TY - JOUR
T1 - Professional development for promoting a sense of community in blended learning
AU - Pei, Linlin
AU - Poortman, Cindy
AU - Schildkamp, Kim
AU - Benes, Nieck
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2025/1/8
Y1 - 2025/1/8
N2 - While blended learning holds considerable potential in higher education, suboptimal social interactions among students may lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation, and demotivation. To address this issue, a professional development programme was designed and assessed for its viability in helping university teachers promote a sense of community within the blended learning environment. This programme introduces a new visually-based theoretical model, equipping teachers with practical tools for implementing activities that foster a strong sense of community in the blended learning. Drawing upon the teachers’ perceived experiences, the study identifies key recommendations to enhance the viability of this professional development programme. In particular, it is necessary to establish a strong theoretical foundation to dispel misconceptions among teachers about blended learning. Additionally, it provides several concrete strategies to support teachers’ hands-on practice and suggests integrating a team-based approach to collectively enhance the quality of blended learning. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of the institution’s commitment, recognising its important role in the long-term success and sustainability of both blended learning and associated professional development initiatives for teachers.
AB - While blended learning holds considerable potential in higher education, suboptimal social interactions among students may lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation, and demotivation. To address this issue, a professional development programme was designed and assessed for its viability in helping university teachers promote a sense of community within the blended learning environment. This programme introduces a new visually-based theoretical model, equipping teachers with practical tools for implementing activities that foster a strong sense of community in the blended learning. Drawing upon the teachers’ perceived experiences, the study identifies key recommendations to enhance the viability of this professional development programme. In particular, it is necessary to establish a strong theoretical foundation to dispel misconceptions among teachers about blended learning. Additionally, it provides several concrete strategies to support teachers’ hands-on practice and suggests integrating a team-based approach to collectively enhance the quality of blended learning. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of the institution’s commitment, recognising its important role in the long-term success and sustainability of both blended learning and associated professional development initiatives for teachers.
KW - UT-Hybrid-D
KW - higher education
KW - professional development
KW - qualitative
KW - Sense of community
KW - teacher
KW - blended learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214382722&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19415257.2024.2446576
DO - 10.1080/19415257.2024.2446576
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85214382722
SN - 1941-5257
JO - Professional development in education
JF - Professional development in education
ER -