Blended Learning: Forschungsfragen und Perspektiven

In recent years, a new kind of virtual learning has established itself in schools, universities and further education additionally to traditional forms of teaching and learning. But so far, it could not meet the high expectations like for example demands for flexible learning and it is therefore that blended learning became increasingly important. This term, however, has not yet been defined differentiatedly enough and has hardly been considered by research so far. The survey presented here defines blended learning as a variation of face-to-face phases and virtual phases of a learning environment, which uses the advantages of both of these kinds of teaching and learning for an optimal knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, the survey expounds a moderate constructivist approach of teaching and learning ideally forming the theoretical basis of a didactic concept of blended learning scenarios. Finally, five research perspectives on blended learning are specified: Evaluation research, field research, experimental research, Design-Based Research and an integrative research approach. Evaluation research tries to investigate the use and effects of learning environments mainly by working with questionnaires. Such research can be carried out in university seminars which have a “blended” didactical concept. In field research the researcher generates data by incorporating himself into this field of research. Suitable in this context is further education realized with blended learning. Experimental research investigates the influence of different learning environments on learning in a controlled setting. Experiments which in a blended learning scenario investigate the effect of the structuring of the computer on knowledge acquisition could be part of such research. Design-Based Research aims at designing learning environments in a practical context in order to get results for the development of new theories. Educational reforms related to blended learning can be an adequate object of such research. The integrative research approach studies the interdependency between theory and practice. Blended learning scenarios are investigated in an experimental setting as well as in practice like for example the education of pedagogues in statistics.