Blended Learning Course

Blended Learning combines traditional face-to-face classes with other formats such as wikis ,blogs, forums, virtual learning environments, Skype and so on. This 20-hour course will help you understand how you can create a blended course for students by looking at the tools available and the principles which underpin using them effectively.

Duration	Fees*	Starting dates	Apply now
3-week on-line	€ 225	10th May - 30th Aug - 22nd Nov.	Application form online
3-week blended	€ 225	30th Aug	Application form online

* € 175 for OxfordTEFL graduates.

Course Overview, aims of the course, course content
Why a Blended learning Course?
How to apply, assessment and certification
Timetable, The trainer
Recommended reading
On-line learning with OxfordTEFL

Course Overview

Blended Learning refers to combining face-to-face with on-line instruction. Many language learners find blended learning can be a very effective way to improve their English, combining elements of flexibility without sacrificing face-to-face contact with a teacher which is usually crucial to success.

This course is suitable for any teacher with an interest in familiarising themselves with tools and strategies for incorporating electronic media into their current teaching or designing courses which incorporate electronic media from the outset (blended courses). It is not necessary to have any specific prior technical knowledge beyond an e-mail account, though it is useful to familiarise yourself with some basic features such as blogs and wikis (see recommended reading and weblinks below)

Aims of the Course

By the end of the course you will have a greater understanding of how blended learning works and what to consider when creating a blended learning program. You will also be introduced to several on line applications and learn to utilize these tools to create activities that enhance the effectiveness of your lessons and involve students more directly in the learning process.

Course Content

The course is divided into three weeks and for each week there are three sessions. Each week will include a practical task that is related to your own learners and your teaching situation. You will get hands-on practice designing and trying out ideas with your own students and receive feedback and advice from your tutor on your work. The tasks must be completed for you to be awarded the certificate.

The sessions will include group and individual work with a strong emphasis on peer and tutor feedback. The following areas are covered.

• What are the different formats for blended learning?
• Approaches to teaching on-line
• How to be a good teacher online
• Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs)
• Tools for blending: Blogs, Wikis, Google Groups…
• Using the internet as a resource
• Linking on line and face-to-face learning
• Telephone and Skype
• On-line resources

Why a Blended Learning Course?

Blended learning is likely to increase in popularity for language learners in the coming years as they recognise the practical and pedagogical advantages. Teachers and schools will need to adapt traditional face-to-face modes of learning to meet this demand. This course will help to prepare you for the challenge of making blended learning work for your language learners, ensuring the right technology gets used in the right way for the right reasons.

How to apply

If you have not completed a course with us previously, please complete the On-line Application Form If you are registering for a CertTESOL course with us simply indicate on the application form which extension course you wish to attend. You will receive a discount of € 50. If you have already completed a CertTESOL course with us, e-mail us to let us know which course you would like to do. You will have discount of € 50.

Assessment

To pass the course and receive the certificate you will have to:

• attend 100% of the course
• complete the assessed tasks mentioned above to a satisfactory standard

Certification

The OxfordTEFL Blended Learning extension Certificate will state that you have passed the course, outline the components of the course in detail and state the length of the course.

Course Timetable

The course is online over three weeks and you will have about 7 hours of work per week. For teachers in Barcelona there is also a blended version of the course which includes 2 face-to-face sessions. There are deadlines for the completion of tasks at the end of each week. You are free to work when you choose during the week giving you flexibility to combine the course with your working schedule. There are three sessions per week each with their own input and tasks. You will be required to do a variety of exercises, reading and practical tasks.

- 3-hour in-person session Sat, May 16; 2-5pm
- 2-hour in-person session, Sat, May 23, 2-4pm


More on On-line learning with OxfordTEFL

The Trainers

Our trainers are highly experienced and qualified teachers and teacher trainers with special interest and experience in creating dynamic and enjoyable online training courses.

Recommended Reading

Blended Learning by Pete Sharma and Barney Barrett (MacMillan 2008)

How to Teach English with Tecnology by Gavin Dudeney and Nicky Hockly (Pearson Longman 2007)

www.petesharma.com

On-line learning with OxfordTEFL

We believe that distance learning works best when it captures, as far as possible, the dynamics of face to face learning, even when that means less flexibility (see below). A sense of isolation can cause people to drop out of distance learning courses. Our Distance/On-line Blended Learning Courses have the following key features, which ensure motivation remains high:

Variety of ways of learning
Through our virtual learning environment you will use the internet to communicate with tutors and fellow course members, access materials and complete learning tasks.

Interaction
Our virtual learning environment (VLE) allows you to communicate individually and collectively with tutors and other course members, both for social and study purposes. You will be assigned individual, group and pair tasks, as in a "real" classroom with the difference that, instead of all working at the same time (synchronised) you can log on and off and contribute at times which are convenient to you. You may, on a few occasions, be required to log on at the same time as other course members for "lessons", "conferences" or "chats" in the virtual classroom.

A real class of fellow students
In many distance courses, learners start and finish courses at any time of the year and join an infinite number of other distance learners at various stages of their course. Our courses have start and finish dates and a defined group of participants, just like our face-to-face courses. You will have tasks and deadlines to keep and be expected to maintain an appropriate rhythm (see above). In other words, flexibility is limited in order to maintain motivation.

Learning how to learn on-line
As well as learning about teaching and language you will have the opportunity to experience and reflect on the nature of on-line learning itself.

Ease of use
You will find it easy to use the virtual learning environment, even if you are relatively unfamiliar with this kind of learning and there will be plenty of support and guidance from tutors to deal with any queries and make sure you are on track.

We use “Moodle”, a “virtual learning environment” (VLE), which allows you to:

• upload and download course information and material
• access materials on and off-line
• participate in live and non-synchronised discussions
• send work to tutors and receive feedback
• communicate with tutors and other members of the class individually and as a group.
• interact in ways similar to a real classroom with the advantage of being able to access it at times convenient to you.

We use skype/messenger or telephone for personal tutorials.

You will need to have regular access to a computer with internet connection, but won’t need to spend huge amounts of time actually on line.

We recommend you install skype if you don't have it already to take advantage of cost free calls to tutors. www.skype.com