Blended+&+Online+ISW

Please share your idea of how you facilitate blended on online versions of the Instructional Skills Workshop here.

Bow Valley College
BVC has experience with two different models of a blended version of the ISW. The driver to create this version is primarily time to get participants together for 4 days. If you would like to see resources created for either of these models, please contact tlc@bowvalleycollege.ca

Model 1
Delivered workshop on 2 Saturdays (Day 1 & a ML cycle), then 1 weekday evenings (ML cycle ) and allowed ML 3 to be completed back in the classroom using the LMS to share the lesson plan as well as the instructor's reflection and feedback provided by participants.

Pros - Assisted in transferring the skills and techniques from the workshop environment into the classroom

Cons - Facilitators needing to follow up - finishing up the ISW dragged on waiting for instructors to post lesson reflections and feedback. Some participants not instructing, so having to find or create opportunities for them to facilitate the 3rd lesson to another group (potentially with participants they did not know).

Variations:
 * 1) Instead of having the 3rd lesson completed via asynchronous method, have lesson 2 completed in that manner with deadline for completion before the next date scheduled for the f2f session.
 * 2) Use a synchronous session for all to reflect and share rather than asynchronous - date will also assist in the laggards completing their lesson by the date of this session.

Model 2
Created a truly blended version with an online asynchronous portion (facilitated over 2 weeks) created for the Day 1 content - developed in the LMS. Three f2f sessions run on Saturdays for the 3 ML cycles + theme sessions. Faciliatiors were not the same for each portion / day although there was some overlap.

Pros - Participants appreciated being able to experience the online environment from a learner's perspective. Reduced the number of days for f2f meeting by 1 day. Allowed for other co-facilitation models as online facilitators did not have to be the same faciliators for the f2f delivery. Participants experienced various facilitation styles.

Cons - Some participants did not participate in the discussions until the last minute - thus really did not particpate in the discussions with peers. Increased communication among facilitators was necessary.