Achieving learning outcomes through staff development for blended learning

Jennifer Evans
Hennie Yip
Mariam Shah 
Anthony Ho

Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

 

Abstract:

Achieving learning outcomes through staff development for blended learning.

This paper highlights approaches to staff development following the decision to adopt a new LMS (Blackboard 9.1) at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It focuses on achieving desired learning outcomes through various staff development activities designed to encourage teaching staff to adopt the new system and become proficient users.

The 3-3-4 curriculum reform helped give impetus to reflection on the use of learning technologies at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and promoted a review of the LMS.  Training for the new LMS began in earnest in May 2011 and has been evolving in a pragmatic way. The first phase of “early adopters”, nominated by every department and school, was driven by the notion of sowing seeds far and wide to establish familiarity and expertise. “Early adopters” were required to attend a set of three basic workshops. In an attempt to reach a wider audience of potential Blackboard users in the 2011-12 academic year and to address the parallel running of the both old and new LMS, a second series of regular workshops was offered to all PolyU staff on a voluntary basis.

September 2012 was significant in marking the beginning of the 2012-13 academic year, the intake of a double student cohort, and the termination of WebCT. In preparation some new approaches were developed. These included: development of online modules in Blackboard that could either be used as supplementary to workshops or for independent training for those unable to attend; “on request” workshops solicited from departments and schools; a revised set of face-to-face workshops.

Having conducted extensive workshops with a large number of staff, we have achieved significant engagement at an introductory level of use.  In this presentation we will share our proposed strategies to: design appropriate staff development to increase the number of competent Blackboard users and embed good pedagogical practice in the application of blended learning in PolyU.