Expectations of Blended e-Learning, Final Post

Expectations of Blended e-Learning Course
My expectations for this course were to gain a better understanding of the course topic, Blended e-Learning, which I know has happened, and add to my course requirements for my MSIT degree, and get the best grade I could get, which I believe I came close to achieving. As I mentioned in my initial blog, I had no clue what exactly Blended e-Learning was when I began this class. It has almost felt like a window into the office of Dr. Byers. Coupled with my experience in Instructional Design, I am beginning to make sense of the method behind what I initially thought was Dr. Byers’ madness, if you will excuse the expression. All of the pieces are beginning to fit together.

The blended part is the combination of what I now know is synchronous and asynchronous coursework, and the “e” part is the fact that it is all virtual, well, except for the work – and once again, quite a bit of work it was! I have decided that while summer courses may seem better because you get the same credit in half as much time, it is evened out by having twice as much work in that amount of time.

I still do not enjoy some aspects of these e-courses, the blended part, having so much to do, while I could almost sit back and be served with a traditional class setting. These blended classes cause me to be more involved and participative, resulting in an increase in my retention and understanding of new material. It reminds me of my first Physics class in college, with Dr. Medina, who was very mature and very traditional. The quote I recall was, “I teach you the theory, you work the problems.” Well, he did just that. Sometimes this blended e-learning mode appears to be just that, except the only real teaching that goes on is slight guidance from Dr. Byers and researching on my own, within my group, and then listening to presentations by fellow groups on the instructional material. I don’t like it, I sort of resent it, but darn if it doesn’t work. I do wish it could be a little more fun and less dry, but this is still pretty new stuff to me, so I will have to wait for that I guess.