Challenges

Blended learning blueprint

EdTech

Primary challenge owner: The Hague University of Applied Sciences

Secondary challenge owner(s): Avans university of applied sciences

 

Background

The Universities of Applied Sciences of The Hague and Avans have been working with blended learning for years, aiming to achieve high quality, engaging education through better blended education design. This has led to numerous challenges for lecturers who design the education and educational IT professionals who support them. There is a great deal of information available on, for example, teaching methods and didactics. Examples include lecturers using the Blended Learning Puzzle and a design model (e.g. Golf) to provide a blending learning experience. However, independently applying these blended insights to one’s own module designs remains a bridge too far for many lecturers. They often reinvent the wheel, without making use of what their colleagues have already developed. This is why The Universities of Applied Sciences are looking for a better integration of all supporting information and examples, with an environment where (sector-wide) lecturers can create and share their blended basic design as easily as possible.

To facilitate lecturers even better in (re-)designing their blended education, there is a need for a safe, inviting online environment where:

  • the lecturer is able to start the design process independently in a design environment that offers the right didactic choices – linkable elements such as online and offline teaching and working formats, and student activities;
  • the lecturer can find good examples of blended designs that are relevant to his/her own design and learning objectives. The aim is to inspire and to show the feasibility of blended learning blueprints and to be able to look at and build on existing designs.

 

The question/ the challenge to startups

Develop an online environment that supports lecturers in designing blended learning education programs with the help of a database of supporting information.

 

Criteria:

  • The solution is easy to use and accessible to both lecturers and support staff.
  • Lecturers can share their blueprints for inspiration and support, these should be easily retrievable using, for example, tags.
  • Supporters/co-lecturers must be able to easily give feedback on the design.
  • The Hague University of Applied Sciences is an international university. Dutch is the language of instruction, but English is also widely spoken. The solution should be available in both languages in the long run.
  • The information we already have must be easy to connect within the online design environment.
  • The environment must be visually attractive and shareable, so that lecturers can view the designs of others and can easily give feedback or help colleagues and supporters.

 

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