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The Catholic Church expects theological institutes, priests and seminarians to be well-informed, critical and creative users of information and communications technology. Currently, most theological institutes use the traditional face-to-face teaching method. An attempt to implement blended learning as an innovative teaching and learning modality for communication theology was made at the Saint Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore, India, using the lab-rotation model for one semester. This paper aimed to study the two important course outcomes: participation and satisfaction.

The course was designed using the analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation (ADDIE) model, developed, implemented and evaluated for 21 first-year theology students. The combination of descriptive and quasi-experimental research used an online questionnaire containing statements on a five-point Likert scale. The study evaluated the potentials of blended learning as an innovative modality through student participation and satisfaction.

This research found that a high level of participation augmented satisfaction among the students during the implementation of the blended learning modality. The positive results revealed that future shepherds in the Catholic Church could effectively integrate information and communications technologies (ICTs) in their life and mission and serve digital citizens.

The research was conducted in St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute of Theology (SPPI) for an elective course, Communication Theology, taught once a week. Only two outcomes; participation and satisfaction were studied. The respondents were 21 first-year theology students of the SPPI, which could have limited the generalizability of the results. They were not allowed to use any gadgets. So this research had to adopt a lab-rotation model wherein the students followed part of their course in the computer room.

This pilot experience in blended learning modality will help SPPI recognize the advantage of such an approach and possibly decide to adopt it as one modality in the institute. It may also serve as a model for other Catholic schools and this could trigger the wider adoption of blended learning among Catholic schools. Results of the study can demonstrate to the faculty how blended learning is designed and a sample module can easily guide them on how it may be implemented. Hence, this can equip them already with knowledge and skills about the new modality.

The positive learning experiences will help the professors to further discover and adopt new and existing learning technologies that can enhance the learning atmosphere for post-millennials. They can now innovate teaching and learning strategies to best address the learning needs in their classroom, given the pervasiveness of ICTs in the everyday lives. This study will also provide a new learning option for the students as they undergo a new student-centred learning exercise.

The pioneering effort of integrating ICTs in the form of blended learning in theology curriculum was executed in SPPI. The application of the blended learning approach to teaching communication theology is innovative in that educational technology is not only applied to theology courses but involves the promotion of technology use among future religious leaders. From a long-term perspective, this attempt can transform traditional face-to-face dominated teaching approaches.

This paper aims to provide evidence that online well-designed educational tasks can provide more relevant and richer active learning environment for business English learners. The benefits of online tasks, as an education tool, became more apparent and gained more importance during the events related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The task design is based on task-based interactions and in a sequence of tasks with the support of an online learning management system (LMS). The findings suggest that online task-based learning (and would-be blended learning in the future) enables meaningful and authentic activities promoting interactions and communicative competences to prepare for learners of business English to enter the workplace.

The overarching aim of the study is to explore how task-design-utilizing online LMS could contribute to enhancing the learning process and to the development of the learner's communicative competences. The study included two aspects, namely: (1) the design of online tasks and (2) pilot evaluation. The task design involved tasks that required interactions between the learners. The pilot evaluation relied on data collection via questionnaires.

Two aspects relating to the findings: (1) a description of the teaching initiatives which was designed to see how blended learning and online tasks can enhance learning and develop the skills of the learners: with questioning techniques targeting communication skills, simulated workplace situations and timely feedback and peer influence; (2) the findings of the pilot study evaluation to see the actual implementation of online tasks. The students' responses corroborate the teachers' comments. The findings of this research showed that LMS tasks, which were designed for this study, helped the learners to enhance their competence in business English. Such competences included communicative skills needed for learners to enter the workplace such as interpersonal skills, presentation skills and negotiation skills in contexts. These findings lead to significant recommendations regarding the way forward for developing active blended learning.

Firstly, teachers need to be trained and involved in designing such online tasks and materials to be used in active blended learning. More training in language teaching methodologies should be investigated to adapt the transition from a traditional to a computer-assisted language learning teacher. This helps teachers to design and implement online simulated workplace tasks. Secondly, time for the use of online tasks should be allocated satisfactorily. This can be achieved by building online learning sessions into class schedule or developing active blended courses. The time for the use of online simulated tasks should be allocated satisfactorily with lab or simulation room, in which students would be shown how to access the online tasks designed on the university LMS and the way to practice with different kinds of tasks.

In this study context, the online tasks design can initiate at activity-level blending to support face-to-face (F2F) activities, for example, online activities to support tasks for the topic Make a request or Offer for help. This can be extended to course-level blending when more online activities are designed to use with F2F activities such as online comparing and contrasting tasks to develop skills in connections with the awareness of cultures. The findings of the research suggest to develop and to implement online tasks alongside with classroom learning and teaching to enable the objectives of business English programme at university for preparing learners to enter the workplace. The recent pandemic highlighted the need for effective methodologies for active blended learning. It is now required that professionals in higher education to collect evidence base to inform future practice of such methodologies. Further significant research efforts should be directed towards collecting such evidence of the effectiveness and improvements of such methods. The support of higher education management professionals in securing funding for such research will be essential.

The purpose of this reflection on practice is to consider and attempt made by the present author to re-imagine online distance learning (ODL) environments to provide a greater opportunity for learner engagement.

ODL environments were augmented by video-conferencing to increase dialogue, instructor presence and a sense of instructor care, concern and guidance. The video-conference component was limited time-wise (40 min per weekly module) and aimed at explaining and integrating learning content and activities. The resulting courses were thus augmented and enhanced and not transformed into blended learning courses.

Preliminary feedback from video-conference discussions and learner reflective journals indicates that the innovation was well received by students and contributed significantly to their appreciation, satisfaction and overall engagement.

The augmentation is simple and effective. It may be an approach that is particularly relevant in designing and facilitating ODL environments in an era of uncertainty, disruption and far-reaching educational changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The author argues that the introduction of an active learning component has significant implications for learner performance, satisfaction and persistence with distance learning programs.

Attempts to increase social presence and engagement are not uncommon in ODL. This particular approach is simple, easily enacted and has a perceived element of originality and innovation that appeals to learners. It is argued that it contributes significant value to the quality and outcomes of the distance learning experience.

This case study aims to investigate the forces and barriers to learners’ motivation in a blended learning environment. This study uses an online forum as a vehicle for useful interaction among learners and as an extension of traditional classroom face-to-face meetings. 48 first-year students in a UAE university participated in this study. A series of data were obtained through questionnaires and feedback from the students, which were subsequently analyzed and compared to the existing literature. The results revealed that online interaction can enhance learners’ motivation and engagement in the learning process.

Legal education, like any other discipline in higher education, necessitates in use of various teaching and learning pedagogies in order to provide a sustainable teaching and learning experience. This article aims to examine the feasibility of implementing flipped learning method as a pedagogy on legal students at the Open University of Sri Lanka, as well as the perceptions of students and lecturer on the teaching and learning process in a flipped class in preparation for future implementation.

A mixed research method was used. A survey and a semi-structured interview were used to collect student perceptions, and observations of the lecturer were used to document the lecturer's perception.

According to the information gathered from both qualitative and quantitative data, the flipped learning pedagogy enhances the prior learning and student-centered learning of open and distance learning (ODL) and offers a new perspective on the existing pedagogies used in legal education. This article also emphasizes that an equitable implementation of designing and delivering a flipped class will ensure the effectiveness in teaching and learning law in Sri Lanka through ODL.

Despite the fact that there is substantial academic literature on flipped pedagogy, including in legal education, this article will create an original contribution by incorporating reflections from Sri Lankan legal education as well as ODL.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.

Introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2013.

Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

Following the rapid shift to online learning due to COVID-19, this paper aims to compare the relative efficacy of face-to-face and online university teaching methods.

A scoping review was conducted to examine the learning outcomes within and between online and face-to-face (F2F) university teaching programmes.

Although previous research has supported a “no significant difference” position, the review of 91 comparative studies during 2000–2020 identified 37 (41%) which found online teaching was associated with better learning outcomes, 17 (18%) which favoured F2F and 37 (41%) reporting no significant difference. Purpose-developed online content which supports “student-led” enquiry and cognitive challenge were cited as factors supporting better learning outcomes.

This study adopts a pre-defined methodology in reviewing literature which ensures rigour in identifying relevant studies. The large sample of studies (n = 91) supported the comparison of discrete learning modes although high variability in key concepts and outcome variables made it difficult to directly compare some studies. A lack of methodological rigour was observed in some studies.

As a result of COVID-19, online university teaching has become the “new normal” but also re-focussed questions regarding its efficacy. The weight of evidence from this review is that online learning is at least as effective and often better than, F2F modalities in supporting learning outcomes, albeit these differences are often modest. The findings raise questions about the presumed benefits of F2F learning and complicate the case for a return to physical classrooms during the pandemic and beyond.

This study describes how two organisations transitioned to teaching Lean online during and post Covid-19. This study aims to establish how Lean teaching and training can be designed and delivered effectively online without adverse effects on the student’s learning experience of Lean concepts.

A case study approach was used to review the design, application and results of the transition to online Lean teaching and training. Qualitative and quantitative methods were deployed to assess the results.

Online Lean learning and application were assured via the design of practical problem-based teaching environments, aided by using the virtual classroom as an obeya room and as a kaizen environment where students worked in teams. Students were enabled to learn and apply Lean tools practically and reflect on their learnings.

This study demonstrates that effective online design can ensure. Lean methods are understood without affecting the student's learning, classroom experience and grasp of concepts.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is one of the first studies on implementing Lean training and education online during COVID-19 under the lens of both a training provider and university education viewpoint. The changes validated best practices for virtual Lean education and training in the organisations under study, maintained post-COVID.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how instructional support is a critical tool to promote the use of technology in research and teaching. A Campus-Wide Collaborative Model of Technological Instructional Support (CCMTIS) is presented that incorporates: integration of technology across campus; technical assistance; allocation of funding for technical assistance; support of faculty teaching style; and teaching that enhances learning through the use of technology.

The approach presents two case studies, one a large state research university, and the other a small liberal arts college.

Four overlapping themes emerge across the two case studies that demonstrate how: technology can connect classroom learning to career considerations and opportunities; develop writing and communication skills; promote career development through access to job search skills; and encourage professional development among faculty and staff.

The limitations are that only two specific campus environments are examined. That these are differing environments, however, have implications for the model’s application to diverse campus settings.

A practical application is that the study demonstrates how the CCMTIS model can be applied to both classroom and campus. This has implications for other universities that may seek to replicate the model on their own campuses.

The social implications indicate how learning occurs through an instructional support model that promotes collaboration. At the same time, ethical considerations related to instructional support are presented.

The manuscript reflects original work based on case studies that reflect the authors’ experiences.

“I can't do online learning”. This is a surprisingly common response from professional postgraduate students who have a narrow view of what online learning might comprise. Images of screen‐gazing at mega‐bytes of text or childish multi‐choice quizzes on CD‐ROMs have encouraged strange reactionary responses from many otherwise engaged learners. This paper aims to address these issues.

This paper reports a qualitative study which, among other things, aimed to explore the views of higher education (HE) teachers experienced in the use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) about the variation and value of specific learning styles and approaches in relation to effective learning in those online environments. University teachers speak readily about learning style preferences, cognitive strategies and andragogical principles (based on Knowles) of self‐directed or self‐managed learning, but often in terms which suggest that VLEs favour certain individual styles.

The findings from a detailed grounded analysis of interview data from ten enthusiasts for online learning suggest a potential plasticity of online learning environments which can accommodate any style or strategy. There was a sense in the transcripts of a different kind of learning space, which could mould itself to these differences in a way which could not be achieved in a traditional classroom. Some authors, including Palloff and Pratt, identify the importance of differing learning styles and approaches to learning in HE and tackle the issue of how to accommodate such differences online.

This research suggested that the plasticity of the online learning environment compensated for such variety of style, without the need for engineering learning activities online to cater for specific styles. Online, the time flexibility and potential for learner control can support multiple styles and strategies, provided the teacher has designed the environment to allow this, and of course that the relevant technologies are available to the teacher.

So, rather than the environment dictating design, within the limits of available technologies, the teacher's approach to design may dictate the degree to which the plastic potential of the online environment is available to the learner.

The concept of plasticity is borrowed from other scientific disciplines. Applying this to the virtual learning space opens up the pedagogical perspective.