Blended Learning

ULAB authorities started floating the idea of the learning management system, or LMS, Moodle, during the Spring Semester of 2014. Moodle is a free and open-source learning platform designed to provide educators, administrators, and learners with a single robust, secure, and integrated system to create personalized learning environments. It is used for blended learning, distance education, flipped classroom, and other e-learning programs worldwide.

After obtaining approval from the ULAB Syndicate, the late Prof. Brian Shoesmith (then Dean for Academic Development) announced in February 2015 the official adoption of the Moodle Learning Management System. Training, however, had begun in the Spring 2014 with those faculty members who were interested and willing to experiment. Prof. Shoesmith assigned Arifa Ghani Rahman, currently Associate Professor of English and Humanities at ULAB, to conduct the training as she had many years of experience in teaching online. Prof. Shoesmith made it clear when Moodle was officially adopted, that the platform would serve as an additional support to teaching and “not as a replacement for classroom teaching.” The system has since been used as a supplement to teaching where teachers can upload helpful or additional course materials, distribute and collect assignments, record grades, take attendance, chat with the students, and so on.

In September 2018, ULAB formed an Online Education Study Group to recommend measures on how to move forward with online teaching and learning at the university. Given these, various departments and centers in the university have made inroads in conducting online learning. Many of these have been instrumental in facilitating the shift from face-to-face classroom to online class teaching during the pandemic. However, familiarity with an online LMS among faculty and students could be considered the most important factor in facilitating this shift.

On 16 March 2020, amidst fears related to the coronavirus outbreak, the Bangladesh government issued a directive decreeing all educational institutions under the Ministry of Education to close from 18 to 31 March. Later, in the wake of an increasing number of deaths and confirmed infections, the Ministry of Education extended the school closure multiple times. To minimize possible academic losses, the University Grants Commission (UGC) declared on 23 March that all universities introduce online education to run academic activities.

In light of all these directives, university authorities formed a central E-learning Committee on April 30 to facilitate the shift to full online learning. This four-member Committee was responsible for capacity building and supporting faculty members through the transition process. The Committee organized training sessions on the tools to be used while the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) held workshops on online teaching pedagogy and other relevant themes.

Apart from the central E-learning Committee, departmental e-learning committees were formed to handle all troubleshooting issues encountered by faculty members or students. An E-learning Experience Sharing Facebook group was also formed to exchange notes and support each other across the university.

The E-learning Committee recommended that only two specific Learning Management Systems (LMS) be used to conduct the asynchronous portion of the courses and two video apps for synchronous classes. Accessibility (related to devices, Internet availability, app availability, and individual expertise) was the primary reason behind this. Hence, in addition to Moodle, Google Classroom was also officially adopted as ULAB uses G Suite. In tandem, Google Meet and Zoom (offered by UGC’s BdREN) were adopted as the official video conferencing software.

Having successfully shifted to fully online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ULAB has turned its attention to the integration of blended learning. The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh formulated in July 2021 a draft policy instructing universities to minimize student drop-out rates by instituting blended learning. UGC approved the Policy on Blended Learning for Bangladesh on February 27, 2022.

In response to this, ULAB reformed the Blended Learning Committee. The Committee developed a guideline for conducting blended learning at the university. The guideline was approved in the Academic Council Meeting of June 17, 2021. The committee recommended policies relating to pedagogy, assessment, and teacher training.  On 23 September, the committee started mapping digital tools for online learning – identifying Moodle as the main learning management system and mapping digital platforms (that complement Moodle as the main learning platform) that the university will provide technical support for. It also recommended other digital tools but with no direct university support. On August 7, 2023, the blended learning committee reconvened to discuss an action plan for implementing it according to UGC guidelines. The committee has proposed their plan and ULAB started piloting from Spring 2024.

On August 7, 2023, Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Jude William R. Genilo announced the committee.

• Arifa Ghani Rahman, Chair
• Asif Uddin Ahmed, Secretary
• Mohammad Shazzad Hossain, Joint Secretary
• M Shahidul Islam Khondaker, Member
• Rumana Liza Anam, Member
• Sarkar Barbaq Quarmal, Member
• Mirza Rasheduzzaman, Member
• Mohammed Ashikur Rahman, Member
• Sk. Habibur Rahman, Member
• Kazi Razib Ahmed, Member

Blended Learning Orientation

Online Learning Guidelines

UGC Blended Learning Policy

Technology is the core of blended learning pedagogy. To bolster this technology-driven approach, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) initiated the ULAB EdTech Hub. This collaborative initiative aims to bring together passionate teachers from various departments across ULAB. The primary goals of the Hub are to incorporate technology into teaching methods, share resources, provide technical support, and offer professional development opportunities for faculty members.

To further enhance the goals, CETL has established departmental teams within the EdTech Hub. These teams are intended to support you in the following ways:

• Technology Integration: Exploring innovative methods to integrate technology into your teaching to enhance the student learning experience.
• Resource Sharing: Creating a platform for sharing best practices, resources, and success stories related to technology use in education.
• Troubleshooting and Support: Providing technical assistance to faculty members facing challenges in implementing technology in their teaching.
• Professional Development: Offering training sessions and workshops to help you develop and refine your technological skills, ensuring you stay updated with the latest advancements.

The teams consist of faculty members who are passionate about technology and are prepared to assist and guide other faculty members in integrating online or blended learning approaches into their courses.