Blended Learning and Teaching: Synergy in Action
Keywords:
Social work, Blended learning and teaching, Pedagogical approach, Programme development, TechnologiesAbstract
This article reports on the results of research undertaken during the implementation of a blended delivery approach to the Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences (Social Work) degree at Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in New Zealand. The research focusses on the early stages of programme development and delivery and takes a qualitative approach to under- standing the impact the changed approach to teaching and learning had on both staff and students. Thematic analysis was applied to the responses from focus group discussions and open-ended survey questions which revealed the challenges and advantages of delivering the programme. Consistent within this research were themes related to pedagogical approaches, the time and space to construct a blended programme, students’ engagement in the learning, technological practicalities, student orientation to blended learning, and the development of relationships in a blended environment. While these themes were largely congruent with those reported in existing literature, they do provide contextual
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