Page 77 - Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century

Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching and Learning 2021
Conclusion: Towards an intentionally
blended student support environment
With the return to campus and face-to-face learning that has taken place during the first months of 2022, ADC has decided to push forward with its intentionally blended approach to supporting student success. One of the main benefits to come out of the enforced off-campus education has been the rapid development of a range of well designed layers of online resources that support student success. The development of these resources was speeded up through the situation we found ourselves in, and ADC is looking forward to further building these resources up while also blending them with the return of students to campus.
We are embracing having our students back and we are positioning ourselves to support students more effectively and more continuously by using 4IR-related opportunities to blend the best of both worlds, online and face-to-face. This in turn will lead to greater student success and learning. ADC is currently planning an intentionally blended FYS for 2023 and looking to include the best of both worlds in this planning. There are truly exciting times ahead!
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Lessons learnt
As ADC has developed our online resources more, several important issues have emerged. They include:
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Staff capacity development is a key requirement for effective blended work.
UJ works best when teams from support services and faculties/colleges work together across traditional lines to enhance learning. The FYS modules and roll out as well as a number of other initiatives work as well as they do because we worked together across traditional institutional lines.
Money must be spent wisely to open high-yield opportunities. On a number of occasions the purchasing of the right software or the hiring of the right temporary staff member has allowed the impact of our collective efforts to be heightened exponentially.
To be intentional (as opposed to unintentional) allows one to plan more effectively and make adjustments as a process unfolds.
Support must be made available in various formats to accommodate student preferences and needs.
UJ is an institution that supports student success and is willing to act and commit resources where they can make the biggest difference. We can be proud to work at UJ.
We must all be brave and intentional in our approaches to student success.
Reference
Johnson, E. 2021. Digital learning is real-world learning. That’s why blended on-campus and online study is best. theconversation.com.
Halverson, L.R. & Graham, C.R. 2019. Learner Engagement in Blended Learning Environments: A Conceptual Framework. Online Learning Journal, 23(2): 145–178
Oztok, M. & Brett, C. 2011. Social Presence and Online Learning: A Review of Research, 25(3).
Purkey, W.W. & Novak, J.M. (2008) Fundamentals of Invitational Education (Kennesaw, GA: InternationalAlliance for Invitational Education).
Singh, H. (2003). Building Effective Blended Learning Programs. Educational Technology, 43(6): 51–54.
Suder, G. & Calma, A. 2021. What to look for when choosing a university as the digital competition grows. The Conversations.