Page 22 - Learning & Teaching Model

learning milieu in each program is socially constructed and relies on the demonstration of competency in practical contexts as much as on traditional forms of knowledge (Gergen, 2000). Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the appropriate learning outcomes and relevant learning activities will differ between programs based on differing systems perspectives, including the professional, organizational, cultural, economic, political, as well as the appropriate scholarly literature.
2. TEChnOLOgy-EnhanCEDLEaRning
Technology plays an important role in supporting the
learning and teaching process at RRU. For instance, it is fundamental to the design of our program delivery structures which combines online learning and short residency periods. This model minimizes disruption to the work and home lives
of students and fosters team-based learning – on and off campus. Secondly, technology supports the use of both online and face-to-face learning strategies in course design and delivery. In all cases, access is the key driver. The integration
of the online communication and learning components serves as an intentional design strategy to enhance students’ ability to access instruction and learning resources in ways that would not be possible without the use of Internet-based information and communication technology.
Although RRU’s blended delivery model has been very successful, there is general recognition that the particular delivery model has to respond to the speci c needs of the targeted student population, the exigencies of the identi ed market, and the university’s capacity to support a high- quality learning experience. As a result, we have seen the development of a broader range of delivery models aimed at speci c target models, including both fully online programs and fully residency-based programs. For instance, many of our undergraduate programs are also delivered through intensive,
longer-duration residencies on our campus in Victoria, B.C. These alternative options accommodate the different needs
of students – to balance work, family and education, or to focus on expeditiously completing an undergraduate degree
in an intensive, face-to-face format.
Furthermore, to support the design of creative and innovative approaches to delivering blended learning programs, the Centre for Teaching and Educational Technologies in June 2009 authored Rethinking Res: Envisioning Alternatives to Traditional RRU Residencies which examined a number of alternative designs for residencies that can help address issues such as attracting prospective students, improving accessibility, providing alternative educational opportunities, and managing program delivery
costs (Royal Roads University, 2009).
Nevertheless, despite the importance of making learning accessible, attractive, and cost-effective, Garrison and Vaughan (2008) note that the main purpose of blended learning is to more actively engage students in their own learning processes. At RRU, this purpose is of paramount importance. Residencies are
highly effective in helping to orient students, build a supportive learning community, provide opportunities for students to
learn new speci c skills and knowledge, and practice new behaviours in a feedback-rich environment involving classmates and instructors. Nevertheless, online technologies have
enabled different approaches to learning, including providing
for in-depth engagement of students who are working together collaboratively to make sense of complex issues and to create extended opportunities to achieve the higher-order learning outcomes associated with our undergraduate and graduate programs. Clearly, the university will continue to exploit the synergies that exist in technology-enhanced program delivery and delivery in the service of our current and future students.
20 Learning and Teaching Model Royal Roads University