Professional Education Using E-Simulations: Benefits of Blended Learning Design: Benefits of Blended Learning Design

Dale Holt, Associate Professor, is Associate Director of the Institute of Teaching and Learning at Deakin University, Australia, with active participation in Educational Design, Professional Development and Research. Dale has coordinated major academic professional development programs and his responsibilities see him heavily involved in supporting staff applying for University and national teaching awards and development grants. He was awarded a national Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2007, ‘For longstanding leadership and support for the professional development of teaching staff to advance student learning in the field of flexible, online and distance education’. Dale was Project Leader of the 2007 Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) funded project, ‘Strategic Leadership for Institutional Teaching and Learning Centres: Developing a Model for the 21st century’, and a project member of the recently completed 2008 ALTC Competitive Grants project, ‘Building academic staff capacity for using eSimulations in professional education for experience transfer’ and a 2008 ALTC Leadership project, ‘Coalface subject co-ordinators – the missing link to building leadership capacities in the academic supply chain’ nearing completion. He has recently secured an ALTC grant for a project titled, ‘Building distributed leadership in designing and implementing a quality management framework for Online Learning Environments’.

Stephen Segrave is an Academic Education Designer for the Institute of Teaching and Learning, Deakin University, Australia. Having lectured in Instructional Design and Educational Technologies, he now consults with academic staff to improve teaching and learning through innovative designs. Stephen is recognised for design excellence through Vice-Chancellor’s awards in 2000 and 2002 for ‘Excellence in Teaching’ and in 2008 for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Teaching and Learning’. In 2002 the award for the suite of simulations: ‘: a virtual newsroom’ (Allen & Unwin, 2003) also won the Ascilite award for Best Software Project demonstrating ‘Exemplary use of electronic technologies in teaching and learning in tertiary education’ and the Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) award for ‘Innovation in Learning’. In 2004, Stephen received a Deakin Teaching Explorer Grant culminating in the strategic project: ‘Experiential Learning Through Simulations: Enhancing education in the professions through interactive computer simulations online’ creating five simulations in different disciplines. During 2008-2010 he was a member of the leadership team for the Australian Learning and Teaching Council competitive grants project: ‘Building academic staff capacity for using eSimulations in professional education for experience transfer’. Stephen has published on eSimulations, eLearning environments and academic professional development in several national and international journals

Jacob Cybulski, Associate Professor, is a member of the School of Information Systems at Deakin University, Australia. His research interests include Information Systems theory and research methodology, Information Systems strategy, as well as ICT education. Jacob also works as a consultant to organisations willing to investigate their business processes, develop their technology strategies or align their IT and business practices. Jacob’s past projects range from engineering and telecommunications applications to developing software productivity environments and toolkits. His recently commissioned work includes work on e-commerce, Web development and contents management, educational video and simulation. In his free time Jacob engages in competitive fencing and fine arts. [Editor]