Introduction
The purpose of this book is to be utilized as a resource for the practical application of blended learning in higher education. The book addressed in depth aspects that designers and faculty need to consider when designing blended learning courses. Norman and Vaughan did a wonderful job in dividing the book into two major parts that covered all aspects of producing a successful blended learning course. Part one addressed the framework that the book followed to provide a needed roadmap of blended learning approaches. Part two covers practical aspects such as principles, guidelines, scenarios, and strategies for the redesign and transformation of the higher education curriculum. I found this book very helpful and it can be used as a guideline for integrating the best practice of online learning with traditional face-to-face courses to implement a successful blended learning approach.
Part One: Framework
The framework for this book followed the concept of a community of inquiry (COI). The COI framework provided in details the understanding of the nature, principles, and purpose of blended learning. Through the first four chapters, the community of inquiry characteristics addressed included purposeful, open, and disciplined inquiry to show the important for meaningful learning.
Further, the three elements of COI were explained in detail to understand the practice of blended learning. Those elements are: social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence. Each COI element is used to study and design teaching and learning transactions. Also, the interdependence among the three presences was explained, and examples were provided to show the significant influence of the presences for the design of a successful blended learning course.
Seven principles were addressed in chapter three to improve the design, facilitation, and direction for successful teaching and learning in the higher education environment. Two of these principles dealt with the design aspect, two addressed issues of cognitive presence, two ensured the progressive development of cognitive presence, and the last principle dealt with assessment to maintain the educational process.
Chapter four emphasized community of inquiry for faculty development. The information provided in this chapter is very useful for faculty implementing a community of inquiry approach.
Part Two: Blended Learning in Practice
In part two, Norman and Vaughan explained in depth practical aspects within blended learning, including scenarios, guidelines, strategies and tools, and the future of blended learning in higher education.
Chapter five identified three types of course redesign challenges and provided general blended learning scenarios. The three types of course redesign are: small classes, large undergraduate introductory courses, and projectbased courses.
Chapter six emphasized practical blended learning guidelines to support teaching and learning experience. The guidelines provided in this chapter were associated with each principle that was discussed in chapter three of the book to enhance learning in higher education.
A series of useful strategies and tools was provided to enrich the blended learning course. However, those strategies and tools are useful to redesign the blended course, not to add on to the existing one. Chapter seven explained in depths varieties of techniques and strategies that can be used during the redesign phase of the blended course. These techniques are:
Planning the design;
Planning the framework;
Facilitation strategies (e.g., before a face-to-face-session, during a face-to-face-session, between face-to-face-sessions, and next face-to-face-session); and
Direct instruction and assessment (e.g., discussion forums, web-based tools, classroom assessment techniques, assessment rubrics for student assignments, and portfolio).
The purpose of these techniques is to give the opportunity to students to be engaged with the instructor about their course. Faculty should follow these techniques and tools to provide ongoing facilitation of the course for students. Students should feel that the instructor is available for them as needed. By following the techniques and strategies that were outlined in chapter 7 of this book, the quality of teaching and learning in higher education can be greatly improved.
The last chapter, chapter eight, of this book addressed the future of blended learning in higher education. Within the higher education environment, teaching and learning has been shifted from teacher centered toward student collaboration. Chapter eight explained the three forces of changes that are responsible for the shift: advances in communication technology, changes within institutions themselves, and lack of quality of learning in higher education. As a result, designing a meaningful blended learning approach will enhance both the quality of teaching and learning and the cost-effectiveness of designing the course.
Quality of the Book
Blended learning is not a new approach but the practical design of it is the challenge to meet the educational shifting to more constructive learning-centered with emphasis on learning through community of inquiry. Rovai and Jordan (2004) indicated that a well-designed blended course can provide stronger feelings of community among the learners than can the traditional or fully online course. Norman and Vaughan explained in depth the foundation of community of inquiry and blended learning through the first four chapters. This foundation added quality to the book by laying out the concept of community of inquiry and how it can be used to design or redesign a blended course. Most important is chapter four that gives opportunities to individual faculty to redesign their courses without systematic support of the professional development community.
I found part two of the book a very helpful guide to designing a strong blended learning course based on the community of inquiry framework. The varieties of examples that are provided in chapter five can be utilized in redesigning an existing course or creating a new one.
This book has many useful features can be used as a reference while designing and during teaching the course. Those features include the guidelines of designing a successful course, strategies and tools that are used to design and deliver the course, and the appendices that are provided in the end of book (e.g., organizational change, project proposal form, and redesign guide for blended learning). By implementing the information provided in this book, faculty and learners will have a more robust educational experience based on the concept of the community of inquiry framework than either face-to-face or fully online learning can offer.
Conclusion
This book can be utilized as a guide to design and implement a successful course. It explains in depth the foundation, framework, principles, and practical techniques to produce a blended course with high quality. Faculty and designers are encouraged to follow the strategies addressed in this book to improve teaching and learning in higher education.
The book can be utilized as a useful reference for faculty, trainers, and designers to understand both the framework and practical aspects of blended learning. It can also be used as a textbook for students who are obtaining a degree in the instructional technology and distance education fields to provide them with a robust foundation of community of inquiry framework and its affect on designing different formats of courses, including totally online or blended courses.
This book is well written in a simple format. Each chapter can stand alone and explain different aspects of designing blended learning to create a community of inquiry. The author sees each chapter as a piece of a puzzle, and to complete the puzzle, all pieces are required. Thus, to have full benefit of this book, you need to closely read all chapters and apply the provided techniques when designing your blended courses.
