Blending with a purpose

Linda Chow
Open University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong SAR, China

Rex Sharman
SPACE, University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong SAR, China

Today, universities are starting to realize that a single mode of instructional delivery may not provide sufficient choice, engagement and social contact to facilitate successful learning. Blended learning, in which a combination of several delivery media can be used, can maximize learning effectiveness by selecting the best medium for each course segment. It offers new ways to present content, improve student communication and engage students actively. However, a wider choice of media may create more complexity if they are not well planned and balanced. Instructors and designers have to integrate and combine the different media carefully instead of just 'adding them on'. Regardless of which formats are combined, instructors and designers need to understand the strengths of each medium and recognize how different learners learn.

This paper looks at two blended learning course models -- a computing course that blends distance learning with online learning at the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK), and a Japanese language course that blends online learning with face-to-face teaching at the University of Hong Kong, School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE). What were our key considerations when we designed these blended learning courses? What would be a good mix? What benefits would blended learning bring to the course? The experience and lessons learned about designing blended models are useful for the future development of blended courses and for more successful learning experiences.