Teaching to future e-learning experts through blended methods

Becoming a professional is a process of fusing theoretical and practical aspects (Hytönen et al., 2016). Although university is considered as an elective agency to support students’ transition to workplaces, when looking into the university curricula there is no great synergy between academia and work demands (Eteläpelto et al., 2014). We have tried to fill this gap by applying the design principles of the Trialogical Learning Approach – TLA (Paavola & Hakkarainen, 2005) in a master degree course in “Educational and E-learning Psychology” (University of Bari Aldo Moro) with the main aim to support transition between academic and professional communities. Thus, companies relevant in the field of E-learning are involved. A group of students is assigned to each company with the task to contribute to the development of an object the company is creating. In this task, several types of technologies are used: instant messaging, web-forum, Video-calls, project and knowledge management tools. Furthermore, students are required to learn how to design educational videos and learning objects by using software such as Articulate.pro and iMovie. Based on these premises, we have developed a model called Blended Collaborative and Constructive Participation (BCCP), meant specifically for university teaching. Our results showed that students appreciated the opportunity to work in groups and with companies, to use flexible technologies, and to become aware of the e-learning job market. The course had a positive effect on students’ self-efficacy and on building professional identity. This research could provide general insights for university courses aimed at supporting transition to workplace.