Title: What is Online / Blended Teaching & Learning?
Course: Stage 0 - Orientation > Section: 2. Introducing Online and Blended Teaching & Learning

In his blog, Bates (2016) defines online learning as: "... any form of learning conducted partly or wholly over the Internet.”

Bates goes on to say: "However, with the emergency measures taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, commentators have made the distinction between deliberately designed online learning and the emergency measures used to move all instruction online in the spring of 2020:

Emergency Remote Teaching: “is a temporary shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode due to crisis circumstances. It involves the use of fully remote teaching solutions for instruction or education that would otherwise be delivered face-to-face or as blended or hybrid courses and that will return to that format once the crisis or emergency has abated.” ( Hodges, Moore, Lockee, Trust and Bond , 2020)

Online Learning: A form of distance education in which a course or program is intentionally designed in advance to be delivered fully online.

Faculty use pedagogical strategies for instruction, student engagement, and assessment that are specific to learning in a virtual environment."

Moving on to think about Blended Teaching and Learning:

“The term blended learning is generally applied to the practice of using both online and in-person learning experiences when teaching students. In a blended-learning course, for example, students might attend a class taught by a teacher in a traditional classroom setting, while also independently completing online components of the course outside of the classroom.” ( Glossary of Educational Reform , 2013)

“Previously defined by the proportions of face-to-face versus online coursework, blended learning is typified by the integration of those digital solutions most applicable for achieving the learning outcomes of the course. Media-rich digital learning platforms, personalized or adaptive courseware, and web conferencing tools capable of connecting students for synchronous distance activities are becoming common solutions for blended learning designs.” ( Horizon Report , 2019) EDUCAUSE.