Title: Participation in blended learning: settings and intersections of a master programme in healthcare

Authors: Christina Keller; Katherine Stevenson

Addresses: Department of Informatics, Jönköping International Business School, P.O. Box 1026, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden. ' Jönköping Academy of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, P.O. Box 1026, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden

Abstract: This article examines educational settings, intersections and participation in a master programme in healthcare given as blended learning. Regarding communication between learners and teachers dialogical intersections were found between campus and home as well as between campus and work. Furthermore, not only learners but also teachers worked from other physical locations than campus. In communication between learners, dialogical intersections were found between home and campus, work and campus, and between home settings. Discussion and assignment tools were used in other settings than campus and were found to enhance learning and reflection by learners. Communication patterns in synchronous and asynchronous online seminars were characterised by a high share of communication between learners. However, the share of teachers' postings increased in online seminars devoted to support on course content from expert teachers. The article is concluded with implications of the findings for planning and structuring of blended learning.

Keywords: blended learning; educational settings; intersections; participation; tools; Masters courses; healthcare education; communication patterns; online learning communities; online communities; web based communities; virtual communities; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2012.049563

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2012 Vol.8 No.4, pp.504 - 520

Published online: 20 Aug 2014 *

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