PHASE+2+DESIGN+&+DEVELOPMENT

** System Development **
Prior to beginning any design or development, the team should consider what the school currently has in place in terms of learning management systems and online courseware. If the current system is functionally adequate then introducing a new system would only serve to confuse both students and staff, and increase the requirement for technical support and training. Nevertheless, during the design phase and prior to development, an evaluation of current Learning Management Systems (LMS) - such as Blackboard and Moodle - and their features is still recommended. A decision can then be made weighing up potential feature benefits versus any re-training and data migration costs.

The concept of user-interface (UI) design is a complex one involving not only graphic design principles, but human computer interaction and psychology. Having a clear and intuitive LMS design will help students navigate through the site and be more motivated to engage in activities (Bath & Bourke 2010). Since most teaching staff would consider themselves subject matter experts before designers, some external design consultation is recommended - once the scope of the course has been developed – to help create an intuitive and engaging environment. It is common to expect that components of an online course will “require multiple design iterations to become fully mature” (Gatteau 2010). Over time it is expected that effective templates and techniques will be developed internally, meaning external support can gradually be phased out.

**Design Principles** Once the project team has been established, its first task should be to review the current unit guide in terms of how it might be delivered in the new format. The blended learning format should be clearly integrated with a clear sequence of the courses content, the activities incorporated and the assessment tasks. The success of incorporating a blended learning environment into the classroom depends on the teams understanding of when to incorporate the F2F, or the CM format. To do this the team must evaluate the course content and decide which format would be the most appropriate in creating purposeful, authentic tasks and assignments that correlate with the course learning objectives. Biggs (1999) discusses a constructive alignment between the learning objectives, the teaching/ learning activities and the assessment outcomes. It is recommended that the team ensures the regular evaluation of these three components whilst designing the blended learning environment. The blended environment also allows the team to link the activities of the course to the content and learning objectives. In this way online environments can be effectively used to support a range of classroom activities, and vice versa. For example, students can use the discussion board to reflect on their learning, or provide feedback on the class activities (Bath & Bourke 2010).

In the design of such courses the team must not overload the students workload, proportionally the workload must equal that of a traditional learning environment. In relation to the evaluation of the course the discourse and feedback standards need to be mutually developed so that there is a consistent approach, resulting in a seamless student experience of the course. The team must also consider the following factors: What the appropriate level of student support is? The amount of interaction on discussion forums? The degree of flexibility within the course? The amount and use of technology? These factors should be discussed and formalised. Finally, although a large portion of the course is conducted in the classroom, regular feedback from staff in online environments is recommended, as it helps to develop a sense of interaction and engagement for the students (Orellana, Hudgins & Simonson, 2009).

=Delivery Mode= Consideration to the learning process, learning outcomes and learning environment are essential when deciding on the delivery mode of the course. Many researchers advise that effective learning takes place in a social environment, suggesting a constructivist approach to learning. Connolly, Feeney & Harris (2000) identify the presence of 'classroom community' in a blended learning environment. The effective integration of blended learning in teaching and learning environments allow the students' and teachers' to engage in new ways that previously may not have been possible. Blended courses are able to increase the students experiences and subject outcomes as the teacher is able to offer a mixture of delivery modes and teaching approaches, as well as cater to individual learning styles. Through the utilisation of blended learning the teacher is capable of improving on the delivery and management of the course, enhancing the students cognitive experience and enhancing the students social environment (Bath & Bourke 2010, p. 9). Bonk & Graham (2006) comment that a blended learning environment is able to a) improve pedagogy, b) increase access and flexibility of the course and c) increased cost effectiveness.The table below outlines some opportunities and threats associated with the singular use of F2F or CM. Ultimately, a blended learning environment (BLE) is able to harness the potential of F2F and CM, reducing the risk of undesirable attributes that these mediums may bear in isolation.



A blended learning and teaching approach encourages students and teachers to work with technologies which support collaborative learning environments. Using Web 2.0 applications such as wiki space and LMS provide beneficial learning opportunities for differentiated learning styles because of their collaborative nature. Since at VCE level assessments are still very much fashioned in a teacher centred and assessment method, these technologies which we have picked facilitate a real world work experience to students. Our teaching style offers a mixture of delivery modes and teaching approaches, as well as caters to individual learning styles. The benefits of blended learning include giving students a variety of ways to demonstrate their knowledge while appealing to diverse learning styles and fostering independent learning and self-directed learning skills in students, a critical capacity for lifelong learners (Pape, 2010).
 * Content & Resources **

The style of the blended learning and teaching approach is the one which forces students to become inquiry learners, hence encouraging students to demonstrate their thinking and practice actively. Students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of studied material through actively participating in online discussion session, designing web pages for small businesses and developing a business plan etc. Since the main teaching, which will be delivered as face to face teaching (50 hours class contact is compulsory for Business Management Unit 1), all materials are complimentary based where students are given educational opportunities to apply their learning and skills to hands on and real life practice. Teachers and students will be working towards the teaching and learning guidelines given by VCAA. This means that teachers will facilitate students with appropriate learning materials and content, scaffolding students learning when and where needed depending on level of difficulty. Even though students are participating in online learning, they are still required to have acquired the appropriate knowledge in order to demonstrate higher order thinking skills.

The resources required to teach and learn this unit are as follows:


 * VCAA unit guidelines/study design for Business Management Unit 1 (students and teachers)
 * Business Management text book (to be decided by school management/teachers)
 * PowerPoint presentations of delivered lessons
 * Wiki / Wikispace
 * Learning Management System (using the existing LMS within the school)
 * You Tube
 * Discussion Boards via LMS & Wiki
 * Online quizzes (formative tests and simulations)
 * Podcasts / Vodcast (records of lectures/class discussions)
 * Smart Board

Blended Unit Study Guide


=<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">Student Activity & Collaboration = <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">With the implementation of new technologies in education, teaching and learning outcomes remain unchanged but the approaches in the way we teach have changed. Teaching was understood to be teacher driven and information based, but over the years the pedagogies behind 'teaching' has been adapted to become one which is now more student centred, creativity, thinking, collaborating, and networking skills have been encouraged using the new available technologies. Students are learning more than before by having fun, creating their own outcome/product as they become engineers of lifelong learning approaches facilitated to them via their teachers.

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Web 2.0 applications allow students to enhance their knowledge by using ICT in a productive way, not only being an observer/listener as previous teaching and learning (teacher centred) methods. Apart from enjoyment in an increasingly complex and collaborative online environment, a Web 2.0 skill set is an important one for all students to master for digital literacy and lifelong learning in the connected environment (McEwan, 2010).
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Web 2.0 Applications **

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">By introducing several types of Web 2.0 applications such as wikis and podcasts, it allows students to collaborate with their peers and their teacher as well as encourage higher order thinking and prepares students for a workforce that values employees who can communicate, collaborate and be creative (Casey, 2008). Casey recognises that Web 2.0 applications can be categorised with each type of application having its strengths:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Knowledge management and transfer (LMSs, wikis)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Applications with an audio-visual focus (YouTube, TeacherTube, podcasts, vodcasts)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Collaborative focus for publishing or project work (wikis, Google Docs)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Social interactions, networking and community building (Facebook, blogs)

We have recommended several of these Web 2.0 applications for our blended course:

__LMSs and Wikis__ We recommend the use of the school's LMS as its main communication environment for knowledge sharing, assignment submissions, course materials upload and online library access. LMSs are usually used for communication and instructional purposes, with restricted student access (Hanewald & White, 2008). We recommend that students are encouraged to actively participate in the discussion forums via the LMS to learn to use relevant management terms accurately and improve their business management skills by sharing and discussing ideas with their peers. Online quizzes can be uploaded to the LMS for students to complete. With the course material, timelines and assessment tasks all uploaded on the LMS, teachers can encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning by reading ahead and posting questions on the forums. Wikis are becoming increasingly popular in schools because students can contribute to a collaborative project with their peers (Casey, 2008). For our blended course, students must create a wiki in small groups for a project - creating a business plan. Teachers must scaffold the students' to communicate, plan, organise one cohesive piece of work to present to the teacher.

__<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">YouTube/TeacherTube __<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> have many resources related to various subjects. TeacherTube is based on YouTube but designed specifically for educational resources, containing mainly classroom teaching materials, aids for teacher training and student produced work (Hanewald & White, 2008). There are many videos on YouTube for a Business Management course. Some of them are used in our blended study program for students to acquire and exchange business information and ideas.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> __ Podcast and vodcasts __ are another audio-visual tool mainly used for sharing sound and/or video. Under current copyright regulations, teachers can use podcasts and vodcasts into class for listening, viewing and discussion (Casey, 2008). In our blended course, students are asked to research the selected day-to-day operations of a small business using the interview method. They can record the interview as a vodcast or podcast or as a written document and they can present their work to the class. Also, debates on business ethics and social responsibility are organised and can be recorded as audio (podcast) or video (vodcast). Classroom discussions and lessons can also be recorded and uploaded to the school LMS for students to where absent or for revision purposes.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> __ IWB / Smart Boards __ are a common teaching tool used mainly in classrooms. The interactive whiteboard gives students a chance to engage with the lesson in an interactive way. Its interactivity offers to ability to cater for differentiated learning methods (BECTA, 2003; cited in <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Akbas and Pektas, 2011) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. Akbas and Pektas (2011) explain some of the new teaching and learning activities by using IWBs as capturing, emphasizing, storing, annotating notes, games and linking. With the capability of storing work done on a Smart Board, it's valuable to absent students who can then catch up on class work. We recommend that the teacher use Smart Boards as a way of fleshing out business concepts through for example, mind maps and PowerPoint presentations so the work can be recorded and uploaded to the LMS as part of the course material. According to BECTA (2003; cited in <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Akbas and Pektas, 2011), <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Smart Boards enable easier handling of complex concepts <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">with the help of clearer, more effective and dynamic presentations

__<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Discussion Boards __ <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Communicating via discussion boards (on the LMS and the wiki) allow students with unprecedented opportunities to share their ideas, celebrate their creativity and receive immediate feedback from fellow networkers (Wheeler, Yeomans and Wheeler, 2008). They send their comments to other participants, they see all other comments and they get instant feedback from the teacher and peers. In our blended unit, students use discussion board of the LMS and share their ideas and reflect on other posts and get feedback from the teacher and classmates. Also, students would need to participate in online discussions because their online participation is also a part of their assessment. Students can also communicate via social mediums (using their own discretion) such as wikis, Facebook and blogs to discuss any topic, homework, assignments or projects. They can also use synchronous communications such as Skype, MSN and GTalk outside school time. = = =Student Interaction= <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">As referred to above, a blended learning environment has the potential for multiple interactive processes. Students are able to interact and engage with their peers, the teacher and the content using these mediums. Student-to-student interaction allows students to provide facilitator roles to their peers. Students gain a sense of ownership and self-direction over their studies (Reuschle, 2006, p. 5). Student-to-teacher interactions allows the students to contact their teachers through their choice of medium that best suits their learning style and needs: face-to-face contact, email, chat, audio or video (Anderson, 2004, p. 47). The student-to-content interaction also provides a host of new opportunities. Blended education is able to produce passive forms of education including textbook information and research opportunities. It is also capable of producing more active forms of student-to-content interaction through the availability of virtual laboratories and tutorials (Anderson, 2004, p.47).

=Assessment= Assessment tasks not only offer learning outcomes and grading, however they are also integral components in the teaching and learning process. Through its flexibility and range the blended learning environment is able to harness a wide variety of assessment styles and techniques. Blended assessments are able to easily, and frequently, monitor the students progress via online quizzes or online debates. They allow for authentic assessments which promote creativity and higher order thinking skills. The teachers also benefit as they are able to administer assessment pieces (e.g. by uploading criteria sheets) and manage assessment pieces (e.g. assessment are time stamped and time restricted) efficiently. Through the use of online quizzes students are able to receive their results immediately, improving their satisfaction and motivation for the subject at hand. Online grade books are extremely beneficial as the teacher, student and parents are able to monitor the students progress. In this way early warning signals are able to alert those involved of any shortfalls. Finally, when administering new assessment pieces it is recommended to plan accordingly by giving clear instructions to the students, and practice utilising the new technology prior to the implementation of summative assessments (Bath & Bourke 2010).

Plagiarism
Online tools, such as [|Turnitin], are able to assist students in abiding by the schools plagiarism policy. They can be integrated into the course, with a pedagogical purpose, to help students understand what plagiarism is. The students are able to check their assessments prior to submission, and thereby self monitoring their work. Once submitted the teachers are able to evaluate any concerns that they may have regarding the assessment piece (Bath & Bourke 2010).

=Communication= One of the fundamental shifts from a F2F to an online learning environment involves changes to way in which students and staff communicate. Dr Richard Gatteau (2010) describes one of his key concerns when transitioning an F2F course to an online one was the absence of behavioural cues in the online environment. Since this unit will be conducted in a blended environment, F2F assessments of learning can still occur. Online communication could be seen as an extension to this, where students should be encouraged to undertake their own independent research, providing feedback to the group. Progress can then be assessed using both the online communication as well as through F2F interaction.

Dr Gatteau (2010) proposes that the most effective use of online discussion boards requires students to provide analytical responses rather than simply “regurgitate” answers they could have obtained from a website or text book. This way, the depth and quality of the responses online prove to be more insightful than those in class. Incentives, such as allocation of marks, may need to be used to stimulate or encourage participation in this environment.

Rules of online communication or “netiquette” need to be agreed upon before students participate in online discussion. The inability to detect tone and body language through asynchronous text communication may lead to comments being misconstrued. This might be particularly relevant to upper secondary level students who are increasingly active in Short Messaging Services (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM) and Facebook communication. It needs to be made clear to students that responses in this environment are not a “stream of conscience” (Gatteau 2010) but need to be thoughtful and considered. It is quite commonplace in most secondary schools that deliver computer based training will already have a policy relating to acceptable use of technology. In this case, the “rules of engagement” for online communication should be integrated into the policy document and explained to students. Where a policy does not already exist, it is recommended that one be developed.

=Management & Administration= As part of the three phased approach to staff development proposed by Vaill & Testori (2012), teaching staff should expect ongoing support from technical support and from management. The organisation needs to stay committed to developing staff expertise to effectively manage the content, communication and assessment in an online environment. It is expected that the success of this program and the global trend towards eLearning (Graham 2006) will likely result in further commitment to a blend of face-to-face and online learning. It is therefore imperative that lessons learned and policies developed through this project are used to effectively develop other programs and create a consistent online environment.
 * Managing the System**

Once the boundaries of the classroom have been broadened, teachers need strategies for managing the increased expectation of accessibility. Bath & Bourke (2010) suggest a number of strategies for streamlining this 24-7 communication, including: > Progress reports are an important part of any learning program. The use of an online learning management system brings the opportunity to use electronic grade book functionality that will allow students to essentially monitor their own progress, while improving teacher marking efficiency. Bath & Griffith (2010) describe the performance monitoring system at Griffith University in Queensland. Griffith Universities’ Learning Management System (Learning@Griffith) contains an “early warning system” allowing staff to effectively monitor students at risk of failing, in order to proactively help those students. Although this unit comprises only three summative assessments, it’s expected that the formative quizzes and tests throughout will act as a similar trigger for identifying students at risk.
 * Managing Communication**
 * Establishing an area on the site for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
 * Having a clear structure so students can see where they’re heading and assess their own progress towards it
 * Keeping in contact regularly – both online and face-to-face, using F2F sessions to help support issues with online tasks
 * Managing Performance and Grades**

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1275px; width: 1px;">Nevertheless, during the design phase and prior to development, an evaluation of current Learning Management Systems and their features is still recommended. A decision can then be made weighing up potential feature benefits versus any re-training and data migration costs. < Previous Page (Analysis) | Next Page (Implementation) > <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 994px; width: 1px;">(such as Blackboard and Moodle)