Guiding Professional Life-long Learning Projects: The Case of an Immersive Blended Learning Certificate | Accompagner des projets professionnels en formation continue : le cas d’un certificat de formation hybride et immersive

Kalliopi Benetos; Daniel Peraya

doi:10.21432/T2H045

Authors

Kalliopi Benetos University of Geneva
Daniel Peraya University of Geneva

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21432/T2H045

Abstract

This case study presents a blended learning study program offered as a continuing education certificate of advanced studies for post-secondary educators and training professionals in the private, non-governmental, and public sectors. This accredited certificate program is unique in that it allows participants to propose and develop their own practical pedagogical projects. Another distinguishing characteristic is that it is offered in blended learning mode, i.e., alternating face-to-face phases with tutored distance learning phases. The pedagogical team includes one professor and one coordinator who supervise the entire program, as well as external instructors who provide individually tailored consulting on participants’ projects. During their studies, participants experience first-hand, the techno-pedagogical solutions proposed through their implementation within the program.

Author Biographies

Kalliopi Benetos, University of Geneva

Kalliopi Benetos is a research and teaching collaborator at the University of Geneva where she coordinates a continuing education certificate programme in the design and development of online learning. After a career in graphic design and web development, she completed her Master’s in Learning and Teaching Technologies with TECFA at the University of Geneva where she is currently working on her doctoral thesis in computer-supported argumentative writing. She has over 10 years experience in the integration of educational technologies in blended and distance learning and has been teaching in the field since 2007.

Daniel Peraya, University of Geneva

A Doctor in Communications, Daniel Peraya is a tenured professor at TECFA, the educational technologies unit of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Geneva. His research and teaching focus on the mediation of educational communication, particularly in blended or distance learning in higher education. He coordinated TECFA's participation in numerous european distance learning projects. Since 1990, he has actively participated in the development of distance learning in Switzerland, notably through preliminary studies to prepare the foundations for the implementation of the federal Swiss Virtual Campus programme; since 2000, he coordinated TECFA's participation in numerous programmes (Swiss Virtual Campus, 2000-2007, Coselearn 2005-2011). He is currently responsible for the MALTT programme (Master in Learning and Teaching Technologies) and director of the continuing education certificate in the design and development of online learning projects, as well as for TECFA's participation in the ACREDITE programme (AUF, Mons University, University of Cergy-Pontoise and University of Geneva). He is an associated researcher in the Centre interuniversitaire sur la profession enseignante (CRIFPE, Quebec) acting as international researcher and member of the Groupe d'études sur la Médiation du savoir (GReMS, Louvain Catholic University).