Understanding blended learning

Hannah Tyreman, Head of Learning Design at the Chartered College of Teaching and a member of the TDF Advisory Group, talks about what we mean by blended learning and how to construct an effective hybrid approach.

What is blended learning?

A variety of definitions of blended learning exist and they capture the wide range of possible models and approaches that learning designers can choose from (Hrastinski 2019). Where these definitions all agree is in the design being a combination of face-to-face and online learning experiences. Getting the ‘right’ mixture of these elements is vital for effectiveness (Nguyen 2015) and there should be some element of choice and control for the learner ‘over time, place, path, or pace’ (Maxwell 2016). This choice can increase motivation and relevance for the learner.

The learning that takes place in a blended model can occur where all learners come together simultaneously at a specific time or place, whether online or face-to-face, (synchronous) or at a time and place most convenient to each separate individual over a period of time (asynchronous). Whatever model is chosen, the key to designing effective blended learning experiences is ensuring the integration of the face-to-face and online modes is ‘thoughtful’ (Garrison and Kanuka 2004).

A thoughtful design is one in which the technologies chosen to deliver the learning are the ‘final piece of the process, not its starting point’ (Selwyn 2019). Whilst multiple models of blended learning exist, and there is no agreement about what the optimal time spent learning in each mode is, it’s helpful to think of blended learning primarily in two ways. The first is an approach that centres face-to-face learning as a method for delivering instruction and building trust between learners. In this approach, online content and experiences exist as a way of deepening learning at a time and place most convenient for participants. The second approach is one where online learning is used to deliver instruction and the face-to-face elements are the spaces where deeper learning and inquiry can take place. In both of these models, we can see that the face-to-face and online approaches are inextricably linked, the learner is not expected to learn something in one space that can’t be enhanced or furthered in the other.

Where might online learning add most value?

The first useful principle for designing effective online components as part of a blended learning model is ensuring that the learning is prioritised over the technology chosen. At the beginning of your planning, consider the knowledge you intend for learners to gain by the end of their engagement with you; list the skills they’ll develop, and the habitual behaviours and beliefs that might be changed along the way (Dirksen 2015). Once you have determined answers to these questions, work backwards and determine how your learners will reach those destinations; the interactions they’ll need to have with you and others and whether these will be best facilitated online or face-to-face. You can then select the appropriate tools to support these interactions, whether paper and pens or online quizzes and community spaces.

Whilst there are many benefits to online learning, there are some aspects that might be most beneficial in this specific context of teacher development. The first is building collaborative communities. In blended formats, the sense of community can flourish stronger than it might in a solely online format (Rovai and Jordan 2004 in Nguyen 2015). In the face-to-face components of the blended learning model, learners have the opportunity to build trust and familiarity with one another; easing their interactions when they meet online. In online community spaces, learners can exchange deeper reflections, share useful links and build on conversations in a space where ‘physical boundaries’ and ‘time restrictions’ that exist in face-to-face settings are eliminated (Kim 2000; Khalid and Strange 2016).

There’s a valuable multiplicity of voices and perspectives (Ragupathi 2018) that can be heard in online spaces that may not necessarily be the case in face-to-face environments where reflections are bound by place and time, and the inequitable boundaries of established social groups. The opportunity for wider participation is especially the case where online learning activities can be engaged with asynchronously so all learners can take the time to absorb, contribute and revisit over time. If facilitated successfully, it may also be that these spaces can foster psychological safety where learners can arrive with their multiple and overlapping identities and feel a sense of belonging.

If your blended learning model relies upon core knowledge being retained by learners then online modes of delivery can support spaced retrieval practice with quizzes and other interactive assessments (Thalheimer 2017, EEF 2020). If your blended model relies on explanations of key concepts, or examples of applications in practice then the targeted use of video, watched intentionally, can support this. When delivering key learning components online, it’s vital to build in accessible practices (JISC 2020) so as not to compound inequities of access.