Volkswagen AutoUni

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In Search of the Ideal Classroom in a Blended
Learning Environment
A Case Study for
Volkswagen AutoUni
Lisa Blaschke Gertrude Dudink Brian Fox Cindy
Schuster Linda J. Smith Charlene Templeton
EDEN Conference March 2004
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CONTENTS

• AutoUni Goals
• Workshop Objective
• Definition of Classroom
• Features of the Ideal Classroom
• Support Needs Before and After Classroom
  Sessions
• Time Distribution Between Distance Learning and
  Face-to-Face Classroom Sessions
• Conclusions

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AutoUni GOALS
To foster a learning environment in which
creativity is encouraged and enabled and where
the advantages of cross-disciplinary sharing of
expertise and ideas are realized.
In search of the ideal
What kind of classroom design will help AutoUni
reach these goals?
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WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE
Define the ideal classroom for Volkswagens
AutoUni blended learning environment
Create a new paradigm thinking beyond the four
walls
Learning centered!
Instruction centered
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DEFINITION OF CLASSROOM
What is a classroom?
The who what how and where of
the face-to-face experience
Definition parameters

• Participants
• Learning activities
• Technology
• Resources
• Roles and responsibilities
• Location
• Classroom products
• Assessment strategy

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
Who is part of the classroom?

• Ongoing
• Interdisciplinary teams of learners placed by
  appropriate mix of
• Discipline
• Personal assets/traits
• Interdisciplinary teams of instructors
• Occasional
• Visiting experts
• Mentors
• Technology professionals
• Corporate representatives

?
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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What kind of learning activities can/should take
place in the classroom?

• Welcome sessions
• Program orientation
• Learning team-building
• Informal activities to create trust
• New project kickoffs
• Brainstorming sessions
• Problem solving
• Group presentations
• Laboratory activities
• Field trips
• Closing/summary sessions

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What technology and equipment are in the
classroom?

• Small and large meeting spaces
• Computers with Internet access
• Audio-video conferencing equipment to link to
  visiting experts and remote learners
• Software for simulations, activity recording,
  problem analysis, presentations, etc.
• Electronic white-board and other devices for
  graphics
• Projector, TV, VCR
• Scanner, copier, etc.

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What other resources are needed in the classroom?

• Immediate access to literature and other research
  material (online libraries, corporate knowledge
  base, etc.)
• Lab environments for problem analysis and
  experimentation both simulations and actual
• Quick access to experts both face-to-face and
  through technology links
• Language support (e.g., translators for difficult
  terms and concepts)
• Facilitators for team-building, problem solving

Resources should also be available before and
after the classroom.
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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What are the roles and responsibilities in the
classroom?

• Instructors
• Establish classroom agenda set of
  goals/objectives with freedom to explore variety
  of pathways that will lead to meeting goals
• Manage time segments sessions are short or long
  depending on the pathways chosen, interests of
  participants, goals met, and newly discovered
  goals pursued
• Ensure access to resources
• Facilitate learning activities

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What are the roles and responsibilities in the
classroom?

• Student
• Function as an active collaborator in learning
• Maintain commitment both to peers and corporate
  sponsor in meeting learning goals
• Strive to relate learning to workplace setting

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
Where is the classroom?

• Home base
• Physical meeting space with necessary technology
  and equipment
• Off site
• Corporate facilities
• Laboratories
• Field trips

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What kinds of classroom products are there?
Students should be able to take products back to
their home environment

• Learning tools
• Guides
• Techniques
• Problem solutions
• Concept presentations
• Corporate support network (e.g., QA database)

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FEATURES OF THE IDEAL CLASSROOM
What strategy should be used to assess classroom
learning?

• Encourage risk-taking (assignments evaluated
  based on creative approach and potential for
  success rather than getting a correct answer)

• Allow some freedom in assignment definition
  (i.e., goals should be stated, but the form of
  goal attainment may be left to the student)
• Compare against goals rather than other students
• Share student products so that all can benefit
  from seeing other approaches to problem-solving

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SUPPORT NEEDS
Before and after activities can increase the
effectiveness of classroom time.
Maximizing the use of classroom time

• Use before and after activities
• In the online environment
• In the workplace environment

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SUPPORT NEEDS
Before Activities - Online

• Let learners meet informally, post biographies
• Perform skills and readiness assessments to
  identify gaps
• Make information and reading available
• Let learners participate in shaping the classroom
  event
• Assign tasks for the classroom
• Provide a tutorial about learning in an online
  environment
• Offer online support to answer questions prior to
  learning

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SUPPORT NEEDS
Before Activities - Workplace

• Assign mentor/coach
• Learner work with mentor/coach to create a
  personal development plan
• Learner work with manager to relate learning
  goals to workplace goals
• Manager encourage participation in the online
  learning program
• Ask learners to identify relevant cases to bring
  to the classroom

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SUPPORT NEEDS
After Activities - Online

• Foster communities of learning, ongoing
  collaboration
• Keep learners updated on developments
• Distribute minutes and action lists from
  classroom meetings
• Use online job aids
• Check with learners to identify ongoing learning
  needs
• Provide an environment for learners to keep in
  contact (intranet site, chat forum)

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SUPPORT NEEDS
After Activities - Workplace

• Refer to classroom activities in mentoring
• Give students responsibility for the learning of
  their non-student colleagues
• Assign experiments for the workplace
• Assess application of knowledge and skills

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TIME DISTRIBUTION
Time distribution between distance learning and
face-to-face classroom sessions is
context-specific.

• Some proposed guidelines
• Establish minimum schedule of face-to-face work
  for all programs (e.g., welcome, group sharing,
  closing)
• Allow for additional sessions according to
  learning activities best handled in face-to-face
  environment
• Be able to add more face-to-face sessions during
  a course as circumstances require (e.g., more
  team-building, project problem resolution, etc.)

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CONCLUSIONS

• The blended learning solution needs to maximize
  the benefits of both online and face-to-face
  environments.
• Learners need to be able to integrate learning
  into the work life outside of the classroom
  through
• Discussions with mentors/coaches and managers
• Infrastructures that support the learning process
• A learning culture
• The classroom in blended learning should be as
  rich in technology as the online environment but
  should place the learner/human contact at the
  center.
• Infrastructures need to be in place to support
  continual collaboration once the class is over.
• Use of classroom time and resources can and
  should be optimized by balancing it with before
  and after activities in online environment and
  workplace
• A flexibility and an expectation of change needs
  to exist within the AutoUni organization in order
  to adjust to learner needs and new learning
  environments.

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