From Piece-Meal to Programs: the Challenges of Taking the Next Step in Blended Learning

In 2008, with the generous support of the Sloan Foundation, Simmons College embarked upon a project to train and support faculty members in transforming their face-to-face classes for blended delivery. To date, over 50 courses have been offered in the blended format, and more than 15% of Simmons faculty have attended an intensive week-long institute taught by the Department of Academic Technology at Simmons College. Both faculty and students report high satisfaction rates with the format and express their interest in continuing to pursue blended learning options. However, the grant project was a pilot with limited reach across campus. The project's culmination provides us an opportunity to evaluate our successes and shortcomings and build on our momentum. The end of the grant period coincides with a shifting landscape of institutional priorities and a challenging economic climate. We are faced with the challenge of charting an ambitious path for the future while the present is very much in flux. To envision this future, the Department of Academic Technology held open-campus discussions, surveyed faculty, analyzed course evaluation data, and met with an advisory board and administrative leaders. While the process is still underway, engaging the community and listening to the various stakeholders has enabled us to move the discussion of institutional priorities out of the confines of one department Participants will be asked to share their own challenges regarding envisioning an institutional approach to blended programs and learn the steps Academic Technology took to hear multiple voices on campus and engage administrators, faculty, and students in the process of determining the next steps for blended learning at Simmons College.