attending classroom training with other students. Design and development of effective blended learning environments depend on sound instructional analysis or instructional design.

Benefit to the Sri Lankan Rural Masses

With major initiatives launched through the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and the ADB-funded Distance Education Modernisation Project (DEMP) and other similar initiatives to deliver various educational and training content through satellite technology, broadband communication networks and the regular Internet, it becomes increasingly feasible to implement bended learning for the benefit of the rural masses of the country. It is quite possible to deliver relevant and useful educational and training content through the above mentioned new technology for the benefit of the learners throughout the country. The content could include materials for improvement of general skills such as English knowledge and computer literacy as well as specific skills such as repair and maintenance of automobiles, computers, etc., house wiring and eletrical maintenance, house building, etc. However, those who are familiar with distance learning are quite aware of the main hardships the learners face. The lack of tutor support and feedback top the distance learners' list of concerns.

How can we tackle this issue with the help of blended learning? As mentioned above the "theory" part of the learning task can be delivered through the technology. How can the tutor support and feedback be provided to the learners? The way to go about with this issue may be to use a blended learning approach. It is possible to meet the above learner needs through a combination of online tutor and face-to-face tutor support. Face-to-face tutor support can be provided at venues such as Open University's regional, study and teaching centres, technical colleges, 'nenasalas' and any other appropriate public and private sector educational and training establishments. With such a blended learning setting, a large portion of the country's population is going to benefit from the new technology and the country can steadily move towards its vision to become a knowledge-based economy.

However, the challenges associated with such an endeavour include the design and development of suitable indigenous learning content suitable for delivery through digital technology and design and implementation of pedagogically sound blended learning environments that will result in successful learning outcomes.

About the author:

Dr. Gamini Padmaperuma, a former Senior Lecturer at the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), holds a PhD from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand in Instructional Design for Computer-Based Learning. He can be contacted through email: gamini_pad@hotmail.com