Blended Learning

Also, Griffith University has outlined a comprehensive set of “Principles to Promote Excellence in Learning
and Teaching Practices at Griffith University”, which can help to guide the evaluation of a course. These
principles are:
1. Create an engaging, motivating, and intellectually stimulating learning experience;
2. Encourage the spirit of critical inquiry and creative innovation informed by current research;
3. Emphasise the importance, relevance, and integration of theory and knowledge with professional practice
to develop solutions to real world issues;
4. Provide learning experiences that develop inter-culturally capable graduates who can make a difference
as socially and ethically responsible global citizens;
5. Value and recognise individual and cultural diversity through the provision of an inclusive context of
support and respect for all students;
6. Enhance student engagement and learning through effective curriculum design, pedagogy and assessment
strategies;
7. Continuously improve teaching practice through academic staff professional development, and critical
reflection informed by a range of evaluation approaches.
For more ideas about evaluating blended learning using these principles (Chickering &
Gamson, 1987), visit:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/selt/eval_online.html, or
http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html
For the full guide to Griffith University’s principles to promote excellence in learning and
teaching, visit:
http://www.griffith.edu.au/gihe/learning-teaching-principles
How should I evaluate?
The quality of responses is likely to be much better when the experience is fresh in your mind as well as the
students, and when students are not overwhelmed with a long list of questions. Also feedback obtained while
the course is in session allows a vigilant teacher to make adjustments in their teaching that are tailored to the
group’s specific needs.
There are four key avenues by which you can collect and evaluate data – yourself, your peers (e.g., other
tutors), your students’ experiences, and your students’ learning. This approach is known as the 4Q Model of
Evaluation (Smith, 2008a), and is represented in Figure 13. These four ‘quadrants’ of possible feedback are
described in the following sections (adapted from Bath & Smith, 2004).
62 Getting Started with Blended Learning