Since 2019, Howest University of Applied Sciences is using the ABC blend design method as developed by the University College London (Young & Perović, 2016)[1] and translated to Dutch by VIVES University of Applied Sciences en KU Leuven.

The ABC method is a design method that allows redrawing the outline of a course unit. The method is specifically aimed at designing course units in higher education. Through the method, a concrete course unit is (re)designed in a short time (90') and through an active, face-to-face workshop with a design team of about four people. The ABC-method is particularly appreciated for its’ hands-on, design-based and student-oriënted approach. The face-to-face approach is important in order to make exchanges and discussions as smooth as possible and get to work with concrete materials. More information on the original method can be found in this video or on this website.

Adjustments by Howest

In studying this design method, however, we missed some concrete thinking exercises specific to blended learning. For example, how do you blend online and campus learning in such a way that it results in a powerful learning environment? What concrete teaching methods do you deploy for this purpose and how are the (online and offline) teaching methods connected?

From that point of view, four supplementary materials (plug-ins) were developed in co-creation with lecturers via teacher design teams in 2019 - 2020. These supplementary materials are available to the ABC community. Specifically, the following materials are involved:

Blend models or scenarios as a supplement to the ABC start sheet
Teaching method cards as a stepping stone to the learning dashboard
A digital teaching methods overview via Excel (created by Universidad de Burgos, based on the Teaching method cards from Howest)
A blended learning dashboard
Tokens to indicate formative and sustainable assessment

These plug-ins are designed so that you can select one and add it to the original ABC method or you can also add them all. The manual explains the additional materials, how they tie in with the original ABC method and how they encourage lecturers to design an optimal blend. The manual is also written as a Train-The-Trainer. With the use of this manual (and an accomponying powerpoint) you can set an ABC course desgin workshop yourself.

All these materials together with the Train-the-trainer information can be found here.

Online version Learning Dashboard

To make it easier to further design a course after following a workshop or to apply the methodology to other courses, we also created an online version of the learning dashboard.

To work smoothly with this online version, you need prior knowledge of the methodology and a physical set of teaching method cards and blend models.

The online version works via a LUCID template: https://lucid.app/lucidchart/0f66ed0f-de36-47c9-990d-527b17b9e3bc/edit?invitationId=inv_474ceccd-5d68-4b21-883b-c7dde2407881

Step by step plan to get started with the template:

Click on the template-link.
If you don't have an account yet, sign up free.
Save a copy of the template on your account. Click therefore on the "hamburger-menu" (3 horizontal lines) next to the title.
Then click "make a copy". Give it a clear name.
Go to your overview of documents by clicking on the red flower left of the title. Open your just created document.
Use the template in the same way you would use the physical dashboard. Use the post-it's on the left side to write down names of teaching method cards. Zoom in or out where necessary.

Online version complete ABC Course Design Method

Although the workshop ABC Course Design is ideally attended in person, it is also possible to complete it entirely online. This is done using a template in Lucid. https://lucid.app/lucidspark/f0cb7d4f-0fd9-4c3e-ac11-7cb61a95450e/edit?invitationId=inv_e7973f92-5112-46e5-86c3-ab77cc44423b

Lucid template ABC.JPG

To work with this smoothly, the following conditions must be met:

The participant must already have prior knowledge of the definition and characteristics of blended learning, the 8 blend models and the 6 learning activities of Diana Laurillard. This can be done, for example, via an online webinar or asynchronous learning path.
The participant should already have a physical set of teaching method cards and blend models.

Step by step plan to get started with the template:

Click on the template-link.
If you don't have an account yet, sign up free.
Save a copy of the template on your account. Click therefore on the "hamburger-menu" (3 horizontal lines) next to the title.
Then click "make a copy". Give it a clear name.
Go to your overview of documents by clicking on the red flower left of the title. Open your just created document.
Read the instructions in the template. Zoom in or out where necessary.

Agreements

In line with the original ABC method, these materials are made available under the creative commons licence which implies that reuse is possible for non-commercial purposes. Please respect the creative commons licence below.

All additional ABC plugin materials are available for use under the Creative Commons Licence- Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

If you use the plug-in’s as developed by Howest University of Applied Sciences, then use the following reference:

This work, “ABC blend-design plugin” by the educational development and innovation department, Howest University of Applied Sciences is an add-on to the ABC Learning Design method by Clive Young and Nataša Perović, UCL (2015), Learning types, Laurillard, D. (2012). Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Original resources available at abc-ld.org.

If you change/adapt the plug-in, please use the following reference:

This work is a derivative of “ABC blend-design plugin” by educational development and innovation department, Howest University of Applied Sciences, Clive Young and Nataša Perović, UCL (2015), Learning types, Laurillard, D. (2012). Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Original resources available at abc-ld.org.

Want to share feedback on these materials? Let us know at elke.ruys@howest.be

For the materials in Dutch, click here.

[1] Young, C., & Perović, N. (2016). Rapid and Creative Course Design: As Easy as ABC?. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 228, 390-395.