Blended and Flipped Learning – BETT 2016

It’s all in the blend! Source: http://www.whizz.com/2014/10/14/recipe-for-blended-learning/

The annual British Educational Training and Technology Show (BETT) show took place from 25th – 28th January 2016. This post covers the blended and flipped learning panel discussion, of which I was one of the panel, one of the many topics discussed at the Technology in Higher Education Summit with higher education practitioners. This is the second of two posts from me on the BETT show. The first post was on team-based learning.

The panel consisting of Professor Linda Creanor, Head of Blended Learning at Glasgow Glasgow Caledonian University, Zoe Swan, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Greenwich, Ali Press, Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of Westminster and myself.

In a lively debate, Zoe Swan discussed her use of Panopto (similar to Echo360) in teaching law, flipping the classroom, so that students can watch the short videos prior to the class and come prepared for a more interactive learning experience in class, using the principles of team-based learning as discussed in the first post from BETT show 2016.

Professor Linda Creanor mentioned the driver for blended learning was the student, not just from policies “If blended learning is not happening, students are complaining about it” and said that to encourage good flipped and blended learning practice, you had to build it into the continuous professional development for staff. She said that at Glasgow Caledonian University they have a minimum standard and use this as a crude key performance indicator, as part of their approach to blended learning.

Ali Press, a Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning discussed the importance of teaching with technology when developing staff and demonstrating good practice to them.

I mentioned the importance of providing a better quality experience, the ability to replay and continue learning anywhere with a blended learning approach and using face to face time to practice higher order blooms taxonomy skills with the teacher in class.

You can read more on why students may not always be experts of technology in this Times Higher Education supplement article which covered this panel and others at BETT 2016.

Brilliant panel of speakers @santanuvasant @ZoeUniGreenwich @alipress & Linda Creanor on Tech in HE #Bett2016 pic.twitter.com/h8JoCfviRO

— Bett (@Bett_show) January 21, 2016