Blended Learning in English Language Teaching: Course Design and Implementation

variety of teaching contexts (e.g. adult, primary) and for an international audience
of both non-first language and first language teachers of English. Module One of
the DELTA is gained through an exam which aims to assess participants’ knowledge
base with regard to (as it says in the syllabus document) the background to teaching
and learning English in terms of an understanding of language, methodology and
resources. Module One is assessed by an examination in which participants are
required to analyse information they are given and draw on what they know to
name concepts, make informed suggestions, select priorities and identify underlying
structuring and beliefs. Our Module One preparation course aims to introduce key
aspects of language and English Language Teaching (ELT) they need to be familiar
with, and point participants to areas suggested for their own research in order to
develop the knowledge base they will need to be successful in the exam. There is
also a thread on how they can most effectively approach the various task types.
There were a number of influencing factors in the establishment of the blended
learning training programme. When the DELTA went modular in 2008, this transformed
our potential client base in two significant ways. Firstly it opened up the possibility for
a greater number of practising teachers to participate, as a shorter Module became
more manageable in terms of balancing work and study. Secondly it became possible
to deliver the course entirely online and meet a potential global demand as Module
One (and Three) no longer necessitate face-to-face elements. There existed a practical
(and financial) need to digitise our face-to-face course to make it accessible to these
global participants.
However, widening accessibility means that while we interview to establish minimums
and avoid too much frustration or disillusionment on anyone’s part, the teaching
environment, length of experience, depth of knowledge and level of awareness of
current issues in ELT vary enormously between course participants, even more
than had previously been the case. In addition, a large proportion of participants
are not native speakers of English and language competencies can vary as can
digital computer literacy. Pedagogically, the course attempts to reflect this diversity
and offers support which can be tapped according to a greater range of individual
learning needs. The omniblended nature of this course dictates that it is both flexible
in terms of meeting participants’ learning needs as well as providing appropriate
individual support. This makes it extremely flexible and has proved very valuable
to participants. As with every innovation (White, 1991), the blended programme
involved time, cost, changes in attitude and practices as well as an increase in
workloads. As Jones (1986) states: ‘It’s not so much the program, more what you
do with it’. In 2007, the year prior to the DELTA going modular (and our first year of
online presence), it became clear that making our existing paper-based resources
available to participants and having upload facilities for assignments might be
convenient, but left all but the most curious and self-directed still in need of face-toface
contact.
102 | Creating a blended DELTA Module One