5.2 BLENDED AND ONLINE LEARNING - POLICY TITLE: POLICY AREA

#        POLICY TITLE:             POLICY AREA:              VERSION:   DATE
                                                                        ADOPTED:
          5.2 BLENDED AND ONLINE   5)TEACHING AND LEARNING   3.00       June 2020
              LEARNING
Overview Flowchart

Introduction and Context
Definitions

Blended Learning - “The integration of classroom face-to-face learning experiences with online learning experiences” (Garrison and Kanuak,
2004, p96) cited in QQI, Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines for Blended Learning (2018, p3).

Online Learning - “A form of educational delivery in which learning takes place primarily via the Internet. Online learning can serve those who
are geographically distant and without access to traditional classroom education, so it includes ‘distance learning’. However, distance learners
are not alone in benefiting from online learning, which is also commonly part of e-learning in mainly campus-based study programmes. In such
cases, it may be referred to as blended learning” (Gaebel et al., 2014, p17).

Blended Learning at SNMCI
Blended learning combines classroom teaching with online learning. SNMCI believes that ‘blended learning’ has the capacity to draw on the
strengths of each learning space, to give learners control over some aspects of time, place and pace during their studies, to optimise learner
engagement and to increase flexibility of delivery in an academically effective way.

The nature and details of the ‘blend’ depends on the nature of the programme, the nature of the teaching and learning activities, the capacity
of the organisation, the engagement of learners and the ability and willingness of lecturers to develop their technology enhanced teaching and
learning skills.

This policy covers all programmes in the College leading to QQI awards. It covers teaching, learning and assessment of programmes with
blended or online learning as a component of the mode of delivery. It is designed to safeguard academic standards and ensure support for
staff and learners engaged in blended and online learning programme provision.

Policy Statement
    - Blended learning will be developed and delivered when this mode of delivery adds value within an organisational, programme and
        learner experience context;
    - Blended learning will be subject to the same quality assurance policies and procedures as other modes of learning AND will also take
        account of additional policies and procedures which are specific to blended learning as outlined in Quality Assurance Guidelines for
        Providers of Blended Learning Programmes. (QQI 2018);
    - Blended learning will seek to enhance flexibility of delivery for learners in line with the recommendations of a number of HE initiatives
        such as The Higher Education System Performance Frameworks (HEA, 2016,2018), The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching
        and Learning Roadmap for Digital Skills (2015) and in particular the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which states, ‘In the
        coming decades, the delivery of higher education in Ireland must be characterised by flexibility and innovation.’ (DES, 2011, p.61);
    - Blended learning will be supported by a high quality and user-friendly online learning environment with the necessary operational
        supports and technical infrastructure to ensure a high-quality learning experience;
    - All staff and students who engage with blended learning will be provided with the necessary training and support for blended and
        online learning programme delivery, and development where applicable, according to the relevant academic standard for programmes
        and awards.
Staff Involved – CEO; Director of Quality and Academic Affairs (DQAA); IT Manager; Instructional Designer; Programme Developers;
Programme Directors; Programme Managers; Lecturing Staff; Examinations Office;

Procedure Outline                                                                                      Person/s          Records generated to
                                                                                                       Responsible       ensure evidence of
                                                                                                                         follow through
This procedure outlines the steps in initiating, developing and delivering blended learning
provision. A separate policy exists for the development of blended learning content (QA 5.3).

-   The College will seek to develop and deliver online programming when there is a specific and       CEO/DQAA/         Market research
    identified market need for this mode of delivery. This market need will likely be student driven   Programme         Proposal to Academic
    but might also include other factors such as faculty availability or the desire to leverage the    Directors/Devel   Board Enrolments
    many benefits of learning technologies.                                                            opment

-   The College will create and maintain a technology enhanced learning and teaching plan for the                        Online Teaching and

delivery of blended and online learning. The College will ensure that it will provide the                             Learning Plan
    appropriate technical infrastructure and technical support for programmes with a blended
    and/or online learning delivery mode to ensure a high-quality teaching and learning
    experience that is comparable to or exceeds the teaching and learning experience of face to
    face provision. This will require initial investment and on-going support and review of the
    available learning technologies.
-   The College recognises that high quality and engaging content is a pre-requisite for high          CEO/DQAA/          Engaging content with
    quality online provision. The College will develop content that adheres to clear pedagogical       Programme          active discovery
    guidelines for maximising engagement such as that described in the COACT framework (Bailey         Directors/Instru
    et al, 2014). The College will ensure compliance with any Intellectual Property and Copyright      ctional Designer
    legal obligations appropriate to a blended and online learning context.

-   The College recognises that teaching on a blended and/or online learning programme requires        CEO/DQAA/ I.T.     Contracts of
    pedagogical and technological expertise. In accordance with QQI guidelines (2018, p9, section      Manager/Instru     Employment & IPR
    3.1.3) the College will ensure that all strategies and processes for the appointment, induction,   ctional            compliance
    training, professional development and appraisal arrangements for teaching and support staff       Designer/          Recorded CPD
    are appropriate and specific to a blended or online learning environment. The College will also                       activities
    ensure that academic staff members are provided with the necessary staff development and                              Qualifications of
    support systems to function effectively in the delivery of blended and online learning                                recruited staff
    programme provision. The College will ensure that its Teaching Learning and Assessment
    Strategy (TLAS, Wider Horizons, 2020) takes account of pedagogical and technological
    upskilling needs.

-   Students will be inducted in the use of the blended learning technologies employed by the Programme                   Records of induction
    College. This will include formal training sessions, a teaching and learning plan which supports Director/ IT/ID      and student
    the building of confidence in the use of learning technologies, access to a support trouble                           workshops
    ticketing system and support from the I.T. Manager.

-   The College recognises that benchmarks and indicators (e.g. contact hours) designed for face- Programme               Programme
    to-face provision are not always fit-for-purpose in a blended and/or online learning Directors                        timetables and

environment and need to be revised as appropriate “given the flexibility afforded by digital              handbooks
    technologies” (Murphy, 2018, p16). This will include appropriate scheduling, to both meet the
    identified market need and to support maximum engagement and attendance.

-   The College will ensure that assessment strategies employed in online and blended learning DQAA/Program   Assessment strategy
    modules and programmes adhere to the College’s general assessment policy and procedure.    me Directors   & Range of
                                                                                                              assessment tools
-   The College will ensure that online and blended provision will be subject to the same rigorous DQAA
    oversight that all modes of delivery are subject to, and that, if necessary, specific procedures          Annual review cycle
    will be developed and employed to ensure that this is the case.                                           and Q.A. Document

-   The College is responsible for compliance with legal and statutory obligations, including but             Annual review cycle
    not limited to, Child Protection legislation; Data Protection legislation including the General           and Q.A. Document
    Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and where applicable, professional body requirements.

-   The College will ensure that any future arrangements for collaboration or partnership in the              Partnership
    development, delivery, assessment or evaluation of blended and online learning provision are              agreements
    approved by the College and subject to appropriate and clear formal agreements.

Policy Control Sheet
Policy                             QA 5.2 Blended and Online Learning
Version                            Version 3.0
Adopted/Effective                  June 2020
Supersedes                         Version 2.0 Pilot
Monitoring/Next Review Date        June 2021
Responsible Officer(s)             CEO/ DQAA
Designated Reviewer(s)
Scope                              College Wide

References
SNMCI Policy area                     5) Assessment of Learners: QA Vol 2
Developed with reference to           QQI Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines (2016)
                                      QQI Quality Assurance Guidelines for Providers of Blended Learning Programmes
                                      Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG 2015)
                                      The Higher Education System Performance Frameworks (HEA, 2016,2018)
                                      The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Roadmap for Digital Skills (2015)
                                      The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030. (2011)
Related SNMCI Policies / Forms        QA 5.3: Development of Online Learning Resources

Revision
Revision              Revision Description                                                 Originator     Approved By
Number
1.0/Sep 2019   Revised following Sep 2018 pilot. Pilot 2 from Sep 2019                     CEO/DQAA       Academic Board
2.0/June       Revised for application for Blended Learning Status June 2020               CEO/DQAA       Academic Board
2020