Weekly Live Revision Sessions to Scaffold Student Learning in a Blended Learning Course

Abstract

This Innovative Practice Category Work in Progress Paper presents the design and implementation of a weekly live revision session as a scaffolding component to the blended learning approach in designing a Power System Course to enhance student learning and pique their interest. The module has migrated from a traditional delivery of lecture content through two-hour classroom lectures and one-hour tutorials to a blended learning platform with online activities before class and in-class activities. The introductory power systems course offered by the university covers a wide array of topics ranging from phasors, AC circuit analysis, power generation, transmission, and distribution. Online discussion forums were used to address the issues and queries that students had about the weekly sessions. It was found that, forum participation by students was minimal for previous iterations of the module and they preferred a face-to-face approach in solving their queries and doubts. To address this challenge and to close the feedback loop to the students for the weekly sessions, a live video revision session was incorporated into the module every Saturday. The live review sessions consisted of three parts. The first part includes a revision of the weekly content with clarifications on theoretical and numerical content. The second part of the live session is used to address and solve issues and queries received through the online discussion forum and emails. The final part of the revision session is a live doubt clearing session wherein students could ask their doubts live and they would be addressed in the revision session. The inclusion of this live review session will help in scaffolding the learner at the final stage of the weekly blended learning mode and will ensure that any lingering doubts and queries are addressed. Finally, the recorded video of the live session is uploaded to the learning platform for the students to view and review if necessary. This paper describes the incorporation of the live video session into the blended learning platform, student statistics and survey results on student experiences with these sessions.