Balanced Blended Learning: Support for Decision-Makers

Abstract

Saxion University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest institutions of higher education in the Netherlands, with over 27,000 students divided over three campuses in the East of the Netherlands. One of the focus points is embedding Living Technology in the educational programs and research – not merely as abstract pieces of technology, but rather as an integral part of living and working. The program ICT & Education has as the main goal to support the11 schools with the implementation of technology in the educational programs. This ranges from optimizing the use of our virtual learning environments for learning, to increase the numbers of digital assessment and use of video. Despite the available support and the possibilities to use new educational technologies as a mean to increase more educational flexibility, educators do not use technology as often as our students would like to (Baas, 2013;2014). The same studies show that the main reasons for not using new technologies are – as mentioned by our educators – a lack of knowledge, time and appreciation from their management. Research shows that leadership can have a positive influence on technology use, but it depends on the skills of the manager to co-create a vision on how to use technology in education (Albion, Forkosh-Baruch, & Tondeur, 2015). It demands specific competences and the use of one or a combination of multiple types of leadership (Figure 1; Tan, 2010).