Redesigning Curricula using Blended Learning: A Development-based research approach.

This chapter outlines an institutional initiative to promote transformative change within courses (degree programs) in relation to flexible and blended learning. It suggests that cross-disciplinary, immersive development-based research projects provide a key approach to developing responsive universities in the 21st century. A major goal of this chapter is to describe this institutional initiative and the design of the qualitative research project for evaluating the impact of the Teaching Fellowship Scheme for promoting curriculum renewal. This scheme was conceptualized and implemented to focus on the dual goals of development (redesign of courses and subjects) by the academics involved in the Teaching Fellowship Scheme and professional development of the individual academics' knowledge and beliefs about higher education teaching and learning. The transformative learning (Cranton, 2006; King, 2004) of the individual academics was examined through a series of semi-structured interviews undertaken at the beginning of their project, mid-way through their project and at the conclusion of their project. Similar questions were used throughout the 12-month fellowship to determine changes in learning during the immersive Teaching Fellowship Scheme.