Moving to Learner-Centered Teaching: A Blended Learning Approach

1. Moving to Learner-Centered Teaching: A Blended Learning Approach Joan Kaplowitz, Ph.D., MLIS – UCLA Librarian Emerita and Instructor UCLA Department of Information Studies Transform Your Teaching - www.joankaplowitz.com joan@joankaplowitz.com Hillary Kaplowitz, MS – Instructional Designer – California State University Northridge hillary.kaplowitz@csun.edu

2. ABSTRACT This poster • Describes the transformation of a face-to-face (F2F) graduate course to a F2F/online blend utilizing a learning-centered teaching (LCT) approach. • Discusses the thinking behind the move to an LCT/blended approach. • Outlines the steps necessary to accomplish this transformation. • Highlights how LCT elements were incorporated into F2F classes. • Shows how the course site supported the LCT approach. • Includes a summary of lessons learned. • Concludes that the collaborative learning community created through this blend encouraged students to take more responsibility for their own and their fellow students’ learning.

3. Step 1: Commit to the Idea: Why LCT? • Empowers learners to take charge of their own learning. • Enables learners to develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge to become for life-long learners. • Encourages self-reflection and insight into own learning and in the learning process itself. • Natural pairing with Information Literacy (IL)’s goal of creating a nation of people who have learned how to learn.

4. Step 2: Commit to Philosophy: CPR for Teaching - Collaboration, Participation, Responsibility • Fundamental principle of LCT: Invite learners into the process. • LCT shifts balance of power from teacher to learner. • Teacher moves from merely transmitting information to a more inclusive mode of teaching. • Learners viewed as active partners, not passive recipients. • Learners expected to work Collaboratively with teacher and fellow learners, to actively Participate, and to take Responsibility for their own and their fellow learners accomplishments.

5. Step 3: Commit to Method: Why Blended Instruction? • Blended instruction combines best practices of F2F and online teaching. • Retains personal touch of F2F while taking advantage of flexibility, collaboration opportunities, and extended contact time offered by online instruction. • Provides enhanced possibilities for creating community of learners through F2F and online interactions.

6. Step 4: Making the Transition: Transforming UCLA’s IS 448 • Information Literacy Instruction (IS 448) taught since 1990. • Heavy emphasis had been on F2F instruction. • IS department adoption of CMS (Moodle) allowed for shift to blended approach. • Initially course site used only for posting of assignments and weekly schedules. • Increased use of course site helped support move to LCT and blended approach. • F2F meetings reduced to 8 out of possible 10 to balance workload of online activities.

7. Step 5: What Happens in the F2F Meetings? • Initial ice-breaker exercise to help students learn about each other and begin to form learning community. • Brainstorming sessions in which students helped direct structure and format of course. • Group work in which students applied what they had learned. • Instructor lead exercises and discussions. • Open discussion time for student selected topics. • Guest speakers. • Individual teaching opportunity for each student.

8. Step 6: What Happens on Course Site? • General course information, weekly schedule, assignments, announcements etc. all distributed exclusively via site. • Selection of case study (course project). • Formation of teams to work on case. • Formation of teams to facilitate online discussions. • 5 student-led online discussions on topics selected during first F2F meeting. • Peer critique of first assignment (Memo to Administrator). • NOTE: Instructor also made extensive use of email to individual students and teams to provide feedback as needed.

9. Step 7: What Worked? • LCT/blended approach increased participation, engagement, and involvement in F2F meetings and on course site. • Course site as primary distribution vehicle for material- always available and no paper handouts. • Online sharing and critiquing of Memo assignment – helped everyone improve their case study projects. • Student led online discussions – thought-provoking and insightful comments from all. • F2F meetings effective for team/community building and as a place to try out and apply new knowledge. • Instructor able to monitor learning via Memo critiques and online discussion comments as well as during F2F meetings.

10. Step 8: What Needs Tweaking? • Students need time to adjust to LCT. They are not always happy with CPR aspects. • Course site – some aspects overly complex and need to be simplified. • Online discussions – too many and peer grading methodology used was cumbersome and too complex. • Open discussion periods - Students not prepared– very few questions or issues raised. • Too many F2F sessions – need to reduce F2F meetings to allow more time for online work.

11. Step 9: What’s Next? • Move to more blended approach – 60% F2F; 40% online. • More sharing of assignments online. • Online activities need to be scheduled for the non-F2F meeting weeks. • Continued exploration of ways to incorporate more LCT approaches to both F2F and online portions of course.