Verily TAN
Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT)
This post covers highlights of the panel discussion “Blended Learning—Reflections on Implementation” held on 10 Dec 2024. Catch up with the full discussion by watching the session recording.
The event was hosted by the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT), and was moderated by Assoc Prof Soo Yuen Jien, who is from the Department of Computer Science, School of Computing (SOC) and is also Director (Teaching & Learning) at CTLT. The session featured Dr. Daisy Pham from the Department of Statistics and Data Science, Faculty of Science (FOS), Assoc Prof Goh Yang Miang from the Department of the Built Environment, College of Design and Engineering (CDE), and Assoc Prof Natalie Pang from the Department of Communications and New Media (CNM), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). Together, the panelists shared valuable insights into the challenges, strategies, and opportunities in blended learning.
Blended Learning as a Hotpot
Yuen Jien likened blended learning to a “mala hotpot”—a mix of ingredients and flavours customised to taste. This analogy highlighted how faculty balance the flexibility of online and in-person components to meet diverse student needs.
Thematic Insights
Intentional design matters
The panelists emphasised that successful blended learning starts with intentional design. Yang Miang discussed using pre-recorded videos for foundational content, reserving in-person sessions for activities like case studies and debates. Daisy highlighted the use of real-world datasets, such as HDB resale prices, to make her statistics and data science courses engaging and relevant.
Engaging a diverse audience
Blended learning must address varying levels of experience and backgrounds in large classes. Daisy provides optional advanced materials for experienced students and foundational support for beginners, ensuring inclusivity in her 300+ student courses. She also introduced an anonymous forum for students to freely ask questions and share feedback.
Maintaining social presence
Social presence is a critical component of effective blended learning, ensuring students feel connected and supported. Natalie emphasised maintaining this presence through regular, personalised communication, storytelling, and interactive live sessions. Her seminars encouraged relational engagement and informal sharing, fostering meaningful interactions.
Leveraging technology
Yang Miang highlighted how pre-recorded videos transform lectures into interactive sessions through case studies and discussions. The panel also explored adaptive learning platforms like Realizeit, which provide personalised pathways for students to engage with content at their own pace. While these tools require significant setup and sometimes receive mixed feedback, they offer flexibility and scalability for diverse learners.
Balancing workload
Managing workload for both students and faculty was a recurring theme. Daisy described using online quizzes to keep students on track despite initial resistance. Bite-sized videos and well-aligned pre-class and in-class activities proved effective for reducing cognitive overload and maintaining motivation.
The Q&A session reinforced the importance of intentional design in blended learning, focusing on meaningful integration of online and in-person components and fostering community through relational pedagogies. Practical advice included using shorter videos to enhance engagement and managing workload effectively for both students and educators.
Blended learning provides an opportunity to reimagine how we engage and inspire students. Whether you are navigating a new course or refining existing methods, these strategies offer practical guidance for success. Together, let us continue to innovate and grow.
Resource
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (December 2024 version) [Large language model]. Retrieved from https://chat.openai.com/.
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GOH Yang Miang is the Director of the Centre for Project and Facilities Management, and an Associate Professor at the Department of the Built Environment (DBE), College of Design and Engineering (CDE). He is re-appointed as the Dean’s Chair of CDE (2025-2028); his previous Dean’s Chair appointment was in 2020-2023. Dr. Goh was the Assistant Dean at CDE and Deputy Head (Research) in DBE, NUS, and an NUS Institution Review Board member. His expertise are in Workplace Safety and Health (WSH), project management, and risk management. Yang Miang can be reached at bdggym@nus.edu.sg. |
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Daisy PHAM is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Statistics and Data Science, Faculty of Science. Her research and teaching interests include empirical likelihood, Markov Chain Monte Carlo, approximate Bayesian Computation, and statistical pedagogy. Daisy can be reached at pham.kimcuc@nus.edu.sg.
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Natalie PANG is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Communications and New Media (CNM), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). She is also the University Librarian at NUS Libraries. Natalie specialises in socio-technical studies of technology including social media and civil society and the convergence of data and immersive tech in the contexts of culture and heritage in urban cities. Natalie can be reached at natalie.pang@nus.edu.sg. |
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Verily TAN is a Senior Education Specialist at the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT), and the author of this post. With a Master’s degree in Learning Sciences and a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University Bloomington, her research interests include online teaching and learning, interdisciplinary STEM learning, and collaborative design. Verily also actively contributes to understanding andragogy, the methods of teaching adult learners, in her role at CTLT. Verily can be reached at vstan@nus.edu.sg. |
