ABSTRACT
Technologies and formats continue to change. Lessons about the blended mindset are more valuable than recommendations of specific technologies. In the blend, pedagogical choices should inform which technologies are used, despite the lure of new technologies. Instructors can make the most of their courses by using materials that go beyond the textbook online component. Instructors need the freedom to create and adapt some materials of their own and must clearly communicate with students the purpose and requirements of course elements. Programs can help instructors take all of these considerations into account by supporting a cyclical process of course evaluation and revision. By better supporting participant needs and drawing upon lessons from other blended courses, programs can arrive at practical solutions appropriate for their participants. What is needed to move forward with blended and distance language learning is a focus on helping current and future instructors and administrators become comfortable with available tools to better make pedagogically based choices. Effective blends, based on solid pedagogical foundations and corresponding to participants’ technological comfort, create opportunities that are not judged to be simply as good as face-to-face classes but different, combining the best of traditional learning opportunities with the affordances of digital pedagogy.
