3C: A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO ENABLING, INTEGRATING AND ENHANCING BLENDED (E)LEARNING WITHIN AN INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

This paper describes a strategic institutional project at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The broad aim of this project is to enhance the blended learning culture within the university and the approach used to address this is through the use of three concurrent foci of collaboration, community and context (3C).

Suggested is that blended learning can be the center of an evolutionary transformation of teaching and learning in this universities context. However, transformational growth can only be sustained with a clear understanding of the nature of cultural change (and associated innovation diffusion within a community). An awareness and sensitivity to the context of the change occurring. And, also a consideration of the relationships and perceptions of the stakeholders / people or community involved in this transformational educational collaboration.

Technology has transformed, or is transforming, most of society. However, in higher education, for “the most part fundamental change has been shunned; universities have opted for cosmetic surgery…when radical reconstruction is called for” (Boyer Commission, 2001). A transformation of teaching and learning is inevitable with the use of technology, in particular web-based technology used to facilitate online learning. Blended learning is a coherent design approach that openly assesses and integrated the strengths of face-to-face and online learning to address worthwhile educational goals. Suggested is that a fundamental redesign based on blended approaches to teaching and learning can represent the means to address the challenges associated with providing a quality learning experience in this 21st century higher education context.

Presented in this paper will be an overview of the approach used within the 3C project. A description of the various ‘deliverables’ used to achieve the aims of the project. A grounding of the framework from a literature and methodological perspective and some reflections on “work in progress” as this project model is currently one year through the two years of the project duration.