(Blended Learning)2: Blending content- and learning-oriented objectives in a blended learning environment

Large classroom sizes are a reality university educators need to contend with, particularly in the first year of a given cohort within a degree programme. Activating and engaging students in these large classroom environments present numerous sets of challenges. These challenges are exacerbated by student learning development needs in the early stages of the degree programme. In their first year, students are still adapting to a new learning environment and are developing new study skills and practices. Early success and failure in courses will shape intrinsic and extrinsic factors that will motivate the student in the remainder of their degree. Thus the perceived challenge of activating large classrooms early in a degree programme goes beyond simple engagement; beneath the core learning objectives of the course are implicit learning objective about developing effective motivation and study skills.
This paper examines the efforts to reorganize a first year Mechanics of Materials course taught in the Bachelor of Engineering Programme within the Faculty of
Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology University to address this need using a Blended Learning approach.