Excellent Examples of DL and Blended Learning

Distance Learning and Blended Learning Colleagues,

I am sure you would agree that there are a lot of examples of mediocre or awful blended and distance learning; however, I am beginning to see teachers writing about good or excellent practices, teachers writing that online learning achieves many or all of the things they would like to achieve in a face-to-face classroom, or even that it is much better than a more limited face-to-face model. Excellent online learning doesn't remove the teacher from the practice; quite the opposite, as DL and blended learning models often involve more work for teachers than face-to-face classes because of the additional time needed for preparation and for assuring high quality interaction. Online learning models, while they may be asynchronous or "at a distance," don't have to be "remote" or "distant"; I have heard students say they have more and higher quality interaction with their teachers in online learning than they do in face-to-face classrooms.

I am looking for examples of good, ideally rich, descriptions of excellent distance learning or blended learning classes. Ideally these would be in adult basic skills learning, but I am also interested in higher education and secondary education. Here's one example, from a post-secondary writing teacher: http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2014/11/13/online-courses-moocs-education-laurie-edwards?utm_source=cc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nwsltr-14-11-14.

What I like about this description is:

"…if we’re willing to be creative, take risks with assignment design and digital technology, and use different tools to engage with our virtual students, we can have relationships with them that are every bit as authentic as those we build with students in our ‘real’ classrooms."

"My online students may read model projects, watch a brief video I created on an assignment, and then brainstorm revision challenges with me via Skype, but their “aha” moments are no less of a breakthrough than the ones my students have when sitting across from my desk in office hours. There is nothing virtual or lesser about figuring out how to structure a paper or advance an argument, however that progress is made."

"Meaningful interaction in the context of a virtual classroom means regular, consistent feedback from and communication with instructors via e-mail, virtual office hours, Skype sessions, written comments and Q & A forums. Accessibility and responsiveness are essential. "

"It also means delivery of course content through a variety of channels, including videos and screencasts, which give students an opportunity to see our faces, hear our voices and visualize the instructor behind the e-mails and assessments. The challenge here is balance, so that all the moving parts of an online course don’t supplant the focus on learning itself."

"Meaningful interaction also means providing students ways to connect with each other independent of the instructor. They respond to weekly discussions, leave comments on student blogs, and work on virtual group projects, thus creating the kind of collaboration and conversation that would otherwise take place in the physical classroom."

"There is one more essential component: Student involvement. We can offer all the tools we have at our disposal in the most effective ways we know how, but if our students don’t take advantage of them and become proactive participants in their learning, we’re as stymied as we are when our in-person students eschew office hours, fail to join in classroom discussions, and skip classes. In the end, the onus is on the students to virtually show up as much as it is on instructors to design effective and dynamic courses."

If you see an article that describes what you regard as a very good or excellent DL or Blended learning practice, could you share it, please? If you have a DL or blended learning practice of your own, or one that you have seen another teacher use, please share that here. If you have recently read a book or article,  or seen a video, that you think is a "must-read" or "must-see" for those doing DL or blended learning, please share the title and web address. Thanks.

David J. Rosen

djrosen123@gmail.com