We're working with network partners exploring a range of new blended delivery models supported by Open Polytechnic digital courseware and expertise in flexible learning. Looking forward we hope to expand this area of mahi and welcome the opportunity to discuss potential ways of collaborating to support innovation.
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Using Digital Courseware to Support Blended Learning
A pilot research study by Open Polytechnic shows how digital distance learning courseware can be used to support new blended delivery models.
The study was conducted with three network partners (former ITPs) who accessed Open Polytechnic digital courseware on a free-to-use basis. It explored their experiences in adopting and adapting the resources as they looked to expand their blended delivery options.
Collectively, the partner business divisions made extensive use of Open Polytechnic courseware across a wide range of courses. Lecturers were free to design their own “blend” of digital resources and face-to-face teaching.
The study found that all respondents appreciated the additional opportunities the resources provided, which made the local blended offering possible. The empowerment of teaching staff to arrange their own ‘blend’ and having the option to contextualise may also have contributed to the appreciation of the courseware being provided.
Key benefits of using Open Polytechnic resources included the ability to offer programmes that would otherwise have been unviable due to small ākonga numbers and enhanced flexibility of study options.
The research also reinforced the importance of the wider organisational context when introducing blended delivery. The endorsement of senior managers, the facilitation of professional support staff and the ākonga-centredness of teaching all supported successful implementation.
The full research article can be found at the following link: Reusing Distance Courseware to Enable Blended Delivery: A New Zealand Case Study - Open Praxis
Since this research was undertaken there has been an increase in the number of network partners who are using digital courseware to support their own delivery. The increased uptake can be attributed to a few factors, including: the development of digital courseware for new unified programs; a greater awareness of the availability of these resources; and, more generally, an overall increase in collaboration across the network with the shared objective of reducing duplication and improving overall quality.