Page - 131 - in Radical Solutions and Open Science - An Open Approach to Boost Higher Education

138 H.ChaandH.-J.So 9.2.2 ComparisonofTraditional,Blended,andFlipped Learning For a clear conceptualizationof integratingMOOCs inhigher education,wefirstly contrast the characteristics (a) traditional instruction, (b) blended learning, and (c) flipped learning.First, traditional instructioncanbedescribedasadirect instruction approach,wherean instructormainlydelivers a face-to-face lecture inaclassroom. Students learnmainlythroughtextbooks, lectures,andassignments intheclassroom setting. It is important to acknowledge that direct instruction or an instructor-led lectureisnotinitselfgoodorbad.Thereissufficientevidencethatdirectinstructionis effectivefordeliveringdeclarativeknowledge to learnersandfor reducingcognitive load (Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark, 2006). Rather, the critics of direct instruction are associated with the lack of time devoted to high-order cognitive skills, such as applying, analyzing, and evaluating, sincemost of the class time is devoted to transmittingcontentknowledge inan instructor-centricmode (Kuhn,2007). Second, blended learning refers to the combination of face-to-face instruction and computer-mediated instruction (Graham, 2006). The term blended learning is widelyusedboth in researchandpractices.Howecer, it ischallenging todistinguish flippedlearningandblendedlearningsincebothapproachesinvolveonlineandface- to-face (F2F) learning activities. Although flipped learning is perceived as a form of blending online andoffline learning (Strayer, 2012), some scholars have argued thatflipped learningdiffers fromblended learningbyclearly separatingonline and offlineactivities(Hwang&Lai,2017).Forinstance,Thai,Wever,andValcke(2017) compare a flipped classroomwith other similar learning approaches that combine face-to-faceandonlinelearningcomponents.Table9.1showsthat thekeydifference betweenblended learningand theflippedclassroomis reversing theorderofonline and face-to-face settings inpresenting lectures andguidingquestions, aswell as in the immediacy of a feedback loop. That is, in the flipped classroom, lectures are deliveredonline,andguidingquestions thatscaffoldstudents’deeperunderstanding aboutknowledgeacquiredfromthelecturevideosoccur inaface-to-facemodewith immediate feedback. Lastly,itispossiblethatin-classteachingofflippedlearningremainsaninstructor- centeredapproachwheninstructorsfocusmainlyonreviewingthecontentthatlearn- ers havealready learned through lecturevideosbefore class.With that, theFlipped Table9.1 Comparisonofthemaincharacteristicsofvariouslearningapproaches(Thaietal.,2017) Traditional learning e-learning Blended learningconditions Blended learning Flipped classroom Lecture F2F Online F2F Online Guiding questions F2F Online Online F2F Feedback F2F immediate Onlinedelayed Onlinedelayed F2F immediate