Redesigning an economics course to achieve more reflexivity Is blended learning a curse or a blessing for mid-career MPA students and teacher?
Main Article Content
Abstract
A recurring issue in (mid-career) master programs Public Administration is to get students to become (more) reflexive (conf. e.g. special issue of Teaching Public Administration 2013). As academic graduates they should not merely apply public administration theories and methods in standardized ways but always think critically about what they do and why. Moreover they should be able to make sensible, situated connections between ‘theory’ and ‘praxis’ and critically and creatively derive new modes of professional action from these. To achieve this students should approach their study with the main intention to develop personal understanding (e.g. Marton & Säljö, 1976; Trigwell, 2010). In this article the redesign of a course in a two year mid-career master program from a traditional instructional mode to blended learning, will be discussed and analyzed to see if the redesign attributed to more reflexive working methods in the course and a more reflexive attitude in students.
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.
Copyrights for articles published in IJIER journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.
References
Garrison, D. R., & Kanuka, H. (2004). Blended learning: Uncovering its transformative potential in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(2), 95-105.
Graham, C. R. (2005). Blended learning systems: Definition, current trends, and future directions. In C. J. Bonk, & C. R. Graham (Eds.), The handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs (pp. 3-21) John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ginns, P., & Ellis, R. (2007). Quality in blended learning: Exploring the relationships between on-line and face-to-face teaching and learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 10(1), 53-64.
Heinze, A., & Procter, C. (2004). Reflections on the use of blended learning.
Kerres, M., & Witt, C. D. (2003). A didactical framework for the design of blended learning arrangements. Journal of Educational Media, 28(2-3), 101-113.
Marton, F., & Säljö, R. (1976). On Qualitative Differences in Learning: I—Outcome and process. British journal of educational psychology, 46(1), 4-11.
Meer, F.B. van der, Marks, P. K., Linde, C. v. d., & Fenger, M. (2013). Reflection and academic attitude: How to teach and learn it in initial bachelor and master programs in public administration?
Meer, F.B. van der, & Marks, P.K. (2013). Teaching and learning reflection in MPA programs towards a strategy. Teaching Public Administration, 31(1), 42-54.
Meer, F.B. van der, & Ringeling, A. (2010). An education strategy for practitioners in public administration master's programs. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 77-93.
Richardson, J.T.E. (2003). Approaches to studying and perceptions of academic quality in a short web-based course. Britisch Journal of Education Technology, 34(4), 433-442.
Richardson, J.T.E. (2006). Investigating the relationship between variations in students’perceptions of their academic environment and variations in study behavior in distance education. Britisch Journal of Education Psychology, 76, 867-893.
Richardson, J.T.E., Gambord, G. & Hammerberg, G. (2005). Perceived academic quality and approaches to studying at Danish schools of occupational therapy. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 12, 110-117.
Struyven, K., Dochy, F., Janssens, S., & Gielen, S. (2006). On the dynamics of students' approaches to learning: The effects of the teaching/learning environment. Learning and Instruction, 16(4), 279-294.
Sun, H. & Richardson, J.T.E. (2012).Perceptions of quality and approaches studying in higher education: a comparative study of Chinese and British postgraduate students at six British business schools. Higher Education, 63, 299-316.
Trigwell, K. (2010). Promoting effective student learning in higher education.