Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education: Putting Learning First

by Julie Crough, Chris Campbell, Christopher Allan

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Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education: Putting Learning First

~ STEM ~

MAY 7th 2019
by
Julie Crough
Chris Campbell
Christopher Allan

 
 

Foreword by Shane Sutherland, PebblePad CEO

Ever since their inception, ‘eportfolios’ seem to have been typically associated with showcasing examples of completed work, rather than for sharing and receiving feedback on work, projects and ideas in progress. And while examples of portfolio practice have often come from disciplines like nursing and teaching, we have over our years of PebblePaddling (15 and counting) heard about innovative examples of eportfolio practice in many other disciplines, but often these have been viewed as atypical. How wonderful then for personal learning advocates and the wider STEM community to have at their disposal the excellent collection of use cases brought together by the superb team in Griffith Sciences. I cannot overstate the value and usefulness of the resources in the book described below, and how proud I am to have Griffith University as a customer.

Enjoy

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Sustaining quality teaching and learning in STEM

Finding and sustaining quality learning and teaching practice in STEM can be difficult, particularly when it involves a new technology. Finding examples within STEM to support sustained growth can be almost impossible. In 2017, Griffith University implemented a university-wide adoption of PebblePad. To facilitate this implementation, Griffith Sciences instituted a blended learning fund to find and support initiatives utilising PebblePad and other technologies. The Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education book provides some results of that initiative.

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The Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education book provides a professional learning framework that can be used to implement blended learning technologies such as PebblePad, in Higher Education in an authentic way.

 

 
 
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The book provides a professional learning framework that can be used to implement blended learning technologies such as PebblePad, in Higher Education in an authentic way. It offers a set of learning principles to inform the design of learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). These principles, coupled with a range of PebblePad initiatives and case studies across STEM disciplines, provide a rich suite of resources to support educators to adopt or adapt them to their own context.  We think the book is unique in that it provides a snapshot of one university (Griffith University) and one implementation of a new technology (PebblePad) within a STEM context. It documents the “grass roots” initiatives of STEM practitioners and the blended learning designs that have organically grown throughout this process.  

Image of the Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education book
 
 



The Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education is edited by Christopher N. Allan, Dr. Chris Campbell and Julie Crough from Griffith University.
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References and Resources

Blended Learning Designs in STEM Higher Education: Putting Learning First
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-981-13-6982-7

Leveraging educational technology to enhance career confidence
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/5505/view

New flight procedures training laboratory for Griffith Aviation
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7128/view

Promoting active learning and equity in a HyFlex course
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7148/view

Using PebblePad as a desgin brief with a first year cohort
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7328/view

Using PebblePad to collect evidence of learning
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7348/view

Supporting science students to be problem solvers, not recipe followers - https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7368/view

Building urban and environmental students' career paths
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7508/view

For more information on the learning and teaching process undertaken within the book, see the Griffith Sciences Blended Learning Model - https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/6405/view

[Blog post banner image courtesy of Griffith University]

 
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Authors

Dr. Julie Crough is a Learning and Teaching Consultant (Curriculum) for Griffith Sciences as well as Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Griffith Learning and Teaching Academy. Her extensive experience and background in science education span more than 25 years working collaboratively with, and for, higher education institutions and scientific research organizations in curriculum development and innovation. Her curiosity and drive to learn are foregrounded by her passion to purposefully integrate active and authentic learning experiences in STEM Higher Education.

Dr. Chris Campbell currently works at the Centre for Learning Futures at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. As Emerging Research Leader, she has been involved in numerous grants and projects around digital technologies and emerging technologies. Her skills in implementing and trialing new technologies are documented in over 70 publications where she has conducted research in online tools in educational settings, including LAMS, Second Life and Assistive eXtra Learning Environments as well as research in technology integration, mobile learning and augmented reality. She has previously taught first-year pre-service teachers and trialed interactive and emerging technologies in lectures. In 2016, She was Queensland-Smithsonian Fellowship holder where she investigated the Smithsonian Learning Lab and implications for teachers.

Christopher N. Allan is a Learning and Teaching Consultant for Griffith Sciences, Griffith University. Christopher has extensive experience in blended learning, learning design and the implementation of technology to support and enhance learning and teaching. He has 20 years’ experience in all forms of education and more than 10 years working in Higher Education. His contributions have recently been recognised by his being named a Senior Fellow with the Higher Education Academy. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Griffith Learning and Teaching Academy.

 

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