Getting faculty on board the blended learning train

Reflections from the 2015 Online Learning Consortium Blended conference

Yet another excellent OLC Blended conference was held this past week at the Denver Sheraton  Downtown conference center. This year saw a significant focus on methods for encouraging adoption of blended methods by faculty. 

Blended Learning Toolkit

Presenters from University of Central Florida showcased their Blended Learning Toolkit, a group of tools and resources for designing blended course materials. The BlendKit was developed in association with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). Using the BlendKit materials, instructional designers from UCF offer a 5-week MOOC for guiding faculty in the development of a blended course. Materials are also available for self-paced study. And all BlendKit resources can be freely used and shared through a Creative Commons license.  Kudos to UCF for sharing their exceptionally well thought out processes for getting faculty on board the blended band wagon. The BlendKit partnered with EDUCAUSE so that participants could pay a small fee and submit their portfolios to EDUCASE to earn a master badge.

Reinventing Faculty Professional Development

In the session titled Reinventing Faculty Professional Development, presenters from CU-Online  explained their approach to faculty development. Using internal funding, CU-Online staffers created the Online Skills Mastery (OSM) program, a 10 week, fully online, facilitated workshop for teaching with digital tools. The entire workshop is facilitated by faculty, with UC-Online instructional design staff providing grading and technical support. Faculty participants are enrolled as students. A small monetary stipend is offered to all faculty successfully completing all requirements of the workshop including readings, discussion postings, assignments and other assessments. A badging program is in pilot stage and uses the Canvas BadgeSafe platform.

Blend and flex: One size fits all

A third approach for preparing faculty to use blended methods was presented by colleagues from Florida Atlantic University. Their approach focuses on a one-size-fits-all method. Funded through a DL student fee, their approach uses a combination of consultations, workshops, open labs, eDesign and eCertifications to prepare faculty for using blended methods. Atlantic U. uses more of a just-in-time approach that doesn’t require an extended time commitment by faculty.

For example, their one-hour lunchtime technology workshops are sharply focused. The first 30 minutes are spent on the pedagogy of the technology and the last 30 minutes demonstrating the use of the technology. An important point is that all workshops are facilitated by faculty users. Using faculty facilitators brings that all-important buy-in from faculty colleagues. Staffers may know more about the mechanics but faculty users bring the classroom experience that colleagues can relate to. 

Other stuff

Technology showcases are always a treat for me, and the conference didn't let me down. The Technology Test Kitchen was an area set up withing the exhibit hall containing a variety of apps and devices for hands-on demos. I finally got my hands on a pair of Google glasses for a quick view. The "chef" explained that first generation devices were in the $1,500 range but Sony is scheduled to release a new-and-improved version for a more reasonable cost.

 

There was also a green screen setup using a tripodded iPad and the Green Screen app. This has great potential for livening up webcasts and lecture captures. 

Several Google Cardboard devices were available but iPhone apps that take advantage of the virtual environment are still in very short supply. 

And I finally saw the Swivl device demoed. The Swivl is used to record presenters. A mobile device is placed in the Swivl. After turning on the Swivl app, the presenter places a small tracking device on their person. They can then walk around the classroom and the Swivl device will follow their movement. This would certainly fit the bill of on-the-fly lecture capture and has definite possibilities.

 

It was announced that this was the final OLC Blended conference. OLC is merging their Blended and Emerging Technology conferences into a single event, with the 1st Annual Innovate conference scheduled for April 20-22 in New Orleans.