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partners in a small group collaboration
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partners in a small group collaboration. The concept of blended learning appeared not so long ago, and the definitions are sufficiently descriptive. Thus, Darling Painter in the article «Missed Steps» offers to understand the blended learning as association of strict formal learning tutorials in the classroom, studying of theoretical material with informal, for example, the discussion via e-mail and Internet conferences. MAIN PART Blended learning is a term increasingly used to describe the way e-learning is being combined with traditional classroom methods and independent study to create a new, hybrid teaching methodology. It represents a much greater change in basic technique than simply adding computers to classrooms; it represents, in many cases, a fundamental change in the way teachers and students approach the learning experience. The term blended learning originated in the business world in connection with corporate training (Sharma and Barrett, 2007), then was employed in higher 84 85 Вестник ПГУ, ISSN 1811-1831 Серия Педагогическая № 1. 2018 ПМУ Хабаршысы, ISSN 1811-1831 Педагогикалық сериясы № 1. 2018 education (MacDonald) and lastly it appeared in language teaching and learning. It is difficult to say exactly when the term became commonplace in ELT (English language teaching) although I suggest that it coincided with the publication of Sharma and Barrett’s book Blended Learning in 2007. Although I had first heard the term in late 2012 [1]. There is some debate as to whether it was simply the term that was coined in corporate training, rather than the actual approach to teaching and/or learning, with Oliver and Trigwell (2005) arguing that it was simply the term. Masie, in Bonk and Graham (2006: 22), appears to agree with this by boldly stating that «all learning is blended learning». In the same article, Masie (2006: 22) goes on to state that ‘Blended learning has always been a major part of the landscape of training, learning and instruction’ and encourages us to think back to our college days when the pedagogical approach involved a number of different teaching strategies. Personally, I feel that the adoption of the term symbolizes a change in what is being blended nowadays, as it signifies the inclusion of computer technology providing online or offline activities and materials in the mix, rather than implying this is a wholly new approach to teaching and learning [4]. With reference to ELT, Sharma (2007) suggests «for blended learning to be effective the two component parts should be integrated with the technology complementing and not replacing the efforts of the teacher». In the same article Sharma (2007) provides us with five practical examples of how to follow the guidelines at lesson level: 1 A teacher prepares their students for giving a presentation firstly by discussing the topic, then by allowing them to practice fixed phrases using a CD- ROM, then by watching a video on presentations, before finally they prepare and deliver their own. 2 Using a class wiki (a website on which the pages can be edited by the users, e.g. Wikipedia). 3 Creating a podcast (a computer audio file). 4 Downloading Moodle software (a platform) to support a virtual learning environment (VLE). 5 Setting up a blog (an online diary) [6]. Dudeney and Hockly (2007: 138–139) refer to a blended learning course where 75 per cent is delivered online and 25 per cent face-to-face in their list of three possible course designs for online learning in language learning environments: – A 100 per cent online language learning course, where the course is not unlike a course book online. – A blended language learning course, where 75 per cent is delivered online and 25 per cent face-to-face. – A face-to-face language learning course with additional online materials, where online tools are used to support and extend face-to-face lessons. Personally, I question how helpful it is to define the terms using percentages as I believe these figures can vary widely from those given yet still the course could be defined as a blended learning course. Moreover, I would refer to their third example as a blended learning course too, with the difference being that the face-to-face mode is the lead mode in that blend. Prior to designing the three online learning courses listed above Dudeney and Hockly (2007) recommend that the designer answers a series of questions which operate rather like a checklist. These are categorized under five headings: delivery mode, task design and materials, learners, teachers/tutors, assessment and evaluation. жүктеу/скачать 3.75 Mb. Достарыңызбен бөлісу:
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