Teachers in Blended Learning Environments

This study reports on recent doctoral research focused on six academic staff working in early blended learning environments in campus-based contexts at a large Australian university. The case-based research reports on how information and communications technology (ICT) was used by each of these staff all early adopters of new technologies to enhance their face-to-face teaching and how this use contributed to an understanding of blended learning in higher education. Across the cases seven dimensions of blended learning environments were identified - a significant finding of this study. Overall the study en­hances understanding of the nature purpose and scope of early blended learning approaches in a university setting and highlights the importance of academics' use of resource-based learning to create blended learning environments across a range of courses. The study also establishes reasons why these teachers embraced the use of ICT in their on-campus teaching and provides insights into how each perceived their teaching role.