Resources

Blended Learning Models

• Blended Learning Implementation Guide- Digital Learning Now (http://www.digitallearningnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/BLIG-2.0-Final-Paper.pdf) This guide provides detailed instruction of implementing blended learning instructions in different environmental settings.
• How to Make the Most of Blended Learning- Contact North, Ontario Online Learning Portal for Faculty and Instructor (http://www.contactnorth.ca/trends-directions/how-make-most-blended-learning), Provides guidelines on how to make the most of blended learning, and outlines the challenges and advantages of blended mode of education.
• Blended Learning Toolkit- University of Central Florida (http://blended.online.ucf.edu/) This toolkit provides resources on how to implement blended learning to support teaching and learning.
• Getting Started with Blended Learning- Griffith University (http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/267178/Getting_started_with_blended_learning_guide.pdf), This guide provides details instructions for implementing different phases of a blended learning process.
• The Basics of Blended Instruction- Educational Leadership, ASCD (http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar13/vol70/num06/The-Basics-of-Blended-Instruction.aspx)
• Blended Learning- Griffith University (http://exedweb.cc.uic.edu/blended/facultyresources.html) Describes the phases of Blended Learning design process in details, and provides guidelines for each phase.
• Best Practices for Blended Learning- (https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-technology/blended-learning/best-practices) Outlines the best practices for effective course design and teaching in blended mode of instruction.
• Flexible Learning: A Practical Guide for Academic Staff (https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/fl_staff_guide_0.pdf), Provides guides and introduces best practices in Flexible and Blended Learning.
• Blended Learning Approach to Teaching and Learning - Queen's University (http://www.queensu.ca/ctl/resources/topicspecific/blendedlearning.html) This website provides resources on Blended Learning and important elements to consider when considering integrating the technology in teaching.
• Blended Course Design: A Synthesis of Best Practices-Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks (http://www.uwgb.edu/catl/files/Workshops/english/Blended%20Course%20Design%20-%20A%20Synthesis%20of%20Best%20Practices.pdf), This paper is focused on best practices on enabling, enhancing and transforming blended learning in higher educational institutions.
• Blended Learning- EDUCAUSE Library (http://www.educause.edu/library/blended-learning). This website provides multiple resources on Blended Learning models, which will present you the different possibilities to combine effectively traditional face-to-face teaching with online learning.
• Blended Learning- Combining Face-to-Face and Online Education (http://www.edutopia.org/blog/blended-online-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron) Provides a brief description of the components of Blended Learning Model.
• Blended Learning at Griffith (http://www.griffith.edu.au/learning-futures/pdf/gihe_tipsheet_web_bl.pdf) Provides a list of useful strategies for teaching and curriculum design in blended mode of education.
• Blended Learning: How Teachers Balance the Blend of Online and Classroom Components- Journal of Information Technology Education-Research (http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol13/JITEv13ResearchP121-140Jeffrey0460.pdf), This paper provides guidelines through case studies to different approaches to integration of Blended Learning in classrooms for K-12 teachers.
• 7 Things You Should Know About Flipped Classrooms- EDUCAUSE (http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf). This document presents a learning model that combines face-to-face and online learning to provide flexibility and autonomy to the students.

Engaging Learning Activities

• Universal Instructional Design Principles - Universal Instructional Design Introduction Brief, University of Guelph (https://www.uoguelph.ca/tss/uid/uid-workbook-DE.pdf) This document presents a very useful chart that outlines the principles, objectives, and examples of designing instructional materials and learning activities.
• Teaching Practice- Engaging students through learning activities Transitional Teaching, Quick Guide, RMIT University(https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/bus/public/transnational/pdf/Teaching%20practice%20-%20Engaging%20students%20through%20learning%20activities.pdf) A brief useful guide on designing effective learning activities for instructor, and also presents a table that compares different types of learning activities with their pros and cons.
• Technology Solutions for Teaching and Research- University of Wisconsin Madison (https://academictech.doit.wisc.edu/blend/design/activities) Talks about designing instructional activities for different types of learning environments.
• Engaging Students - Center for Teaching & Assessment of Learning - University of Delaware (http://cte.udel.edu/instructional-topics/engaging-students.html) Presents the factors involved in engagement of students in learning activities in classroom through the Active Learning principles.
• Online Learning and Distance Education Resources - Tony Bates blog at Contact Nord (http://www.tonybates.ca/2012/06/26/nine-steps-to-quality-online-learning-step-7-design-course-structure-and-learning-activities/) Talks about 9 steps for creating quality online learning programs, and talks in details about designing course structure and learning activities in the step 7.
• Developing online learning activities for blended courses - Centre for Teaching Excellence at University of Waterloo (https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/blended-learning/developing-online-learning-activities) Presents the factors and criteria considered for developing learning activities for blended courses.
• Designing Learning Activities from Learning Objects - Faculty of Information Technology at University of Technology, Sydney http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland02/proceedings/papers/067.pdf, Offers frameworks for designing learning activities based on different elements of learning environment.
• Selecting Learning Activities - Penn State Learning Design Community Hub (http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/learningdesign/lessons/selecting), Presents the sequence and questions related to each of the steps considered for designing learning activities, and also provides examples for different types of learning activities based on different learning subjects.
• How to Design a More Effective Educational Activity - Sue Pelletier at MeetingsNet (http://meetingsnet.com/print/meeting-formats/how-design-more-effective-educational-activity?page=6) Explains the layers of engagement in designing learning activities and explains how post engagement strategies can be effective in enhancing engagement of learning activities.
• Effective Practice with e-Learning - HEFCE (http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/effectivepracticeelearning.pdf) Introduces 5 factors to consider for designing learning activities in a technology-rich context.
• Fundamental Design of Learning Activities - AES Blog (http://aaronsilvers.com/2011/02/fundamental-design-of-learning-activities/) Briefly describes the characteristics and elements of a learning activity and their relation with each other in learning activity design.
• How to Design Effective Online Group Work Activities - Faculty Focus, Higher Ed Teaching Strategies From Magna Publications (http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/how-to-design-effective-online-group-work-activities/) Provides a checklist for designing effective online group work activities.

Assessment

• Assess Teaching & Learning - Eberly Center at Carnegie Mellon (http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/alignment.html): Provides numerous resources for assessing teaching and learning. Guidelines and examples for using assessment tools are provided for assessing student`s prior knowledge, student learning and performance, and quality of teaching. It also offers glossary for assessment-related terminology.
• 7 Things You Should Know About Assessing Online Team-Based Learning - EDUCAUSE (https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7063.pdf). This resource provides excellent suggestions on how to assess effectively team-based projects online.
• Developing Effective Assessment – Griffith University (http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/52862/gihe_tipsheet_web_dea.pdf): Discusses key concepts and terms in assessment and strategies for developing effective assessment for a course.
• Assess Students – Instructional Assessment Resources- the University of Texas at Austin (http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ctl/assessment/iar/students/): Provides a step-by-step guide for college and university faculty on designing assessment for student learning from planning assessment, gathering assessment data, to reporting assessment results.
• Focus on Instructional Design: Assessment Strategy - Scholarly Technology and Resources at University of Arkansas at Little Rock (http://ualr.edu/star/2013/11/04/focus-on-instructional-design-assessment-strategy/): Poses four questions to consider when developing a good assessment strategy regardless of the delivery methods.
• Teaching Methods: Assessing Learning – The Centre for Teaching & Learning at Humber College (http://www.humber.ca/centreforteachingandlearning/instructional-strategies/teaching-methods/course-development-tools/writing-evaluation-criteria.html): Provides resources on many factors that are involved in assessment.
• A Model of Learning Objectives - Center for Excellence and Teaching at Iowa State University (http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/RevisedBlooms1.html): Presents a Model of Learning Objectives based on the revised Bloom`s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives which is important for designing assessment strategies.
• Noda Dabbagh's Instructional Design Knowledge Base: Evaluation - Instructional Technology Program at George Mason University (permission from the author is required to link the page): Talks all about formative evaluation and summative evaluation.
• Kirkpatrick's Four Level Evaluation Model - The Performance Juxtaposition (http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/isd/kirkpatrick.html): explains Kirkpatrick's four-level model and its revised model, which has been widely used within the training communities for the evaluation of training and learning.
• Jon Mueller’s Authentic Assessment Toolbox - North Central College (http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/): Provides a how-to-guide on creating authentic tasks, rubrics, and standards for measuring and improving student learning along with examples.
• How to Use Assessment Strategies - Carleton College (http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/assessment/strategies.html): Presents a number of assessment types along with examples, in particular for the Geosciences field.
• Rubrics for Assessment - Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center at Northern Illinois University (http://www.niu.edu/facdev/resources/guide/assessment/rubrics_for_assessment.pdf): Provides a very detailed guideline on developing rubrics.
• Formative and Summative Assessment - Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center at Northern Illinois University (http://www.niu.edu/facdev/resources/guide/assessment/formative%20and_summative_assessment.pdf): Explains how diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment can be used in a classroom along with examples of tools for these assessments.
• Assessment-Inquiry Connection - The website Just Science Now! (http://www.justsciencenow.com/assessment/index.htm): Explains diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment by relating these assessments to inquiry learning.

Quality Assurance

• Tips for Quality Control of Online Learning - The eLearning Coach blog (http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/quality-control-for-online-training/), Provides 10 steps for Quality Control of Online Learning, and presents examples of quality control steps from different perspectives.

• Building Quality Assurance in Online Learning Assessment- CTLT UBC (http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Building_Quality_Assurance_in_Online_Learning_Assessment)

• Quality Assurance in e-Learning: Two Developments- Tony Bates blog at Contact Nord (http://www.tonybates.ca/2011/06/10/quality-assurance-in-e-learning-two-developments/), Provides a list of the websites that discuss about Quality Assurance in online learning.

• E-learning Quality- Aspects and criteria for evaluation of e-learning in higher education (http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2010/07/22/instructional-design-review-checklists-key-to-quality-e-learning/), an informative paper that discusses the quality assurance of e-Learning in higher education based on the standard criteria of different countries.