The Office for Students (OfS) has today launched a review of
blended learning, amidst concerns that the poor quality of the
online experience for some students during the pandemic has
undermined the positive potential of mixing in-person and online
course delivery.
While most students have now returned to in-person teaching, many
universities continue to deliver some elements of their courses
(for example, lectures for large groups of students) online.
There are no guidelines in place which prevent or restrict any
kind of in-person teaching.
The review will consider how some universities are delivering
blended learning. A report in summer 2022 will set out where
approaches represent high quality teaching and learning, as well
as approaches that are likely to fall short of the OfS’s
requirements.
Professor Susan Orr has been appointed lead reviewer. Professor
Orr is currently Pro Vice Chancellor: Learning and Teaching at
York St John University and is the incoming Pro Vice Chancellor:
Education at De Montfort University. A panel of expert
academic reviewers will be appointed to work with Professor Orr
to examine the way different universities and colleges are
delivering blended learning.
Commenting, Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for
Students, said:
“With the end of government coronavirus restrictions, students
are back on campus and able to enjoy in-person teaching. There
are clear benefits to in-person learning and where students have
been promised face-to-face teaching it should be provided. This
return to relative normality is important, and comes after an
enormously challenging two years for students and staff. It
remains very important that universities and colleges are clear
with their students and their applicants about how courses will
be delivered. If universities decide that certain elements are to
remain online, this should be made explicit. Whether online or
face to face, the quality must be good, and feedback from
students taken into account.
“Our review of blended learning will examine the approaches
universities and colleges are taking. There are many ways for
blended courses to be successfully delivered and it will be
important to harness the lessons learned by the shift to online
learning during the pandemic. We are however concerned to ensure
that quality is maintained, and through this review we want to
gain a deeper understanding of whether – and why – universities
and colleges propose to keep certain elements online.
“A report following the review will describe the approaches being
taken by universities and colleges and give examples where
blended approaches are high quality, as well as those that may
not meet our regulatory requirements, providing additional
information for universities and colleges, as well as students
and applicants.”
ENDS
Notes
- The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator
for higher education in England. Our aim is to ensure that every
student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience
of higher education that enriches their lives and careers.
- By ‘blended learning’ we mean teaching and learning that
combines in-person and digital delivery. The balance between the
two can vary widely and the term 'blended learning' is used to
refer to a wide variety of models across the higher education
sector.
- The OfS has recently published new conditions of
registration relating to the quality of courses, whether
delivered in-person, online, or in a blended form, that will be
in force from 1 May 2022.
