Blended Learning Toolkit from edX

This class is designed for teaching and learning professionals, program directors, professors and others interested in implementing digital education programs at their institutions.

It includes both an overview of the recent history of digital education initiatives, suggestions on managing and organizing digital education projects, and guides to the basics of blended learning, backwards course design, the planning of digital education projects, class filming, zoom use, and digital class delivery.

This course builds on examples and best practices from Columbia University and peer institutions around the world, and draws on the more than 50 interviews conducted in the research of the Leveling the Learning Curve book project.

It also shares insights and tips from leaders of top digital education programs at leading universities around the world, and includes “From Theory to Practice” interviews with top thinkers from peer institutions such as Stanford, Penn, ASU, Dartmouth, Georgia Tech, UC Berkeley and many others, as well as leaders from the Digital Education divisions of the World Bank, UNDP, and PBS Learning Media.

It also includes excerpts to panel discussions from the "Leveling The Learning Curve" conference, and downloadable tips and guides to help you as you set up your own digital education units at your university or college.

Information covered in this course includes digital education administration, theories of online teaching and learning, and implementation of HyFlex learning classrooms.

It is available to audit in free mode, or you can take this to qualify for “Certificate in Blended Course Design”.

What's inside

Learning objective

Through this course, learners will gain insight into the history of online education, including the factors leading to its initial implementation, early years, and evolution. from there, learners will gain access to insider knowledge of digital tools in higher education through exclusive interviews with academics at top universities and innovators in the edtech industry. students will also view panel discussions conducted at the "leveling the learning curve" conference, which brought the brightest minds in online education together for discussions on the future of the edtech industry. finally, students will learn how to design, implement, and run a online education programs with digital tools through practical guides to creating digital content — including shooting videos and producing flipped classes — as taught by professionals in the field. students will also have access to supplemental material in the leveling the learning curve book, a guide to online education in the 21st century. upon completing the course, students will holistically understand digital tools in online education and how to use them effectively.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Designed for teaching and learning professionals, program directors, and professors interested in implementing digital education programs at their institutions

Provides a history of digital education initiatives, including factors leading to its implementation, early years, and evolution

Exclusive interviews with academics at top universities and EdTech industry innovators

Features insights and tips from leaders of digital education programs at top universities

Offers practical guides for creating digital content, including video and flipped classes

Supplement material with excerpts from the Leveling the Learning Curve book

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Blended Learning Toolkit with these activities:

Review: Leveling the Learning Curve

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Construct a foundational understanding of the history, evolution, theories, and implementation of digital education.

View Kate Bush and the Moving Image on Amazon

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Read the book's introduction and Chapters 1-3
Summarize the key insights from each chapter
Identify the key challenges and opportunities facing digital education

Review Video Editing Techniques

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Sharpen your video editing skills to create engaging and professional-looking digital content.

Browse courses on Video Editing

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Review the basics of video editing software
Practice editing a short video clip
Experiment with different editing techniques

Virtual Meetups with Digital Education Innovators

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Connect with experts and practitioners in the field of digital education to gain new perspectives and insights.

Browse courses on Education Technology

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Identify relevant virtual meetups or conferences
Prepare questions and topics for discussion
Attend the event and actively engage with other participants

Five other activities

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Show all eight activities

Interactive Zoom Simulations

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Develop proficiency in using Zoom's interactive tools for online teaching, such as screen sharing, breakout rooms, and polling.

Browse courses on Zoom

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Join a practice Zoom session and explore its features
Practice screen sharing and annotating
Host a breakout room session and facilitate a small group discussion

Online Accessibility Best Practices Tutorial

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Ensure your digital education materials are accessible to all learners by following best practices.

Browse courses on Web Accessibility

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Complete an online accessibility tutorial
Use the tools provided to check your content for accessibility issues
Apply the best practices to your digital education materials

Blended Course Design Guide

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Create a practical guide to blended course design, incorporating best practices from the course materials.

Browse courses on Learning Management System

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Identify the key components of a blended course
Develop a lesson plan for a blended course
Create a prototype of the blended course using an LMS
Share your guide with other educators

Contribute to Open Educational Resources

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Enhance your understanding of digital education by contributing to open-source projects and sharing your expertise.

Browse courses on Open Educational Resources

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Identify an open-source educational project
Contribute to the project by reporting bugs, writing documentation, or developing content
Seek feedback from the project community

HyFlex Classroom Implementation Plan

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Develop a comprehensive plan for implementing a HyFlex classroom model at your institution, integrating the principles learned in the course.

Browse courses on Hybrid Learning

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Research best practices for HyFlex classroom implementation
Identify the resources and technology needed
Develop a training plan for faculty and staff
Create a pilot program to test the implementation

Career center

Learners who complete Blended Learning Toolkit will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Instructional Designer

An Instructional Designer creates, develops, and evaluates instructional and learning experiences for learners. By taking this course, you will gain the knowledge and skills you need to design, develop, and deliver effective online learning experiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Chief Learning Officer

A Chief Learning Officer (CLO) is in charge of the administration, design, development, and implementation of learning and development programs within a company or organization. This course would be an excellent foundation for this kind of role, since it provides an overview of digital education administration, theories of online teaching and learning, and implementation of HyFlex learning classrooms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Learning Officer

Instructional Technology Specialist

Instructional Technology Specialists help faculty and staff use technology to improve teaching and learning. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to use digital tools in higher education, how to design and implement online education programs, and how to produce flipped classes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Technology Specialist

Educational Consultant

Educational Consultants advise educational institutions and organizations on how to improve their educational programs and services. The insights and tips from leaders of top digital education programs at leading universities around the world will be especially useful in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Educational Consultant

Digital Learning Specialist

Digital Learning Specialists help faculty and staff use technology to improve teaching and learning. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to use digital tools in higher education, how to design and implement online education programs, and how to produce flipped classes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Learning Specialist

Online Course Developer

Online Course Developers design, develop, and deliver online courses. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to design and develop online learning experiences, how to use digital tools in higher education, and how to produce flipped classes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Online Course Developer

Education Researcher

Education Researchers conduct research on teaching and learning. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to conduct research on digital education, how to analyze data, and how to write research reports.

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Education Manager

Education Managers plan, direct, and coordinate educational programs and services. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to manage and organize digital education projects, how to plan and deliver digital classes, and how to use digital tools in higher education.

See salaries and explore the career path for Education Manager

Training and Development Specialist

Training and Development Specialists plan, develop, and implement training programs for employees. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to design and develop training programs, how to deliver training programs, and how to use digital tools in higher education.

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Instructional Technologist

Instructional Technologists help faculty and staff use technology to improve teaching and learning. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to use digital tools in higher education, how to design and implement online education programs, and how to produce flipped classes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Technologist

Learning and Development Manager

Learning and Development Managers plan, develop, and implement learning and development programs for employees. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to manage and organize learning and development programs, how to design and deliver training programs, and how to use digital tools in higher education.

See salaries and explore the career path for Learning and Development Manager

Program Manager

Program Managers plan, direct, and coordinate educational programs and services. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to manage and organize educational programs, how to develop and implement curricula, and how to use digital tools in higher education.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Educational Technology Consultant

Educational Technology Consultants advise educational institutions and organizations on how to use technology to improve teaching and learning. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to evaluate educational technology products and services, how to develop and implement technology plans, and how to train faculty and staff on how to use technology.

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Curriculum Developer

Curriculum Developers create and develop educational materials for use in schools and other educational settings. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in this role, including how to design and develop curricula, how to use digital tools in higher education, and how to produce flipped classes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Curriculum Developer