Designing and developing a blended course: toward best practices for Japanese learners

This paper outlines the iterative stages involved in designing and developing a blended course of English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) at Osaka University. First, the basic Successive Approximation Model (SAM 1) is introduced as the guiding instructional design model upon which the course was created. Afterward, the stages of design and development of the blended course are explained with a focus upon assessing Japanese students’ English language needs and their e-learning readiness. Additional points discussed include the way in which the iteration process has allowed for the discovery of some opportunities and problems at the early phases of the blended course design and development, and the refinements that were made to enhance opportunities and to mitigate the difficulties.