CONSTRUCTION OF BLENDED LEARNING METHOD IN A

GRADUATE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ANDES

Systematization of the Experience

María Frenanda Aldana Vargas, Gerardo Rey Arévalo and Inéride Álvarez Suescún

Center of Research and Education Training [CIFE], The Andes University, Street 18 A # 0-19 Bogotá D.C.,Colombia

Keywords: Interaction, Educational Technology Design, Blended Learning.

Abstract: In this paper the authors present the results of an ongoing process of systematization of the experience of the

construction of blended learning mode in a postgraduate program at the Andes University. In this process

the authors tried to solve how the process of construction and implementation of a blended learning mode in

the design of a postgraduate courses program? In order to answer this question, we defined three principal

categories, based on the systematizer team’s participation in this experience, as well as on its trajectory in

the incorporation of IT in educational processes. These categories are: Interaction, Technopedagogical

Design and Blended Mode.

1 INTRODUCTION

Below is the systematization of the experience of

creating blended learning mode, a master's program,

accompanied from the Laboratory of Computer

Research and Development and Education [LIDIE],

belonging to the Centre for Educational Research

and Training [CIFE] of the Universidad de los

Andes.

The central question was to systematize how did

the process of construction and implementation of a

Blended learning method in the design of the

courses of a graduate program? To answer this

question, we defined three main categories, which

would allow us to identify those aspects that can

contribute to the construction of a methodology for

the design of programs in this mode. Interaction,

Educational technology design and Blended learning

mode.

2 INTERACTION

We understood it, as the process by which an

educational community, in this case those involved

in the teaching-learning process of the graduate

program, build relationships and knowledge from

the sharing of understandings, paradigms, models

and other ways of knowing (Scardamalia & Bereiter,

2003 cited by Osorio, 2008). This definition includes

the interaction generated between teachers and

students, between the monitors and students and,

finally, the ones that took place among students.

2.1 Interaction between Teachers and

Students

This type of interaction met three main functions,

first, to support the process of appropriation of

theoretical concepts in the subjects treated by the

students, the second type, of organization, which

aims to maintain the clarity of the activities in each

courses, and finally, we present the interactions of

social and / or motivational, which were designed to

engage students with activities in the courses

(Barbera, Badia & Mominó, 2004, cited by Osorio,

2008).

The type of interaction between teachers and

students who fulfills the function of supporting the

conceptual appropriation process is complemented

by the principles of Onrubia (2005) referred to the

"joint activity", for which the learning process,

especially in the virtual learning environments,

occur due to the interplay of three fundamental

elements: the student mental activity, the content (or

learning materials) and the teacher. In this triad of

elements -help set-, the constant and significant

accompaniment from the teacher to learning

activities of students, -joint activity- is a key element

170

Fernanda Aldana Vargas M., Rey Arévalo G. and Álvarez Suescún I..

CONSTRUCTION OF BLENDED LEARNING METHOD IN A GRADUATE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ANDES - Systematization of the

Experience.

DOI: 10.5220/0003922201700174

In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU-2012), pages 170-174

ISBN: 978-989-8565-07-5

 2012 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

to facilitate student learning.

2.1.1 Factors that Enable the Joint Activity

Among the aspects that allowed the joint activity it

was possible to establish the position of some

teachers as facilitators of the learning process, was

crucial to create an environment that allowed

students to lay the foundation for knowledge

sharing, discussion and reinterpret them in learning

that were building in the course of graduate school.

During the course accompanying the program,

from the interaction of students with reading and

concepts that they had, a vacuum was present by the

inexperience of them on the issues and their

complexity. These gaps were trenching through

meetings with teachers, in this way, the readings met

the first level of conceptual appropriation, and

thereafter, with a first level of understanding in the

classroom sessions and even some virtual spaces,

interaction with teachers allowed the understanding

of the concepts that were unclear. Thus, the joint

activity (Onrubia, 2005) allowed teachers to

strengthen student learning, through fulfilling the

role of conceptual facilitators.

As seen, when a teacher assumes a position of

conceptual facilitator opens the door to initiate a

fundamental process that was highly valued by

students on several occasions in this program: the

possibility of linking the theoretical with the daily

life facilitated the understanding of the concepts

explained in face to face meetings, in the reference

materials such as texts, videos and sound files. This

linkage was enriched further more when teachers

were able to link aspects of professional

experiences from students. This fact allowed a

further commitment to the implementation of

planned activities, giving the students the possibility

of applying direct the learning acquired in the

courses, to their professional practices.

Another factor that facilitated students'

conceptual appropriation was timely feedback

provided by some teachers of the virtual activities.

Thanks to feedback from the work, tests, reading

tests and discussions, the students found

opportunities to recognize their faults and,

especially, to identify ways to improve their

performance in the course content.

2.1.2 Factors that Hinder the Joint Activity

Delayed feedback of learning activities, the absence

of some teachers in virtual spaces and the lack of

communication channels between teachers and

students, a high workload and the failure of some

students were other aspects that also limited the

student’s performance and their learning processes.

2.1.3 Organizational Interaction

The organizational interactions between teachers and

students, "designed to maintain the clarity of the

activities and shared understanding of those who

develop" (Barbera, Badia & Mominó, 2004, cited by

Osorio, 2008), were presented permanently in the

different face to face and virtual spaces of the

courses of the program, mainly, this type of

relationship was oriented in the first meetings of the

courses to present the programs, evaluation criteria

and ways of proceeding during the duration of the

courses.

Despite the presentation of programs and

evaluation criteria at the beginning of the courses,

we found that in some, the rules were not entirely

clear, this fact highlights the need for constant

communication between teachers, instructors and

students that allows specifying the objectives of the

activities, criteria for evaluating them and the rules

to deliver the work.

2.1.4 Social Interaction and Motivational

It was found that they took place in both face to face

and virtual spaces, but it was in the classroom spaces

in which they occurred to a greater extent. In this

context, teachers permanently motivated student

participation and managed to get their attention.

With regard to virtual spaces, social and

motivational interactions were aimed at getting

students to commit to the core activities of the

courses.

2.2 Interaction between Students

The first type of interaction between students

presented in the program was organizational, this

was directed to establish agreements between groups

of students to coordinate actions of consultation of

literature, drafting of documents and, sometimes, to

guide other students in the individual tasks. This

type of interaction, although it was present

sometimes at face to face sessions, was particularly

evident in the virtual spaces made for group work or

solving logistical difficulties. Through this kind of

tools offered in the virtual classroom courses,

students were able to communicate with their peers

to achieve different objectives.

The second type of interaction between students

evidenced was the one mediated by collaborative

work. These interactions were oriented to get

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students got common goals in which dialogue,

confrontation of academic or professional ideas and

experiences were shared to generate learning

through virtual forums, open to all courses in online

forums or the ones that were only to group

discussions held in face to face moments from work

done in the weeks of independent work and virtual.

Interactions aimed at achieving a collaborative work,

were evident mostly in face to face sessions.

3 EDUCATIONAL

TECHNOLOGY DESIGN

In the understanding of the construction, dynamics

and implementation of courses in blended learning

mode, is essential to recognize as central line, the

educational treatment linked to the use of

information and communication technology (ICT) to

enhance the teaching and learning. This demand led

us to recognize a category also called for Onrubia

Educational Technology Design (Diseño

tecnopedagógico) (2005) "inter-activity and

technological potential."

The initial definition of this category, is based on

the distinction offered by Javier Onrubia in his

article Learning and teaching in virtual

environments: joint activity, learning support and

knowledge construction (2005), - understood as the

potential restrictions or derived from two converging

factors, instructional design and technological

resources of the virtual environment. According to

the above, we address this category from the

following subcategories: Instructional design,

characteristics of the materials, and distance between

design and use as a category that can recognize

contingent factors that arise in the implementation of

a blended experience.

3.1 Instructional Design (Design of the

Instruction)

3.1.1 Pedagogical Principles

An analysis of the characteristics of the activities,

leads us to recognize some components that we

named as principles that define the intent of the

activities. This analysis is performed from the

paradigm of situated cognition, which is part of the

"premise that knowledge is located, is part and

parcel of the activity, context and culture that

developed and used" (Diaz Barriga 2003, p.3),

which leads us to identify the following principles:

 Learning with others.

 Learning from student activity or learning by

doing.

 Learning from authentic activities. The data

analysis led us to identify three conditions that

are associated with this principle: (a)

Recognize the student's individual process, (b)

Recognize the context and meaning as a

means of new information, and (c) Teacher

Facilitator learning.

3.1.2 Types of Strategies and Techniques

The pedagogical principles are visible in the

strategies and techniques used by the teacher to

promote learning, in line with this, it is assumed the

teaching strategy as those "... procedures that the

teacher or teaching agent use in a flexible, adaptive,

and reflective self-regulated to promote the

achievement of meaningful learning in students

"(Diaz Barriga, 2003, p.8). Every strategy and

technique, according with it´s orientation, may be

established to more than one type of pedagogical

principle.

Table 1: Pedagogical principles and pedagogical

strategies.

Principle

Strategy

Learning with others

Work in small groups.

Conceptual forums.

General discussions.

Learning from student

activity or learning by

doing

Case Studies.

Projects.

Analysis of problems.

Conceptual forums.

Learning

from

authentic

and

significant

activities

(a)

Recognize

individual

student

process

Case Studies.

Projects.

Formative assessment

strategies.

(b)

Recognize

the context

and

meaning as

a means of

new

information

Problem analysis. Projects.

as a

learning

facilitator

Problem analysis. Projects.

Traditional class supported

by various materials and

linked to other strategies.

Conceptual forums.

* Considered as evaluation techniques for learning.

It is possible to affirm that the following strategies

found are characteristic of meaningful learning, ie,

those "... focused on experiential learning and

situated, that focus on the construction of knowledge

CSEDU2012-4thInternationalConferenceonComputerSupportedEducation

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in real contexts, in the development of reflective

skills, critical and the higher-level thinking and

participation in authentic social practices of the

community "(Diaz Barriga, 2003, p.8). The table

below shows the strategies and techniques found in

the teaching and learning experiences generated.

3.2 Use and Guidance of Technology

Tools.

Analyze the principles, strategies and teaching

techniques used, required to describe the use and

direction of technological tools to support their

development in virtual spaces, in this way is to

recognize the contribution of virtual media such

activities.

3.2.1 Integration between Virtual and Face

to Face Spaces

It is possible to identify three main types of

relationship-level, subject preparation and

development issues.

About the leveling we identified orientations

focused in two aspects: initiate a course through

participation in discussion forums and prior

knowledge to clarify which raised challenges to be

solved with the help of a tutorial.

As regards the preparation of the subject is

possible to recognize: individual preparation based

on previous readings, accompanied at times of jobs

that should advance the student as essays, reviews

and concept maps. Review of videos that lead to

discussion forums. Chats and Forums, that although

not explicitly articulated to the physical, they helped

to prepare a dip in the treatment of the subject, by

the students. Input tests in which the student

received information about their performance.

Preparation of the topic in small groups, through

activities that focus on applied studies, exercises and

workshops that were presented at the sessions.

The performances of the students are analyzed

by teachers previously to face to face meetings,

which gives useful information to consider possible

adjustments to classroom activities.

The development of issues has been exclusively

through discussion forums: collaborative activities,

based on the exchange of experiences and

knowledge. The exchange

potentiated by forums it´s

enriching given the diversity of experiences and

knowledge; is possible to say that the use of

asynchronous communication tools powers a

characteristic of teaching-learning process.

3.2.2 Educational Purpose

Another aspect to consider in understanding the

contribution of technological tools, is the

educational purpose that leads them. The following

table summarizes the findings of the cohort

analyzed:

Table 2: Pedagogical uses of ILT

Educational aid Activity Tool

Support

knowledge

building

Concept mapping for

the understanding of

theories

CmapTools.

Support

knowledge

building.

Communication

and

Collaboration.

Real-time

communication for

the development of

joint activities

between participants

Skype and chat

rooms.

Support

knowledge

building

Communication

between students and

teacher in deferred

time for analysis and

discussion of issues

Discussion

forums.

Learning

assessment

Portfolio to monitor

the process of student

Areas of work

on the platform

(Black board).

Learning

assessment

Information about

knowledge and

practices of students

Online surveys

or links to the

platform.

Learning

assessment

Reading control,

online surveys and

perception surveys,

input and output tests

Respondus.

Support

knowledge

building

Synchronic tutorials

to small groups

Online

conferencing

through

WebEx.

Support

knowledge

building

Tutorial for exercising

and strengthening of

basic skills

Accounting

Tutorial.

Provision of

content

Videos and recordings

used to introduce or to

delve into topics.

Videos.

Podcast.

Learning

assessment

Delivery of progress

on individual and

group work including

teacher feedback on

progress.

Areas of work

on the platform

(Black board).

Blogs.

4 CONCLUSIONS

The importance of the teacher's role as an enhancer

of student learning through their continuous support

and sustained learning activities, confirms then the

Onrubia´s (2005) proposal on the centrality of the

role of teachers in the process of helping set through

joint activity.

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The factors such as the role of teacher as a

conceptual facilitator, linking theoretical concepts

with everyday life, the inclusion of students with

professional knowledge in the explanation of the

theoretical and timely feedback are key elements to

facilitate learning in such environments.

The interaction between students is a way to

enhance their learning, but this interaction must be

framed within meaningful activities for them. When

this happens, it raises the possibility that peer

knowledge sharing, generated significant discussion

and succeeds in building useful knowledge to apply

in a given professional context.

Moreover, in the category of Educational

Technology Design emerged great importance for

the orientation of learning environments that

integrate virtual and face to face. The analysis of this

category shows that in these types of environment,

the issue is essentially pedagogical questions to be

addressed early in the design of this type of

experience should be focused on the purpose of

learning and ways to reach them.

The need to address the design of the

environment from an integrated scope that links

pedagogical principles, strategies and techniques, the

use of technological tools.

Alternatives are evident on the integration

between virtual and spaces, so that learning can be

enhanced from both kinds of space, so show the

courses analyzed in this study, where the virtuality

had different emphases: leveling very heterogeneous

group, preparation of new issues by students and

thematic development of the course.

While careful design is essential, not in itself is

the guarantee of the effectiveness of planned

environment, a closer look on the implementation of

the courses, we showed the diversity of factors that

must be addressed throughout the course: the

appropriation of technology by the user, which

means recognizing the conditions for using the tools,

the precise handling of the information demanded by

virtual spaces, the importance of tracking changes in

these types of spaces.

A central contribution of this study was to

recognize alternatives to absorb, in a blended

learning mode, a pedagogical approach that part of

the active role of students and reflective capacity,

and the feasibility to mobilize significant learning,

applied to the contexts of performance of trainees.

We understand the blended learning modality as

one in which there is a link between real and virtual

environments, with the aim of harnessing the

potential of each to promote quality learning. This

interaction involves thinking about how to address

the dimensions "space, time, fidelity of the

experience and human interaction" (Graham, 2006).

It is the purpose of a blended mode on strengthening

teaching experience from the strategies of

interaction, active learning and student centered. In

line with this, the characteristics of a blended

learning environment provide a flexible approach to

teaching and learning more personalized experience.

It is not possible to speak of blended mode in a

unified way; different levels of coverage depending

on their purpose either facilitate, enhance or

transform the learning experience (Graham, 2006).

This intentionality is linked to conditions that shape

the institutional culture.

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