Online/Blended Learning

The popularity of learning online, which allows for flexibility of scheduling for both students and faculty, has continued to increase. What was once primarily a method for offering courses to students at a distance has recently become available for resident students of large enrollment classes. Blended learning, which involves replacing some class sessions with online activities, provides some flexibility while maintaining some of the face-to-face interaction that both students and faculty enjoy.

Penn State Units/Projects for online/Blended learning

  • Penn State Online - World Campus
    Provides distance education courses and programs.
  • E-Learning Cooperative
    An initiative designed to encourage and facilitate sharing of online courses among the University's campuses and campus colleges
  • Blended Learning Initiative (BLI)
    The goal of the BLI is to create dual-use online/hybrid courses and programs that will increase access, enhance flexibility and convenience for students, enhance quality and effectiveness in high-enrolling courses and assess new pedagogies. The Institute is responsible for assessment of these new courses.
  • The Quality Matters
    This program is a research-centered and peer-based continuous improvement model for assessing and assuring the quality of online courses. Penn State maintains an institutional subscription to the The Quality Matters online assurance program. This membership enables Penn State faculty and staff to access and use the current Quality Matters Rubric and related faculty development services for purposes of assuring the instructional design quality of online and blended courses. For more information on the Quality Matters Rubric and training opportunities at Penn State, please contact Lawrence C. Ragan at (814-863-3114) or lcr1@psu.edu.

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