preparing for blended e-learning

Blended and online learning skills are rapidly becoming essential for effective teaching and learning in universities and colleges. Covering theory where useful but maintaining an emphasis on practice, this book provides teachers and lecturers with an accessible introduction to e-learning.Beginning by exploring the meaning of 'e-learning', it supports tutors in identifying how they plan to use technology to support courses that blend online and face-to-face interactions. Illustrated by a range of case of studies, the book covers: designing quality, appropriate effective and online learning efficient and sustainable e-learning activity providing appropriate feedback to learnersdevising student activities and sourcing learning resources managing online and offline interactionsPacked with practical advice and ideas, this book provides the core skills and knowledge that teachers in HE and FE need when starting out and further developing their teaching course design for blended and online learning.

'This book is a very readable introduction to e-learning and its role within blended learning. It could be recommended to a tutor new to e-learning or an experienced practitioner - both will find much of interest here, together with references to a wealth of recent research.' - ESCalate, Higher Education Academy"Littlejohn and Pegler have produced an interesting addition to the e-learning series. The notion of planning for blended e-learning is an important one and is supported here with well reasoned arguments and examples." British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol 39, No. 4, 2008."The authors have discussed in depth every element of e-learning….Given the complexity of the material, the authors do a commendable job of pulling together the many strands of BEL in an accessible tone." – Technical Communication, Volume 55, Number 3, August 2008

Allison Littlejohn is the Chair in Learning Technology and Director of the Caledonian Academy at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK. She has led international research, development and implementation of innovative learning methods, including blended e-learning, in both further and higher education in the United Kingdom and United States.Chris Pegler is a lecturer and researcher into educational technology at The Open University, UK. She has led a wide range of educational initiatives in both further and higher education and has studied and taught online since 1995. In 2004 she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship as a ‘Rising Star’.