Blended learning, sometimes known as hybrid learning, is a teaching and learning model that has a face-to-face class or tutorial component combined with an on-line learning component. Although research suggests that students exposed to blended learning achieve better results as students in traditional face-to-face classes adult education organizations today still mainly offer traditional face-to-face classes. Adult education centers across Europe face common challenges: they deal with diverse (vulnerable) groups of adult learners, among whom many lack basic skills. In addition, adult students face obstacles in their education path such as lack of time due to family and work obligations, poor learning habits, low motivation, financial issues. It is the development and implementation of blended learning courses that can be tremendously helpful for adult education organizations to tackle the aforementioned challenges their students are facing. Consequently, educators working in the field of adult education must increase their understanding of the concept and improve their skills and knowledge about delivery of high quality blended learning. The project Boosting Educators' Competences to do Quality Blended Learning will equip educators with a quality handbook about blended learning and an interactive learning platform (Blended Learning Gym). The handbook (=IO1) will be based on an in-depth analysis of the target group's (=educators) needs and will present a guide in the development process of blended learning programs. It will also include examples of high quality blended learning and guidelines for its implementation. Blended Learning Gym (=IO2) will build on the handbook and is an open interactive learning resource to help educators set up their own blended learning activities. The target group of these main project results is educators (education managers, heads of departments and teachers) who will improve their knowledge and develop skills to set up blended learning activities. In addition to the handbook and the interactive platform a short-term joint staff activity will be carried out in order for teachers to learn from their colleagues who already master the craft of setting up blended learning courses. While developing the handbook and the blended learning gym educators will participate in various ways: they will be interviewed to examine their experience and needs with regard to blended learning, they will provide feedback after the completed training activity, they will help define the structure of the handbook, they will test the blended learning gym platform etc. A group of 14 teachers from 4 partner organizations will participate in the training and an approximate number of 120 educators will be included in these activities. The project results will not be limited to educators participating in the activities as described above. In order to ensure that project results are used widely the partnership will make use of its wide network of stakeholders at local, regional, national and European level. To reach these networks different activities will be undertaken such as setting up the project website and Facebook page, production of newsletters, use of existing newsletters within the stakeholders' network, publishing articles, presentations at conferences/meeting within relevant umbrella organizations etc. Just before the end of the project six multiplier events will be held by individual partners with the aim to ensure the use of project main results, i.e. the handbook about blended learning and the interactive learning platform among different stakeholders. One multiplier event will also be held in Brussels to ensure effective dissemination at European level. An approx. number of 1500 stakeholders will be reached outside the partnership. The project results are going to be used after the project completion: the project website where the handbook will be published as well as the interactive learning platform are going to be maintained after the project is finished and accessible free of charge so that educators across Europe working in the field of adult education can use these results to set up their blended learning activities. Further, the results will be incorporated into daily work of partnership organizations and promoted among their current and future colleagues.
In the Quality Blended Learning project, we developed a Handbook named Introduction to Blended Learning for Adult Educators and an E-platform with learning materials supporting the contents of the Handbook. They are intended to be used by professionals in adult education: teachers, educational organizers and heads of organizations. Blended learning is a combination of the traditional way of teaching and learning and learning through engagement of digital technology. Adult education providers are lagging in the use of blended learning compared to other sectors. The Handbook we created is an extremely practical and transparent tool for all those who are starting their blended learning journey and for anyone who already has basic knowledge and wants to refresh and upgrade it. The handbook consists of 8 units, each of which represents an independent unit therefore,one can also read individual chapters. The Handbook contains spreadsheets, worksheets, practical guidance, examples and explanations for the use of tools, and outlines the concept of blended learning, highlighting the benefits and challenges. The Handbook addresses all the main actors involved in the blended learning process: learners, teachers, and management or adult education providers. While the Handbook is extensive (there are a good 220 A4 pages), the materials of the e-learning platform are of smaller extent. The e-platform supports the contents of the Handbook by using the elements provided by the Moodle online environment. Video clips, interactive presentations, knowledge quizzes with questions of different types to present the main six tools for blended learning are used to further help educators plan and develop blended learningcontent. Platform users can also earn digital badges. The handbook is published on the platform in the following languages: English, German, Spanish, Slovenian and Italian. The design of the handbook and the e-platform is based on an e-survey and face-to-face interviews of the target group. E-platform materials were tested in 4 pilot workshops, where we received valuable feedback. In the last two months of the project, partners held 6 closing events where they presented the main results to project stakeholders and received enthusiasm and praise. The handbook and the e-platform are open educational resources available on the e-platform and the websites of partner organizations.Three of partner organisations are going to publish the printed version of the Handbook and the Irish and the Spanish partner developed a training course about blended learning based on the training activity that took place in Dublin. Partners believe that both main project results can be used not only by professionals in adult education but also by professionals in other education sectors.