31.1: Introduction

Learning outcomes

• Connect content demands, student needs, and instructional strategies.
• Select instructional strategies along a continuum of potential practice.
• Envision a way in which the continuum of practice can inform your work.

In this chapter, we distinguish between online and blended learning. The term “online” refers to teaching and learning done totally at a distance, mediated via electronic means (email, discussion boards, electronic conferencing, etc.), while blended learning includes a face-to-face component as well as distance learning, usually with one component supporting the other, depending on the emphasis. In the K–12 or post-secondary educational environment, these learning options enable students to complete work that they would not otherwise be able to do.

Initially, this audience included students with extended illnesses or disabilities who could complete course work that they were otherwise unable to do, or rural students who lacked access to courses required for postsecondary schooling. Increasingly, this audience has expanded to include students who are working towards their personal learning goals, and need access to courses content at their own pace.

In a corporate environment, training is often considered an incentive, something that is available only to the people who are already recognized as high performers. This view tends to deny under-performers the opportunity to reach their potential, although a commonly cited benefit to training in general is that it tends to lead to improved performance and satisfaction and a reduction of staff turnover. Corporate online/blended learning initiatives can make training available to everyone at anytime and in any location.

Historically, online and blended learning is rooted in distance and correspondence education from the mid- 1800s (Smith & Crichton, 2003)—much of it pioneered in Canada and Australia. Given this long history, and the variety of settings in which blended and online learning are being used today, this chapter focuses on the realities of creating educational environments in the digital age, and the continuum upon which they can be achieved.

This chapter suggests that online and blended learning, as currently practised, fall along a continuum that ranges from easily recognized teacher-directed instruction (passive, correspondence-type materials) to learner-centred, constructivist strategies (active, student-negotiated, experiential projects). Educators, as never before, have a full toolbox of instructional strategies, methods, and media at their disposal. They only need awareness and opportunity to make rich and meaningful choices for their students.

The definitions below set the context for this chapter and serve as a starting point for building a common understanding of the components that create learning events and environments along the continuum.

Face-to-face learning

Face-to-face learning refers to traditional learning environments whereby the learners and facilitators are colocated for the same purpose and for a pre-determined period of time. Workshops, seminars, courses and conferences that have facilitators or instructors physically present in the same room at the same time with participants or students are examples of face-to-face delivery models.

Online learning

The term online refers to teaching and learning done totally at a distance, mediated through a range of electronic means (email, discussion boards, electronic conferencing, etc.). The Advisory Committee for Online Learning (2001) defines online learning as “what occurs when education and training are delivered and supported by networks such as the Internet or intranets” (p. 1). This definition of online learning highlights the flexible and dynamic nature of the online environment, a characteristic that makes it possible to engage in learning at anytime and from anyplace. Online learning can take a variety of forms. Each of these forms involves a combination of synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous components and includes the following:

• Blended learning—Blended learning includes a face-to-face component as well as an online component. In blended learning, the face-to-face can support the online or visa versa, depending on the emphasis placed on the two options.
• Webcasts—These refer to the transmission of live audio or video over the Internet. They are the Internet equivalent to traditional radio and TV broadcasting and can be used as stand-alone events that participants register for or as a component of an online course, conference, or session.
• Podcasting—This refers to the capture and storage of digital audio files that can then be played back over the Internet. Increasingly, podcasts are being used as stand-alone events that participants register for or as a component of an online course or conference.
• Discussion forums—These are the mainstay of many online learning offerings. Discussion forums or groups refer to online, asynchronous, text-based areas, which can be password-protected or open to all, that provide an interactive discussion via keyboard (typing). For organization and readability, various discussion threads can be established for different topics. In the context of an online course, they are generally moderated by the course facilitator, and student participation is expected. In the context of an online event such as a webcast, discussion forums are generally used pre-webcast and/or post-webcast as a place for participants to further expand and elaborate on the context of the online event.
• Instant messaging—This is often referred to as a quick collaboration tool, as it allows two people (or more) to interact back and forth using the keyboard (most often in real time, but not always). In general, participants must be specifically asked or invited to join (i.e., MSN chat, Skype or ICQ).
• Synchronous collaboration tools—This refers to a suite of features useful for online meetings, delivered over the Internet via one point of access, and generally password-protected. These features generally include real-time audio discussion as well as document sharing, interactive whiteboard space, text chat, desktop sharing, and the ability to break into small groups for synchronous discussion. In addition, the entire meeting can be recorded for playback later via the recorded meeting link (i.e., Elluminate Live, iLINC). Synchronous collaboration tools are often used to host independent events that participants register for, as well as components of online courses or as online office spaces, etc.

Online courses

Many of the features discussed above are components of an online course and can be combined in a variety of ways, depending upon the needs of the audience, the specifics of the content and unique characteristics of the learning context.

Most often, online courses are delivered through a learning management system (LMS), which allows course materials and content to be stored and usability statistics to be collected. LMSs typically include collaboration tools such as discussion groups and synchronous sessions, all in a web-accessible, password-protected environment. It is also possible to create online courses that function external to an LMS should tracking not be a requirement. While there are a variety of proprietary LMS tools on the market, open source/freeware LMSs are increasingly popular as an alternative to increased licensing costs.

Online communities

This refers to an online collaboration space for people working on a common topic or area(s). The functionality in an online community includes much of what is available in a learning management system but an online community may or may not be course dependent or assignment-driven. Generally, a stand-alone online community includes access to a range of asynchronous and synchronous functions through a single access point. The functions required in an online community include discussion groups, chat, user identification icon, synchronous tools for holding web meetings, file sharing, etc. There is general agreement among educators that an online community requires a facilitator to keep it vibrant, sustainable, and used by its community members.