Scaling up online professional development through institution-initiated blended learning programs in higher education

Abstract

The impact of Covid-19 has significantly accelerated the digital transformation in higher education worldwide. This study investigates how digital transformation changes the instructional design and implementation of large-scale blended learning programs for better learner experiences. It emphasizes the significance of diverse stakeholders' engagement in institution-initiated blended programs to promote effective online professional development. Utilizing Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs), this study adopts a case study approach, employing participatory observation, interviews, log data, and online discourses to analyze how interactions across various sectors and levels affect the transformation to blended programs and the professional development of the involved instructors. The findings reveal that the institution-initiated blended learning approach, resembling an apprenticeship model, effectively integrates teaching practice with online professional development. An in-depth analysis of two university courses shows that key events and task-oriented approaches significantly influence instructors' online engagement, enhancing their digital literacy. Teacher Handbooks, driven by real learner data, guide teaching practices effectively, while collaborative research meetings greatly enhance the use of data analytics in teaching. Although this top-down approach presents challenges, this study demonstrates that instructors can innovatively tackle these issues. Institutional support is more likely to foster collaborative learning communities across various sectors and hierarchies. This study contributes to the field by introducing a pioneering framework in the institution's innovative educational reform, creating online professional development communities for faculty members of all ages, and enabling them to quickly and easily adapt to the digital transformation of higher education.