Blended Learning in English Language Teaching: Course Design and Implementation

attending scenario 1 courses. The outcome shows that it would be beneficial for
more face-to-face sessions to incorporate MEC. As a result, MVHS has relocated as
many courses as possible into its own buildings to take advantage of multimedia
equipment there and continues to do so whenever an opportunity arises.
Mapping learners’ language and computing skills over time has been enlightening and
has helped tailor introductions to the needs of individual groups. The same applies to
training new teachers to use MEC in the classroom. At the beginning the focus was
on a detailed description of the site; today training pinpoints specific features such
as the dictionary. Training for teachers is no longer provided predominantly by MVHS.
After the initial in-house training session MVHS refers its teachers to the online clinics
MEC offers regularly and to the MEC teachers’ blog. Learners and teachers alike have
become more independent users over the past years.
MEC offers ample opportunities for usage inside the classroom. It is the institution’s
aim to provide MEC courses with classrooms equipped with a projector and a
notebook as well as with internet access. Nevertheless, despite introducing MEC
to its course offerings, MVHS does not intend to offer courses that rely solely on
MEC. Pure distance learning in a language-learning context is not the institution’s
aim because the social aspect of learning within a group setting would be lost.
Volkshochschulen have a duty towards society, their goal is to render a service to
the inhabitants of their city and to make learning accessible to any adult learner
regardless of age, sex, and learning background. Therefore, environmental and
social aspects which stimulate learning such as interacting with other people and
discovering the importance of peer support for successful learning are essential
to fulfilling this goal, and a mere online course is not adequate in the context of
Volkshochschulen.
However, Volkshochschulen cannot ignore trends in language learning and the society
they are situated in. In order to attract people to learning they need to keep an open
mind and to constantly seek to improve the service offered by choosing learning
tools relevant to their target group, no matter whether it is a new coursebook series
or a VLE. Incorporating MEC in the way described above has proved to be a good
compromise and does not take away face-to-face teaching time. In addition, it is
another step towards the ideal of autonomous learners being responsible for their
own progress and taking the necessary steps to meet their needs. Combining the
advantages of face-to-face learning with VLE opportunities such as MEC has proved
a step in the right direction for this particular learning context.
References
Bax, S (2003) Call – Past, Present and Future. System 31: 13–28.
Hockly, N and Clandfield, L (2010) Teaching Online: Tools and Techniques, Options and
Opportunities. Peaslake: Delta Publishing.
218 | Lessons in blended learning