Abstract
The chapter clarifies the concept of blended learning, starting from its origins, and links the use of education technologies to the improvement of learners' self-direction. Known as a useful personal skill fit to the characteristics of adult learners and their needs, self-direction is essential to promote lifelong learning. A specific study on the use of e-forum is presented in this chapter to address the place of digital technology in blended learning, notably to target learners' self-direction development. The final section of the chapter offers a conclusion resuming the recommendations related to the design and implementation of blended learning to enhance learners' self-direction.
TopWhat Is Blended Learning? A Tour Of The Concept
Receiving recognition since the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), the idea and practice of blended learning existed long before the digital era. This section describes not only the origins and the history of blended learning, but also the existing definitions, communications modalities covered, typologies, and characteristics.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Self-Direction: Represents a psychological state or personal quality or ability in which an individual is able to conduct their own learning and assumes responsibility for all actions taken. It can occur when learners have the intrinsic motivation or they are able to internalise given learning goals.
Synchronous Learning: Represents real-time learning situations mediated by digital tools allowing learners to have simultaneous interactions with peers and lecturers, such as videoconferences tools, chat, live messenger, etc.
Reversed Classroom: A learning scenario allowing learners to ensure their learning by inviting them to prepare the learning module for themselves and delivering it to their peers. The objective is to encourage learners to become “knowledge builders” of their own.
Levels of Interaction: Represent various levels of interaction that can be organised and identified between two or more learning participants. The more level of interaction is high, the more learners will be in a co-constructive attitude toward learning.
Blended Learning: A learning modality that consists in combining face-to-face and distance or online learning.
Flipped Classroom: Can be considered as a scenario representing blended learning in which the interactions, debates, and collaboration between learners are organised during face-to-face sessions. Targets student-centred learning, various learning activities and uses of digital tools within this learning scenario can differently affect learners’ learning experiences and performances.
Extended Blended Learning: Describes the learning scenario integrating three elements: online learning, face-to-face learning, and project-based learning. It serves as a response to the need for a knowledge-based society that can adapt proactively to changes and developments.
Hackathon: Considered innovative learning that involves problem-based learning. It consists in inviting learners to work in small groups to find or identify a solution to a realistic problem in less than 52 hours.
Asynchronous Learning: Characterised by the use of communication tools in deferred time. Participants don’t need to be connected at the same time to communicate with each other. Some of the tools used for asynchronous learning are e-mail, e-forum, etc.