A backchannel -- a digital conversation that runs concurrently with a face-to-face activity -- provides students with an outlet to engage in conversation. Every time I think about this tool, I remember my student, Charlie (not his real name). Given his learning challenges, he struggled to keep up during class discussions.

This is an interesting auto ethnographic study of online learning - strikes me as a parallel method to the one Kelvin Thompson explores in his thesis: http://onlinecoursecriticism.blogspot.com.au/2005/08/overview-of-online-course-criticism.html

Another great post by Jackie Gerstein on what it really means to design tasks that really engage with the three Cs of Education 3.0-  connectors, creators, constructivists. 

Excellent summary of some of the online commentary and a great synthesis model for activity design that goes beyond simple lecture flipping

A good simple approach. A three staged process for blended learning design: Absorb - Do - Connect

Great resources from a very important UK project which looked deeply at all aspects of assessment including online assessment

This is one of the best resources for educators involved in designing authentic real world assessment tasks. Jan Herrington is a pioneer of research on "authentic tasks" and online learning and this is a great repository of articles research and resources.

Interesting reflections on how blended learning facilitates self determination and independent learning

Not exactly about blended learning but this is a new paper I wrote with some colleagues about different approaches to pedagogies that build resilience through active learning. In this paper we discuss group activities and assessments used in two Creative Arts disciplines (Performance and Journalism), at an Australian regional university, as examples of subjects which provide 'real world' experience in order to promote resilience and tenacity in students.

You've all met the Boredom Monster. He's that big blob lurking around our classrooms, poking students in the sides with his slimy fingers for attention and vexing us as we try with all our might to teach content in engaging and inspiring ways. Flipped teaching can trap the Boredom Monster before he infiltrates your classroom...

This isn't exactly a blended learning course but it includes a lot of resources if you are getting students to do self directed multimedia courses as part of blended learning design. I also really like the curriculum design/progression. It is an advanced composition course that engages students in a comprehensive exploration of contemporary rhetoric, creative inquiry, design thinking, media authorship, self-reflection, and social engagement. Directed writings in concert with video production projects allow students to experience an integrated process of thinking, creating, and problem-solving.

Interesting article about a design course using Ning as an LMS introduces the notion that "social presence" is an important piece of the blended learning puzzle

Interesting to think about leveraging our "localness". This is part of broader research from Sloan that posits that local universities and colleges can leverage their local brand when they establish quality online or blended courses. Not everyone is going to do the MOOC at Harvard just because it is being offered by a big name university. They may well go with a trusted local brand particularly if we offer a blend of online and personalised experience.

A good resource here. JISCNetskills provides training throughout the UK Higher Ed sector and they have a lot of their course guides online. This gives a very good basic introduction to theories and models of elearning. Some good ideas on sequencing.

This paper proposes a new model of blended learning in which physical teaching environments give way to time. Time and synchronicity become the primary elements of the learning environments. In addition, the authors suggest that the time-based model as an educational "new normal" results in technologies as enablers rather than disruptors of learning continuity.