Blended Learning

"Blended Learning: Across the Disciplines, Across the Academy is a collection of essays that provides wisdom for redesigning courses to fit a format that is "partially virtual, partially tangible." The five essays that form the heart of this book highlight fundamental values of blended learning: activity, interactivity, and a learning community. There is much to gain from the authors' arguments for the benefits of blended courses and practical tips for assignments in both "virtual" and "tangible" formats. For instructors who want to move beyond lecturing with three exams and a term paper and who appreciate the challenge of dabbling in something new to improve student learning, redesigning courses to fit a blended format is worth the work. I walk away from this book excited about the versatile and experimental nature of designing blended courses. Prepare to have your imagination sparked as you contemplate your own teaching."

Shauna K. Hannan, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary - Teaching Theology & Religion

"Blended Learning offers readers an opportunity to develop and/or refine online pedagogical teaching skills, strategies, and dispositions while enhancing overall teaching style in a blended learning environment. It takes a practical approach to blended learning course design, informed by academic practitioners. The book is easy to navigate and provides simple examples for application. As distance education channels continue to grow and expand, cultivating the craft of teaching in an online learning environment from an in-depth comprehensive knowledge base has become a highly sought-after skill. Readers can readily use the book as an instructional guide to eliminate complexities often associated with online and blended learning course design."

Renee Sinow Mandelbaum, Illinois State University - The Review of Higher Education

"[W]ritings on how to integrate a variety of pedagogical approaches in courses in both online and face-to-face interactions with students."

- The Chronicle of Higher Education

Acknowledgments

Foreword
James Rhem

Introduction
Francine S. Glazer

1 Blended Learning in the Culinary Arts
Tradition Meets Technology
Carl Behnke

2 Baby Steps to Blended
Introduction of a Blended Unit to a Conventional Course
Francine S. Glazer

3 Teaching a Survey Course in Anthropology
Alan Aycock

4 Combining Tradition With Technology
Redesigning a Literature Course
Tracey M. Gau

5 Blended, With a Twist
Robert Hartwell and Elizabeth F. Barkley

6 Concluding Thoughts on This Volume
Francine S. Glazer

Contributors

Index

Francine S. Glazer

Francine S. Glazer is assistant provost and founding director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). A biologist by training, she also holds a Master Online Teacher certificate from the Illinois Online Network, University of Illinois. Prior to joining NYIT, she was professor of biological sciences and assistant director of the Center for Professional Development at Kean University. She has been working actively with faculty members since 1993. Her current areas of interest include course redesign to incorporate active learning, use of student teams in the classroom, faculty mentoring, and online and blended learning.