Blended learning and the professional development of on-campus teachers: a case study

On-campus institutions are increasingly moving towards blended modes of delivery. In some cases, these blended programmes supplement existing offerings; in other cases, they replace them entirely. Regardless of the reasons for introducing blended programmes, teachers should engage in suitable professional development activities so they can successfully navigate the pedagogical and technical challenges they will encounter as they move courses online. The aim of this paper is to present a case study of a workshop, which equips on-campus teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to design and develop online courses. The paper first outlines the typical challenges faced by online teachers and some recent professional development initiatives that aim to facilitate the transition to online delivery. The paper then describes the initial structure of our workshop, the rationale for the initial workshop content, feedback received from workshop participants, and how the workshop content has evolved. This paper presents some planned future developments and best practice recommendations for other institutions considering moving courses online, in terms of the pedagogical, infrastructural, and technical needs of new online teachers and how the institution can facilitate the transition from on-campus to blended delivery