Adapting to Online and Blended Learning in Higher Education : Supporting the Retention and Success of the Expanded and Diversified Intake

Higher education has undergone a massive transformation in teaching and learning in a very short period of time since the onset of Covid-19. Students, teachers and universities have had to adopt online and blended learning, often with little or no experience or models of good practice to draw upon. It is clear that blended and online learning are here to stay. This book draws on research from universities that have adopted online and blended learning to facilitate the expansion and diversification of their intake; which resulted in considerable experience and expertise in online and blended teaching. The book describes a model, tested with qualitative and quantitative data, which shows how teachers can support the retention and success of online and blended learners with four high-quality pedagogical elements: bite-sized videos of interest and relevance; learning materials that are well organised and provide a clear learning roadmap; discussion forums which are set up and moderatedso as to result in lively student-student and student-teacher interaction; and, online teachers being approachable and responsive to communication with individual students through email, phone and online communication platforms. This model is explained and profusely illustrated with examples from the teaching of award-winning teachers. 

This book introduces the concept of a spectrum from traditional to contemporary models of admission and course delivery in higher education. It explains how universities which have adopted a contemporary model, with high levels of blended and online learning, have been able to expand their intake and markedly diversify the student body. It discusses how to support the retention and success of online and blended learners. Student support services are examined from the perspectives of service providers and online and blended learners and the case is made for support services being aligned with student needs. The book has a discussion of university management systems which utilise feedback at all levels to improve alignment between support service provision and student needs.

Professor David Kember has retired from university employment. His first involvement with distance education was at the University of the South Pacific. Next came roles at the University of Papua New Guinea and in Australia. David then spent 25 years in Hong Kong at the Polytechnic University, Chinese University and finally as a Professor in Higher Education at the University of Hong Kong. His final position was as a Professor in Curriculum Methods and Pedagogy at the University of Tasmania, Australia. During his career journey, David has had a recurring research interest in distance education, which has evolved through technological advancements into online and blended learning. Foci of this research have been on student learning and the retention and success of online and blended learners.

Professor Rob Ellis is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at Griffith University, Australia, and works with the Griffith Executive on strategic learning and teaching leadership and outcomes across twenty one schools. Prior to Griffith University, Rob was the inaugural Director of eLearning at the University of Sydney for over a decade. To inform his academic practice, Rob researches the experiences of university students and teachers, physical and virtual learning environments and how changes in these shape education quality and innovation in universities and the higher education sector. He regularly publishes in quality education journals, and has been a co-ordinating editor for Springer Publishing for the journal Higher Education, and series co-editor for the book series ‘Understanding Teaching-Learning Practice’.

Dr Si Fan is a senior lecturer in the School of Education, University of Tasmania, Australia. She completed her PhD at the University of Tasmania in 2011, with a thesis on web-based technology supported teaching and learning in higher education. She has a broad research interest in higher education and online pedagogy, teacher education, early childhood education, and language education. Her research in online pedagogy has led to enhanced teaching practice and student learning experiences in higher education. She has been involved in a few research projects, including a national project involving four Australian Universities, which preceded this book.

Dr Allison Trimble is a researcher in the School of Education at the University of Tasmania, Australia. She has worked around online learning for the past few years. She collected and analysed the interview data which supports the UTAS case study highlighted in this book. Previously Allison has examined the area of Education Law in Australia, and particularly the impact of Education Law on the work of school principals.