Blended Online Learning (BOL) combines synchronous and asynchronous online learning in ways that potentially can overcome limitations of fully asynchronous online. Although BOL has been an emergent modality for decades, research on the experiences, benefits and challenges of its implementation has been limited. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced many college courses to go fully online, including courses with hands-on learning components assumed to require face-to-face instruction to support learners. For this study, the pandemic disruption offered an authentic learning setting to investigate the learning and experiences of pre-service teachers in a technology course that was forced into a fully online BOL modality. Previously, the technology course was delivered in a Blended Learning modality (BL) that combined face-to-face computer lab meetings with asynchronous online materials and activities using a Learning Management System (LMS). BOL replaced face-to-face meeting with synchronous online (e.g., Zoom) meetings.The purpose of this study was to explore if BL and BOL course modalities would generate different student outcomes in terms of rubric scores obtained on a final project (competence), along with student-written reflections on the final project (confidence/self-efficacy) that covered topics and skills such as digital audio, digital video, and PowerPoint. The study showed that students enrolled in the BL modality obtained higher scores on the final project as compared to students engaged in the BOL modality. On the other hand, BOL students made a higher number of problem-solving statements in their written reflections about the final project, displaying an antifragile disposition. This study contributes to the existing body of research on online learning modalities by exploring the dimension of competency and self-efficacy of students enrolled in blended and blended online versions of a course with concentration on learning technology. The findings of this study can inform decisions of teacher education administrators and faculty about how they are going to integrate educational technology into Teacher Education Programs. Further, the study has implications for adopting BOL modality in a range of higher education courses in which fully online delivery has been resisted because of students’ assumed needs for face-to-face support in skills learning.

This report describes the development process of the Deutsche Bank Intro to Controls instructional training tool. This course utilizes a multi-faceted, blended approach, including web-based training, simulation, and instructor-led training components to teach complex banking operations. The report includes a literature review describing instructional theories, and strategies concerning the use of a blended approach in the training of complex systems and operations. The report also includes a description of the formative evaluation process and results. These results demonstrated a positive response to the content and instructional strategies employed in the training, as well as the need for future research to evaluate long-term effects of the training. Finally, the report contains a critique of the project, discussing its strengths, its weaknesses, and opportunities for future training projects.

This report describes the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based unit that was designed to enable blended learning in a course for pre-service teachers learning about technology integration. The unit aims to teach students about the TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and how to incorporate it in their teaching designs to make their instruction more effective. The report describes the process of design and development using the rapid prototyping technique. The evaluation section describes the results of the implementation of the design. Finally, the conclusion provides a critique of the project's strengths and weaknesses.

This design-based research study explored whether Sense of Community was maintained while flexibility in the course was increased through an adoption of a unique blended learning model. Data collected in this study show a significant drop in the sense of connectedness score from a mean of 50.8 out of 66 to a mean of 39.68 in the first iteration. The score then began to gradually increase, reaching 50.65 in the third iteration. Results indicate that transitioning to a blended learning environment may be a suitable option to increase flexibility while maintaining a Sense of Community in a project-based course. Future research into specific aspects of course design such as maturity of design, age-level of participants, and context would further develop understanding in this area.

Utbildning på högskole- och universitetsnivå har under åren 2020-2022 präglats av enorma påfrestningar, förändringar och restriktioner i spåren av den pandemi som drog över världen. Under våren 2020 behövde många lärare inom högre utbildning, över en natt, ställa om sin undervisning från campusbaserad undervisning till onlinebaserad distansundervisning och många studenter fick därmed också helt andra förutsättningar inom sina utbildningar. Men denna nya situation var emellertid inte endast till ondo. Den väckte nämligen också i många fall nya progressiva pedagogiska och didaktiska idéer som gjorde det möjligt att fortsätta bedriva undervisning även om ett stort antal studenter inte var på plats i lärosalen. En av dessa idéer är den synkrona formen av hybridundervisning där studenter erbjuds att ta del av en och samma läraktivitet antingen genom att delta fysiskt på campus eller digitalt på distans. Denna studie utgör både ett didaktiskt och vetenskapligt kunskapsbidrag till den här formen av undervisning genom att, med kursdeltagares uppfattningar och erfarenheter som grund, sätta fingret på möjliga vinster och utmaningar i en högskolepedagogisk kontext och därmed vägleda lärare som vill prova på att undervisa på detta sätt i framtiden.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of instructional videos on the performance achievement of fifth grade instrumental students. The design of the study was pretest-posttest control group experimental. Participants (n = 84) were volunteers selected from fifth grade students enrolled in Garnet Valley School District in Glen Mills, PA, who had participated in the band program for at least one full year. Students were assigned a short etude composed by the researcher to practice for an evaluation. Prior to treatment, each student was recorded performing the etude as a pretest. All students received identical instruction and modeling of the etude during their weekly school lesson. In addition to the weekly school lesson instruction, a Video Practice Group (VP) (n = 42) was given access to a video of the teacher instruction and modeling of the etude for use during home practice, and the Non-Video Practice Control Group (NVP) (n = 42) practiced the etude under usual practice conditions. Each week, participants submitted a practice record detailing the amount of time spent practicing the etude. Following three weeks of treatment, all participants recorded a performance of the etude. Pretest and posttest recordings were scored by the researcher using the researcher-designed Etude Scoring Form. One additional certified music teacher scored a random selection of 15% of the student recordings as a reliability judge. Comparison of pretest and posttest scores showed that overall gain scores for participants in the Video Practice group were significantly greater than the Non-Video Practice Group (F(1,82) = 20.68, p < .001, ηp2 = .201), with significant interactions in the categories of rhythm (F(1, 82) = 9.45, p = .003), fluency, F(1, 82) = 9.97, p = .002), and articulation, F(1, 82) = 8.07, p = .006). No significant interactions were found for instrument type or participant school. There was no significant difference in reported practice time between the two groups, and practice time was positively correlated with posttest scores. / Music Education

El análisis de los datos que se generan durante el proceso educativo en el nivel universitario, especialmente cuando se desarrolla con la implementación de la modalidad blended learning (B-learning en adelante), representa un desafío para su procesamiento y una oportunidad para la extracción de información que puede orientar en la toma de decisiones que debe realizar el docente. El estudio de aspectos como: la identificación de preferencias, patrones y distintos comportamiento de los estudiantes en la modalidad B-learning representan elementos que permiten la comprensión de cómo los estudiantes desarrollan sus competencias educativas en diferentes áreas del conocimiento. Este tipo de modalidad se caracteriza por combinar actividades presenciales y virtuales utilizando como soporte tecnológico a Internet dentro de las características de una red social educativa. El proceso educativo así desarrollado genera un gran volumen de datos el cual representa un campo propicio para la aplicación de técnicas de data mining o minería de datos (vocablos que se utilizarán alternativamente). El conocimiento que se obtiene al procesar estos datos educativos utilizando el data mining, representa otra alternativa para el docente en la toma de decisiones relacionadas con el correcto diseño del proceso, secuenciación de actividades y elección de materiales. Permitiendo además realizar ajustes ,si son necesarios, para solucionar desviaciones y encontrar nuevas estrategias en el marco curricular que aseguren el logro de los objetivos planteados. En el trabajo de investigación desarrollado en la tesis, se tomaron datos de estudiantes pertenecientes a la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales de la Universidad Nacional de Catamarca (UNCA) y se realizaron experimentaciones con diferentes técnicas de data mining utilizando una herramienta de software . Del estudio de los resultados obtenidos de las experimentaciones y del análisis de las características surgidas del proceso de integración de la minería de datos y el proceso educativo en modalidad B-learning, posibilitaron tanto el dise ño de un framework de data mining como así también el desarrollo de un modelo general de implementación. Éste último, representa la manera de aplicar el data mining para garantizar su integración con el proceso educativo y así lograr la adaptación de este último a las necesidades de los estudiantes actuales. Esta adaptación es el resultado de las decisiones tomadas por el docente las cuales , en su mayoría, podrán basarse en resultados científicos provenientes desde el data mining. Por otro lado, es necesario aclarar que muchas de las opciones seleccionadas en el estudio se relacionan con la aspiración de que la tesis represente un material de referencia para docentes, investigadores y personas en general que deseen iniciarse en el área de data mining. / The analysis of the data generated during the educational process in the university level, especially when developed with the implementation of the blended learning modality (B-learning from now on) represents a challenge for its processing and an opportunity for the extraction of information that It can guide the decision-making that the teacher must make. The study of aspects such as: the identification of preferences, patterns and diferent behavior of students in the B-learning modality represent elements that allow the understanding of how students develop their educational competences in diferent areas of knowledge. This type of modality is characterized by combining face-to-face activities and virtual ones using the Internet as a technological support within the characteristics of an educational social network. The educational process thus developed generates a large volume of data which represents a suitable field for the application of data mining techniques or data mining (words that will be used alternatively). The knowledge that is obtained by processing this educational data using data mining represents another alternative for the teacher in decision-making related to the correct design of the process, sequencing of activities and choice of materials. Also allowing adjustments, if necessary, to solve deviations and find new strategies in the curricular framework that ensure the achievement of the objectives set. In the research work developed in the thesis, data was taken from students belonging to the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences of the National University of Catamarca (UNCA) and experiments were carried out with diferent data mining techniques using a software tool. From the study of the results obtained from the experiments and the analysis of the characteristics arising from the integration process of the mining of data and the educational process in B-learning mode, made possible both the design of a data mining framework as well as the development of a model general implementation. The latter represents the way to apply data mining to guarantee its integration with the educational process and thus achieve the adaptation of the latterto the needs of today's students. This adaptation is the result of the decisions made by the teacher which, for the most part, may be based on scienti c results from from data mining. On the other hand, it is necessary to clarify that many of the selected options in the study are related to the aspiration that the thesis represents a reference material for teachers, researchers and people in general who wish to get started in the data mining area.

Although the instructional designer plays a role in the professional development of instructors in higher education, their perspectives are not explored as frequently compared to instructors and students in multi-modal research. Instructional designers need to keep up with the emerging technologies and changing educational landscape in order to equip instructors with the skills and knowledge they need to create meaningful learning experiences. One way to help instructional designers be able to help guide and support instructors is by creating guiding frameworks that help a designer think through the process and considerations when creating learning environments such as multi-modal. Using a design and development study, a guiding framework was constructed and operationalized using the design phase of the ADDIE model. / Doctor of Philosophy / Although the instructional designer plays a role in the professional development of instructors in higher education, their perspectives are not explored as frequently compared to instructors and students in multi-modal research. The term multi-modal refers to learning environments that take place across multiple modes. For instance, blended or hybrid learning environments. Instructional designers need to keep up with the emerging technologies and changing educational landscape in order to equip instructors with the skills and knowledge they need to create meaningful learning experiences. One way to help instructional designers be able to help guide and support instructors is by creating guiding frameworks that help a designer think through the process and considerations when creating learning environments such as multi-modal. This study conducted a design and development study which involved an analysis of literature and other resources to inform the development of the guiding framework. This study sought to address the practical needs of instructional designers in higher education through the creation of a framework that helps ensure they address key aspects in the design of multi-modal learning environments (i.e., blended or hybrid). The framework is grounded in theory and informed by an analysis of the literature. In order to validate the framework, an expert review panel of three was recruited to provide their insight and expertise. The feedback data was analyzed and the framework was enhanced based on the feedback. the framework helps contribute to the field by providing well-informed guidance in how to effectively design multi-modal environments. When instructional designers can effectively do this, they improve their practice which translates into the curriculum as well as the instructors who work closely with instructional designers. Overall, this can improve student outcomes.